Author: DJones BranchingOut

Pushing 50 and it's time to try a few (maybe... 365?) new things. This blog is not about reinventing oneself or one's life, but about how much fun one can have while going out on a limb and branching out. Kicking anxiety's butt one day at a time, yeah!

Eggnog Sugar Cookie Bars

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InsideBruCrewLife.com

I had high hopes for these bars. Wouldn’t you love a recipe that promises the flavor of a sugar cookie with all the ease of a brownie or a bar? This version from InsideBruCrewLife.com popped up on my Pinterest feed at just the same time that I wanted cookies to eat during a Star Wars marathon with the family. How convenient for me!

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With no egg yolks, cream of tarter, corn starch, cream cheese or sour cream, this very basic assemblage of ingredients were gathered (under the supervision of two-thirds of the household’s pets). Also adding to the ease of directions- no refrigerator rest time, no smushing with glasses dipped in sugar. I changed only a couple things by omitting the rum flavoring from the cookie dough and icing, and using less sugar in the icing.

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click for WilliamsSonoma.com’s link for this good nutmeg grinder

Eggnog Sugar Cookie Bars
(as inspired by InsideBruCrewLife .com)

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup eggnog
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg- use freshly ground nutmeg for out of this world flavor!
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside flour mixture.
  • In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, mix until combined; add eggnog, mix.
  • Add flour mixture to wet mix and stir until combined, but do not over mix.
  • Press dough into greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool before frosting
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My nutmeg grinder… love it!

Overall, I’d say that we like these cookies. They definitely were super easy, and fast to prepare. They are not a substitute for a really tender yet crisp sugar cookie, though. Sometimes you have to go through those extra steps and use those slightly different ingredients to get exactly what you want. It will be worth it.

Eggnog Icing
Cream together until very light and fluffy one stick of butter and 2 1/2 cups of butter. Slowly add 1/4 cup eggnog and add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
Makes more than enough to frost the above recipe

 

 

 

When They are So Exited to Receive Volunteer Requests…

…that their reply comes back in all caps:

“YES YES YES, WE NEED HELP!!!
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE NEW BOXING GYM AND I WILL GIVE YOU A 15 MINUTE TALK ABOUT WHT YOU WOULD BE DOING.
AWESOME!!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!”

My first thought is to reply and let the boxing coach know that I will wait until between the Christmas and New Year’s holiday’s have passed, but honestly? I think I might try to get over tho the Rock Steady Boxing classes right smack in the middle of all this hubbub.

I have a feeling that finding ways to help out somewhere is a lot more interesting than standing in line at the mall.

“Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.”
Audrey Hepburn

 

On “CBS Sunday Morning,” Friends, and Coincidence

At a gathering recently, a friend and I referred to the same news clip that we each had seen on TV. It seems that another family looks forward to the same news program that The Husband and I have been watching for a couple of decades.

CBS Sunday Morning has been a great way to pass an early Sunday morning. The stories and news clips are great viewing for kids of all ages and we always discover something new. A few weeks ago, we learned about a therapy program designed to help patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

Quite surprisingly, it turned out that my friend is also interested in this program. We took the hint that Coincidence was throwing our way and promised that the very next morning we would drive out together to one of the local boxing and fitness facilities to start asking our questions… I’m glad I have a friend who gave me the push I needed to send off an email and ask about helping out. Hopefully, I will hear back from our Rock Steady Boxing coaches and there will be volunteer positions open.

Watch the above video and ask yourself this: where can I volunteer my time, offer my talents, or donate my treasure? Do you feel called to help out somewhere or with someone? There are so many ways to help everywhere, you just have to get out there and ask. Maybe look for Coincidence?

Irish Cream Liqueur Brownies- A Delicious Experiment and Two Recipes

All Costco’s Kirkland brand drinks seem to be great- the wines, the liquors, and now… how about this Irish Cream Liqueur? Into the cart it went since I couldn’t pass up the possibility of a good drink.

We have since tried it, and the Kirkland Irish Cream Liqueur is a winner! On ice and in coffee, The Husband and I have loved it. The Bunco Club has indulged and gave their approval, but the level in the bottle has still barely dropped.What am I supposed to do with an enormous bottle? It’s time to experiment because this is a seriously ridiculous amount of booze…

How about brownies? Yum.

