Perfect Brownies

Do you have a perfect brownie recipe that you like?  Wanna share it? I've had a favorite recipe for years that I really, really, really like and I usually make it anytime someone asks for brownies but it makes so many!  This beautiful brownie recipe here is rich, fudge-y, mocha-ish and will bring you lots of compliments.  However, if you want a brownie that's a perfect after dinner dessert, please keep reading!

I found this recipe on a lovely website called cafedelites.com.  Lovely, I tell you! But, you know me and I can't leave a good thing alone!  I didn't change much, but it's a change.  So, here's my adaptation of this wonderful recipe.

You'll need:

2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1 tbs. vegetable oil
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8 pan.  Do not double the recipe and put it in a 9x13x2 pan.  It doesn't work.  Just saying. 

Bring eggs to room temperature, crack into a large bowl and beat for about a minute on high speed with an electric mixer.  Or your hands.  I tried it both ways, it works.

Melt butter, add oil and sugar to it. Mix really well.  Add eggs, mix really well again.  Add flour, cocoa powders, salt and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, but don't over mix!  This will cause cake-y brownies if you do!

Pour into pan and bake for about 25 minutes.  Now, here's the hard part.  Allow them to cool completely.  They're gooey and meant to be so when they're still warm, well, they're great with ice cream!

As you can see by the picture above, I sprinkled a little powdered sugar on mine and served with fresh raspberries.  BUT, I can tell you that it's also great frosted and or served with fresh strawberries.

Now, speaking of pictures.  You might wonder why there are no pictures other than the one above.  Well, I had a really, really rough day at work, came home and cried my eyes out as a de-stresser, found out hubby had bought me roses and that made me cry even more but in the process of making the brownies, I forgot to take the pictures because I managed to break a couple dozen eggs just before I started baking!  I left them in hubby's man-cave fridge and they froze and broke!

I know, no sense crying over spilled milk, but broken eggs?  Yes!  A great reason to cry!

Note:  From the original recipe, all I changed was splitting the cocoa powders in two and using half regular and half dark.  I also used regular granulated sugar because I couldn't find caster sugar as the original recipe called for.  Other than that, I stayed in script.

I made the recipe a couple of times (hence the crying over broken eggs) and I found that I like my version just slightly better because I like a bite to chocolate. No matter how you like it, if you follow the directions, you can't go wrong with this perfect brownie!

Bourbon Balls

Happy Valentine's Day to you!  How am I celebrating?  Hubby and I went out Saturday of last week and celebrated.  No gifts this year.  Well, that was our intent.  Then he reminded me that I didn't make bourbon balls for Christmas and I did have the mixture in the pantry!  The funny thing is, I don't normally make a small batch.  The original recipe makes about 100!  So, I did it!  I measured out the ingredients to my bourbon balls!  I think I have it down to a much smaller amount.  You get to be my guinea pigs!

I've been promising for a while that I'd post this and I do my best to keep my promises!

Bourbon Balls...mmmm

So, please let me start by saying way in advance, that I don't make mine like most recipes I've read.  They will tell you to soak the pecans in bourbon overnight.  Uhm, no.  I soak mine much longer, but that flavor will really be up to you, so soak away!

To make the pecan base, do the following:

Take one cup chopped pecans and place in a non-stick skillet on low heat and slowly toast.  You can do this in the oven, too.  Be careful not to burn them! Once they're toasted, place them in a glass container with a lid and pour 1 cup bourbon over them while they're still warm.  The heat has opened the skin up on the pecan and this allows the bourbon to soak into it.

Bourbon balls....I'm making about 100 here!

What kind of bourbon(s)?  That's up to you.  I use a blend and no, I won't disclose it.  Sorry.  My signature flavor took a while to find and I'm a little protective of it. That being said, place the lid on them and place them in a dry, cool place.  I have to hide mine from hubby sometimes.  He thinks they're great snacks.

This makes me want to do a tongue twister about butter.  Do you know the one I mean?

