Kerrian’s Notebook, p.126 “75 Second Mookies”
I’ll admit it. I’ve got a sweet tooth. That’s not a secret, but the doc says I should drop ten pounds and that means cutting back on calories. No more eating a dozen cookies in one evening, or having two of those amazing chocolaty chocolate muffins for breakfast, or several of the Vegetarian Detective’s super brownies at one sitting. I could have gotten away with extra helpings of everything before I got sidelined from my very active job, but no more.
We plan a pretty balanced menu, with lots of fruits and veggies, but it’s the extra potatoes and slices of pie that do me in. Exercise burns some of it off, but pushing away from the table is the best diet plan out there.
The Doc and Sheila and I came up with a way to help me lose the weight and it’s mostly about reducing the desserts. She promised not to bake batches of three dozen cookies/muffins at a time and I promised not to hound her or sneak out to the bakery. The Doc admitted that I might feel deprived if I gave up dessert completely, so the new plan could include a daily ‘something’ for my sweet tooth – just not five daily ‘somethings.’ He hinted that fruit between meals might change my cravings, but I’m hedging my bets on that.
So, here’s what Sheila came up with: single serving cookies. That way, there won’t be yummy leftovers calling me from the kitchen, tempting me. She tells me the idea has been around for a long time, but she never had a reason to try it before.
I call them mookies, because to me they’re like a cross between a cookie and a muffin. So simple to make, not a lot of cleanup involved and I can make one myself. All you need is a microwave and a few ingredients and in less than ten minutes of prep and cooking time, you’ve got a dessert.
Chocolate Chip Mookie
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Mookie
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1 egg yolk
4 Tablespoons King Arthur’s cake flour
2 Tablespoons Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pumpkin Mookie
Ingredients for Pumpkin Mookie
1 ½ Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1 egg yolk
1 ½ Tablespoons organic pumpkin puree
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tablespoons King Arthur’s cake flour
2 Tablespoons Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
(Topping is frozen vanilla yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon)
Double Chocolate Mookie
Ingredients for Double Chocolate Mookie
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg yolk
4 Tablespoons King Arthur’s cake flour
2 Tablespoons Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preparation for all varieties
Use a medium sized glass or ceramic mixing bowl.
Melt the butter for 20 seconds in the microwave. (Doesn’t have to be completely melted)
Add all ingredients for the chosen mookie to the melted butter.
Mix thoroughly using a fork.
Transfer mookie dough to a ramekin or other cup-sized glass or ceramic dish.
Place in microwave and cook for one minute + 15 seconds (75 seconds).
Serve immediately in the ramekin.
The ramekin will be hot, so handle with care.
*Photos by Patti Phillips
Kerrian’s Notebook, p. 96 “Chocolaty Chocolate Banana Muffins”
Sheila tried out a new muffin recipe. I thought she was making cupcakes for dessert because of the mouth-watering chocolate smell in the air, but she said that these were going to be for breakfast instead. There’s less sugar than a cupcake, and they have fruit in them, so that qualifies as a breakfast treat. Works either way for me!
Kerrian's Notebook, p. 96 "Chocolaty Chocolate Banana Muffins"
Author: Sheila Kerrian
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 jumbo egg (or 2 large eggs)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup stone ground whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose unbleached King Arthur flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup Ghirardelli cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375.
- Set standing mixer at slowest speed.
- Cream oil and sugar.
- Add egg(s) and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add flours, baking powder, and baking soda a little at a time and beat until smooth.
- Add cocoa powder and salt and beat until smooth.
- Add bananas and mix thoroughly.
- Add chocolate chips and stir until blended.
- Divide mix evenly among greased, floured muffin tins (or use baking cup papers)
- Bake 20-25 minutes in center of oven or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
*Photo by Patti Phillips
Kerrian’s Notebook, p. 45 “Kerrian’s Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake”
Mother’s Day is this weekend! We always serve a special dessert, whether we are having an all day BBQ or a sit-down dinner after church. Sheila and I work as a team on the desserts. She bakes them and I do the taste-testing while she works on the balance of sugar and chocolate. Teamwork pays off!
Sunday’s recipe is a creamy chocolate cheesecake. Sheila says that it was easy to make. It was easy to eat the samples.
Kerrian's Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake
Author: The Kerrians
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for springform pan (I use almond oil)
- 20- 2” chocolate chip cookies
- 4 Tbs butter (salted)
- 10 oz. Ghirardelli milk chocolate baking chips
- 10 oz. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
- 1/3 cup extrafine sugar
- 12 oz. whipped cream cheese
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 Tbs. Bailey’s Irish Cream
- sour cream and fresh fruit (picture shows strawberries)
Instructions
- Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and wipe the sides with oil. Crush the cookies with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, remove from heat, then stir in the crushed cookies. Press the cookie/butter mixture into the bottom (and ½ inch up the sides) of the prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Place all the chocolate into the top of the double-boiler, with gently simmering water in the bottom. Melt the chocolate, stirring frequently until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat.
- Add sugar and cream cheese to the mixing bowl and beat on lowest speed until smooth. Slowly add the heavy cream and beat on the lowest setting until thick and creamy. Slowly add the melted chocolate and continue to beat on lowest setting until thoroughly blended. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and beat again. Add Bailey’s and mix until blended. Mixture should now have thick pudding consistency.
- Spoon into the springform pan and then level surface with butter knife or spoon. Chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours (until very firm). Transfer to cake plate and serve with fresh fruit and sour cream. Also nice with ice cream.
Notes
Kitchen tools/supplies to have on hand for this recipe:
8” springform pan
Parchment paper
Pot with double-boiler insert
Standing electric mixer with large bowl & paddle attachment
Recipe variations:
If you don’t own a springform pan, or are not comfortable using one, the recipe will also work nicely in a 9” deep-dish disposable pie pan. Press the cookie crumb/butter mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the unlined disposable pan, then follow the rest of the directions as written.
Spoon any extra filling into ramekins, chill, garnish with fruit, and serve as individual desserts.
*The photo was taken by Patti Phillips. We promise that no bodies have ever been discovered in Kerrian’s Kitchen. 😉