chocolate banana muffins •

I’m tired, I’m lazy...so here’s the recipe.

Okara Chocolate Banana Muffins •

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together in a large mixing bowl:

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1/4 cup vanilla soy milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 small bananas (peeled, of course)

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup chocolate chips

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fold in one cup of chocolate chips. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake muffins 20 to 25 minutes. Makes approximately 18 muffins.

rendezvous at midnight brownies •

Maybe it was the weather; the thunderstorms that rocked the house at 3:00 a.m. and woke me up. Maybe it was the fact that it was still raining this morning, and that the temperature outside was warmer than inside our home. Or that I had to take a darling to the doctor...again. Maybe it was the $400.00 bill down at Joe’s Auto Repair waiting for me. For whatever reason I needed something chocolate...and fast! I initially thought I would bake a batch of peanut butter brownies. As I pulled out the ingredients, however, the chill of the house really started to get me down. I changed my mind midstream, dreaming of warmer spices and heat. So I came up with this recipe—dark, seductive, and subtly spicy. Just like a rendzvous at midnight.

Rendezvous at Midnight Brownies •

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a microwaveable bowl melt together:

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (3 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons Hershey’s® Cocoa Special Dark

Microwave on high for one minute, stir and set aside to finish melting. After this mixture cools down a bit, mix in 1 cup wet okara* (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine), 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 teaspoons chipolte pepper in adobo sauce (smooshed well with a fork). Is that a cooking term, “smooshed”?

In a large mixing bowl sift together:

1 cup white unbleached flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Sweetened whipped cream and chili powder for garnish (optional)

Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing well. Spread into a foil lined (grease the foil) 8" x 8" square baking pan. Bake for approximately 35 - 40 minutes. Do not overbake! Cool completely before removing the foil and cutting into small squares. Split brownies in half and spread a layer of whipped cream in-between layers. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top and sprinkle with chili powder.  

*Note: You can substitute 2 large eggs, beaten, for the wet okara.