Day 11 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Brownies

April 12, 2017 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ Leave a comment

This is more of a suggestion instead of a recipe. Coffee and Chocolate are a match made in heaven. Ina said so! (Yes, she’ll judge you if you use the cheap stuff.)

Anyway, today we bring you our favorite brand of box brownie, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownies. The dark chocolate variety are truly superior. Even people who prefer milk chocolate love these. The chocolate flavor is so rich and deep without being bitter like some dark chocolate.

Ingredients:

1 Box brownie+recipe
Coffee or espresso

Step 1: Follow instructions on the box of brownies.

Step 2: Instead of the amount of water it calls for (for ours its 1/2 cup of water), add the same amount of coffee or espresso (we used our Nespresso, Fabio).

(Optional): Add sprinkles

Step 3: BAKE!

Day 5 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Snacking Cookie Dough

April 5, 2017 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ Leave a comment

When we did research on classic stoner foods, cookie dough popped up in every list. This recipe is perfect for the munchies or anyone who feels a little dangerous every time you eat the cookie dough you know someone’s grandmother told you not to. This specific cookie dough is made to be eaten raw, because there is no egg. The only thing baked might be you.

P.S. Don’t try to bake this, it’s for snacking purposes only. Make this cookie dough, popcorn and pick a show on Netflix, that’s what we call church.

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Day 3 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Pop Tarts

April 3, 2017 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ 1 Comment

Day 3 and we know, we’ve posted Pop-Tarts a few times now, but it’s because real Pop-Tarts are kinda gross and people need to have a better choice for a pie on the go! We have several choices here: apple, blueberry, strawberry, and even NUTELLA. These are perfect for breakfast on the go, afternoon snack, or the ideal munchie because you keep your hands clean and fork free.

Let’s get Glazed everyone!

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Day 1 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

April 1, 2017 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ 3 Comments

For the next twenty days, we’re going to do something different. Not only are we going to shoot for posting a new recipe every day, we’re going to be celebrating one of our favorite holidays 4/20.

Here in California, consuming medical marijuana is legal and by 2018 it will be legal to do so recreationally. If you don’t like smoking, that’s fine. We don’t particularly like drinking, so we’re even. As long as there is no judgements we’re all good.

The first thing you should know about these recipes is that they ARE NOT MEDICATED, SPIKED, “SPECIAL” or MAGICAL, just magically delicious. There is absolutely no Marijuana in these recipes. These are meant to be snacks to enjoy when the munchies attack. After enjoying a nice joint of your choice of Sativa (or Indica if you’re into being couch-locked); or a nice glass (bottle for some) of wine.

Our first recipe is one that we’ve actually posted before but we absolutely love, not only because the recipe originally comes from Queen Ina Garten but because it’s the perfect chocolate cupcake. It’s not overly chocolatey, you could probably eat a couple before feeling bad about it.

And funnily enough a couple years ago, we decided to make “special” cupcakes using this recipe. We literally chopped up weed, threw it in and hoped for the best. We totally had no idea what we were doing. We have a friend, we’ll call her *Tooty* and Tooty decided she wanted to try these cupcakes we made. She ate one, and a maybe like thirty minutes later said she didn’t feel anything and wanted to have another. So she had another, and then one more because she said there were too good not to have just one more. Well fast forward to an hour later, and poor Tooty was SO HIGH. She couldn’t stop laughing and giggling. It was actually pretty funny. Probably not our brightest moment, but it was a great memory that we all look back fondly at, right Tooty?

If you’re interested in learning to cook with marijuana make sure you do it properly. While chopping up an 1/8th does work, there is so much more science and finesse involved. Check out Viceland’s, Bong Appétit . Incredible what you can do with marijuana.

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S’more Brownies

December 10, 2016 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ 1 Comment

Are you missing the summer months? Are you a camper who dreams of the perfect s’more? Or are you a glamper like us who just loves the idea of a s’more? Either way these bumped up brownie s’mores are for you!

We love homemade brownies, but there is something about boxed brownies (specifically Ghirardelli’s) that really tickles our pickle. Of course, you can make your own brownies if you’re feeling especially Ina-centric that day, but boxed brownies are a perfectly perfect substitute. Amen.

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Nanaimo Bars

July 1, 2016July 3, 2016 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ 1 Comment

Hello loyal and wonderful followers! We are back! And this time, we mean it. We’ve been making a lot of changes to TwoYoungLadies and trying to figure things out and stock pile as many wonderful recipes as we could before we came to you! And there is no better time like CANADA DAY to come back and share a recipe with you.

Today (or tomorrow’s) recipe is for one of Canada’s delicacies, or so says Wikipedia, Nanaimo Bars! These bars originated in Nanaimo, British Columbia in 1953 and the first time they ever appeared was in a recipe in the Vancouver Sun under the name “London Fog Bar”. Later that same year, they appeared Edith Adam’s 14th Edition Prize Cookbook.

