Snacks | Simple By Cindy

Cream Cheese Brownies

Jun. 28
2021

Now that summer is here, keeping organized might not be on your list of things to do– and that’s okay! The kids are out of school, so you might have unscheduled days, more spontaneity, and a more relaxed approach to daily life. We seem to have a collective sigh of relief when school lets out. At least for a while. I always thought of the Fall and Winter as a roller coaster. Then summer comes and you finally get off the roller coaster and slow down to really begin to enjoy the time you have.

For some reason, summer and keeping organized just do not seem to go together. Being organized and more strictly scheduled are not in our plans for the beautiful days ahead. But maybe, just maybe we can do both this year. Let’s explore some ways that organization and summer can be accomplished.

Prioritize. What are the most important goals you want to achieve? Is it making more time with your kids? Summer trips? Hanging out with friends and family? Maybe even getting some little projects done. Go for it! Make a small list for yourself and check off your tasks as you do them. You will feel a sense of accomplishment, and it’ll make you want to keep going.

Stay organized by keeping similar items together. Use baskets or dedicated shelves if you have to. For example, create a space for the things you need to bring to the beach. Use a shelf to store towels where you can easily find them in a hurry. Keep a basket with items you need for the beach such as sunscreen, hats, bug spray, and magazines easily available and ready to go when you need them.

Do a few items on your list at a time. Focus a little bit each day on maintaining the state of the areas you worked on the previous day. When you can, make sure that you put the items you use back in the space you allowed. Put things away as soon as you are finished using them. Before you go to bed, take a turn to see if everything is in its place, and it will make the next day a little easier.

Create a calendar similar to the one you use in the winter to keep track of activities, camp, playdates, and trips. This way you can easily see what your days are going to be like and maybe try to set up some “me” time. A little downtime in your schedule can benefit everyone. Take a look at your list and see if you can cross off some things to create some breathing room. This will give you some well-earned time to relax, and it will be the most important part of your day.

If you do find some free time, you may want to make these delicious brownies. They are so easy to make, and you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry! The cream cheese ensures that these treats will be moist and delicious. The chocolate chips and cocoa powder adds chocolatey goodness to each bite. They have a creamy, buttery flavor that is enhanced by the sweetness of the two sugars and eggs. Perfect for a snack or to take to the beach or have as a delightful breakfast treat. Make these treats and your family will love you for it.

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Living and will make 10 to 12 brownies– so be sure to double it for all the folks who will want seconds.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Brownies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup + 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
5 eggs, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Grease a metal 9- x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter until bubbling but not brown.

Turn off heat, add chocolate chips, and stir to coat.

Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir again until the chocolate is completely melted and combined with the butter.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add, brown sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 4 eggs, and 2 tsp. vanilla.

Whisk until well combined.

Add 1/2 tsp. salt, cocoa powder, and flour and stir together until well combined.

Pour into prepared baking pan.

With a mixer, beat together cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/8 tsp. salt, and 1 egg until well combined, about 3 minutes.

Spread over top of brownie batter.

Using a knife, draw swirls across the surface of the cream cheese by running the tip of the knife about 1/2 inch deep into the brownie batter as you move it around.

(No swirls here, but just as good!)

Bake until set, about 30-35 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before cutting.

It’s that simple!

Old Fashioned Strawberry Cake

Jun. 24
2021

There are so many people who find it very hard to sit down and do nothing. I know I am always ready to move on to the next thing on my to-do list. Most of us set out to achieve a particular set of tasks each day, or one big task (like cleaning out the attic or garage), but can be problematic if we let ourselves feel too much pressure to “be productive.”

When I get an idea in my head, I can’t get any rest until I do it. Years ago, people felt the need to focus on one task at a time, and didn’t burden themselves to fill a free day with so many things to accomplish. Nowadays, many us of have grown too expect so much of ourselves in too little time. It seems like the busier we are, the more we get used to doing, and we have gone from single-tasking to multitasking.

Most of us feel a real sense of accomplishment when we get things done. Crossing things off our to-do this releases dopamine, which regulates pleasure. According to Science News, “the release of dopamine also increases motivation to take on more.” This can create an endless cycle of productivity addiction. Personally, it feels good for a while, but I really need to learn how to turn it off, because it is not necessarily good for you in the long term, because burnout is absolutely real, and you will end up accomplishing nothing at all.

