Listen & Be Heard

I have an old McCall’s cookbook from my mother’s house. I go to it frequently to find a standard recipe for something that I have never made before. I like to start out doing things the way everyone else does them, and making something that someone, like my husband, will taste and it will be be just what they expected it to be. But it’s just not in my nature to keep doing something the same way as it has always been done. Thus, today, I am going to tell you about two brownie recipes.

The first recipe is the standard brownie recipe that you see in this photograph of my cookbook. I have made brownies going exactly by this recipe and they taste like…. brownies! Perfect every time. When I bake, I always use raw sugar because I just think it has so much more flavor than white sugar. (I buy it ten pounds at a time at Costco.) I also use Happy Cow butter from G&G Retail at the South Carolina Farmers Market. I’m sure that the quality of my ingredients makes them more delicous.

The first ingredient that I switched out to make my own recipe, was the butter. I replaced it with the same amount of coconut oil. That made it more of a healthy and still delicious brownie. Then, I started using unsweetened cocoa powder instead of chocolate squares, mostly because it’s easier to melt without a double boiler. Then, I started adding the spices, turmeric and chipotle powder. The final addition was to add some chopped up dates in with the walnuts. Well, actually, the final, final addition is to throw in some chocolate chips if you just really love chocolate.

I’m not going to tell you that my brownies are health food, but somehow they are now a completely different breed from the original McCalls recipe. So you choose, or try them both and let me know what you think!

Martha's Brownies

A spiced up version of a classic brownie recipe.

• 6 tbsp unsweetened chocolate powder
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder (according to how spicy you want it add more or less)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dates
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350°.

2. Combine the chocolate powder and the two tablespoons and half cup of coconut in a small pot and melt together on low heat. Set aside to cool a little.

   
   
   

3. Sift the flower, baking powder, salt, turmeric and chipotle together in a small mixing bowl.

   
   
   

4. Cream the eggs and sugar together in your mixer.

5. While mixing your eggs and sugar prepare the dates and walnuts. Add the dates to the food processor first, until they are finely chopped. Add the walnuts and give it two or three hits on the pulse button.

6. Add the vanilla to your chocolate and coconut oil mixture and pour it all in with the eggs and sugar. Mix well.

7. Stop the mixer and add the flour and spices. Mix well.

8. Throw in your walnuts and dates and chocolate chips (optional.) Mix until just combined.

9. Grease your pan with butter or oil and spoon the batter in. It will be very sticky. That's good.

   
   
   

10. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

11. Allow to cool for ten minutes before slicing.