Brownies and Bars Archives - Simply Sells Kitchen

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Sandra Sells — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:24:01 +0000

I know what you are thinking, “What am I going to do with all those ripe bananas?” Well, I know what you should do—make banana bread! I mean, most of us have more than one banana going a little too ripe anyway. Banana bread is my usual go-to solution, but sometimes we make our paleo banana pancakes or smoothies. I was thinking of how to make the recipe better. Chocolate chip banana bread was the perfect answer! Bananas in our home In our household we love bananas. We go through bundles and bundles every month. The kids have grown up loving them as well. They’re really perfect to incorporate into any sweet treat and add another depth of flavor. One of our favorites is something we call banana whip. We freeze a few bananas and then blend them in our Vitamix blender for a sugar-free treat you can’t beat. This chocolate chip banana bread recipe is a great one that your friends will love! I wrote this as a two-loaf recipe in hopes that you will share one with a friend, or you can freeze it if wrapped well! This past weekend I brought two loaves to our precious friends at church for a post-service snack. I definitely got some thumbs up! It just warms my heart when everyone shows me their mouthful smiles! Banana bread recipe This recipe is so simple! It can be made using a bowl and a whisk or right in your mixer. I opted for our KitchenAid stand mixer. I would ordinarily say to mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine them, but let’s be real and save a dish. So, just put the bananas in the bowl (or mixer), and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix them until just combined. It is better not to over mix, so just mix the ingredients until a smooth batter. Add the evenly split batter into your greased loaf pans and bake at 350℉ for 45-50 minutes. I advise you to look at them at the 45-minute mark and decide your desired brownness. We like to spread butter on the bread right after it comes out of the oven, and if possible serve it warm. There is just nothing like a warm slice of this chocolate chip banana bread with a spread of smooth and creamy butter, along with your favorite hot drink! This is something that we had often growing up. I really hope you and your loved ones enjoy this banana bread!

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Baked Oatmeal Muffins

Sandra Sells — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:23:42 +0000

Oats are a huge staple in our house! From regular oatmeal to cookies and pancakes, we tend to use oats in a lot of our recipes. These baked oatmeal muffins have been a great addition in our home. My kids started a pass or fail challenge when recipes are finalized, and I got a pass on these. I think I have mentioned they are tough critics, so I am quite pleased. This muffin recipe is versatile and customizable to any palate. They are so easy to make! These baked oatmeal muffins are great to make ahead for quick breakfasts on the go and are a healthy option for your family. Go ahead and bring them to your next brunch gathering; they will definitely be a hit! They stay fresh for 3-4 days in a sealed container on the counter or you can store them in the freezer for a longer period. I like to put one in my kids lunchbox as a nutritious treat option! Recipe You make these baked oatmeal muffins right in the food processor. I am sure a Vitamix would do the job, too. First, preheat the oven to 350℉, and then prep your muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. I start by mixing all the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse them until the mixture looks like a course sand texture. Next, I add everything else right into the food processor and pulse them until combined (about 30 seconds). Finally, I use my cookie scoop to scoop the batter into each muffin space. Using the cookie scoop fills 12 muffin spaces pretty evenly if the scoops are even. The toppings I chose for this batch of muffins were blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips. I bet you can guess the kids favorite, yep, the chocolate chip ones! My husband was partial to the blueberries! Like I said, these muffins are very versatile. You can even make them mini muffins for your little toddlers. Some other topping options that would be great on these are cooked apples, chia seeds, nuts, granola, or raisins. I bet this recipe would also be a great base for a coffee cake crumble. The options are endless. I hope you enjoy these baked oatmeal muffins and I encourage you to try to make healthy options like these for your family!