Apparently the Nanaimo Bar is one of Canada’s most popular desserts and is notoriously and coylingly sweet. We made a few adjustments to our Nanaimo Bars so you’re not punched in the mouth with an overly sweet dessert. Our bars, have the perfect balance of sweetness and _______insert something.

Our bars are the perfect treat for any Canada Day Party and will leave you wanting more.

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom Layer

½ cup of European-style butter
¼ cup of sugar
5 tablespoons of dark cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
1 ¼ cup of graham cracker crumbs
½ cup of almonds, finely chopped
1 cup of shredded sweetened coconut

Step 1: In a double boiler, melt butter, sugar and coco powder until smooth.

Step 2: Add in the beaten egg and mix. (if the mixture starts “breaking”, then add a little cream/milk and mix until smooth again. It will have a slight gelatinous nature. Take off the heat and put into a bowl to cool.

Step 3: Into the chocolate bowl, add the graham crackers, almonds and coconut. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.

Step 4: Press firmly into a parchment lined 8”x 8” pan. Later, the parchment helps in releasing the sugary beautiful from it’s prison when it’s all set up.

Middle Layer

½ cup of salted butter
3 tablespoons of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of vanilla custard powder (Jello Cook & Serve is perfect)
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of maple extract

Step 1: Cream the butter, cream, vanilla custard powder, and maple extract.

Step 2: Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time to avoid Sugar Storms! Combine until it’s lightened in color a little.

Step 3: Spread on the bottom layer and let it firm up in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Top Layer

6 to 8 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate
2 to 4 tablespoons of butter
½ teaspoon espresso powder

Step 1: In the double boiler, melt the butter, espresso powder, and chocolate until melty and shiny. Let it cool slightly. It should still be pourable, but you don’t want it to melt the middle layer.

Step 2: Smooth the chocolate over in an even layer and place back into the fridge to firm and chill.

Cut and serve! While our bars make look big (for photo’s purposes) you can cut your bars into smaller or even bite size pieces!

P.S. We we’re inspired to make these while watching Schitt’s Creek a couple weeks ago. Eugene Levy and his son Daniel Levy created a hilariously smart small town world that includes the genius of Catherine O’Hara. If you have a sense of humor and breathe air, please watch it! You won’t be sorry!

For our American friends: CLICK HERE

For our Canadian friends: CLICK HERE

Double Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

October 9, 2015 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ 1 Comment

Today is apparently National Dessert Day, and to celebrate we have for you the most delicious and decadent Double Chocolate Cupcakes dipped in a luscious Chocolate Ganache. How amazing does that? And you might be thinking, wait, this sounds way too sweet, but have no fear, they’re not actually as sweet as they sound.

We’ve found (via Ina) that if you add instant coffee to chocolate, it really balances the sweetness that chocolate can give off and make the most perfect chocolatey cupcake or chocolatey dessert.

We love chocolate and once we started adding instant coffee to the chocolate, our lives were changed. For the better, obviously.

Double Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

For Cupcakes

1 Stick Butter (Salted, Room Temperature)
1 Cup Bakers Sugar
4 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
2 Cups Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
1 Cup AP Flour
1 Teaspoon Instant Coffee Granules *
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

*Honestly, we LOVE coffee, so we probably put more when we make it for ourselves. Feel free to do the same. Sometimes we put up to 3 teaspoons of instant coffee.

For Ganache Topping

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Teaspoon Instant Coffee Granules*

*Again, feel free to experiment by putting more coffee if your ganache. Double the dose.

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Step 2:

Next, line a muffin tin pan with paper liners.

Step 3:

In a bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 4:

Next, add the eggs one at a time. Mix until each is fully incorporated.

Step 5:

Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla extract.

Step 6:

Then, add the flour and coffee granules and mix until just combined. It’s very important (because Queen Ina says so) to not over beat the batter or the cupcakes with be tough little hockey pucks.

Step 7:

Scoop the batter into the lined muffin tray and bake for about 30 minutes or as always until just set in the middle. Remember to not over bake them and let them cool throughly.

Step 8:

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the ganache. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips with the heavy cream and coffee granules. Stir until smooth and shiny, transfer to a bowl.

Step 9:

When the chocolate cupcakes are cool enough to handle, dip them in the chocolate ganache.

Another perfect recipe adapted from Queen Ina

S’mores Ice Cream

September 10, 2015 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ Leave a comment

While all the other cities are cooling down for fall, LA is heating up for our normal fall heatwave (we call it second summer, if you didn’t melt already…here you go). And because it’s still so hot, we’re giving you more ice cream!