It is very important to find downtime in your day. According to Harvard Business Review, “creating the space for downtime increases productivity. Subject to heavy workloads and never-ending to-do lists, it’s easy to put our heads down and charge through tasks, thinking we have no time for days off, free evenings, or weeklong vacations. But driving too hard without breaks can make us less productive and less focused.” They found that downtime can dramatically improve mental and physical health, and our personal relationships too. For example, they found that employees who unplugged and took time off had reduced rates of serious health issues like coronary heart disease.

Here are some good ways to make time for yourself:

Take your dog for a long walk. You and your pet get some cardio which is good for all aspects of your health. Spending time alone with each other is vital to your dog’s mental health as well as your own.

Rethink your schedule. Make sure you schedule some downtime for yourself, as a reward for all you did that day. It will help you recharge and become more mindful. Decide when you’re going to unplug, and stick to it.

Put your phone on silent for a while. Easier said than done! Perhaps consider making a “phone time-out” for your family too.

Find a hobby you enjoy doing and make time for it. I have been needlepointing since I was a teenager. It is therapeutic for me in so many ways. It allows me to turn my mind off, relax, and just enjoy the moment. Though I hadn’t made time for it in the past, I picked it up again this year, and I realized how much I missed it. Now I make time each day to do some needlepoint, and I’ve been enjoying seeing my progress.

Meditation can help as well. If you do not meditate, perhaps you can find another way to rest and reset your mind and body. There are some great apps that make it easy to practice, so you don’t have to get started alone.

It may be hard for many of us to carve out some downtime in this 24/7 world. I think the pandemic has proven to all of us that we can allow ourselves some “me” time without the guilt, and still complete our daily tasks. In this current world, we need to be more vigilant than ever about cultivating the discipline to take downtime when the moment calls for it.

Onto the recipe. Another great dessert that is easy to make, but will taste like you have been cooking all day– you can use that extra time doing whatever makes you happy! As Allison Roman says, “if strawberry doughnuts are your thing, then this cake is absolutely your thing.” A classic, old-fashioned buttermilk cake with bits of berries strewn throughout, this cake manages to taste just like your favorite fried treat (without the frying!). The sweet strawberries are the perfect filling for this delicate cake, which gets its moistness from the buttermilk and eggs. It bakes up into a beautiful cake that resembles a sweet doughnut with bits of delightful strawberry in every bite.

This recipe is courtesy of Allison Roman and will serve 8 to 10 people who can treat themselves to a delicious slice of cake.

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Strawberry Cake:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¾ cups buttermilk
10 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons demerara sugar, for sprinkling (you can use granulated sugar in a pinch)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Smear or brush a bit of butter onto the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper (either cut to fit the bottom, or leaving some hanging over the edges for easy removal).

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer (or using an electric hand mixer and a large bowl), beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla together on medium-high, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything incorporates, until the mixture is pale, light, fluffy and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend between additions. (This is a good time to scrape down the sides again.)

Reduce the mixer speed to low and carefully add half the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk.

Repeat with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk, beating just until no large lumps remain.

Using a spatula, gently fold in half the strawberries and transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.

Scatter with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake until cake is puffed, deeply golden brown on the top and pulling away at the sides, 45 to 50 minutes. (It should spring back slightly when pressed in the center and appear fully baked where the strawberries meet the cake.)

Let cake cool completely before removing it from the pan (either by inverting or lifting with the parchment lining).

The cake can be baked up to three days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature, or refrigerated.

It’s that simple!

Strawberry Graham Galette

Jun. 10
2021

My cousin Isabel and I grew up very close to one another. Although she lived about 45 minutes away, my mother used to take us over to her house most weekends so we could play while she visited with her sister. Isabel and I stayed close, and even went to the same college. Isabel decided she did not like the school, and transferred somewhere closer to home. After that we lost touch with each other, as our everyday lives were busy with school and work.

Fast forward, and my husband and I moved to a small, lovely town in New Jersey. A couple of years later I was genuinely surprised to hear that my cousin and her husband were moving to our town too! As it turned out, they had bought a house right around the block from us. Once they moved here, it was like no time had passed. Our kids grew up together and went to school with one another, just like we did when we were young. Isabel and I had the opportunity to nurture and care for each other’s kids, and to see their own friendships blossom.

Isabel’s daughter, Simone got engaged two years ago, and her wedding was cancelled because of covid. They moved it a year forward, and finally, this past weekend, Simone and her fiancé were married. The wedding was on a beautiful horse farm in Kentucky, and it was perfect for Simone, who grew up riding horses.

