Simply Fudgy Brownies

This recipe rocks!!! According to my boys. They loved it. I haven't tried it because 1) I break out if I eat chocolate 2) I gain weight just smelling it...

Now here's why I heart this recipe, it doesn't require 2 sticks of butter. There's a lot of brownie recipes out there but I don't make it much because it takes a ton of butter.

But, it's really easy. So easy, Koo put most of this together (I still do the eggs because I figured most folks don't like shells in their brownies). 'Nough said. Here's the recipe:

Simply Fudgy Brownies (adapted from Cooking Cooking Book 2003...yes, same book I got for $0.50).

1/4 baking cocoa

1/2 cup oil (we used canola)

2 eggs

1 cup sugar (but we used 3/4 cup)

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

ground nuts (optional)

or whatever topping you like (we put a little sprinkle of toffee bits in this batch)

In a small bowl: baking cocoa & oil. Mix well.

In a big bowl: whisk eggs. Add sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, and the above cocoa/oil mixture. Mix it all together until fully blended.

Now is the time to fold in your bling. I didn't. Pour into 8" x 8" greased baking pan. (We sprinkle minichips and toffee bits on top).

Bake at 325F for 27-32 minutes depending on if you like it gooey or crunchy. We took it out right at 30 minutes.

Potato Rolls

What do you do when you have mashed potato leftover and not enough gravy left?

Dig through your recipes and discover you have everything for potato dinner rolls. Wanna make some so you have afterschool treats for your kids? Here's there recipe (adapted from Country Cooking 2003 book I got from a garage sale from $0.50).

7 to 8 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 heaping TBSP instant yeast (SAF brand)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening or butter
2 cups very hot milk
1/2 cup very hot water
1 cup warmed mashed potatoes
2 eggs

Mix everything together in Kitchen-Aid mixer with hook attachment. Adjust flour or water depending on if the dough looks dry or too wet. Mix for 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic looking.

Remove hook and scrape any dough from sides to form a big dough ball at the bottom. Spray with Pam cooking spray and cover with cloth and leave it alone for 1 hour or double in size. Oh yeah, and don't put somewhere near a draft i.e. open window.

Punch down dough and roll into balls and place in greased baking dish. The size of the rolls depends on how big your balls are. I like mine to fit all nicely in a 15 x 10" pan so I make them big.
Cover and raise for 40-60 minutes. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve these baby up with your favorite jam.

Oooohhh laaa laaa lemony cake

I'm sure everyone has this recipe but in case you missed the boat like myself until about 8 years ago, I'll share.

I love lemon flavored sweets. Pass on the chocolate, I'll take the lemon bar, lemon cake, lemon drop, lemonade, lemon, lemon, lemon...okay you get it.

How I got this recipe was walking down the baking isle and overheading a lady tell her daughter how she makes this lemon-jello cake. Of course being the nosy Nelly, I stopped and listened. Then I asked a few pertinent questions and I gathered the ingredients and you bet I made this cake.that.very.same.night.

I made this cake this weekend for friends coming in to town for an overnight visit. Here it is without pictures-but you are getting used to taking my word for it right? (Sorry the cake was eaten before the battery on the camera could fully charge).

Lemony cake

1 yellow cake box (made up and baked up according to package directions for 9 x 13" pan)
1 small package lemon flavored jello gelatin (make according to package but DO NOT REFRIGERATE)
1 small package instant lemon flavored pudding mix
1 cup milk
8 oz container cool whip (slightly thawed)

Make the cake. Cool the cake to room temperature. Pour the jello liquid all over the cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Mix pudding mix with milk for 2 minutes. Fold in cool whip and spread over cake. Refrigerate.

If you have time, make it the day before-the lemon jello soaks in the cake and makes it super moist. It's one of my favorite things. Have a good week all.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chippers

Warning!!! This recipe is so good and easy, you might have to curse this blogsite for having this recipe on here. I got this recipe off of another website and now I can't find it so I can't give credit where credit is due. Nonetheless, I feel it a duty to re-publish this recipe because it's ooohhh. so. Good. Another reason I love this recipe is it does not require a TON of butter.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chippers

6 T softened butter
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup or less chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat together butter, peanut butter, sugars, and egg until creamy. Add vanilla extract and give it another whirl to incorporate. Stop the mixer and add the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips. Again, blend until fully uniform (~less than 1 minute). Add chippers and blend. Drop teaspoon about 1 inch apart and bake for 10-14 minutes depending on cookie sheet type and oven.

It makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Cheese!!

In an attempt to keep my mind off my killer headache. I decide to surf the internet and lo and behold, I found a recipe for homemade Goldfish crackers. Here's my version. I don't happen to have a fish cutout, I just made them into rectangles. The boys...LOVE them. I'm definitely making them for playdates and trips.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

4 T butter

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Put all the above ingredients in a food processor. Blend until you get a dough (2 minutes). Form a ball and cover in syran wrap. Place in refrigerator for 40 minutes (I didn't, I just used it immediately because my cheese was cold).

Roll out to however thin you'd like and cut into shapes.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet with a little space between them. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes.

(Note: I could not find where I found this recipe so I have not cite...sorry).

Catchin' up ramblings

Dare I write this down?! I feel well. I think my bout with mono and the stomach flu. Today, I feel like I can do normal things eat, drink, and not have to run to the bathroom. I forgot how normal felt. I have energy to not push myself to normal things like clean and play with my kids.

Here's to better health and sunshine. Here's a picture and recipe for a quick and easy dessert or snack at our house.

Yogurt Parfait

lowfat yogurt

banana slices

favorite cereal (we like Cinnamon Toast Crunch), crushed

Put in a fruit bowl of yogurt, sliced bananas, and topped with cereal. Get your milk and fruit in with a little guilty pleasure.

Sunday dinner...and buttermilk biscuits

There is nothing like meat and potatoes to get my family to eat. Tonight's dinner consisted of baked pork chops, creamy mashed potatoes, country gravy, corn, and flakey, buttermilk biscuits all from scratch. My men love eating the biscuits two ways: dipped in gravy and drizzled with honey. Sunday dinners are important to us because it's usually one night where we all just honker down and spend the evening together.

I'm sure this is going on in almost every family around the country. Before I was married, I disliked Sunday evenings because I didn't want the weekend to end. There was usually homework to catch up on or getting ready for another work week. No one wanted to get together. I felt lonely.

I love Sunday evenings now because it means I get to spend it with my love and our two favorite people in the entire world, our boys.

Buttermilk Biscuits

3 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Mix all together dry ingredients with shortening until shortening is fully incorporated (~1 minute in Kitchen-Aid). Add buttermilk and mix for 3o seconds or until blended (don't overmix).
Roll at least 1/2 inch thick and cut into circles using biscuit cutter. Bake at 425F for 14 minutes.

Express Cinnamon Rolls

When you don't have three hours. When you someone is coming over for a playdate and you want to have a nice, baked pastry for your guests. My recommendation is to make these quick and super easy cinnamon rolls. The flavor is slightly different than your typical cinnamon roll-it has a more biscuit flavor but for the time and labor-it's perfect.

www.the-still-waters.blogspot.com/2010/09/lovin-from-oven.html

The very, very, very best buttermilk pancakes...ever.

Really. I have made many different pancakes and used many different recipes but this one I've had since I was 20 years old. Seriously. This recipe is why I keep bulk cornmeal around. If you've spent the night at my house or have brunch here, you've probably been served these pancakes and have asked for the recipe. I used to make this once a week when the Koo was one because he loved him some pancakes. I would freeze them and just nuke it for one minute and the boy would be so happy eating these.

Nowadays, the boys think it's torture if I serve them anything other than cereal. Warning folks: there is a darkside to making your kids homemade everything-they don't know how good they have it and beg for processed foods.

But I digress, for those of you still with me, give this a go. I have treasured this recipe for 19 years and it's time I share it. It needs to be passed on.

I love the flavor of these pancakes because it has a subtle cornbread with the texture and flavor. Drizzle with maple syrup and it's fan-fabulous.

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

3 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
3 TBSP canola oil or melted butter
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Large bowl. Add all the wet ingredients. Whisk until blended. Add all the dry ingredients and mix until smooth like pancake batter (ha). Heat griddle between 325 to 350F. Drop 1/4 to 1/3 cup onto griddle (I don't grease my griddle). Cook about 1 and 1/2 minutes on each side. Butter these bad boys up and drizzle with maple syrup.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I have not baked breads in months but this past week, I've managed to bake four loaves. Just for the heck of it, I made cinnamon raisin bread. Super hit in this house with my men. They inhaled it...all in one day.

