This recipe is from Sue Lawrence’s Scottish Kitchen.  I adore her cook book and have made many of the recipes inside its binding.  These brownies have a lovely sophisticated chocolate quality along with the zing of fresh raspberries.  I was living in Scotland when I first experienced these brownies and had the opportunity to enjoy them with Scottish grown rapberries, which are some of the best in the world.  However, with that being said the raspberries grown in California taste yummy too.  Where ever your raspberries are grown, I do recommend using only fresh raspberries because frozen or canned make the brownies far too gooey.  I have on occasion added 1 tsp of ground cinnamon to the chocolate mixture.  I am a complete cinnamon junky and realize that not everyone shares in my passionate obsession, so feel free to leave it out.

Serves 9 4 1/2 oz. brownies

Ingredients

12 oz. dark chocolate

9 oz. unsalted butter

3 large eggs

9 oz. dark brown sugar

3 1/2 oz. all purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

6 oz. fresh raspberries

pinch of salt

Method

Preheat oven to 325° and line a 9×9 inch baking pan.

Melt chocolate and butter together in double boiler or heat proof pot of simmering water.  Set aside to cool.

Wisk eggs until thick, gradually add the sugar and beat until glossy.  Beat in the melted chocolate mixture, then gently fold in flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour just over half the mixture into the prepared pan.  Scatter with fresh raspberries, then cover with the remaining mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for aobout 40 minutes or utnil the surface is set.  They will be cooked when a skewer or tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out with just a little mixture adhering.

Remove the brownies from the oven and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.  Cut into squares and remove them from the tin when cooled.  It is seriously tempting to remove them when they are still warm but they are far too fragile to decant unless cold.

I suggest serving them with more fresh raspberries and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

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It seems to me that eggs cause quite a conundrum.  The choices when purchasing eggs can make a persons head  spin.  For anyone keeping up on the latest health food buzz, the egg market is dreadfully problematic.  Personally, I think eggs are fantastic and eat on average three a week.  I have done enough reasearch about them to send my own head in a spin.  I battle between trying to purchase a product I feel is tasty, nutritious, humane, local and economical.  I do think organic eggs are “best,”  I think it would be wonderful if everyone could have their own chickens supplying them with their own fresh eggs but, that is not plausible.  When the reality of price sets in not everyone including myself is always willing to purchase locally grown organic eggs.  I think it is a personal choice and the internet is a wonderful tool to use in determining whats best for you and your family.  Simply type “why buy organic eggs?” in Google and you will acquire a wealth of information.

It may seem a bit silly composing a recipe for a fried egg sandwich but they are an important staple in my home and I feel they are worthy of being added to the site.  Sometimes I poach eggs for the sandwiches making them healthier but I find frying the eggs in tiny amount of light olive oil works best for me.  If you enjoy a running yolk I do recommend breaking it while frying it over easy.  Once I bit into an over easy fried egg sandwich and the yolk literally exploded in my face and ran down the sleeve of my shirt.  I had to laugh at the time because it was a very “Wow!” moment but it’s not worth repeating.

Fried Egg Sandwich

1 egg per sandwich

2 slices of bread per sandwich (I use cracked wheat soured dough)

1 tsp light olive oil or canola oil

a dollop of mayonnaise (if you wish)

cracked black pepper

Method

Place bread slices in toaster to your preferred setting.

Heat a non stick skillet over medium high heat until oil is hot.  If you are not comfortable cracking an egg directly into a skillet crack your eggs into a small dish.  This makes it easier to remove unwanted egg shells.

Season egg with cracked black pepper and fry.  Spread toast with mayonnaise if using.  Cut cooked sandwich in half serve and enjoy.

Sunny side up: Fry egg until white just sets, slide out of skillet directly onto toasted bread for minimal yolk damage.

Over easy: Fry egg until white just sets, flip over and continue to fry 1 minute.  Slide egg out of skillet or scoop up with spatula onto toasted bread.

Fried hard: Break egg yolk upon adding egg to skillet.  Fry on one side until whites are set then flip over and continue to fry at least 1-2 minutes.  Slide egg out of skillet or scoop up with spatula onto toasted bead.

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This is a great recipe to use up stale left over cereal.  It is also a good one for the hotter months since it doesn’t require the use of your oven.  The refined sugar in the marshmallows is not healthy but the cereal, nuts, fruit, and seeds that get gobbled up are.

Ingredients

7 cups of cereal medley of your choice (corn flakes, bran flakes, cheerios, rice crispies, oats)
40 large marshmallows
1/4 cup toasted nuts medley of your choice (cashews, almonds,  pistachios, walnuts, pecans)
1/2 cup dried fruit medley of your choice (cranberries, cherries, pineapple, pears, white raisins)
1/4 cup toasted seeds  medley  of your choice (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flack seeds, hemp seeds)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla

Method

In a large pot over medium low heat melt butter and marshmallows.  Stirring occasionally until all lumps are gone and mixture is smooth. 
Add vanilla, stir to combine. 
Add, cereal, nuts and fruit to marshmallow mixture.
Stir to combine and until all cereal, nuts, seeds and fruit are coated in marshmallow mixture.
Spread into large casserole dish coated in cooking spray.  Flatten  mixture with back of large spoon.  Cool on counter and cut into squares.