When they're ready to your preference, you'll need the following:

1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
1 lb (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
Bourbon/pecan mixture (should use about 3/4 of it)
3/4 cup whole pecans
18 oz. chocolate chips or melting wafers
Wax paper

Again, I use chocolate chips and I blend mine between semi-sweet, bittersweet and milk chocolate, using the last one sparingly.  I like a dark, dark chocolate, but not quite sugar-free.

Now this is where I'm probably going to really stray from the other recipes out there.  Beat your butter with an electric mixer and add your powdered sugar. Very slowly add your bourbon/pecan mixture.  If it's too wet, add a little more powdered sugar.  I usually add the pecans only first and the liquid from the soaking mixture as a last resort because trust me, these babies will stand you on your head!

Uhm, not kid safe. 

The caption above?  Please be mindful when sharing this lovely concoction!  A few years ago I sold these at a craft fair and I labeled them "for adults only" but folks were sending their kids to get them for them and they were getting eaten before reaching mom and dad.  There were some very happy kids there!  So, you've been warned.

Your mixture should be like a thick frosting.  Too thick to spread or pipe.  Taste it if you must.  A story for another time...I've never tasted my own bourbon balls!  No lie!  Hubby taste tests mine for me.

Just perfect!

Place plastic wrap over this beautiful mixture and put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  You want the butter to have time to firm up.  When you remove it, get ready to work quickly.  Using a small scoop (mine's .375 oz.), fill scoop full and release into a second bowl. Once you've gone through the mixture, place it back in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

♪...I'm in heaven...♫

While the bourbon ball mixture is firming in the fridge, melt your chocolate. Place a pan of water on the stove and bring to a simmer.  Lower the heat.  (Here's what I recommend doing versus what I do!  Only melt your chocolate about 1/3 at a time.  That way when the inevitable happens and you get the mixture in it, you don't have to throw out all of the chocolate.  Do I do this?  Not always.  Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.)  In a glass or metal bowl that's bigger than the pan, place your chocolate chips and set it on top of the pan of water.  DO NOT allow the water to boil or steam as it can burn your chocolate and you get to start over.  Not that I've ever done this!

Let it melt very slowly.  Once it's melted, remove mixture from fridge and working very quickly drop a ball into the chocolate and using a fork, dip them as quickly as possible and without getting the mixture into the chocolate more than necessary as it can cause it to seize!

As soon as they're covered, remove them from the chocolate and on to a piece of wax paper and place a whole pecan on top of it.

Depending on how well you followed directions and/or how much of the filling you've eaten, you should have about 32 bourbon balls when it's all said and done. Is it worth the effort?  The recipients of these lovely confections seem to think so!  Don't be surprised when you suddenly have more friends than you previously thought!  

Doritos Chicken Casserole

Let me start by saying that before last night I'd never had this wonderful concoction.  It was a blast from my hubby's past that came about when we passed the chips aisle at the grocery last Sunday.

Doritos Chicken Casserole

He was reminiscing about dishes his mom used to make when he mentioned this. I whipped out my handy smart phone and looked up a recipe and found that there were many versions to choose from.  So, questioning him, I made one as close to what he could remember from his childhood.

So easy to put together!

I might've gotten ahead of myself in taking pics because I was starving when I got home from work last night.  Here's what you'll need:

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a baking dish with baking spray.  This makes a 9x13x2 dish.

3 1/2-4 cups chopped chicken (I used a rotisserie that I shredded)
2 cups cheddar cheese (or your favorite!)
2 small cans or one large can cream chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups corn OR tomatoes with green chiles, drained
13.5 oz. bag Doritos chips, crushed and divided

So, now the fun begins.  In my top picture, you'll notice the corn is on the side instead of in the dish.  That's because I forgot to add it to the mixture!  I told you I was in a hurry!!

Yummy!

After spraying your dish, put half of the crushed chips in the bottom.

