Kahlua-Spice Brownies

Ok, I am a bit of a rebel this week. My assignment from Food Network was Holiday Cookies. And I did share a delicious almond-sugar cookie with pepitas and dried apricot recipe over on my Napa Farmhouse 1885 blog. But I have been making these delicious brownies all holiday season, and I just had to share. Besides, brownies work on as assorted cookie platter, right?

I copied the recipe out of a murder mystery book a long time ago. You know the ones where the protagonist is a caterer, or owns a bakery, or restaurant, or is somehow involved in cooking? And there are a number of recipes included? Well, this recipe came from one of those books. I made a copy of the recipe, but nowhere on the page is there a book or author name. Then I googled "Kahlua brownie recipes from murder mystery book" and found a number of authors have included a similar brownie in their books. But I cannot find this one. So, if any of you know the answer, please respond in the comments section so I can give the proper attribution.

I followed the original recipe pretty closely. I just added the spices because I like cinnamon and Allspice with Kahlua and added dark chocolate chips because...well, obviously more chocolate is a good thing. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Kahlua-Spice Brownies
(makes 2 dozen)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup white, whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Allspice powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans, toasted

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x12 inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper with butter and set aside.

Add the butter and baking chocolate to a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue this process in 30-second increments until the butter and chocolate has melted. Stir until chocolate is glossy. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a mixer, add the eggs and sugar. Beat at low speed until combined and mixture in pale yellow. With machine running, add the Kahlua and the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Add the flours, 1/4 cup at a time, the cinnamon, Allspice, baking powder and sea salt. Increase the speed to medium and process until just combined. Do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of pan comes out clean. Rest pan on a wire rack until cool and then cut into squares. Delicious on their own...out of this world with salted caramel ice cream.

It is Holiday Cookies Week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite cookie recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies
The Lemon Bowl: Chocolate Peanut Butter Dipped Shortbread
Creative Culinary: Old Fashioned Date Nut Bars
Feed Me Phoebe: The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Almond-Sugar Cookies With Pepitas & Apricot
Red or Green: Kahlua-Spice Brownies
TasteBook: Peppermint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Figgy Cardamom Snickerdoodles
The Mom 100: The Best No-Bake Haystack Cookies
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Almond and Apricot Cookies
Healthy Eats: 5 Ideas for a Healthier Holiday Cookie Swap

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
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I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Chipotle Ranch Dip

I love ranch dip but hate the ingredients used in that powdered mix stuff. Have you read the list of preservatives? No thank you. This version is made from lots of fresh herbs, sour cream, mayo, and spices. I have added canned chipotle peppers and their adobo sauce for flavor and heat.

I serve this dip as an appetizer with veggies, chips, and crackers, of course, but it is also delicious drizzled over tacos or paired with Buffalo chicken wings or fried chicken. You can thin it with some buttermilk for a terrific salad dressing. I toss it with crisp lettuce, black beans, diced onion & tomatoes, grated cheese, and crushed corn tortilla chips. The perfect taco salad.

Chipotle Ranch Dip
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup minced chives
1 garlic clove, finely  minced
1 tablespoon white onion, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon canned chipotle pepper, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
sea salt
black pepper
buttermilk (if needed)

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, dill, basil, chives, garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce and minced chipotle pepper in a medium sized bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Chill in refrigerator for a minimum of two hours (4-6 is best). Taste and add additional 1/2 teaspoon of adobo sauce if you like it spicier. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with vegetables, buffalo chicken wings, fried chicken, chips and/or crackers. Thin with buttermilk if you want to use as salad dressing

It is Holiday Appetizer Week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite appetizer recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

The Lemon Bowl: 5-Ingredient Pizza Skewers
Feed Me Phoebe: Brussels Sprout Latkes with Anchovy Aioli
Creative Culinary: Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Port Wine Pâté
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Avocado Crostini with Oaxacan Sesame Sauce
Red or Green: Chipotle Ranch Dip
Healthy Eats: 5 Lighter Finger Foods for Your Holiday Soiree
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Baked Falafel and Hummus
The Mom 100: Creamy Avocado Dip
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Jalapeño Poppers Gougere
Daily*Dishin: Peppadews Stuffed with Mozzarella Fresca
Taste with the Eyes: You Don't Have To Be Jewish To Love Latkes
FN Dish: 5 One-Bite Wonders You Need at Your Holiday Party

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Roasted Carrot, Shallot & Coconut Soup

This is my new favorite fall soup. Tender roasted carrots, caramelized shallots, onion, creamy coconut milk and, for a bit of heat, jalapeno pepper, red pepper flakes and fresh ginger, blended together for the perfect mix of sweet, savory and spicy goodness. This may just be the perfect Thanksgiving first course.

