recipes

Chocolate Chunk and Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins

Last week I wrote about “perfect pairs.”

But seriously…

does anything “pair” better than the divine taste of rich, creamy semi-sweet chocolate and the tangy, sweet, juiciness of fresh red raspberries?

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins 1

Oh these muffins!

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins 2

They are pretty much heaven in a paper liner!

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins 3

If you are looking for an amazing muffin recipe that goes as wonderfully with coffee in the morning for a decadent breakfast treat as it does with red wine or milk for dessert or as a snack, look no further.  Here is a recipe I slightly adapted from Creme de la Crumb.  ENJOY!

Chocolate Chunk and Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Muffins

raspberry chocolate chunk chocolate muffins

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup red raspberry Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup Half & Half
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
  • 1 pint fresh red raspberries

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with liners.
  • Combine flour, sugar, 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
  • Whisk egg, yogurt, milk, and vegetable oil in another bowl until smooth.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
  • Scoop into muffin pan.
  • Divide raspberries and remaining ¼ cup chocolate chunks among the muffins (just sprinkle the chocolate chips on the tops of the batter and gently press the raspberries into the top – I used 3 raspberries per muffin)
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Fudgy Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

/ Jodi / 27 Comments

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Just when I thought my guys couldn’t like anything better than the Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies I made recently — – – TWICE! – – – meet Fudgy Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies!

Get ready to rumble friends!

Not only are these super easy – they are TOO DIE FOR!

My guys were practically fighting over the last one.

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies before baked 1

The kids were all coming over Saturday evening to watch the “big fight” (Mayweather / Pacquioa).  I’ve never watched a fight in my life before Saturday, but I kinda got caught up into the hype as my guys talked about it.  So when Mom and Dad offered to pay the Pay Per View fee, our house was the place to be.  (Any excuse will do for me to have the kiddos here and have a chance to cook and visit with them!)

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies before baked 2

The weather was gorgeous this weekend, and I didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, but I certainly had to have some goodies just in case.  I had a box of Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate Brownie mix in the pantry (is there any other kind – chocolate brownies with chocolate chips in them and a packet of chocolate syrup to assure there is enough chocolate?!).  So I thought I would zip it up a bit (as if it isn’t zipped up enough – eh?)

But O.. M.. G….  throw in some fresh raspberries and a handful of white chocolate chips – and we are talking DESSERT HEAVEN!

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies in Pan

And just like when I bake cookies, I always slightly UNDERbake my brownies so they are ooey and gooey and fudgy wonderful!   This is barely a recipe, but I guarantee you will be a ROCK STAR if you make these for your family or take to a gathering.

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients:
1 Box Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix (or YOUR favorite brownie mix)
1 pint fresh red raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Prepare brownies according to package directions, but after you pour the batter into your pan and before you put them in the oven, press 16 whole ripe fresh red raspberries into the batter and then broken up pieces of the remainder of the berries intermittently throughout the batter.  Sprinkle the white chocolate chips on top.  Bake until just down.

Take these to your next picnic, make for your hubby/wife/partner if you want to buy a new outfit, living room furniture or a new car, or make for your boyfriend/girlfriend if you are waiting for a proposal! 🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Crazy Addictive Homemade Caramel Corn

/ Jodi / 6 Comments

Caramel Corn bowl

Sometimes I like to fuss and make fancy schmansy appetizers and snacks for company or to take somewhere.

Other times, I rely on tried and true no-fail crowd pleasers like this A M A Z I N G  homemade Caramel Corn.

No matter when or where I serve it or what else is on the table, there is rarely, if ever, a kernel left.

I originally got this recipe from one of my very dear friends, Pam (aka Bubby or the Bubster as I affectionately like to call her – have you noticed a trend in nicknaming with me??!!…) who brought it to our house one holiday season years ago.

I have made this stuff (that is literally like CRACK it is so addicting!) to give as gifts, take to parties, or just serve when having a crowd over many, many times over the years since Bubby first brought it and got us all hooked.

You have got to try this.

And then you have to let me know if you have any leftover.

I dare you – even double dare you – to resist this stuff.

You start with 2 bags of Snyder’s Hulless Puff’n Corn Popcorn.  (You know – that melt in your mouth puffy kind that doesn’t have the kernels that get caught between your teeth).  Dump them in a large roaster pan, and turn your oven on 250 degrees to preheat.

Caramel Corn 1

Then you melt 2 sticks of BUTTER and 1 TBSP of peanut butter in a saucepan.

Add 2 cups of packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup, and boil for 5 minutes.

Caramel Corn 2

Remove from heat, and add 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp baking soda, and watch the crazy chemistry work.  (Not sure why – maybe some of you that paid a bit more attention in high school chemistry class know why – but it just completely grows and changes consistency after that little bit of baking soda.)  And if you didn’t start out with a large enough saucepan, you can easily overflow, so be prepared!

Caramel Corn 3

Pour this mixture over the popcorn in the roasting pan and stir well.

Caramel Corn 4

Then bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour (stirring every 15 minutes or so).

Caramel Corn 5

I made this along with about 10 zillion (ok I exaggerate) other things for our Father’s Day Picnic Celebration this past Sunday, and it is the only thing that I did NOT have any leftover of…..

Just saying……  You gotta try this stuff!

And let me know if you have any leftover…

Caramel Corn bowl

Cheers and hugs,

Jodi