Crushed Doritos

Now, mix together your cream of chicken soup, sour cream, choice of veggies and 1/2 of the cheese.  Drop by spoonful on chips and spread evenly.  I sprinkled a little more cheese.

You can never get too much cheese, right?

Now, top the mixture with the remaining chips and cheese.

See, never too much cheese!

I ran out of cheddar because I put it in the middle.  Oops.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes.

OH MY WORD!

Okay, before I get yelled at, this is not health food!  You can have it in moderation OR you can do what I did!  Use low(er) fat items.  I substituted a 97% fat free cream of chicken soup for the regular version.  A big save.  I also used lower fat sour cream.  It tasted great and worked out just fine!

I'm not sure about low fat cheese.  It might work.  The chips?  Is there a lower fat version?  Yes!  I just researched and found that Doritos offers a "Lite" chip!  I'm not a chip person and was surprised that I liked this.

Chicken?  Like I stated above, I used a rotisserie chicken from the deli of the local grocery store.  I removed the skin and bones and chopped up dark and light meat together.  You can use all chicken breast or all dark meat.

The dish is so versatile that some added extra garlic or onions to the mix.  I didn't.  I didn't add salt or pepper or any spices. I figured that between the sodium of the chips and the condensed soup that we wouldn't need any!  And for my taste, I was right.

Since I forgot to put the corn in mine, I served it on the side with biscuits.  It's really rich so you don't need a lot, but it served its purpose.

So tell me, have you made this before?  Going to make it soon?  Feedback, please.

Beef-a-roni...Childhood Favorite Made Better

Did you have this for dinner?  For school lunch?  This was one of my comfort foods growing up and if I'm honest, it might still be.  It's simple, so easy to make and extremely tasty.  While this is cooking,  you can prepare a side salad and have dinner ready in about twenty minutes!

Beef-a-roni with Parmesan

The best part about this recipe?  You can make it much, much healthier.  I used lean beef but you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, pork...stop me before I sound like Forest Gump!  Or you can use a combination of them!  Here's what you'll need for about 8 servings:

1 lb. large elbow macaroni noodles
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
15.2 oz. can tomato soup
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup water reserved from pasta
2 tbs. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

I've found that it takes about the same time for 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef as it does for pasta to cook, so, I stair step mine by putting the meat on the same time as I put the water for the pasta on to boil.

The package said this was lean beef, but I drained a lot of fat from it.  A lot.  Okay, enough grumbling.

Brown the beef with the onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  While this is cooking, put water on to boil for pasta.  Once it's at a rolling boil, add a healthy pinch of salt for seasoning and add the pasta.  Stir well and lower temperature.  If your directions state to cook it for 15 minutes, cut the time to 13.  Trust me.  While the pasta is cooking, toss together a healthy side salad and butter your favorite bread for this lovely meal!

Pasta's on!

You can use any pasta...wheat, macaroni, penne, shells...I used the rest of my penne and shells here.  The bigger pastas hold the sauce better in my opinion.

Browned beef, tomato soup and ketchup. Mmm.

Drain the fat and add the tomato soup, and the ketchup.  Mix well.
Now here's the fun part.  Your pasta?  Don't drain it!  What??  Don't drain? Nope. Using a large slotted spoon or pasta scoop, lift pasta from water and place in beef mixture.  Don't toss the water.  Stir your pasta in the sauce and add one cup of the water from your pasta pot to the mix.  This has all that lovely starch from the pasta in it and makes it taste so good!

Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top, plate up with the salad and freshly buttered bread...you're in heaven!

NOTE:

• As stated above, you can substitute ground turkey, chicken, pork, veal, etc. for the beef
• Substitute any small pasta for the macaroni and change it to wheat if you prefer!
• Use lower sodium/fat/sugar based tomato soup or ketchup to make this a little healthier

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

I love these.  I'm not kidding.  Like I'd marry them if I weren't already married and one could marry an inanimate object kind of love!  Okay, maybe not that far, but they're yummy and oh so rich!  Eating more than one is a problem for me-unless you have a glass of cold milk with it!