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Millionaire Shortbread

Sandra Sells — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 15:18:18 +0000

I have wanted to make this dessert for our Simply Sells Kitchen family since we started the website. Nothing excites me more than to bring you into our family and share what we enjoy in times of celebration. I come from a family that has very few traditions, but this one seems to have stuck for a long period of time. No pun intended as the caramel in this recipe is no joke, Ha! I wouldn’t say we have generational traditions but we usually bring this millionaire shortbread recipe out during Christmas time and have for years. Christmas traditions help bring on the Christmas cheer. Our Millionaire Shortbread is a layered dessert that has shortbread as the base, followed by a rich caramel in the middle and covered in chocolate. The ingredients are simple in each layer but bring a lot of richness when combined. It is a dessert that you would find in the UK, as it originated in Scotland (the Scottish are known for their shortbread). The layers of this bar resemble the components of a Twix candy bar. The UK is famous for their sweets and buttery pastries, which may be my biased opinion because I was born in England, but I honestly believe they make delicious sweets. Making Shortbread The first step in making Millionaire Shortbread is to make the shortbread biscuit layer. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and then prepare an 8×8 pan by lining it with parchment paper that overhangs the pan so that you can lift the entire dessert out of the pan when it is complete. Next, in a large bowl beat together the sugar and butter till fluffy. Slowly add the flour and salt, and then combine them until crumbly in texture. Press the dough into the prepared pan and then bake for about 35 minutes. The corners should be a light brown and the center like a soft baked cookie. Let it sit out to cool. The second step is to begin the next layer, which is the caramel. This is the part that requires a little muscle but isn’t as hard as you may think. A candy thermometer ensures that you get the caramel to the right candy stage. Start by melting the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. To the butter, add the can of sweetened condensed milk, light corn syrup, and salt. Begin to stir the ingredients together and monitor consistently to avoid burning the mixture. While stirring, insert the candy thermometer and bring the temperature up to 220-225 degrees. The consistency should be soft and the appearance a light golden milky color. Next, mix in the vanilla. The last step for this stage is to pour the caramel over the shortbread layer, spreading it evenly. Last but not least it is time melt the chocolate. I have used several types of chocolate and I have never been disappointed. Begin by melting the chocolate over a double boiler or use your microwave. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it over the caramel layer, spreading it evenly. It takes about 30-40 minutes for the chocolate to set, but if you place the pan in the fridge it may speed up the process. To serve your Millionaire Shortbread To serve the millionaire shortbread or “caramel squares,” as my mother calls them, lift the dessert out of the pan by using the overhung parchment paper and transfer it to a cutting board. A tip for cutting the shortbread is that cutting them upside down on the shortbread side is easier. The size of the bars is a personal choice and no judgement will be given (ha ha). The millionaire shortbread bars are so delicious it seems like you can’t have just one. I hope you enjoy these with your family and friends! They are great to package up as a gift, also.

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Midnight Black Chocolate Brownies

Sandra Sells — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 22:08:58 +0000

Dreaming of chocolate, dark chocolate, and indulgent black moist chocolatey brownies? Well these are it! This is the epitome of chocolate heaven. We really LOVE chocolate in the Sells house! Have you ever craved chocolate? Haha, that’s a joke, of course you have. Well, these brownies are not for the faint of heart. Get ready to dive into the chocolate wonderland of flavor that these brownies entail! This recipe is inspired by one ingredient: black cocoa powder. The color of these brownies is like an Oreo cookie – yes, a brownie that’s the color of an Oreo! Exciting, right? In our house we use black cocoa powder quite a bit. Black cocoa powder is super dark in color and full of nutrients and antioxidants. It is made that way by being extra Dutch processed. Dutch processing is a procedure where the cocoa beans are washed in an alkaline solution. Extra Dutch processed means that the cocoa beans are washed just a little bit more than the beans used in regular cocoa powder, causing the beautiful black color. The flavor of Dutch cocoa powder is more mild than regular. We tend to mix the Dutch cocoa powder with a 25% or 3-to-1 ratio of regular cocoa powder to keep that wonderful chocolatey depth of flavor. The decision to use black cocoa powder versus regular cocoa powder in this recipe is just a creative, artistic decision. We also incorporate a really good semi-sweet chocolate chip, like Ghirardelli. If you’re looking for no sugar chocolate to use in any recipe, another great brand is Lily’s Stevia Chocolate Chips. If you’re into chewy, dense, and fudgy brownies like the ones you used to lick the batter off the spoon with your grandmother, then these Midnight Black Chocolate Brownies are it! They always turn out looking so good and are always moist, even if you accidentally overbake them. The deep black color makes this a highly unique dessert that you, your families, and guests will love! Who knows, maybe you’ll even establish a new family brownie making tradition.

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