Cappuccino Cheesecake Brownies

Chocolate and cheesecake. Who could ask for a better combination then THAT? These brownies are absolutely delectable. I love how the dense brownie pairs with the coffee flavoured cheesecake on top. These make a great dessert or special addition to a dessert tray if you're going somewhere special and best of all, they are very easy to make!

Adapted from Canadian Living, Feb 2009

3oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup butter
3/4 sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cheesecake:
1 cup softened cream cheese (brick style)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp flour

In a double boiler, melt chocolate with butter. Let cool a bit. Whisk in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt, then set aside.

Cheesecake layer:
In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat well. Beat in the egg. Dissolved the coffee granules in the vanilla and add to cream cheese mixture, continuing to beat until combined. Stir in flour.
Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with greased foil, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang on the sides. Remove 1/2 cup of brownie batter to a small bowl and set aside. Spread the remaining batter in the square baking pan. Spread the cheesecake batter over top. Next, drop the reserved brownie batter by the spoonful over top of the cheesecake batter. Run a knife through the batter to make it swirl.

Bake the brownies for about 30-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan, and then cover and transfer to the fridge and chill over night.

Makes about 20 small squares. Store wrapped in the fridge for about 3 days, or you could probably freeze them too!

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Chicken Noodle Soup

The last few days, Kevin and I have been sick with a cold and, what better to have then chicken soup?

I had found this recipe awhile ago, but tweaked it a bit to suit my own family. The results? Delicious, chunky, full of noodles chicken soup that was amazing with a biscuit. It's so easy to make, you'll be tempted to never have the canned version again.

1 chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
bay leaf
5 cups (approximately-you can always add more) of good quality chicken broth
1 whole chicken breast, each 1/2 sliced into 3 pieces

Saute the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in a bit of oil until tender. Add the thyme, salt and pepper, and cook 1 minute longer.

Stir in the chicken broth, the chicken pieces, and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside (don't overcook or the chicken will be stringy and dry). Remove the chicken pieces and chop into bite sized chunks. Return to soup.

Cook about 1 cup of egg noodles in boiling water according to package directions and add to the soup bowls just before serving. Refrigerate separately. The broth will keep for about 3 days or you can store it in the freezer.

Makes about 4-5 servings.

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