Recipe: Charlie's Healthier, Yet Still Bussin' Brownies

As per usual, when it comes to recipe postings on my site, I shan’t be giving you some long drawn out story about how my grandpa made this recipe while fighting in the Korean War or how my mother used to make this on the days when we were sick on the verge of death because that’s not why you’re here. You’re here for a recipe, plain & simple.

This recipe, as many recipes do, originated as a combination of a bunch of different recipes that I put my own unique twist on & adjusted to fit my personal taste & lifestyle. As with any recipe, I urge you to do the same & to make it your own. Food is an art form after all.

Yes this recipe contains sweet potatoes but, as someone who doesn’t enjoy sweet potatoes, I promise you won’t be able to taste them!

Anyway, without further pomp & circumstance here’s the recipe!

Charlie’s Healthier, Yet Still Bussin’ Brownies

Yes, they are Paleo.

Ingredients:

• 3 Small Sweet Potatoes (Get Small Ones, They Won’t Be Stringy)

• 1/4 Cup of Paleo Blend Flour or Flour of Choice

• 1/3 Heaping Cup of Cocoa Powder

• 2 Eggs

• 1 TSP Vanilla Paste (or Extract If You Don’t Have Paste)

• 1 TBSP Nut Butter of Choice (I Use Almond or a Mix)

• 1/2 Cup of Chocolate Chips (I Use Lily’s To Cut The Sugar)

• 2/3 Cup of Coconut Sugar

• Pinch of Smoked Salt (Regular Is Fine Too)

• Pinch of Nutmeg

• Dash of Cinnamon

Optional Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup of Chopped Nuts

• 1/2 Cup of Shaved Coconut

• Pinch of Garam Masala

• Whatever Else You Might Like In Your Brownies

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Poke a plethora of holes in your sweet potatoes & arrange them on a baking sheet.

• Cook sweet potatoes in oven for 75-90 minutes or until caramelized & peeling. The skin should be easy to remove.

• Allow potatoes to cool before removing skin.

• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

• Line a baking dish with parchment paper.

• In a stand mixer or large bowl combine all of your ingredients, don’t forget the potatoes.

• Pour batter into your lined baking pan.

• Sprinkle large flake smoked salt or coconut or whatever you’d like on top.

• Bake for 30 minutes.

• Remove from oven & let cool.

• The brownies should be baked through but still gooey.

• Enjoy them & enjoy serving them to friends & family without telling them they’re healthy-ish!

Charlie's Guide To Holiday Drinks & Wine

I got the request for this blog from my mate Rhys Jones. In addition to having the most Welsh name on planet earth, Rhys & his lovely bride, & my dear friend Victoria, were Evan & I’s drinking buddies in London. Me being a food fiend & a cocktail connoisseur, I was always dragging the bunch around London, taking them to cocktail bars & speakeasies that they had never heard of. Additionally, during the 2020 lockdown, I stocked my bar & began learning the art of craft cocktail work, of which, much like food, I treat less as the refined practice it has become & more of an ever changing & evolving art form demanding different ingredients not only in diversified flavor profiles but also in quantities. All of that to say that the following recipes will not be precise & you should adjust them as you see fit!

In addition to the few cocktail recipes that I plan to list below I will also be listing my personal wine recommendations for where holiday dinners are concerned. You will note that I have a regional bias for the Willamette Valley where Pinots & Rieslings are concerned, but I just blame the Oregonian in me. Let’s start off there shall we, with the wine! My go to holiday dinner wines will follow below!

WINES:

REDS:

-A To Z Pinot Noir: My stand by, my go to. Readily available in markets around the US & pairs perfectly with majority of your holiday table staples. If you’re wanting to bump the price tag up a little bit look for anything by their parent label Rex Hill & you won’t be disappointed!

-Laurence et Rémi Dufaitre Beaujolais Villages Prèmices…Le Millèsime Rouge: I’ll be honest, that name took me a minute to type. Another red from the lighter side of the spectrum, Gamay can be a little on the soft red fruit side of things. A fine sipper in its own rite, this bottle disappears fast once it’s opened.

-Scaia Corvina: If you’re looking for something slightly bolder here’s a really nice staple as well. This wine always impresses simply because it has a very lavender taste to it. Leaning a little more into the “red meats & pasta” pairing of red wines, I think this bottle still compliments a full holiday spread in style.

WHITES:

A To Z Riesling: I warned you. They’re just such a solid brand that is incredibly accessible. This riesling is perfectly balanced, not too dry, not too sweet. It pleases anyone from Chard drinkers to the Moscato guzzlers. Truly a lovingly bright & complex bottle that is sure to please.

