Receta The Sharing Economy and Peanut Butter Cream Brownies
I’m fascinated by the emergence of the sharing economy. The term first came to my attention when I recently used Air BNB, a global network that connects (safely I might add) travelers with homeowners offering lodging. As a research addict, I immediately took an interest in learning more. My first few Googles on the subject uncovered a growing world of similar services that has large corporations scratching their heads, firing up legal machines and starting to worry that the consumer is finally moving in droves past the status quo and towards products and services whose values reflect in the needs and lifestyles of those that desire them. Among chief underlying motivations is the desire to connect to one another again. Damn right and about time. People with faces and voices doing business together minus the ability of on-site staff to hide behind an absent corporate governance and without unnecessary layers of cost associated with running a corporation has more than just charming perks to its advantage. It simply makes sense. Today, before I break into a completely drool-worthy peanut butter cream brownie recipe, I’m sharing three services I think have very high value and operate within the fascinating world of the sharing economy. Check them out.
Air BNB: Travel with all the comforts of home by staying at someone else’s home. You can also rent your space when you’re not using it. I can personally attest to the value of this service, having recently booked and thoroughly enjoyed someone else’s extra space in Nashville, TN. Like anyone, I worried about the safety of it, but was won over to comfort by the sign up process which provides photographs, background info and the ability of each side of the transaction to get to know the other before committing. Spaces range from an extra room where you share amenities with others to completely private spaces. The pricing compared to a hotel stay is typically very competitive and the competition of space owners to provide a top notch experience results in exceptionally high service levels. From fresh towels and chocolates waiting on the bed to tenants willing to share their native knowledge of the local attractions to nights in with others to talk to, this is a brilliant service that can make travel more homelike and within budget.
Task Rabbit: Hire someone local to do your grocery shopping, walk your dogs or sign up to bid on odd jobs others in your community need done so you can make extra holiday money. Complete with background checks on all “Task Rabbits”, this is a very tight system of trustworthy people that makes it easy to find someone else to do the lifting when you can’t or that puts your extra time and skill set to work for someone else. I love Task Rabbit for its utter simplicity. As I researched it further, I came across stories of stay at home moms who don’t want to work 9-5 so they can be at home for their kids (anyone remember those days?) to software engineers looking to support themselves while they dedicate more time to their internet startup. I’m waiting for this to come to Seattle and intend to welcome it earnestly. With my travel schedule, Angie’s work schedule and all the things we have no time for unless we sacrifice time for each other, I’m all about the Rabbit…bring it on.
Uber Car: Another service that we use personally, Uber Care is a black car service that operates similar to a cab but removes the frantic arm waiving, grimy cars and not being able to find a ride in the rain. You simply sign up, download the Uber Car application to your smartphone and request a car with the press of a button. Your driver shows up, knows where to take you and your credit card is charged at the end of service. Before you book your ride, you can read reviews of the driver, get a price and see how long you can expect to wait for your car. Uber Car is a network of professionally licensed drivers that have registered to use their downtime to earn extra cash. What fascinates me most is that this is a brilliant leap frog over the problems of the cab industry, known for taking naive tourists on unnecessary routes and being rude in many cases. Pricing is roughly double the cost of a cab, but for me, the service, comfort (always bottled water on hand) and standards of quality established by Uber are well worth it. In Seattle, I can expect to pay $15 for a ride that would usually cost us about $8 but the tip is included so it’s actually closer in cost than it seems.
Clunky segway: speaking of sharing, you’ll probably NOT want to share these ridiculously moist, chocolate and peanut butter cream brownies. Aside from their fetching good looks, these taste, as Josh put it…like a soft, warm peanut butter cup. I’ve never been so complimented.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (f)/ 180 degrees (c). Spray a very light coat of canola non-stick spray to the bottom of a 9X9″ glass baking dish, then line it with parchment paper as shown. The spray is only helping hold down the paper so it’s not critical that you use it. It’s a tip. Center a rack in the oven and make sure the oven is at full temperature for at least 20 minutes before starting to bake your brownies.
Ingredients: (organic is optional. we list what we use)
Chocolate Brownies
12 Tbsp. organic, unsalted butter cut into 1 to 2″ sections
1 1/2 Cups organic, granulated sugar
2/3 Cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large organic, free range eggs
1 Cup organic, all-purpose flour
Peanut Butter Cream Topping
1/4 Cup creamy, all-natural peanut butter
1/4 Cup organic milk (1%, fat-free, whole..any type is fine)
Directions:
Thoroughly mix the peanut butter and milk in a small bowl or mixing cup, set aside
The peanut butter mix should be just thick enough to pour with some coaxing, but not loose (similar to the consistency of sour cream)
Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat then add the sugar and vanilla
Remove the sauce pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until thoroughly combined
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs
Add 1/3 of the chocolate mixture to eggs and whisk briefly before adding the remaining mixture
Using a spatula, Stir in the flour but do not beat. The ingredients should be well combined but not overmixed
Pour batter into the pan lined with parchment paper
Using a spoon to coax it out of the bowl or mixing cup, pour 3, 1″ wide strips of the peanut butter cream mix spaced evenly across the top of the brownie batter as shown
With a toothpick or sharp knife run a line every 2″ by placing it into the brownie mix and running it in the opposite direction of the strips of peanut butter cream as shown
Bake 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a little batter on it
It should look moist but not soupy
You want the brownies to have a soft, but set center
Remove the brownies, in the pan, to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes
Lift the brownies from the pan using the parchment paper and set them on the wire rack to cool for 10 more minutes before cutting
You can store these at room temperature for 3 days in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (in an airtight container). Unbaked batter can be frozen in a plastic freezer bag for several months. To bake from frozen, defrost the batter in the refrigerator overnight, then set it on the counter 20 minutes before panning and baking. If you’re in a hurry, you can defrost in the microwave in 10 second increments (on high), removing and kneading the bag in between. Once the batter is pliable but still very cold (no frozen spots), set it on the counter for 20 minutes before panning and baking. Freeze and defrost the peanut butter cream separately, following the same defrosting instructions as the batter.
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