Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Brownies

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Haha wjat

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Brownies
Story and Photos by Nicolas Campana

Cooking in the kitchen with one’s parents is an experience some enjoyed as children; this is the inspiration for Brittany Horak, as she chooses to prepare peanut butter and chocolate chip brownies.

Horak, a junior marketing major from Harlingen, Texas, was attracted to St Mary’s because of the smaller classes.

“I feel as though I have a closer relationship with my professors, rather than having them lecture, and me sit there like a zombie,” she says.

She also notes that the smaller class sizes and student population, gives the campus an overall, friendlier feel.

When not baking, Horak enjoys a variety of foods. One day, she hopes to work for a company in Asia, since she enjoys Asian cuisine such as dim sum, teriyaki chicken and mochi ice cream.

Some of her true favorites though, are BBQ style ribs, fried okra, and squash.

This recipe was chosen out of a reoccurring problem Horak faces–she often has hiccup attacks.

“They last forever, occasionally hurt, and do get annoying,” Horak explains.

Therefore, she always has a jar of peanut butter on hand to combat the hiccups.

Because of this, as well as her love for peanut butter and cooking with her mother, she decided to make a peanut butter brownie that reflects the fun of being in the kitchen with her parents.

“It’s fun learning from my mom, how she learned from her mom, how we continue to bond through our food, and our experiences together.”

Horak advises to add 1/2 c brown sugar if a sweeter brownie is desired.

“Also, if they wanted, they could double the peanut butter added to increase the peanut butter taste,” she says.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c peanut butter
  • 1/3 c butter, softened
  • 2/3 c white sugar
  • 1 c chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Using cooking spray or vegetable oil, grease a 9 x 9 pan. In a medium bowl, combine and mix softened butter and peanut butter. Gradually add and mix in chocolate chips sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, and then stir into the rest of the mixture until well blended. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the sides are golden brown. Let cool then cut into 16 pieces.

Filed under: Class Projects, Desserts, Recipes | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Posted on April 4, 2012 by emilyscruggs



Chocolate Fudge Brownies by Daniel Villarreal
Videography and Production by Emily Scruggs

Daniel Villarreal, a sophomore psychology major, makes his favorite dish: chocolate fudge brownies. An avid baker, Villarreal shares his coveted tip for making the best brownies.

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg. Betty Crocker Classic Chocolate Brownie Mix
  • 1 pkg. Hershey’s syrup
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 egg
  • 9″ x 9″ pan

Directions

Pour Betty Crocker mix into a large mixing bowl. Add vegetable oil and water, stirring frequently. Next, add the egg. When mixture is mostly blended, add the Hershey’s syrup and stir until completely blended and smooth. Pour mixture into ungreased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. When a toothpick can be inserted and pulled out clean, the brownies are done. Let cool before serving. Serves nine.

Filed under: Class Projects, Desserts, Recipes, Video Features | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

Flan

Posted on April 1, 2012 by carlaarodriguez

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Flan
Story and Photos by Carla Rodriguez

Growing up in a house overflowing with family members, Anastasia Zavala needed a form of escape that eventually led her to a devotion for pastries. As a biology major at St. Mary’s University, Zavala doesn’t have a lot of time to work on her beloved hobby.

“I love the school, it’s so small and quaint. Whenever I’m sitting outside with my coffee, I can’t help but be just as relaxed as I am when I’m baking,” she said.

“It’s a nice trade-in, but I still wish the school had a kitchen students can go to.”

Aside from reading and painting, Zavala taught herself how to keep busy in the kitchen by baking.

“One day, I was craving some cookies. As everyone was off to work, at soccer practice, or running around, I walked into the kitchen and just so happened to find all the ingredients I needed to make some.”

She began small, slowly making her cookies more complex.

After about one month, Zavala had prepared nearly a dozen different forms of cookies and wanted to venture off deeper in the world of baking; today, she now is able to turn any ordinary dessert into a mouth-watering piece of joy.

Awkwardly enough, if you give her a spatula and tell her to cook dinner, you’re more than likely to become good friends with the neighborhood fire department than end up with a delicious plate.

“Food in general is too complicated, or at least I’ve subconsciously tricked my body into thinking so,” she says. “Sweets can help any day turn into an even better one, so I would much rather bake a brownie than, say, meatloaf.”

Zavala considers flan as her favorite treat that requires a little amount of ingredients and effort.

She first taught herself how to make flan for a Christmas dinner with her family.

Since then, she realized how a delicious-caramel-dripping plate could come from such an easy recipe; it has become her go-to dessert for all sorts of dinner events with friends and family.

Although she has only recently begun conquering the world of sweets and chocolatey delights, one of Zavala’s goals for the future is to become the wonderful grandmother everyone sees on television: cookies always in the cookie jar, along with the main reason why her grandchildren have a mouth full of cavities.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c of sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 13 oz cans evaporated milk
  • 1 T of vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Pour 1 cup of sugar in warm pan. Stir sugar until brown and caramelized. Quickly pour 2-3 T of caramel in bowl. Blend eggs together with wisk. Mixing in milk slowly. Mix in 1/2 c of sugar, then vanilla. Pour custard into caramel bowl. Place bowl into a larger bowl with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bake for 45 minutes. Makes 3 medium sized servings.

Filed under: Class Projects, Desserts, Recipes | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page