Raspberry Brownie Bliss

Oh Yeah!
My friend Maria gave me this recipe. She is a fashion designer by day and has an extrodinary passion for baking in her spare time. Her cookies and baked goods are to die for! Not only are they sinfully delicious but they are always so gorgeous!  Maria is a such a beautiful person inside and out, and it reflects in everything she does, especailly in what she bakes!

I asked Maria for an easy recipe, and I wanted to make a bar cookie. The following recipe is hers. The nuts* in the bottom layer are my addition. Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
You'll need
3 sticks butter - I prefer unsalted
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup nutmeat * pulsed in the food processor
(I like to use either almonds or pecans)
1 package of your favorite brownie mix
1/2  jar of seedless raspberry preserves/jam
strong coffee

Combine all ingredients. It will be sort of crumbly. Just make sure that it will all hold together when pressed into the baking pan.

chopped almonds

flour, sugar, nuts and butter mixed up

Press this mixture into a greased 15 x 10 inch pan and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until lightly browned and golden. (My pan was a little larger, which makes more squares, but not as thick)

before going into the oven

Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool.

After the cookie layer has cooled spread 1/2 of the jar of raspberry preserves over the cookie crust.

Now comes the fun part! Using your favorite brownie mix, follow the instructions of the box and instead of water add strong coffee along with the oil and eggs as directed on the box.

With a spatula spread the brownie mixture over the raspberry layer, it doesn't have to be perfect and bake 25 - 28 minutes, checking it at 25 minutes. Don't over bake. It should be soft and gooey.
Cut into squares, try to let it cool and eat!

I know that Maria's would be perfect , while mine aren't perfect squares, they are absolutely just as delicious!
You are going to be amazed with the first bite and the delicious flavors it will be sending to your taste buds. You'll  definitely want another! The coffee brings out the flavor of the chocolate like you can't believe!
Come on, tell me, don't you want to make these? Better yet, don't you want to eat one, or two?

Buon Appetito
xoxoxo
Lorraine

Super Fabulous Espresso Crusted Stuffed Flank Steak!

Yes, you read it right. Espresso coffee was used to make this delicious stuffed Flank Steak! You are going to want to make this!

I'm not the most masterful at plating my food. That is where a true chef shines! The artistry of plating and making everything on the plate look like something that you can't live without is sometimes lacking when I serve food to my family. Some nights it's all I can do to get it on the plate while everyone is sitting around waiting to eat! Never mind when I grab my camera to take a picture and delay serving the food!
While watching television one day I saw an Italian Chef making a stuffed flank steak.  Never having made one before I was very intrigued. She lost me when she started putting raisins and nuts in the stuffing. However, the idea of making a stuffed flank steak stuck with me, and I decided to play!

 I started with a nice piece of flank steak. Then I made a pocket with a sharp knife and continued to cut through the entire piece of meat. Until the meat was open like a book.

Once I butchered the meat I pounded it to get it just a little bit thinner so it would be easier to roll up.

I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and put it to the side.
Now for the stuffing!
I chopped up some fresh spinach and a handful of fresh parsley. To that I added some goat cheese, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a little clove of garlic.

I set the spinach mixture aside and took 2 large portabella mushrooms and chopped them.

Now it was time to stuff the meat.
I spread the spinach mixture on the meat and then added the chopped mushrooms.

I then rolled the meat up, trying to pull it together so that it was tight. You want to roll this like you would a jelly roll.
Then I tied it up as best I could.

Now for the shocker...I rolled the roast in some freshly ground espresso coffee!

In a dutch oven I melted one tablespoon of butter with a tablespoon of olive oil. I seared the meat on all sides.

Once the meat was seared I took the roast out of the dutch oven and added a pint of fresh tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of red wine,  2 - 3 porcini mushrooms,  and some wild mushrooms and let the wine cook off a little. I added the roast back to the liquid.

Cover the roast and finish the steak in a 375 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes.The temperature of my roast when done was a rare to medium rare.  If you like your meat done to a different temperature keep it cooking in the oven.
I let the meat rest for 15 minutes and then sliced it and served it with the mushroom sauce and a side of ricotta cavatelli that was tossed with the sauce from the meat.

It was a hit! Everyone loved the flavor! The espresso coffee added a hint of smokiness, you've got to try it to believe it!

Buon Appetito!
xoxoxo
Lorraine