Red Wine Brownies for TLC Book Tour: California Girls

Happy Spring!

I hope the weather is warming up where you are.  It’s time for another TLC Book Tours and this one will get us ready for summer, California Girls by Susan Mallery.

The Food…

There’s lots of alcohol references (to block out the breakup despair), pizza and cheetos and other comfort food (also used as an escape).  At one point, Ali, I believe, is craving (or is actually eating and imbibing) brownies and wine.  I immediately thought, “Well, that’s a novel idea!”  A few Google searches later and I had an idea of the perfect food pairing for this book!

 

Red Wine Brownies

Debra with nods to Broma Bakery.

Red wine and chocolate—what more could a girl want?

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. unsalted butter
  • 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 c. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • 1/2  c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 t. sea salt
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 c. red wine
  • 1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Prepare an 8 x 8″ pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.
  2. Place the butter and the chocolate chips in a large glass measuring cup or glass bowl.  Microwave for about 45-60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until butter and chocolate are melted.
  3. Place brown sugar in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment.  Slowly pour melted chocolate mixture into brown sugar with the mixer running on medium speed. Add in eggs, one at a time, continuing to beat.  Beat for 30 seconds, until the color of the batter lightens just a bit.
  4. Turn the mixer to low and add in cocoa powder, flour, salt, vanilla extract, wine and  walnuts.  Mix until just combined (about 30 seconds).
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean.
  6. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

These brownies were delicious!

The wine added just a hint of floral overtones.  If you like the ooey-gooey variety of brownies, you will love this recipe!

 

Check out what others on the tour thought about California Girls.

Review Tour:

Monday, February 25th: Reading Reality

Monday, February 25th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Monday, February 25th: @booknerdingout

Tuesday, February 26th: The Book Date

Wednesday, February 27th: Palmer’s Page Turners

Friday, March 1st: Books & Bindings

Friday, March 1st: Not in Jersey

Monday, March 4th: Bewitched Bookworms

Monday, March 4th: Patricia’s Wisdom

Tuesday, March 5th: Odd and Bookish and @oddandbookish

Wednesday, March 6th: Bookchickdi

Thursday, March 7th: Running Through the Storms

Thursday, March 7th: Why Girls Are Weird

Friday, March 8th: View from the Birdhouse

Monday, March 11th: The Romance Dish

Monday, March 11th: Tar Heel Reader and @tarheelreader

Tuesday, March 12th: Girl Who Reads

Wednesday, March 13th: Kahakai Kitchen

Wednesday, March 13th: Romantic Reads and Such

Thursday, March 14th: Moonlight Rendezvous

Thursday, March 14th: Cheryl’s Book Nook

Friday, March 15th: Mrs. Mommy Booknerd

Monday, March 18th: Jathan & Heather

Monday, March 18th: Rad Babes Read and @radbabesread

Tuesday, March 19th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Wednesday, March 20th: From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, March 20th: A Splendid Messy Life

Thursday, March 21st: Broken Teepee

Friday, March 22nd: Girls in Books and @girlsinbooks

Monday, March 25th: Eliot’s Eats

Tuesday, March 26th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, March 27th: Into the Hall of Books

Thursday, March 28th: A Holland Reads

Friday, March 29th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Friday, March 29th: What is That Book About

 

For all my TLC Tours, click here.

 

I’m linking up with Foodies Read.

 

Novel Food (at Simona’s briciole) is up and running (from February 26 to March 26).   I’m joining up.  Check it out.  (Simona is a fellow co-host at Cook the Books Club.)

 

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