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The Ingredients

Irish Cream Liqueur Brownies

Oven at 350. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.

Into a large bowl put:

  • The brownie mix
Prep bowls with vanilla and coffee
coffee into the vanilla
coffee and vanilla into the liqueur

Mix together in a small bowl or measuring cup:

  • 1/4 cup Irish Cream Liqueur instead of water (or amount of liquid as directed by recipe)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon instant coffee crystals

Beat together in a medium bowl:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or as directed)
  • 2 eggs (ditto)

Stir together the liqueur and egg mixes, then slowly add all the liquid mix into the large bowl with the instant brownie mix. Add in chocolate chips now, if you are using them in your recipe. Stir until combined, but don’t over mix. 

all the liquids go in
I added chocolate chips!

IMG_9748Pour batter into prepared pan. Follow your usual baking directions, and in about 25 minutes you should be in Brownie Bliss!

I need about a half gallon of milk right now, or maybe a big mug of black coffee… or two. I just tasted my brownie concoction and WOW. Very sweet, but Very good. I think that the brownie mix could have stood another tablespoon or two of liqueur, as the batter was not only more stiff than when usually made with water, but also- the Irish Cream Liqueur flavor is pretty mild.

Irish Cream Liqueur Icing (makes about 1 1/2 cups icing)

  • In bowl of stand mixer, slowly beat together one cube of butter, two ounces cream cheese(1/4 of an 8 oz. block) and two cups powdered sugar. Beat on high speed for three to four minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Stop the mixer and add one teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup Irish Cream Liqueur. Mix again, on low speed until combined, then high again for one to two minutes.

 

My Baking Notes:

-I used my family’s favorite boxed mix as a base and added my not-so-secret ingredients (instant coffee, vanilla, and chocolate chips). Remember, if you are going to use instant coffee crystals to punch up the chocolate flavor, you must add the dry coffee to the water/vanilla/liqueur and NOT directly into the batter, or they won’t dissolve.
-If you mix together all your liquids before stirring them into the brownie mix, you are much less likely to over mix the batter.

Bonus Tip!!

Ever hear that if you slice your brownies with a plastic knife, that they will slice more evenly and not get all ragged? Well, it is true.

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Metal knife vs. …

 

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…plastic knife (see the difference?

Yep. It works, slice up your brownies with a plastic knife from now on, everyone!

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Quite Possibly The World’s Best and Easiest Chicken Tortilla Soup!

IMG_9715Part II, as continued from yesterday’s post…

This recipe is fantastic because it is so versatile. Everything can be thrown together with pre-made convenience foods, but honestly? It is unbeatable if you use your own salsa and make stock from scratch. Like all the best food, this dish is as good as the ingredients you use.

 

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(left) Yesterday’s stock from the slow cooker!

Ready? Here it is:

The Best, Easiest Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • shredded chicken
  • chicken broth
  • frozen corn
  • salsa
  • chili powder
  • shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips

Need exact measurements? I’ve got those:
(but remember, this is a very forgiving recipe in that you can change the amounts of each of the ingredients)

  • 3-4 quarts chicken stock (home made is best)
  • 1 1/2 cups salsa (home made or your favorite)
  • 2-4 teaspoons chili powder

Simmer the above ingredients for as long as you have patience, 20-60 minutes is fine. 

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…shredded chicken, frozen corn.

About ten minutes before you want to serve, finish the soup by adding the following two ingredients and heat through but don’t overcook:

  • 1 bag frozen corn kernels (12-16 ounces)
  • 2-4 cups chopped, cooked chicken (most of the meat from a rotisserie chicken)

Serve with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

A plop of sour cream is good on top, too. I never offer this, as The Husband doesn’t like the added dairy- he leaves out the cheese, too. Cretin.

This soup is also great with hominy instead of corn kernels. Buy your favorite prepared salsa if you don’t make your own, no cheap cilantro-less crap with added sugar allowed. Again, this soup is as good as the ingredients from which it is made.

Want this dish without any of the prep work? Break out a couple cartons of chicken broth, cooked chicken strips from the convenience section of the market, store bought salsa, chili powder, a bag frozen corn, tortilla chips, and pre-grated cheese. So easy. So good.

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