Weingut Berger Grüner Veltliner: A lovely little Austrian grape that is often overlooked for the more mainstream French varietals. Affordable, dependable, readily available. It definitely leans more on the dry side of the spectrum which makes it highly suitable for those gamut of holiday fare.

Argyle Brut: Let’s add something sparkling shall we & while we’re at it, let’s make it also from Oregon! This one is a bit of a cheat because it is primarily Chardonnay while featuring just a touch of Pinot Noir, both being grapes that pair exceptionally well with holiday dinners. Truly refreshing & balanced.

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COCKTAILS:

As I said above, my cocktail making isn’t always an exact science, especially where the batched goods are concerned, nor are the often written out so I will do my utmost to remember them as they are & to the best of my ability. I am also going to include some cocktails that I love for the winter that are not my own. Their originators will be credited along with the beverages of their design.

CHARLIE’S MULLED WINE/GLUHWEIN:

-Jug Of Cheapish Medium-Bold Red Wine (Chianti, Merlot, etc)

-1 Cup Brandy or Cognac

-1/2 Cup Spiced Rum

-2 Cups Pomegranate Juice

-1.5 Cups of Cranberry Juice

-Sugar To Taste (Usually Ends Up 1-2 Cups)

-2 Blood Oranges Cut into Circles

-2 Lemons Cut into Circles

-1 Cup Pomegranate Arils

-2 Tablespoons Whole Cloves

-4-5 Cinnamon Sticks

-2-3 Star Anise

-1 Tablespoon Allspice

- 1 Sprig of Mint

(Optional):

-Rosemary Sprigs

-Cranberries

-Black Walnut Bitters

In a large sauce lidded pan bring all ingredients with the exception of the Brandy/Cognac to a light boil. Once the mixture starts to boil reduce it to a simmer & cook until spices & oils are thoroughly combined. Add Sugar to taste then when you’re satisfied with it add in the Cognac to replace any lost alcohol. Taste & adjust as needed & serve hot with a Cinnamon Stick or Orange Slice! Have fun with it, play with different ingredients & different combinations til you find something uniquely yours!

A (SLIGHTLY MODIFIED) DREARY DAY’S NIGHT:
Originally by Nic Hamilton

The modifications I’ve made to this drink are small but they, in my opinion, really can make or break it for me.

-4 Oz Brewed Peppermint & Lemongrass Tea (I recommend Steepologie’s Minty Kisses)

-2 Cinnamon Sticks

-.75 Oz Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky

-.75 Oz Jura 10 Year Scotch Whisky

.75 Oz Grade A Maple Syrup

.5 Oz Lemon Juice

.25 Oz Rosemary Simple Syrup (1 Part Sugar, 1 Part Water, 1 Sprig Rosemary. Cook in a Pan.)

Start by crushing up one of your cinnamon sticks. Make a little pile out of it & light that beotch on fire. Once it’s burning nicely cover it with a mug. After around 15-30 seconds your mug should be thoroughly smoked, flip it back over & assemble the rest of the cocktail. The last thing to go in should be your tea & it should go in boiling, & I mean boiling, hot. Garnish with your unburnt cinnamon stick.

Note A: I like to batch this in a hot coffee dispenser & put extra tea & a cinnamon stick or two in the coffee filter slot.

Note B: If you find this version of the drink to be too strong for you (please try first before you decide that) then I would half the amount of Whisky.

CHARLIE’S GROG:

-8 Oz. Hot Water

-3 Oz. Black Rum (I use Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva)

-.5 Oz Lime Juice

.25 Oz Pineapple Juice

-.25 Oz. POG Syrup (Monin’s Brand is “Hawaiian Island”)

-2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar

-1 Dash Angostura Bitters

-1 Dash Black Walnut Bitters

As above, mix your room temp/cool ingredients first in a mug, then add the Water. Stir til well combined then garnish with a lime wedge, cinnamon stick, dried pineapple ring, or any combination of the three!

CHARLIE’S ALMOND MEZCAL OLD FASHIONED:

-1 Oz. Mezcal ( I use Ilegal)

-.25 Oz Amaretto

-.25 Oz Agave Syrup

-2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Mix ingredients in a glass with ice. Stir for a good while, like you’re making a Negroni. Once slightly diluted strain over a large ice cube in a low ball glass & zest an Orange over the top!

