cheesecake brownies

My husband loves chocolate and cheesecake, so when I'm baking something for him, those flavors always come to mind. A decadent combination of the two would pretty much be the ideal combo to him, so cheesecake brownies seemed like an easy, but perfect solution! Rich and fudgy brownies are already great on their own, and I like 'em the fudgier the better! But now add a layer of cheesecake to the mix, and you've got yourself one seriously tasty treat. If you want, you can lightly swirl in the cheesecake batter to the brownie batter, creating a cool marbled effect on your brownies! I got a little carried away in mixing, so no picture-perfect marbling, but I promise they tasted great anyway! PS- I like using flatter, wider chocolate feves or discs instead of regular chips, and Valrhona makes great ones!

Cheesecake Brownies:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, divided

  • 3/4 cup turbinado sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, well softened

  • 1/3 cup turbinado sugar

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter an 8-inch square baking pan. For the brownie batter, melt butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined and spread batter evenly into baking pan.

For the cheesecake batter, whisk together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop large spoonfuls over brownie batter, then swirl in with a butter knife to create a marbled effect. Alternatively, you may mix the two together more evenly.

Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the batter. Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes, then allow to cool. These are equally as delicious warm out of the oven as they are at room temperature or chilled, although the brownies will be much easier to cut if chilled. Makes nine 3" square, thick brownies.

*Adapted from cheesecake-marbled brownies by Smitten Kitchen.

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lighthouse

I'm all about a seasonal menu with tons of healthy, fresh food- even better if it's got a slightly Mediterranean vibe! Lighthouse is all those things and more, with a focus on sustainability and local produce! I was excited to stop in for brunch with some girlfriends recently, and I love the laid back feeling of home you get from the moment you walk in. The whole place gets tons of light from the huge windows, and there's plenty of outdoor seating as well, which I'm sure makes the perfect spot for brunch or happy hour come summer. We started with their signature freshly baked challah bread with housemade tahini and pickles. There's not much better than fresh baked bread, except when it's slathered in rich and creamy tahini. We chose an assortment of entrees, and I loved all the bright colors involved! From vegetable salads to grilled chicken bowls to chilaquiles to ceviche, there's certainly something for everyone! I really want to try the charred eggplant bowl with green coconut rice and tahini as it sounds totally up my alley, and I think my husband would be all about the duck pita with calabrian chili! Guess we will just have to head back soon :) Make sure to click through the photos for more details on our delish meal!

abcV

The latest restaurant in the abc line up from Jean Georges is abcV, a plant-based eatery with a focus on sustainable and organic ingredients. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, and most of it is vegan, or can easily be made so. I got the chance to dine at abcV with my vegan bestie, and we ordered a bunch of dishes to share so as to try as much as possible! Highlights for me included the pine nut and lemon dip with harissa and dried apricots- such a unique and flavorful take on hummus! The stone ground nut and seed butter layered underneath roasted carrots created the perfect sweet and savory dish, and its richness was cut nicely by chilies and lime. As I'm obsessed with all things tahini, it was no surprise I loved the roasted cauliflower drizzled in turmeric tahini and topped with crunchy pistachios! Yum!

Plenty of other dishes tempted our tastebuds as well, however, we were getting full! If you can believe it, we didn't even have room for dessert, so reluctantly skipped this part of the meal. I know- who even am I? Next time for sure though, as I recall absolutely loving the salted caramel ice cream sundae with candied peanuts and popcorn from abc kitchen!  I'm also looking forward to returning for brunch soon, as the creative brunch bowls and dosas sound super delish. Be sure to click through the photos to see descriptions of each dish, and definitely make a reservation at abcV stat!