Angela at The Teacher's Desk 6 is hosting a Throwback Thursday linky party. The rules are simple - choose a previous blog post and re-post it.
For this week's throwback, I went ALLLLLLL the way back. This is the third post ever on the blog. It's really the first post with content, because the first two introduced Sean and I to our readers. In this post I talked about some of the recipes I made in one day. They are still favorites around here. Enjoy!
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"Amanda's Bakery" was definitely open for business today! That is what Sean calls it when I bake up a storm in the kitchen.
It
is a dreary, over-cast, rainy at times Sunday here in VA. I finagled
myself a work-free weekend which NEVER happens (I'm always grading
papers or lesson planning on Sunday afternoons), so, other than laundry,
I had several open hours looming ahead. I decided to fill them with
baking. *fingers crossed they all turn out delicious*
Rum Raisin Rice Pudding - Click here for recipe (from Ina Garten on FoodNetwork)
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Ingredients for Rice Pudding |
Last summer, Sean and I
went on a Princess Cruise through New England and Canada. Sean
discovered on our first morning that they had rice pudding cups on the
breakfast buffet and ate at least two a day each day of our cruise (9
mornings of rice pudding!). It was then that I realized the deep love my
husband has for the dessert. He told me the story of how it all got started with a happy smile as he ate.When
he was growing up, his grandmother made rice pudding when she knew he
was coming over for a visit. She would have a huge pot of it cooking
away on the stove when he arrived and he would dive right in. Sean did
not have the best of relationships with his grandmother towards the end
of her life, but I am grateful that he has this happy memory of her to
hold on to.
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Raisins softening in the rum |
Now usually when I bake, Sean will eat one
serving of whatever it is, maybe two, and then he's done. (I have been
blessed with the sweet tooth in our family apparently. See below for
proof.) I discovered the Rice Pudding recipe on FoodNetwork and
surprised him with it as a way of remembering our cruise. He loved it!
He devoured it in a few days and asked me to make more. I was so happy
that I found a dessert he liked and wanted. Now he asks for it every few
months; it's nice to have something special to make him that I know he
enjoys.
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Still pipping hot...Sean dove in :) |
*Notes about the recipe: Sean
likes a thicker rice pudding consistency so I only use three cups of
milk. Oh, and I use milk and not half-and-half...not for any reason
other than we never have half-and-half in the house and milk is cheaper.
Finally, I usually add a little extra rum to the raisins because I know
Sean likes the extra flavor.
Snickers Brownies (recipe from the brain of my sister)
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A piece of Snickers for each brownie |
My sister, who lives in
South Carolina, also likes to bake. She was home a year or so ago and
was making brownies. I watched her add pieces of fun-sized candy bars to
the batter and thought, "What an amazing way to spruce up plain,
ordinary brownies!". This time I decided to use Snickers Bars because I
thought my students would like them.
Each week, my English students get the possibility of a reward on
Friday. I have discovered recently that my students will do homework and
monitor their own behavior if food is the potential reward, so two
weeks ago I offered chocolate. Apparently that was too vague because too
many students did not do their work and the class did not get the
reward. This week I was more specific and offered a special, homemade
(by me!) chocolate reward and they were scrambling to make sure every
student had their homework so they could be fed. These Snickers brownies
are for them!
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Yum! Yum! |
The only pan I use to make
brownies anymore is the Amazing Brownie Pan my mom gave me a few years
ago. I love it and the fact that it cuts the brownies as they bake. Easy
portion control and perfect for a recipe like this one. Just drop 1/4
of a fun sized candy bar into each square, bake according to package
instructions and --- viola! Perfect brownies every time! I hope my
students enjoy them!!
Black Bean Brownies - Click here for recipe (from Skinnytaste.com)
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The only two ingredients you need |
When I joined Weight
Watchers last August, I thought my days of brownies and desserts were
all but over. I am so glad to be wrong! At one of the first meetings I
attended, I heard about "Black Bean Brownies" and dismissed them
completely because I hate black beans. I tried Diet Coke brownies but
didn't like the crumbly texture and I tried pumpkin brownies but didn't
like the chewy texture. Then a friend made the black bean brownies and
brought me one. I was hooked! You don't taste beans at all, just yummy
chocolate with an awesome brownie texture. If you haven't tried them and
want to eat some less-guilty brownies, you should try these!!
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Which recipe is your favorite?
Happy Thursday,
I will pass on the raisin pudding and I am not sure about the black bean brownies, but SnickerBrownies? I will have try those, someday when I can afford those delicious extra calories:).
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