Many people in my extended family (which is huge), decided against going for fear of flying or being in a crowd during this pandemic. But a few of us did go, and we were so glad we did. It was so nice to finally be with people, and the guests at the wedding were ready to party. It was so much fun to dance freely and take our minds away from the nightmare of the past year. Simone and her new husband were so happy, and it was our greatest pleasure to finally see them married. Everyone was jubilant and the reception was filled with love for Simone and Phil.

Given the preparations for travel I didn’t get a chance to cook much, but I did get a chance to make this wonderful dessert. The delightful taste of the strawberries is brightened by the lime, giving it a little unexpected (but wonderful) tang. The graham cracker crust is the perfect home for the filling, making each bite extraordinarily delicious. The cream topping, with the extra lime, makes this treat a tart perfection.

This recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetit and will serve 8 people who will love a slice on a beautiful summer day.

Ingredients for Strawberry–Graham Galette:

7 graham crackers (about 3.7 ounces)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
⅔ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled, divided
1-pound strawberries, hulled, sliced
1 lime (½ teaspoon finely grated zest and 1 teaspoon fresh juice)
½ cup very cold heavy cream

Place a rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°.

Place graham crackers in a large resealable plastic bag and zip it up, pressing out most of the air.

Using a wine bottle or rolling pin, firmly roll over crackers several times, crushing them into fine crumbs (some larger crumbs are okay).

Measure out 1 cup crumbs (which should be almost all of them) and transfer to a medium bowl.

Add salt, ⅔ cup flour, and 2 Tbsp. sugar.

Mix with a fork to combine, then add 1 egg and 6 Tbsp. melted butter.

Mix with fork until dough forms, then knead with your hands inside of bowl until no floury spots remain and dough is smooth.

It’ll be a little soft and slightly oily, which is fine!

Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper and place dough on top.

Lightly flour top of dough, then cover with another piece of parchment.

Using bottle or rolling pin, roll dough into a round (it doesn’t have to be perfect!) about 12″ in diameter and ⅛” thick.

Periodically peel back parchment and dust with more flour to prevent sticking.

Slide entire sheet of parchment paper onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. sugar over surface of dough, leaving about a 2″ border.

Pile strawberries into center of dough and arrange in an even layer, leaving the same 2″ border.

Sprinkle strawberries with 1 Tbsp. sugar and drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. butter.

Using a microplane or fine grater, grate zest of about one-half of lime over strawberries.

Cut off half of the lime with no zest and squeeze juice over strawberries.

Save the other half for later.

Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with fork until no streaks remain.

Brush egg wash around border of pastry (you won’t use it all).

Using edges of parchment to help lift, fold empty border of dough up and over strawberries, working your way around in roughly 2″ sections, overlapping folds as needed.

Press all the way around to secure folds and keep dough in place.

It might crack or tear in places, but don’t worry! Just pinch it back together.

Brush top of border with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake galette until crust is browned around the edges and juices from strawberries are syrupy and actively bubbling, 40-45 minutes.

It’s okay if some juices escape and end up on the parchment paper–the parchment will prevent the tart from sticking.

Let cool at least 20 minutes.

Beat cream with a large whisk in a medium bowl until voluminous, thick, and starts to hold tracks of whisk.

Hold whisk upright and look for the “peak” of cream that forms on the end.

It should droop and slump over—these are “soft peaks,” which are what you want!

Grate zest from remaining half of lime over cream and serve with tart.

Do Ahead: Tart can be made several hours ahead. Let sit at room temperature. Once fully cooled, droop a piece of plastic over top.

It’s that simple!

Banana Everything Cookies

Jun. 7
2021

One of my greatest pleasures in life is tending to the garden that my husband and I started over 20 years ago. At first, my husband had zero interest in gardening. He liked to keep me company and help me carry the new plants from our yearly visit to the nursery, but that was about it. After watching the garden grow and bloom so beautifully, he took an interest too. Now he is the one to take a walk through our garden to make sure the plants are healthy and growing, and to care for the ones that aren’t doing so well.

Unfortunately, this year my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he recently underwent surgery. The operation went very well and he is on the road to recovery, but it is a long process and he is still not feeling one hundred percent. He is not allowed to do any lifting or bending, so we had to hire someone to plant for us.

Here, near my home, we have a beautiful nursery that is filled with beautiful trees, bushes and plants. I love it there. Not only does it smell wonderful, it is truly breathtaking to see all the foliage blooming and the flowers bursting with color. Families come and go, choosing the right plants for them, and everybody is so excited to bring home their new plants

This year, I went with my gardener to pick out the flowers. It was a different experience, and I missed spending that time with my husband. I went through the nursery with my list and bought everything I needed for our garden. My gardener brought all the plants home for me, and he spent yesterday planting them according to my instructions.

