Bread and Brownies

If you practice a gluten-free diet and are reading this post, I apologize in advance. The two recipes I am about to discuss are all about bread and flour...and the recipes are frickin' delicious (not to rub it in or anything). I made the first recipe last Friday night when I needed a quick, delicious, and filling meal to make for two hungry men...my boyfriend and a close guy friend of ours. I had about an hour to make something that would satisfy everyone's ravenous appetite and also taste damn good. I could have easily opted for a go-to recipe like quesadillas with salsa or pasta with roasted veggies; but I had not seen this friend in quite some time and I wanted to feed him a memorable meal. 

So what did I make? Panzanella - an Italian bread salad filled with tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and other yummy goodness. Usually the salad is a vegetarian meal and tastes fantastic that way. However, taking the food preferences of the men I was feeding into consideration, I decided to add some meat. The choice is yours and the dish will taste awesome no matter what. The surprising bonus of this recipe: it tastes even better the day after you make it! Leftovers will taste awesome, for a change.

And for dessert? Sadly on Friday night I did not make the following dessert recipe to accompany the Panzanella (recall: I was looking for a quick meal, so baking dessert was out of the question). Instead I made this dessert last night, after days of searching for a recipe. The reason for my search? Last week one of my best friends wrote to me saying that she needed a recipe for brownies. All of the brownie mixes she had seen at the grocery store contained partially hydrogenated oils, so she wanted a healthier option - either a mix without transfat or a recipe for making brownies from scratch. It made me happy to know that at least one of my dear readers is heeding my advice to avoid partially hydrogenated oils at all costs. 

So, I was on a quest for "healthy" brownies...preferably an easy recipe (since my friend is not very big on cooking). After a few days of skimming through my cookbooks, magazines, and online resources, I found this brownie recipe tucked away on my bookshelf. The recipe is fairly simple and as healthy as any chocolate-based dessert can be. I did not have an 8x8 inch pan in which to make brownies, so instead I made them in a muffin tin. Note to self- muffin tins produce perfect sized brownies! So, unless you are adamant that your brownies be square shaped, I highly recommend using a muffin tin. The cooking time is about the same - at least for the recipe I made. 

The next time you are planning a meal - be it for yourself or someone special - I highly recommend turning to these two recipes. Bread salad and brownies. They make quite the perfect couple. 

Panzanella (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Serves: 4
Ingredients:
-4 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
-handful of cherry tomatoes (heirloom, if you can find 'em), quartered
-1/2 cup olive oil
-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-salt & pepper
-1 loaf country bread (preferably a bit stale), chopped into 1-inch piece
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
-1/4 cup capers (optional)
-1 large bunch of basil, chopped
-4 chicken sausages

Directions:
1. Put all tomatoes in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher, to extract juices. Add oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper to bowl and mix well. 
2. Add chopped bread to tomato mixture and toss until bread is well coated. Let sit for 30 minutes, so that bread can absorb the oil and other flavors.
3. Meanwhile, combine the red pepper, olives, capers, and basil in a separate bowl and set aside. 
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned all over.
5. Remove sausages from skillet, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices, and return to skillet. Cook  until slices are brown on both sides. 
6. Add pepper mixture to bread-tomato bowl and combine. Add sausages and mix well. 
7. Dish can be served at room temperature or put in the fridge if you are not eating right away. Enjoy!

Quick Chocolate Brownies
Makes 16 brownies in an 8x8" pan or 12 brownies in a muffin tin
Ingredients: 
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/3 cup cocoa powder
-1/4 cup whole wheat flour
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1/2 cup canola oil
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together (sugar, cocoa powder, both flours, baking soda, and salt). 
3. In another bowl, stir eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined
4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a spatula. Do not overmix or you will end up tough brownies - remember to fold ingredients together and not stir 
5. Grease 8x8" pan or muffin tins with canola oil (use a spray oil or a paper towel to spread oil). Pour batter into pan or tin (if using tin, be sure to evenly spread the batter - if the muffin tins are uneven then some will cook faster than others and you will end up with burnt and/or raw brownies)
6. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean. 
7. Cool on wire rack before serving. Enjoy!