I have the big Kitchen-Aid mixer so I can make two loaves but the recipe below is for one loaf.



Cinnamon Raisin Bread


Bread
3 cups bread flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp SAF instant yeast
2 TBSP Nonfat dry milk
1 TBSP butter or canola oil
1 egg
1 cup very warm (hot as a hottub) water

Filling
2 TBSP cinnamon
2-4 TBSP butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins

Combine all ingredients in a Kitchen Aid mixer with hook. Mix until dough is smooth and elastic. Scrap down dough and spray inside of bowl with PAM. Cover for 1 hour in draft-free area.

Punch this dough down and roll out into a rectangle with the short side only as wide as your loaf length (9").

Spread butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar (sometimes I'm a little too liberal with this) and raisins. Roll up the dough from the short end and place in greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover with a towel and allow to double in size (~45 minutes).

Once doubled, place loaf in oven. Turn oven on to 350F. Once the temperature reaches 350F, set your timer for 30 minutes. NOTE: I place the loaf in the oven before turning it on so it has time to rise slowly as the temperature slowly increases. When I do it this way, the insides get done while the outside is just golden and not burnt.

Take it out carefully after about 2 minutes and allow to cool enough to get your serrated knife and a tub of butter and have at it. If there is any leftover, it makes really good french toast the next day.

Pizza balls

I make a killer calzone. Really, my family loves it more than pizza. I put meatballs, pepperoni, and tons of cheese. Homemade dough. No sauce inside or vegetables. The reason is it makes the calzones soggy when you reheat. Last night I took a break from making the traditional calzone and made them into pizza balls instead. They bake in a pie plate and sprinkled with seasoings and cheese. With this, there is marinara and ranch to dip these bad boys in. I was able to make two platefulls and passed one to my neighbors.

Pizza Dough:

3 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp SAF instant yeast

1 TBSP oil (canola was what I have on hand)

2 TBSP plain yogurt (very warm too)

1 cup very warm milk

Filling:

pepperoni

salami

cheddar cheese

mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

meatball

chicken

Topping:

butter or olive oil

Italian seasoning

Parmesan cheese

Place all dry ingredients in Kitchen-Aid mixer. Add oil. Place milk and yogurt in microwave safe glass and microwave 1 min and 30 sec. Pour over dry ingredients slowly while mixer is going with hook attachment. Mix for about 3-5 minutes. Scrape the sides and spray with Pam. Cover with towel and allow to sit in a draft-free area for 40 minutes or doubled.

Once the dough has doubled, punch down and pinch off about 1/2 cup size balls. Roll out and add whatever filling you'd like. Pinch sides together to form a ball. Place in greased pie pan with seam sides down. You get seven balls. Add a thin layer of butter or olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Cover and allow to proof for 30 minutes. Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes.

Serve with sauces.

Sneaky Smoothie

My oldest child S.E. has been picky about eating vegetables. So blasphemous. I don't understand it. I love vegetables. The only reason I'm not a vegetarian is because I love eating meat just as much. So, this is what I've been doing every other day so he doesn't come down with some condition I'm not sure I recall at this time or any other. I'm just worried he won't get his good nutrients from vegetables. Fruit-he's good with.

Sneaky Smoothie

1 cup Organic spinach
1/2 cup Greek or Nancy's plain yogurt
1/2 cup OJ or Apple juice (whatever I've got on hand)
1 cup frozen strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries
1/2 banana (or whatever fruit you've got laying around i.e. oranges, kiwi, cantaloupe)
1/2 cup crushed ice

Throw it in the blender and let it do its' mushy magic. Put in an opaque cup and straw and there you go. He doesn't even suspect. I even add flaxseed from time to time but he gets suspicious about the seeds that didn't get pulverized. This recipe is very flexible.

Beef Lentil Soup

1 cup red lentils, washed set aside
1/2 lb. ground beef or any cut of lean beef (cut up into bite size pieces)
1can lima beans, drained (optional)
1-2 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup tomato sauce
5 cups broth (any kind) or 1 tsp beef bouillon*

Saute beef, onion, celery, carrots and salt for about 5 minutes. Add the rest and if you end up using beef bouillon, add 5 to 6 cups water*. Simmer 30 minutes covered.

Enjoy.