Chef Monsta: I cook, therefore I blog

Thanks to the recent epidemic of the flu, I fell ill with the grippe on Tuesday afternoon. So I went straight home, drugged myself, and slept til Wednesday….feeling like crap in the fall is surely NO FUN. But, there is an upside of being sick,which is taking a sick day from work!  Most people like to catch up on their DVR-ed tv shows or reading on these lazy days, but not me.

I decided to bake myself back to health. In honor of the American Swine flu crisis, I baked some CLASSIC All American treats: brownies and crumb cake. Hooray for the H1N1 vaccine!!!

Here is the recipe for VERY chocolatey brownies:

2 sticks unsalted butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the unsweetened chocolate, and whisk in once melted.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt and vanilla, just until mixed.

Whisk in the sugar in a stream, then whisk in the chocolate and butter mixture.

Fold in the flour.

I was too lazy to chop up the pecans, so I put them in a ziploc and bashed them with a hammer! It was fun, and a “healthy” way to get aggression out….then fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour mixture into a buttered baking pan

Bake the brownies for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or a small knife inserted in the center emerges clean.

And here is the next treat, from the Weekend Baker, Classic Crumb Cake

Topping ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 2/3 c flour

Topping directions:

Melt butter over medium heat in a sauce pan.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Pour butter into sugar mixture.

Add flour, and mix with a fork, breaking all lumps. Set aside.

Cake ingredients:
3 c flour
1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 c whole milk
12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients; flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until blended.

In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk until blended.

Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and stir.

Pour into baking pan.

Crumble the topping mixture over the batter to form a layer.

Bake about 40 minutes, until toothpick test proves clean.