Recipe: Better Viral Feta Pasta

I want you all to know something before I post this. I fought doing this, I fought posting this “recipe” as a blog for today but apparently a lot of people wanted to hear what I did when I created my own spin on the feta/tomato pasta that went viral all over the interwebs. The answer to that is honestly the bare minimum, but alas, here we are. My changes to the dish feel pretty self-explanatory to me but I guess to the folks on the internet butchering this recipe, they are not. Anytime I came across someone complaining about how nasty the recipe was I noticed two commonalities. 1. They didn’t season it. They took the recipe at face value & expected it to be full of flavor & goodness. No. 2. They treated the recipe like it was Italian NOT like the CLEARLY EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN DISH THAT IT IS!!! All of that to say I treated the dish with these two things in mind & people act like I deserve a Michelin star haha.

I don’t. Let’s make that clear. I don’t deserve a Michelin star.

Anyway….

Better Viral Feta Pasta

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 30-35 Minutes

Total Time: 40-45 Minutes

Ingredients:

-1/2 Medium Yellow Onion - Diced

-2 Cloves Garlic - Minced

-2 Pints of Cherry Tomatoes

-8 Oz. Block of Feta Cheese

-1 Lbs. Noodles Of Choice (Something Meant For Thick Sauces Like Elbows or Ziti)

-1/2 Cup Good Quality Olive Oil

-3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme (Leaves Only)

-1 Sprig Rosemary

-1 Lemon

-1 1/2 Teaspoons Oregano

-1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

-Fresh Basil

-Salt

-Pepper

Instructions:

-Preheat your oven to 400º.

-In a casserole dish place in the cherry tomatoes (washed).

-Toss tomatoes in just under the entirety of your 1/2 cup of olive oil.

-Top tomatoes with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, & oregano.

-Place your block of feta in the middle of the pan so it’s touching the bottom, surrounded by the tomatoes.

-Pour remainder of olive oil over feta.

-Pepper the feta & place the sprig of rosemary on top.

-Slice your lemon in half & place it, rind down, in the opposite corners of the pan.

-Place pan in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

-In a pot boil your pasta of choice until al dente, strain & set aside.

-When you pull the pan out of the oven remove the sprig of rosemary & the lemons. The rosemary can be discarded, the lemons will be used.

-With a broad spoon begin smashing the tomatoes & spreading the cheese.

-Once all tomatoes are properly smashed squeeze the juice from both halves of the lemon over the entirety of the pan & add in the pasta.

-Mix thoroughly until smooth.

-Serve & top with fresh basil.

Recipe: Charlie's Bombass Paleo Banana Bread

It’s been a hot minute since I shared a recipe on this blog, so I guess it’s about time again that I did. In case you didn’t know I eat mostly paleo majority of the time, especially at home. Why? Because I have minor intolerances to dairy, wheat, & gluten. Nothing to the point where it’s to the detriment of my GI tract but still, I like to limit those three things in my diet. I swore when I started sharing recipes to my blog that I wouldn’t do the normal recipe blog thing where I write some story about how my great grandmother discovered the banana in 1512 & it brings back so many memories for me. I’m gonna go with the same philosophy that applies to songs going to radio. Don’t bore us, get to the chorus. I do want to preface this by saying it’s a new recipe for me, I made it last week & all who tried it couldn’t get enough, it’s also incredibly easy to make! So let’s go!

P.S. This makes a lot so I made it in a casserole pan, you could use two bread pans if you like!

CHARLIE’S BOMBASS PALEO BANANA BREAD

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 50 Minutes

Total Time: 65 Minutes

Yields 1 Large Sheet or 2 Loaves

Ingredients:

• 4 Super Ripe Bananas

• 1 Zucchini (Grated)

• 1 Thumb of Fresh Ginger (Grated)

• Zest of 1 Large Orange

• 3 Cups Paleo Baking Flour (I Use Bob’s Red Mill, Use Whichever You Like!)

• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

• 1/4 Teaspoon Smoked Salt (Regular Is Fine If You Don’t Have It)

• 1 1/2 Cups Coconut Sugar (Or Any Paleo Sweetener Of Your Choosing)

• 2/3 Cup of Ghee (Melted)

• 2 Large Eggs

• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

• 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

• 2 Teaspoons Garam Masala

• Dash of Ground Clove

• (Optional) 1/2 Cup Chopped Raw Pecans

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

• Line a large casserole dish or two bread pans with parchment paper.

• In a mixer or mixing bowl beat together wet ingredients; bananas, zucchini, ghee, vanilla extract, & eggs

• In a separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients; baking soda, flour, salt, spices, & sugar.