It feels hot enough to roast a marshmallow in the outside air, so we thought we’d make S’mores ice cream. S’mores remind of us summer and camping. Two things we aren’t terribly found of, but we do like chocolate, graham crackers and a gloriously toasted marshmallow.

We know it seems intimidating, but making ice cream is totally worth it. Machines aren’t that expensive, especially on Amazon, and once you find a recipe that works (like all of ours) you will be Ice Cream-Making Wizards!

If you really want to be fancy, you can lightly toast the marshmallows before you add them in Step 6.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Half and Half
1/2 Cup Bakers Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Jar Marshmallow Fluff (7 oz)
1 Sleeve Graham Crackers (Crushed in to pieces)
Mini Marshmallows (Half a bag)
1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Step 1:

In a large sauce pan, combine the half and half and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2:

Beat the eggs until light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Step 3:

Very slowly, pour about half of the heated half and half mixture into the eggs whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place on the stove over medium-low heat.

Step 4:

Next, add the heavy cream and marshmallow fluff and stir until smooth. When the mixture has thickened and coasts the back of a spoon remove from the heat and transfer to glass jar.

Step 5:

Allow to cool to room temperature then transfer to the fridge for at least 12 hours.

Step 6:

When cool, make according to your ice cream makers manufactures instructions. During the last five minutes of churning, slowly add the crushed graham pieces, marshmallows and chocolate until combined. Transfer to a freezer safe container and let firm up for at least three hours, then enjoy!

Salted Chocolate Caramel Crack

July 15, 2015July 15, 2015 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ 3 Comments

It’s hump day and we have the perfect recipe to get you through your hump day blues.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Crack.

What is salted chocolate caramel crack, you might ask? It is the most delicious blend of saltines, caramel and chocolate. It’s the perfect sweet and salty snack. One thing we love here is eating salty crackers with chocolate, ever had Goldfish with Raisinettes..if not, get on that.

Once you start eating this “crack” you literally can’t stop. It’s addictive. It’s honestly kind of dangerous.

There are hundreds of recipes for this, but this is our take after we were inspired by watching the Cooking Channel’s Unique Sweets.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Crack

Ingredients

1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
2 Sticks of Salted Butter
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 Sleeve Saltines
2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips
Sprinkle of Fleur De Sel
Baking Spray

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Step 2:

Combine the two sticks of butter and the brown sugar in a medium sauce pan. Melt over medium-low heat. Once the mixture is melted, cook for five minutes. The mixture should be thick and bubbly.

Step 3:

While the mixture is melting/cooking, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with baking spray. Lay the saltines down on the foil.

Step 4:

When the butter and brown sugar has bubbled and melded together take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the saltines and carefully spread over the crackers.

Step 5:

Stick the saltines in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. The mixture will be very bubbly and look amazing.

Step 6:

When the buzzer goes off, remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate over the caramel. Stick in the oven for 30 seconds to help melt the chocolate. Carefully spread the chocolate and allow to cool.

You can sprinkle a little Fleur De Sel on the melted chocolate for that extra salty bite!

Step 7:

Break up the “crack” and and enjoy!

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Bread

July 6, 2015 ~ Marlee And Christie ~ Leave a comment

Banana bread is considered a quick bread, meaning that it forced to rise, opposed to naturally rising yeast breads.

Baking powder was invented in the mid 1800’s in England by a chemist, Alfred Bird, who was trying to find an alternative for his wife who was allergic to yeast and eggs.

Anyways, fast forward a little bit to 1933, after the “rise” (haha) of baking powder, one of the first known banana bread recipes appeared in a Pillsbury cook book called Balanced Recipes. After this publication, banana bread took off and included many variations, from raisins, nuts, chocolate or even bacon if you’re feeling a little non-traditional today.

Our recipe includes walnuts for a crunch and added bonus of chocolate chips. Enjoy and stay tuned for future variations of banana bread! 🙂

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients

1 Stick of Salted Butter (1/2 Cup)
1 Cup Bakers Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs (Beaten)
3 Ripe Bananas (1 Cup/Mashed)
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Cups Flour (Sifted)
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Cup Walnuts (Chopped)
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
Pam

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch loaf pan with Pam.

Step 2:

In a small saute pan, toast your walnuts for three minutes of a low temperature. Set aside.

Step 3:

In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream together your butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Step 4:

Next add the salt, eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, and baking soda. Mix together.

Step 5:

Fold in the flour and then mix in the walnuts and chocolate. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.

Step 6:

Place loaf pan in oven and cook for about an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in a pan for ten minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

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Chocolate

Day 11 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Brownies

Day 5 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Snacking Cookie Dough

Day 3 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Pop Tarts

Day 1 of 20 (4/20 Foods) – Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

S’more Brownies

Nanaimo Bars

Double Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

S’mores Ice Cream

Salted Chocolate Caramel Crack

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Bread