I saw a version of this recipe in a wonderful book called, The Good Cook's Book of Oil & Vinegar by Michele Anna Jordan published back in 1992. The book's forward was written by M.F.K Fisher, so you know there is major credibility here. I have tweaked the soup recipe numerous times throughout the years, eliminated the called-for-yogurt, added onions and leek to the shallots, increased the amount of carrots, spiced it up with chiles, etc., but the basics are the same as the original.  So delicious. Enjoy!

Roasted Carrot, Shallot & Coconut Soup
adapted from The Good Cook's Book of Oil & Vinegar by Michele Anna Jordan
(serves 6)

1 1/2 lbs carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
1 medium leek, cut into 4 pieces
3 shallots, peeled
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3 cups vegetable stock (homemade or best quality purchased)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (from the dairy case)
1/4 cup coconut cream
juice of one lime
1/4 cup pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
1 teaspoon cumin seed
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and add the carrots, leek, shallots, onion and 1/4 olive oil. Using your hands, roll the vegetables around in the oil until they are thoroughly coated. Season with a pinch each salt and pepper and roast in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the carrots are soft and caramelized in spots. Remove from oven and let cool.

Chop the vegetables into large pieces. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the roasted vegetables, ginger, jalapeno, ground cumin and pepper flakes and saute for 5 minutes frequently stirring. Add the vegetable stock and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Carefully add the soup mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Depending on the size of your machine you may need to do this in batches. Pour the soup back into the pot and add the coconut milk, coconut cream, and lime juice*. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed.

Toast the pepitas and cumin seed in a small dry skillet over medium heat. This should take just a couple of minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. When you smell them, they are ready.

Serve the soup garnished with cilantro leaves, pepitas, cumin and green onions.

*the soup can be made 1 day in advance. Do not add the lime juice until you rewarm the soup.

It is Carrot Week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite carrot recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Baked Moroccan Chicken with Carrots and Turmeric
Homemade Delish: Thai Carrot Noodles
In Jennie's Kitchen: Dairy-Free Carrot Cupcakes
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Light Carrot Flans
Weelicious: Carrot Parsnip Latkes
The Mom 100: Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots with Olive Drizzle
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chicken & Carrot Saute With Coconut-Basil Sauce
 Red or Green: Roasted Carrot, Shallot & Coconut Soup
Healthy Eats: 6 Healthy Ways to Up Your Carrot Cake Game
Taste with the Eyes: A Twist on Carrots and Quinoa
Creative Culinary: Roasted Carrots with Honey, Rosemary and Thyme
FN Dish: 5 Showstopping Carrot Cakes to Bake for Thanksgiving Dessert

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds

This is a delicious fall salad perfect for a casual night's supper or a more elegant dinner. I plan to add to my Thanksgiving menu. The brussels sprouts & avocado pairing is inspired by a vegetable recipe from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.The creaminess of the avocado and the sweetness of the roasted brussels sprouts is wonderful together.  I turned the dish into a salad and added pomegranate seeds for taste, crunch, and color.

Meet Jasper!

We attended a final "advanced obedience training and cookout" last week with our dog Jasper. He is a fairly new rescue and had never been trained during his first 1 1/2 years of life. At 75 pounds, he is a big "puppy" and training was required. The group in the class became friends, and the cookout was a way of celebrating all of our dogs' (and our own) progress. I brought this salad, and it was a hit. Everyone asked for the recipe which is my test for determining if something is "bloggable." I hope you enjoy it too.

Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds
Inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
serves 8

3 lbs brussels sprouts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large Hass avocado, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 pecans
sea salt 
freshly cracked black pepper
8 handfuls salad greens

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the brussels sprouts and cook (blanch) for 3-4 minutes until they turn vivid bright green. (time depends on the size of the sprouts). Drain and place on a dry tea towel. Gently dry the sprouts with the towel. Place on a cutting board and slice sprouts in half. Place in a medium bowl and cover with the 1/4 cup olive oil. Combine until they are coated with the oil.

Turn out the sprouts (including the oil) onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet, cut side down. Sprinkle with a teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they are tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and set aside.

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Coarsely chop.

Add the brussels sprouts, including any oil in the pan, to the used medium bowl. Stir in the red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, avocado, pomegranate seeds, and pecans. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Line a serving bowl with the salad greens. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mound the brussels sprouts mixture over the greens and serve.

It is Brussels Sprouts week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite brussels sprouts recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Feed Me Phoebe: Quinoa Brussels Sprout Gratin with Smoked Cheddar
Homemade Delish: Brussels Sprout and Bacon Pizza
Creative Culinary: Fried Brussels Sprouts with a Sriracha and Honey Glaze
Napa Farmhouse 1885:  Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pesto Pizza
Red or Green: Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds
Taste with the Eyes: Brussels, Bacon, Balsamic
TasteBook: Lemony Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Healthy Eats: 6 Ways to Never Get Bored of Brussels Sprouts
The Mom 100: White Bean and Roasted Cauliflower Spread with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
FN Dish: The Only 5 Brussels Sprouts Dishes You'll Need This Season

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.