Although the experience was quite different this year, my husband and I were elated to watch the crew work and see the results. The new flowers and bushes are finally in place, and we got to take a stroll through the garden, which looks amazing. We weren’t able to bask in the achievement of doing the planting ourselves, but we were so proud nonetheless.

As a treat, I made these cookies. Of course, we all are familiar with banana bread, but this is the first time I saw a recipe for banana cookies– I don’t often come across such “firsts”! They are very simple to make. The bananas ensure a moist delicious cookie, much like the bread. The oats give it a nice, crunchy texture, along with the walnuts and chocolate chips. The cinnamon and the vanilla are the savory, giving each bite delicate hints of these delightful spices. They bake up into yummy treats, perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert (consider pairing with some vanilla ice cream for a delightful treat!).

This recipe is courtesy of New York Times and will make 2 dozen cookies for people after a long day at work in the garden.

Ingredients for Banana Everything Cookies:

Nonstick cooking oil spray
1 very ripe medium banana
⅓ cup canola oil
⅔ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal or rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup chocolate chips (vegan, if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray two baking sheets with oil. In a mixing bowl, mash banana well.

Add oil, sugar and vanilla, and mix with a strong fork.

Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and mix until just moistened.

Add oatmeal, walnuts and chocolate chips.

Using your hands or a sturdy spoon, mix well, making sure oats are well moistened. (If dough is very slippery, add one or two extra tablespoons flour.)

Using clean, wet hands, re-wetting as needed, roll dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, about 1 1/3 inches in diameter.

Flatten slightly and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.

Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

It’s that simple!

French Cheesecake

May. 31
2021

Now that the restrictions for covid are lifted a bit, there are so many things I look forward to doing. Before the pandemic, each year my family would take a vacation to someplace we had never been. I did not travel as a child, so I wanted my sons to understand that there are places in the world where people live differently than they do.

Travel helps young kids in trying new things and saying “yes” to new experiences. Riding an elephant, sledding in snow, zip lining in the jungle, and camping in the desert are all new experiences that my kids have loved trying. Travel opens up endless possibilities in their tiny minds, and they become open and used to trying new things, even when they’re timid or unsure.

Traveling has an added bonus of helping to teach geography to kids. They are interested in finding their destination on a map, looking at flags, learning the capitals, and visiting famous monuments of the different countries they visit. These are life skills that will serve them well as adults traveling with their own families and friends.

My favorite part of traveling is getting to taste all the different types of food from around the world. Of course, for my older son, who was a very picky eater, this was eye opening. Instead of chicken nuggets or pizza, he had to look at a menu and choose from a variety of foods that were way out of his repertoire. My younger son, however, was eager to try everything available. Nature versus nurture, I suppose.

The best part of traveling with my kids was watching them learn for the first time. Seeing their faces light up as they take in the scenery, learn the history, or try something new is such a joy. My children’s curiosity, imagination, and sense of adventure opened up so many wonderful things that took them well beyond their small world at home. It helped them become more adaptable and flexible. It taught them that people may look different, but we are all the same. Diversity is something to be respected and celebrated.

Even though they are adults now, we will still plan trips as a family. There is so much world out there for us to see, and they are as hungry for those experiences as we are. I am more hopeful each day that we will get past this stage of staying in place and are able to get out and interact with the world once again.

But before I do, I’m going to try my best to bring the delights of the world into my home, and hopefully yours too. This French cheesecake is simply delicious. It is such a nice, but different take on cheesecake. Of course, the French are famous for their cheese, so it only makes sense that they would add another cheese to make it even better–the addition of the brie brings on another depth of flavor to ordinary cheesecake (which is just a good by itself, don’t get me wrong here). The two cheeses, along with the eggs, ensure a luscious, creamy filling that is deliciousness in every bite. The raspberries (you can use any fruit of your preference) are a welcomed sweetness that make this cake perfection.

This cake is courtesy of Delish and will serve 8 people on a mental vacation to a French cafe.

Ingredients for French Cheesecake:

For the Crust:

⅓ cup Sugar
6 T Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup All Purpose Flour

For the Filling:

16 oz Light Cream Cheese
8 oz Camembert Cheese or 8 oz Brie Cheese
½ cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Fresh Raspberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Make the Crust:

Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add vanilla.