Recipes Old and New

I just enjoyed a weekend of eating and cycling with friends and my food contributions were my old cookie favorite Brandon's Chocolate Bars and Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa from Gourmet Magazine by way of www.Epicurious.com.  Both were big hits and the recipes were requested and so here they are.  I thought the quinoa would be better if the amount of black beans was increased just a bit, but nobody else agreed.

Brandon's Chocolate Bars

Crust:  1 cup butter

             1 cup brown sugar, packed

             2 cups flour

             1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar.  Add flour and vanilla.  Pat into 9 by 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees 15 to 20 minutes.

Topping:  3 large eggs

                  1 1/2 cups brown sugar

                  1 1/2 tsp vanilla

                  3 tblsp flour

                  3/4 tsp baking powder

                  12 oz pkg chocolate chips

                  3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Beat in flour and baking powder.  Add cocolate chips and nuts. Spread topping over baked crust.  Return to oven for 25-30 minutes.  Cut into bars while still warm.

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

2 tsp grated lime zest

2 tblsp fresh lime juice

2 tblsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled (I omitted this)

1 tblsp olive oil (I used a bit more)

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup quinoa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I cooked my own)

2 med. tomatoes, diced

4 green onions, chopped.

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (the original recipe called for cilantro)

Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  

Cook quinoa.  (For directions in orginal recipe, go to TEXT

and  type in Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa in the search box.)  Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients.