February 02, 2009

Cookies, Brownies and Music

Goji Berry Brownies

Someone recently asked me why I have music related posts on a blog that’s supposed to be about food. My initial reply was the less than informative “It’s my blog and I’ll do what I want.” A more intellectual response would have been that music and food are two things I really enjoy so combining them seems only natural. If you listen to any number of song lyrics, it would appear as though I’m not the only person who thinks so. From comfort foods, to cake, ice cream, umpteen songs referencing pie and all things sweet, food is everywhere. Need some examples?

“Because she's the cheese and I'm the macaroni”
Get it Together, Beastie Boys

“The stew that you're cooking, it smells so good
It's got every man talking in the neighborhood
Your spice's so spicy, your sugar so sweet
Your meat is so tender and your juice is a treat

Too many cooks are gonna spoil the stew
There ain't nobody cooking but me and you”
Too Many Cooks, Robert Cray. Unfortunately I couldn’t find an original version of this song. Robert Cray really does it best. If you can find an original, it’s much better, but here’s a cover.

One Bowl Blondies

“I love you like a fat kid love cake”
21 Questions, 50 Cent. This line makes me laugh every time. Is it wrong that I also find it oddly endearing?

“Cool cherry cream, nice apple tart
I feel your taste all the time we’re apart”
Savoy Truffle, The Beatles

“She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
She’s an angel of the first degree
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey from the bee”
Tupelo Honey, Van Morrison

“Pour some sugar on me
Ooh, in the name of love
Pour some sugar on me
C'mon fire me up
Pour your sugar on me
Oh, I can't get enough”
Pour Some Sugar On Me, Def Leopard

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

“She's my cherry pie
Cool drink of water
Such a sweet surprise
Tastes so good
Make a grown man cry
Sweet cherry pie”
Cherry Pie, Warrant. The video for this one is priceless, just check out the hair.

Want more pie? There’s Country Pie by Bob Dylan, American Pie by Don McLean, (and later by Madonna) and Making Pies by Patty Griffin.

I rest my case, food and music and inextricably linked. Of course, it would be more appropriate to post food from the songs I mentioned, but once again, it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want. And by that, I mean as I perused my long list of “Stuff Left to Post” I found a bunch of sweets that I’ve made sometime over the past year that deserve their 10 seconds of fame before they get buried in the depths of my computer, never to surface again.

Roasted Banana Bread

One Bowl Blondies: Smitten Kitchen’s One Bowl Blondies have been made a few times in my kitchen because they’re ridiculously easy and infinitely adaptable. If you’ve craving something sweet without a lot of hassle, these are it. They’re also good with a scoop of ice cream on top. But then again, what isn’t?

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies: The recipe comes from Coconut and Lime and that’s really all you need to know. Check out her wealth of original recipes for more great dishes.

Roasted Banana Bread: The trouble with taking a year to post about something is that sometimes I don’t have a clue what recipe I used to make it. To the best of my recollection, I took a standard banana bread recipe and substituted roasted banana for raw. I also baked it in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan so that it could be cut into squares.

Goji Berry Brownies: Like with the Roasted Banana Bread, time is not on my side for these. They appear to be brownies with goji berries in them… That’s all I’ve got.

Coconut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Just so you know I care, these really deserve a post all of their own, that’s why I’ve included the recipe for them. It’s actually a Brilynn original, so treasure it.

Brilynn’s Coconut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

½ cup + 2T butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg
1 ½ cup oats
1 ¼ cups flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp coconut extract
¾ unsweetened desiccated coconut
¾ cup raisins

Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and coconut extract and mix. In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine with wet ingredients until just mixed. Add in oats, coconut and raisins.

Scoop onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheets and bake at 375F for 9-11 minutes until edges are golden brown and cracked. Cool on racks.

To end a post that’s already pretty random, my current favourite song that’s unrelated to food: Closer by Kings of Leon.

13 comments:

Patricia Scarpin said...

I love music and love cooking listening to it!
These are wonderful, Bri - especially love the toffe cookies. Yum!

Michelle H said...

Those coconut, oatmean and raisin cookies look like pure awesomeness.

P.S. I love Def Leppard! :o)

Cookie baker Lynn said...

If You're Into It - FOTC also mentions food, too. :-) I'm going to see them in May. So excited! If I bring them cookies, do you think I could get a free superstraw?

Anonymous said...

Goji berry brownies sound gooood!
I also snicker at the 50 Cent line every time I think of it.
I often listen to music while baking. I bought a record player when I lived in my old apartment specifically to keep in the kitchen, and I love having a special record collection just for when I cook! I find that the Beatles had a TON of food-themed songs.
You can talk about whatever you want on your blog! I've kept mine open-ended so if I want to show off a new piece of art or just throw up a picture of my tortoise or whatever.

Annie said...

Love those cookies. I am going to make them for sure.

Anonymous said...

Totally agree with you on food and music. I always listen to music when I am cooking - including Kings of Leon. Great taste in baked goods and music :)

Anonymous said...

Great roundup of classic quotes. That fity cent line always makes me laugh (probably because it reminds me of my chubby cake loving childhood).

Anonymous said...

lol yah got the point. Music is essential to me too, i usually dance away in the kitchen , listening to my fav music and cook. Its the best therapy !

Manggy said...

Ugh, what a silly question to ask! I am a very musical person and it's threaded into every second of my life. As for food? Well, my waistline will answer that :) When I made the cherry clafoutis I swear I could not stop singing that Warrant song.

I nearly chomped on the screen when I saw the brownies come on!

Maria said...

All of these treats are making me drool!! I can't wait to try your creation! I love music too, the louder the better!

ChichaJo said...

I love music and food and I agree that it is but natural to combine the two!

Pour Some Sugar On Me = Incredible cooking music ;)

Anonymous said...

Your brownies look fantastic. This so puts me in the mood to head off to the kitchen to make some!

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