bangarang brownies.

it has become clear to me that i cannot tell a story without making some sort of 90's pop culture reference... so i'm just going to lean into it.

i was watching an old video from college of my friends & me hanging out, being weirdos, talking about nothing, really. but every.single.thing. that came out of my mouth was some sort of obscure reference to a movie, tv show, or song. once i noticed this... i was concerned, lol. who & what even am i?? just a millennial idiot box brain blob composed largely of 90's american pop culture tidbits?

it's partially true. a real product of my generation i am. can't be tamed. 

it is kinda funny (& special!) that peter and i get along so well because his well-rounded youth was spent not watching television and he doesn't understand any of my weirdass references. so i don't drop them around him anymore. but i mean, this does make me feel better knowing i'm actually not solely chocked full of nonsense and do have some other things to say, haha. 

there's just something fun & cool when you throw out a random line from a movie or song in a certain situation and someone else laughs and gets it. this is really a significant factor in many of my friendships actually, lolz. nostalgia is my THANG (in fact - as i write this, my friend & i are texting about the new mary poppins that comes out this xmas. hiii allison.)! 

so back to bangarang brownies - these brownies are bangarang. hello!!!! and bonus points because i live with someone named peter and i get to say "bangarang, peter" a lot. 

also. "oh there you are, peterrrrrr."

wow, this youtube rabbit hole i'm in is becoming the exact tangent i had on 'the little rascals'  25th anniversary from this old post about grape juice.  because this hook 25th anniversary video is equally amazing.  and bless you movie people for making 25 year reunion compilations of my ultimate faves. 

apparently food things & childhood nostalgia go very much hand-in-hand for me. 

growing up, i wanted nothing more than a colorful food fight like in 'hook'. like the colors of these tulips! brownies really have nothing to do with the movie 'hook' except for the fact that i shouted 'bangarang' when tasted THIS incredible brownie batter:

^would like to frame this. you should have seen my face when i tasted it. eyeballs exploding out of my head. the flavor is incredible. 

i would even stop right here and freeze this batter in mini cupcake tins to have little bite-sized frozen treatzies... but i dunno much about raw egg consumption, so do what you will.

the kahlua + espresso really do the damn thing for me. YUM.

^ left one section mallow-free just for variety. 

i would highly recommend serving these while they're warm so the marshmallow is still gooey! all the textures are stellarrrrrrrr. yer gunna love it. 

Bangarang Brownies

Makes 12-15 brownies

Total Time: 9x13 inch pan - 40 minutes, 8x8 inch pan - 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened - browned is ideal! you can follow this brownie recipe here for browned butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 TB espresso powder (optional, but delicious)
• 1 TB Kahlua (optional, but also delicious)
• 12-15 big marshmallows

Instructions-

Brown the butter in a pan (follow these instructions in my other brownie recipe), let cool in a bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x13 or 8x8 pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. While the browned butter is still warm, add to a large bowl or stand mixer with the brown sugar, mixing until glossy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix. Add the vanilla, flour and walnuts separately, mixing in between additions. Finally add the espresso powder and kahlua and mix to combine. 

Spread the brownie batter in the prepared pan and bake according to the size of your pan and thickness of the brownies:

9 x 13 inch pan -  check at 20 minutes

8 x 8 inch pan - check at 40 minutes

When the brownies are not yet baked all the way through, remove from oven and top with large marshmallows. Raise oven heat to 450 degrees F and broil the marshmallows until golden, about 5 - 7 minutes. Do not over-bake the brownies.

qp

fluffy matilda pancakes.

my world was forever changed by the movie matilda. 

i love that movie for so many reasons (and yes, i read the book first and was fully obsessed with everything roald dahl), but the breakfast scene really takes the pancake for me and is forever engrained in my mind.

that tiny lady making the fluffiest pancakes all by herself - those sunny kitchen vibes - and that song by rusted root - it all just makes me SO happy. 

i always aspire to make pancakes as fluffy as matilda's. this recipe is based on my great grandpa's classic pancakes, but i amped it up a little to make 'em extra fluffy & puffy so i can be more like my girl 'tildy. 

the chunky blueberry sauce is inspired by the most delicious pancakes in the whole world that you can find at bubby's in new york city. the james beard pancakes with blueberry! so thick and fluffy and delicious and the warm blueberry sauce is perfect. i mean, if yer gunna spend $21+ on pancakes, better make em damn gooooooood. 

apparently i am quite impressionable when it comes to pancake lifestyles. lol. 

thanks matilda & bubby for the excellent collab of pancake inspiration thangz.

Fluffy Matilda Pancakes

Makes about 10 medium-sized pancakes

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 TB all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 TB granulated sugar
• 1 TB + 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• dash of cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg white, beaten until firm

Chunky Blueberry Sauce:

• 2 tsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 TB. brown sugar

Instructions-

Heat a skillet, pan or griddle on medium/high heat. Add a thin pat of butter to grease the pan or spray with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the pancake batter. Add the milk. In a separate, small bowl, separate the egg white into the small bowl and drop the egg yolk into the dry ingredients + milk and stir until combined. 

Whisk the egg white until firm and fluffy (a few minutes). I use an old tymey manual egg beater. Gently fold the fluffy egg whites into the pancake batter until incorporated. 

Keep the pan or skillet at a steady medium heat when cooking the pancakes. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a large spoon to scoop pancake batter onto the pan in 3-4 inch circles. I usually do 4 pancakes at a time or however many will fit on the pan with room to cook without running into each other. 

When the bubbles on the pancakes begin to pop, gently turn with a spatula and cook the other side for a couple minutes. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings! :)

To make the blueberry sauce: Add coconut oil to a small sauce pan to melt on medium/low heat. Add the fresh blueberries and brown sugar and mash gently (I use a potato masher but you can use whatever works to burst some of the berries). Let warm and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve warm! Also check out my baguette french toast recipe with fresh blackberry sauce if this sort of stuff tickles your fancy!

qp