BEST BROWNIES EVER!!

These are SERIOUSLY THE BEST BROWNIES I’ve ever tasted. They are simple and fast to prepare. Just as fast as from a box. If you’re ever in need of a chocolate fix, turn to these.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Homemade Kettle Corn

DROOOOOLLL… I love this stuff. I wait every year for the NC State Fair to come in October so I can stuff my face full of this stuff. It’s one of my favorites. Well after many many tries, I have perfected popping this delectable snack on my stove… without burning it… which is a challenge in itself.  It’s really easy (once you get the hang of it) and TOTALLY worth it. Here’s some step by step instructions. Try it!!

What you’ll need:

• A bag of popcorn kernels – 1/2 cup
• 1/4 oil
• 1/4 sugar
• salt – sprinkle to your hearts desire

Make sure you use a large pot that has a fitted lid.
Take your oil and pour into pot.
Heat your burner to a medium-high heat.
Drop in 3 popcorn kernels.
Put your lid on and listen carefully.

When you hear 3 pops, take off your lid and add in your 1/2 cup of kernels and your sugar and stir around (do all of this quickly). Replace your lid again and lower your heat a little (medium- low). I keep the pan moving back and forth until I hear popping. Once it gets pretty active in there lift your pot every 3 counts, and then lower it on the heat again. Repeat. Sometimes I don’t even put it back on the heat and I just keep my shaking it back and forth in the air. Make sure you have one hand firmly on the lid and use 2 pairs of oven mitts (one for each hand) because the oil may pop out of the lid a little. Once the kernels have stopped popping open your lid and add your salt. I usually just put some in the palm of my hand and sprinkle it (like feeding the chickens). Be sure to stir it so the salt covers evenly. It’s really hot when it first comes out so let it cool (especially for the kids). The darker pieces are where the sugar has caramelized. Sooo Yummy!! Enjoy and don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come out perfect the first time. Practice makes perfect!

Sugar Coated Pecans

The past couple of years Christian’s mom has given us a big bag of pecans. This year we made a family night of cracking and shelling them. So I had this HUGE bowl of pecans that I wasn’t sure what to do with. I found this recipe and it got 5 stars and over 1,000 reviews. So I knew I couldn’t go wrong. The second thing I did was read all the reviews and see what changes were made. I’ve incorporated those changes into this recipe. I have them baking in my oven as we speak. It just snowed (again!) so it’s a perfect day to stay home and make a special treat.

Recipe Yield 1 pound

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp water 
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Grease one baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake at 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.

*A couple of other things. I increased the cinnamon just a little bit. And ALSO… I used gallon sized zip lock bags instead of bowls to do the mixing. It made it really fast to coat evenly and clean up was a cinch!*

Found at www.allrecipes.com

Fudge Puddles

I haven’t made these yet… but I fully intend to SOON! What a Family Home Evening snack or something to bring to a party. So many different ways to dress these up too!

Recipe Yield 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pecan halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars. Mix in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into creamed mixture. Shape the dough into 48 balls, 1 inch each. Place each ball in one compartment of a mini muffin tin.
4. For filling, put chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir in milk and vanilla, mix well.
5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately make wells in the center of each using a melon baller. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove to wire racks. Using a measuring cup fill each shell with the chocolate mixture. Top with a pecan half.

Other topping ides:
Sprinkles
mini M&M’s
toffee chips
any of your favorite candies!

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

This is one of THE BEST pumpkin bread recipes. Lots of spices which warms your home with a fragrance that is to die for! This recipe makes 2 loaves or a TON of muffins.

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I found this recipe at Allrecipes.