Nutella Brownies

Nutella Brownies
Makes: 16 Brownies

These brownies are truly decadent, made with delicious Nutella (chocolate - hazelnut spread). You can always omit the hazelnuts in this recipe but I just love the added crunch they give. Try serving these brownies with some vanilla ice cream or all on their own, trust me, everyone will devour them!

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup of Nutella
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 325 ºF. Line the bottom of an 8 inch square cake pan with parchment paper, letting the paper extend over two opposite sides. Butter the two other sides.

In a bowl, combine the flour and salt, set aside

In another bowl, beat the eggs, 1 cup of Nutella, brown sugar and vanilla extract with spatula until smooth try not to incorporate too much air or you won’t end up with thick, dense brownies. Add the flour mixture, alternating and ending with the melted butter.

Put the batter into the pan, sprinkle with half the hazelnuts and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out damp with only a few crumbs attached (not completely clean). If the brownies are over cooked you’ll end up with a Nutella cake.

Cool in the pan for about 2 hours.

I a microwave safe bowl heat the remaining half cup of Nutella for about 30 seconds or until pourable.

Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts. Fill a re-sealable snack bag with Nutella, snip the corner, and drizzle over the brownies. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Braised Beef Rotini

Braised Beef Rotini

Serves 4-6

This recipe is great for a main dish or an entrée for your next dinner party. Don’t let the dark chocolate scare you! Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain next to nothing in terms of sugar so it’s really like any other spice offering another layer of flavor. Try adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder to your next beef stew, you’ll love it and everyone will wonder what your secret is!

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces chopped pancetta (about 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 pounds short ribs (or similar cut of beef)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups beef broth
3/4 cup red wine
1 pound dried rotini
4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate (at least 70%)

Place the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the garlic into matchstick sized pieces and insert into beef on both side making an incision with a paring knife. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, carrot, parsley and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely minced. Then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and cocoa powder and pulse.

Once the short ribs are browned, carefully add the mixture from the food processor to the pot. Return the pancetta to the pot and stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef broth, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Remove the meat and bones from the pot. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta and 2 to 3 minutes for fresh. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid 1/4 cup at a time, if
needed, to moisten the pasta. Transfer to serving bowls, top each bowl with 1 teaspoon of chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola
Makes about 8 cups
This is a classic in our house. We always have a big jar filled with home made granola, we’re constantly switching up the flavors by changing the dried fruits, such as raisins, cranberries, dried blueberries, and apricots the options are endless. For extra crunch you can also add some salted cashews after the granola has baked and cooled. If you prefer a sweeter granola, simply replace the coconut with sweetened coconut, but we use unsweetened as the granola is often added to yogurt and other sweet things. If you see your granola is browning too quickly, lower the heat of your oven, if the granola gets too dark, the caramelizing of the sugars will cause it to taste bitter so make sure you keep as eye on it. I find baking on stoneware gives the best results, but the standard metal sheet pans work fine too.

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup good honey
Dried fruits (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruit if using. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.