• Add dry mixture to the wet, incorporating a little at a time until combined.

• Add pecans if you so desire & incorporate.

• Pour batter into prepared dish & put in the oven for 50 minutes or until you can insert a tester into the center & have it come out clean.

And that’s it! Truly very simply, but very effective! Feel free to add more orange zest or ginger if you feel so inclined, it tend to be heavier handed on the zest, really elevates the flavor & gives it a bit of a “wow” factor that you can impress your quarantine mates with! Remember when we were all making banana bread at the beginning of all this?! I missed out on that trend haha. I hope you enjoy the bread, your kids will love it, if you have any, & it’s a great way to sneak some fruits & veggies into their diet! If you make it please let me know your thoughts!

Happy Friday & Happy Cooking!

Recipe: Rye Cabbage Roll Ravioli in a Light Tomato Sauce

Trying something new today! Not going to write an extensive blog in front of my recipe because I absolutely hate when people do that! It’s like get to the point already!!!!!

RYE CABBAGE ROLL RAVIOLI IN A LIGHT TOMATO SAUCE

Serves: 6ish

INGREDIENTS:

RAVIOLI FILLING:

• 1-1 & 1/2 Pounds Corned Beef (Cooked)

• 1 Head of Cabbage (Steamed or Boiled)

• 1/4 Cup Spicy Brown Mustard

RAVIOLI DOUGH:

• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour plus some for dusting

• 2 Large Eggs

• 6 Large Egg Yolks

• Pinch of Salt

• 1 Tablespoon of Ground Caraway Seed

• 1 Teaspoon of Ground Yellow Mustard Seed

• 1 Teaspoon of Ground Brown Mustard Seed

  SAUCE:

• 1 8oz. Can of Petite Diced Tomatoes

• 1 Cup Beef Stock

• 1 Teaspoon of Yellow Curry Powder

• 2 Bay Leaves

• 1 & 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander

• 2 Teaspoons of Ground Yellow Mustard

• 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Clove

• 1 Teaspoon Crushed Rosemary

• 1 Tablespoon of Tarragon

• 2 Teaspoons of Thyme

• Dash of Ginger

• Pinch of Nutmeg

• Salt & Pepper to Taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Created a well on a clean workspace with your all-purpose flour. Fill well with all of the eggs & egg yolks as well as your salt, ground caraway seed, & both types of ground mustard seed.

  With a fork, incorporate the egg/spice mixture into the flour slowly. When it gets too thick for the fork switch to your hands. Kneed dough until all ingredients are incorporated & mixed thoroughly. If the dough starts to crack or is too dry, wet your hands with water & continue to kneed. If the dough is too wet of is sticking to the workspace, dust the area with flour & kneed until it’s the desired consistency.

• Once your dough is properly combined wrap it in plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least one hour.

  -ONE HOUR LATER

• In a food processor combine equal parts corned beef & cabbage with your spicy brown mustard. Pulse until minced thoroughly, stop before you make it into a paste. Make sure all parts are combined well throughout & no large pieces remain. Set aside in a bowl.

• Remove pasta dough from refrigerator & take off the plastic wrap. If it’s dried out a little don’t be afraid to kneed in a little water.

• Scatter flour on your counter top & cut off a portion of your dough, this should be about a cups worth. On dusted surface, roll out dough til thin, if you have a pasta press around a 3-4 in thickness.

• Cut pasta dough into desired shape, circles, squares, triangles, whatever you want but make them big enough to hold the filling. I personally use a ravioli tray for this, it just makes the process easier.

• On one piece of cut dough place about a half tablespoon of the corned beef/cabbage filling in the center. Wet the edges of the dough with water, around the filling & top with another piece of cut pasta dough or fold one in half. Crimp the edges of the dough together. Dust with flour to prevent them from sticking together & set aside.

• Repeat the above step until you run out of filling or run out of dough.

• Fill a large pot with water & a splash of olive oil & bring it to a boil.

• While your water is boiling, in a medium sized sauce pan combine your tomatoes, beef stock, tarragon, curry powder, bay leaves, coriander, mustard, clove, rosemary, ginger, thyme, nutmeg, salt, & pepper & whatever else goes into the sauce listed above that I’m sure I forgot & bring to a low boil. Cook for about 10 minutes.

• Put your ravioli into the pot of boiling water & cook until they’re your desired level of softness. Then strain them into a colander.

• In a bowl toss ravioli gently with your tomato sauce & serve!