Strawberry Lemonade Brownines

Do you like Strawberry Lemonade?  These brownies are that...in food form!!  They are super yummy!  They were a nice break from the chocolate recipes I usually do.  Instead of the lemon glaze, I got some of my homemade freezer strawberry jam and poured it over top.  It was fabulous!!

Ingredients

½	cup unsalted butter, softened
¾	cup flour
2	eggs, large
2	tbsp lemon zest
2	tbsp lemon juice
¾	cup granulated sugar
¼	teaspoon sea salt
For the tart lemon glaze (I didn't do the glaze, but if you want it, here's the recipe):
4	tbsp lemon juice
8	tsp lemon zest
1	cup icing sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside. Zest and juice two lemons and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined. Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will dry.. Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice.  Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set. Cut into bars and serve. 

Marbled Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!  May your day be filled with love, whether it's from a spouse, significant other, kids, friend, parents, neighbors, whoever.  This is a day about showing your love to those around you.....it's not just for couples.  My mom used to always get us valentines.  It was usually some chocolates or a rose.  But it always made me feel loved.  Now I've continued that tradition and i always get my kids a little something.  This year they get some cute stuffed animals and candy.  My hubby, on the other hand, isn't satisfied with stuffed animals....except to use as target practice (mean, i know!).  So I usually like to bake him a sweet treat, along with the present I get him.  After all, the way to man's heart is through his stomach, right?

Marbled Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Red Velvet Layer:

3 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons milk, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Cheesecake Layer:
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 18 jelly roll pan with butter or spray with non-stick spray.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons milk, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and white vinegar.

Combine the dry and wet ingredients, until completely combined. The batter will be a really thick, almost moldable texture...but don't worry, that's what you want. Remove 3/4 cup of the batter and place it in a medium bowl. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk (into the 3/4 cup of batter you just took out). Set aside the 3/4 cup batter.

Pour the remaining batter into the prepared jelly roll pan. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter to reach all the edges.

Now, in your stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined and there are no lumps. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the red velvet layer and smooth mixture till it reaches all the edges.

Drop spoonfuls of the remaining red velvet batter onto the top of the cheesecake layer. 

Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cheesecake layers to create swirls.  If you want to get creative you can swirl heart shapes into it, but I figured since I'm cutting out the hearts that might be pointless, but if you are serving it whole, go for it =)

Bake for 30 minutes, rotating half way through, or just until the center is set and it no longer jiggles. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. 

Use a medium sized heart cookie cutter to create the perfect Valentine's Day treat!

If you don't want to use red, change up the colors =)  Or color the cheesecake and have a brown and whatever color you pick swirl.  If you don't want hearts, use your favorite cookie cutter shape. 

These are super yummy! They aren't overpoweringly sweet.  You can even get the kids to help cut out the shapes......and I'm sure they would love to help clean up the scraps. =)

Print Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

What happens when cookie dough meets brownie?  The ULTIMATE dessert!  I found this wonderful recipe while cruising the world of pinterest.  I knew immediately that I had to try it.  Then when I showed my hubby the picture, he was all for it!  I think the first time I saw the picture, I had to change into sweatpants because I immediately gained 5 pounds just thinking about it.  

I will admit, I was a bit hesitant when I first read the recipe because it seemed like something was missing in the brownie recipe.  There was no baking soda or powder.  But the reviews were all glowing so I decided to go for it anyway.  I figured with so many eggs that that would take the place of those anyway.  

BROWNIE:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

COOKIE DOUGH (EGG FREE!):
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 Tablespoons milk (may need more or less if dough is too crumble or sticky)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup semisweet chips + 1 teaspoon shortening for drizzle, optional

Make the brownies first:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. In a bowl, melt chocolate and 1/4 c. butter in the microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds; stir after each burst and remove from microwave when melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in melted chocolate. Blend in flour and mix just until combined (don't over-mix). Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes. Watch closely and remove from oven when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely. You can put them in the fridge or freezer once the pan cools slightly.

While the brownies are cooling, make the cookie dough.  Combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.  If your dough is too crumbly, add in more milk, 1 tsp at a time. And if you are like me and love to eat cookie dough, feel free because there are no eggs!! (not that has ever stopped me before....I am addicted to licking beaters and bowls)

Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies. I used my hands to pat it down.  Refrigerate until the dough is quite firm. It's okay to speed up the process and place it in the freezer too. 

If you'd like to add chocolate drizzle on top, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the microwave; stir until smooth. Scoop the melted chocolate into a zip baggie and snip off the corner. Squeeze the bag to drizzle the chocolate on top of each brownie. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, if desired.

I would recommend serving these in bit sized squares.  If you cut them into about 1-inch squares they fit perfect in mini cupcake liners. They are very sweet and rich.  I am usually one who can sit down and eat a whole batch of cookies in one sitting, and one or 2 bites of this and I was done.  These are prefect to take as a treat for a luncheon, party, get together, or whatever you'd like. I will be taking these to my lovely grandma's 80th birthday party tomorrow =)

Print Cookie Dough Brownie Recipe