I haven't figured out how to lower the sugar in them by much, but can I just say that they're loaded with yummy, protein-laden peanut butter, fiber-filled oats, milk...that's kinda healthy, right?  Ha ha!  Who am I kidding?!  Enjoy in moderation.  Please.

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

I've only shared this recipe a few times.  I had a recipe that my sister used and her no bakes always turned out just right.  Kind of soft, but firm, oats were chewy but not crunchy and it had just the right blend of flavors. You know the kind that you cook for just a minute?  I tried and tried and tried to get this recipe to work for me and it never did! So, I did what any smart woman does and I created my own!

Can you see the pockets of layered goodness?

I love making fudge for gifts, holidays, etc. and when I created a fudge recipe that worked, I just pulled the base items and cooking times in for this recipe.  The result is a mostly-firm, chewy cookie, melts in your mouth, is delicious and a little secret...if it gets too firm for you, you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds and voila!  Good as new!

I tend to make mine in bar form since they're headed out the door, but you can drop them onto wax paper or a silpat just the same!

You'll need:

Large, heavy bottomed pot
9x13x2 baking dish, buttered/sprayed/greased
Timer
Spatula
1 1/2-2  cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups milk
1 3/4-2 cups quick cook oats
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large, heavy bottomed pot and on medium-low heat, place milk and butter and melt.  Do not allow this to boil.  Once the butter has melted, add sugar and stir.  Once the sugar has dissolved, add salt and bring temperature up to medium heat and watch for a boil.  Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, set your timer for 1:42.  Yes, you're reading it right.  One minute, forty-two seconds. Stir the mixture the whole time it boils to keep the sugar from scorching.  You don't want to burn this and have to start over.  There's no fun in that.

This is hubby's favorite part!

As soon as the timer goes off, remove mixture from pan and add vanilla.  Fair warning!  Most vanilla extract has some alcohol content in it and it may create a chemical reaction when hitting the boiling mixture.  Stir the vanilla in and add your oats.  Why?  You want them to get a minute or so to "cook" so that they're not quite done but not crunchy, either.  Add two cups if you want super thick cookies.  1 3/4 if you want them softer and less thick.

Stir them well and start by adding a cup of peanut butter.  If the mixture sticks to the spoon in clumps, don't add more peanut butter.  If it's thin, add the additional amount.  Mix well and either pour into a greased/buttered/baking sprayed 9x13x2 pan and if you can resist them, allow them to cool.  OR, you can drop them by spoonful onto wax paper or silpats and have actual cookies.

This particular pan came out rather firm!

They don't normally make it that far in my house.  I have to hide them just to get them to the cooling stage.

NOTE:

• You can use natural peanut butter in this.  Or crunchy!  The natural peanut butter has more oil and you'll get a really smooth texture from it.  It's yummy!  It's usually less sweet so you'll get a savory cookie!
• Butter:  do not substitute margarine for butter!  It has a high water content that changes the recipe.  Not good!
• Milk:  I use whole milk.  I've used evaporated, 1%, 2% without any issues.  Low-fat evaporated doesn't do so well.
• Vanilla:  I make my own vanilla.  Yes, I'll share the recipe.  Not today.  Mine is made with a bourbon base and may have something to do with the texture of my cookies being a little different than those of someone who'd use a traditional vanilla extract.  It's okay.  They're good, no matter how you slice them!
• Oats:  use quick cook!  The whole oats take a long time to cook and don't work in this recipe!  If you like a really thick, almost brittle cookie, you can add another cup of oats and cut back on the peanut butter to 3/4 cup.  It's a much lighter flavored cookie and definitely crunchier than the original recipe!
• Want chocolate peanut butter no bakes?  Add 1/4 cup Hershey's (or your favorite brand) cocoa powder to the sugar and add to butter/milk mixture as noted.  

Tell me what you think!  How'd your recipe turn out?