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Spicy Sangria Brownies

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Today  I’m sharing a  special recipe that I came up with a long time ago, when I wanted to take dessert to a friend’s dinner party.  I didn’t want to bake a cake. I wanted something chocolate that involved berries, and I knew I had red dessert wine on hand to bring as well.

More recently, I was invited to celebrate the launch of a friend’s podcast.   When Jacquelyn asked me to come up with something  in the dessert department, I brought out the recipe and shared it virtually on her celebratory Zoom happy hour call! 

My “Sangria Brownie” is the perfect pairing for a cool spring evening, warm summer night (you know they will be here before you know it) and a dessert that is both comforting, decadent and special for any occasion. 

You can just make the brownies and enjoy them all by themselves. Or, you can buy the brownies, and just make the sangria topping.  Perfect for those days when you don’t feel like baking.  But then… you can make both the brownie AND the topping if you are feeling like having fun in your kitchen. Grab a glass of wine, add a few splashes to your berries, and wait until the brownies bake and your fruit soaks in all that wine goodness (a fancy term for that macerate).

Pictured is my brownie topped with whipped cream, blueberries and cinnamon spice topping. I also added that spice TO the brownie… as well as a secret ingredient that kicks up the flavor a few notches.

My secret ingredient comes from my favorite olive oil shop.  Check out the ingredients to see what I’m talking about! 

For the  Sangria Brownies, you’ll need:

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. chipotle olive oil 

1 tsp. cinnamon or cinnamon spice blend

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8×8 pan. Stir together sugar, vanilla, and olive oil.  Add eggs and mix until combined. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl.  Gradually add to wet mixture until combined.

Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean! 

Sangria fruit topping (if you are feeling fancy)

Mix one cup berries in a bowl with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 cup red wine. let sit for 45 mins to an hour.  

Add your own whipped cream topping and viola! Dessert is served! 

Hope this inspires you to get into your kitchen and bake up this treat! 

Have a sweet week my friends! 

 

Gina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chickpea Pasta Salad

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Warmer weather is upon us, spring days are here, and we are all looking for those lighter side dishes to serve at backyard bbqs and picnics. Depending on where you live, you may still be on “lockdown” , but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a backyard picnic or BBQ with those you have been in quarantine with!

This pasta salad came together very quickly one afternoon with simple ingredients I had on hand already. I had picked up a several boxes of Banza chickpea pasta at the grocery store at the beginning of our quarantine adventure. I figured it would be a good time to experiment with it as a both a main dish and a side dish. Happy to report its delicious hot or cold.

I also happened to have on hand my favorite olive oils and flavored balsamics from local Manassas Olive Oil Company , my go to shop for artisan goodness!

In this recipe I used their Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil and their savory Neopolitan Herb Balsamic Vinegar.

If you don’t have access to those flavors, use what you have on hand. FYI- the shop SHIPS! Just sayin’!

Make a batch of this and drop off on Mom’s doorstep for a Mother’s Day lunch surprise! It tastes even better the next day, so she’ll have leftovers for the next day!

Chickpea Pasta Salad (served cold)

1 Box Banza chickpea pasta (I used rotini shaped) cooked

1 medium tomato, chopped ( I used cherry toms, some whole, some cut in half)

1 medium cucumber, diced

1/2 cup fat free feta cheese

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

lemon juice (optional)

salt and pepper to taste, and any fresh herbs or spices you like, especially if you don’t use the flavored oils and balsamics!

Add all ingredients except salt, pepper and seasonings to large mixing bowl and combine. Season with salt, pepper and seasonings if desired. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve !

Enjoy !

Gina

Flashback Friday/Fast Forward Friday?

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It’s Friday, foodie friends! Welcome to another little blog post, around the kitchen table!

Today I’m sharing a recipe from my friend Emily over at Manassas Olive Oil Company. MOOC, located at 9406 Grant Avenue in historic Old Town Manassas has welcomed me in with several pop up shop opportunities , including last month’s Halloween themed cookie decorating and “crispy rice treat” demo.

If you missed last month’s demo, no worries. I’m having one next week, and the theme is “turkey”, as in cupcakes decorated in a turkey theme! Click here to find out more! $5 per kid, more details and to express interest on the FB page!

Now to the “flashback Friday” recipe !

Delicious, marshmallowy goodness combined with butter infused olive oil make for a tasty twist to a childhood classic treat! Pictured here with natural food coloring from the Halloween themed pop up. The purple is actually elderberry syrup! YUM!

Crispy Rice Treats

recipe courtesy of Manassas Olive Oil Company

3 Tbsp. MOOC Butter infused olive oil

1 Tsp. vanilla extract

1 (10 ounce) bag of marshmallows (mini or large)

6 cups crispy rice cereal

Coat a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil spray. In large pan or electric skillet, combine marshmallows and oil until melted. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Using rubber spatula, fold in cereal. Stir until coated. Pour into oiled pan. Press down evenly with spatula. Cool. Cut into squares, or use your favorite cookie cutters and sprinkles for fun holiday shapes!

You can also use any of their flavored oils to infuse a different , fresh flavor to your treats. Lemon, Blood Orange and Lime are my favorites.

Coming up next week, I’ll switch to Thanksgiving and turkey themed cupcakes!

  • This little turkey cupcake was infused with espresso balsamic in the buttercream! Stop by the shop from noon-2pm on Wednesday the 20th with your little ones to find out how, and to make your own!
  • This little turkey cupcake is traditional buttercream and candies… but we will have vanilla and chocolate balsamic on hand for the adventurous foodie in your kid!

I hope to see you and your littles on Wednesday the 20th. Have questions about baking with olive oil? Email me or visit the Kitchen online.

Make it a sweet Friday!

Gina