Finding the right Brownie recipe

I've been testing out brownie recipes to help a couple of cute friends who are getting married in the next few weeks. One wanted a cake-like brownie that would go well with a scoop of ice cream. The other thought a rich, elegant brownie that could stand on its own would be the best. The winners? Stick with a box mix for the first kind and here's the recipe for the second- from A Pinch of Salt Lake, with a slight modification on the glaze, making a ganache instead. I also cook them in a jelly roll pan as they tend to be very rich and smaller bites are better.


Mint Brownies
Brownies
2 cups sugar
2 ½ cups sifted flour
1 cup butter, softened
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs
¼ tsp baking powder
4-1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons vanilla

Filling
4 Tbs butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs evaporated milk (half and half or cream work too)
½ tsp peppermint extract
Few drops of pink or green food coloring, if desired

Glaze
3 Tbs butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs until well blended; then add melted chocolate. Sift flour, measure out 2 1/2 cups and sift again with dry ingredients then add to creamed mixture along with vanilla. Spread in greased and floured jelly roll pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Do not over bake. Set aside and let cool.

Mix all frosting ingredients until creamy and spread on brownies. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Combine butter and chocolate chips in top of double boiler; add cream, vanilla and blend thoroughly. Pour gently over frosting and spread by tipping pan until all of the brownie mixture is covered with glaze. Refrigerate until set.

Salted Peanut Chews- Cookie Exchange

The PTA meeting tomorrow includes a cookie exchange. As I prepare the budget and reimbursement checks, my mind is already thinking of an easy "bar" cookie that will cut into 36 bites. Try these Salted Peanut Chews. I think the original recipe was a Pillsbury Bake Off winner, but this version doesn't include any Pillsbury products.

Salted Peanut Chews

Crust
1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
2/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping
2/3 c corn syrup
1/4 c margarine or butter
1 package peanut butter chips (12 oz)
2 tsp vanilla

2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar. Add in egg yolks. Add remaining dry ingredients except marshmallows and mix on low speed until crumbly. Press firmly in bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Open oven and immediately sprinkle marshmallows over the top. Bake an additional 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing topping.

In a large saucepan, over low heat, heat corn syrup, margarine, vanilla and peanut butter chips, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows. Spread as needed. Note: Spooning equally is better than trying to spread so you don't mess up the marshmallows. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars. Makes 36 bars.

Mama's Wish List

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
New bedding, a clean office, cute outfit, pair of black shoes & healthy kids
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
cute, vertical-hanging calendar from a girlfriend
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
Always hoping the replica advent calendars will get finished this year (just like the one I had as a child).
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
Still remember the Millenium Falcon that my brother and I got
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
Ability to fly (daughter) and to be Ariel, Little Mermaid (son)
6. What is your favorite holiday food?
Always love caramel popcorn
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
Homemade peppermint bark for my neighbors
8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
It's a Wonderful Life
9. Favorite holiday song?
O Holy Night, in french
10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Decorating the tree/house for Christmas

Maclaren Recall-Should I Care?

So, I guess I should be worried, but I can hardly get alarmed. Maclaren is voluntarily recalling 1 MILLION strollers, sold between 1999 and today. Apparently, the hinge has caused finger amputations in 12 kids (that's .0012% rate of disaster). Yes, ABC News says the damage is "irreversable" but really.. I should stop using the stroller immediately?!

Yes, I'm going to live life on the edge. My 2004 Techno XT is still going to carry my 2-year old son up the hill as we walk his sister to school. She was the first user of the stroller. It took us through airports, around London, to the French Open and back and no fingers were lost. It's been to Sea World and through the sand in the Outer Banks and while there are a few squeaks and wiggles, this stroller should last us through at least one more child.

Sure, by tomorrow, you'll find me calling the 1-800 number ((877) 688-2326) some time between 8 and 5 Eastern. I'll ask for my free hinge kit. But before I do that, we're going to make our own observations on the mechanics of the hinge. After all it is a hinge, a place where things are supposed to bend.

If you see us walking up the hill, wave and say 'hi'. We're the rebellious ones on the road!

Baby Shower & Tomato Soup Bar

One of my dear friends from the Wasatch Advisor Days is having her first baby! Perfect excuse to gather some "alumni" and celebrate the new boy's arrival in Jan. With the temperatures dropping, I thought a warm, cozy soup bar would be an easy meal.

Here's the menu-

Tomato Soup Bar with variety of mix-ins
Wilted Mixed Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Vegetables & Dip
Pumpkin Cake Roll
Sugar Cookies

Try this at your next gathering- an easy way to do pot luck meal too

Tomato Soup
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cups onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs flour
1 can (28 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz.) crushed tomatoes
3 cubes Knorr's beef bullion
4 cups water
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs worcestershire sauce, or to taste
1/2 tsp each: pepper, oregano, tarragon and cumin

Saute onion and garlic in butter and oil. Stir in flour and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly. Blend in tomato sauce and tomatoes, crumbled buillion cubes, water and seasonings. Simmer 30 minutes to blend flavors.

To Serve: Add your choice of condiments
ham, chicken, shrimp, cheeses, green red or yellow peppers, green chilies, beans (garbanzo, kidney, black), celery, cucumber, green peas, chopped olives, grated carrots, croutons, raisins, cilantro, whatever you can think up!

Makes about 10 servings of basic tomato soup. We just picked 10 of the toppings above and went with a Southwestern tasting theme.

Stay tuned for the Pumpkin Cake Roll recipe

Pumpkin Bread Thanks

We had a terrific Primary Program on Sunday. Some how the 90-minute practice was condensed into a perfectly-timed 50-minute presentation on My Eternal Family. The 40+ kids sang beautifully and the talks were sweet and inspiring.

None of it would have happened without great people helping along the way, the teachers, the music leaders and wonderful leadership from AK, CS and SJ. Here's a link to my favorite song, "The Family is of God"

To thank all involved, I got busy making a triple batch of my favorite pumpkin bread.A few hours and 21 loaves later, everyone received their snack. Now that the weather's colder, I could eat pumpkin anything 3 times a day!

This recipe makes 3 big loaves or 7-8 mini loaves. I buy my tin pans in bulk from a local restaurant supply store--makes for easy giving of baked goods!

Pumpkin Bread
3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
4 eggs
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. water
1 1-lb. can pumpkin

Beat together sugar, eggs and oil. Sift in dry ingredients.
Then, add pumpkin and water. Optional ingredients: nuts, raisins or chocolate chips.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Makes three large loaves or 7-8 mini loaves. Cook mini loaves for 35 minutes or until done.

Aunt Carolyn's Sugar Cookies

Ready to make some holiday sugar cookies? My kids look forward to frosting and decorating these sugar cookies every year.

Try some yourself-

Carolyn's Sugar Cookies
1 1/3 c. margarine 1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla 2 eggs
2Tbs + 2 tsp. milk 4 c. flour
1 Tbs. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt

Cream margarine and sugar. Add vanilla, eggs and milk. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder. Chill 1 hour. Roll dough to 1/4"-1/2" thick on lightly dusted board (I use powdered sugar, not flour). Cut shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.

Frosting
3/4 square margarine or butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
a dash of almond flavoring
food coloring