BEST Brownie EVER!

I'm picky about my brownies. I don't want them cakey or too densey. I've tried all kinds of brownie recipes NEVER satisfied. I was talking to my friend and she said she had the best, and she did!!
 from Wendy

 Fudgy Brownies

1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cocoa

 Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Melt butter in a saucepan on low heat. Remove butter from heat and stir in cocoa. Add sugar eggs, and vanilla. Pour into dry ingredients and mix. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

"Owl" be His hands

We had a Relief Society Meeting where service was purpose and owls were are theme. This creation happened when I was thinking of a centerpiece. A little scrap paper action, sticks, and a milk jug. It's awesome when things just come together. (its kinda funny too, b/c I thought of the milk jug b/c there was an empty one on my table)

Charli's Ice Cream Pie

In-laws came in town and made this, very refreshing summer sweet! (especially if you like lemonade, kinda reminded me of key lime pie) For the ice cream pie: 2 cups ice cream 8 oz cool whip (we used the light) 1/3 cup strawberry lemonade (we could only find pink lemonade) 1/3 cup water Whip together and put in graham cracker crust. When we make it, it usually completely fills the crust. But, if you use the bigger crusts, just up your ingredients. Then chill.

Greek Yogurt

I buy Brown Cow Vanilla Yogurt. My sister-in-law got me on it, I normally don't like yogurt. I didn't like hearing oh have yogurt for dessert with berries, yeah, no I don't like yogurt, but this kind I did. Today while I was surfing through sites, I found this one. http://www.theyummylife.com/make_your_own_greek_yogurt Didn't know the difference between Greek Yogurt and regular. Now I do, and I tried it too! I was amazed to see how much whey came out of my yogurt, and the taste of a creamier yogurt. Super cool. Now for the hot summer I put some by the teaspoon on wax paper and have them in the freezer for a cold tasty snack.

Challah Bread

This bread was awesome. I had never made it, or heard of it for that matter. I'm not going to give you the recipe that I made, b/c I want to respect where it came from, my American's Test Kitchen Book, but I looked at a few online and am leaving that info with you. What I noticed the most about this bread compared to others is how many eggs you use. I believe my recipe called for 4, but more than other breads. It was a fun bread to "twist" things up a bit. ;)

Sugar Cookies

If you think you have the best recipe, and it has sour cream in them, You do! These are the best sugar cookies, and that is saying a lot b/c I don't like them, but these have become favorites at our house. From my friend Susan.

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream (or yogurt, haven't tried that way too good sour cream so why try)
5 cups of flour maybe a little more depending on stickiness
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4tsp baking powder

No refrigeration needed!(love that) roll out a little thicker, like walmart kind like 1/4-1/2 inch. 350 for 15 min
YUM!

Scotchmallows

So, Sally tried the marshmallow but the website I gave doesn't tell you to adjust for elevation, b/c its different depending on where you are. Hers came out harder more like taffy she said. So, here is the whole scoop now. Just made the caramel and didn't cook long enough, but she told me this is her caramel sauce, you just cook it longer to harden it.. They are a lot of work, but yummy!!

from Catherine Hornman

Adjusting for Elevation

Before you get started, you need to know what temperature water boils at. It sounds like an unnecessary step, but it will make a difference and it's easy. Just put a small pot of water on to boil and check the temperature when it reaches a full boil. At sea level, water boils at 212 degrees F. In Colorado it boils at a lower temperature, say 204. That's a difference of 8 degrees, so any candy you cook needs to be cooked 8 degrees less than the recipe says. Otherwise, your're going to overcook your candy and end up with brittle when you wanted caramel.

Grease a half sheet pan and make the caramel as follows:
1 cup butter
2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup sweetened condensed milk (14 oz can)
2 cup whipping cream
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

In large heavy pan (4qt) melt butter, then add everything but vanilla. Cook over medium to medium-high, stirring constantly till temp is 240-245(after adjusting cooked to 234). Remove from heat stir in vanilla and pour in greased pan.

After carmel sets up, make Alton Brown's Marshmallows:
3 pkgs. unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 oz sugar (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of water. Whisk attachment ready.
In a saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium heat cover and cook for 3-4 min. Uncover, clip candy themo onto the mixture till reaches 240F (234) approx 7-8 min. Once mixture reaches temp immediately remove from heat.
Turn mixture on low speed and while running pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into gelatin mixture. Increase to high speed and continue to whip for 12-15 min. Add vanilla during last minute of mixing. Using spatula, scrape bowl onto the carmels. Let dry 4 hours.

Cut candy into squares and dip in chocolate. Rest on wax paper. Delicious!!

Hot Drink

My throat is killing me. So my husband the sweetheart that he is heated up some concoction he has never before made me (7 years of not sharing) from his mission in Mexico, and I love it.

Hot water, cinnamon stick, a little bit of milk, and if you want a little sugar. Yum.

Marshmallows

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-marshmallows-recipe/index.html

Seriously, it was so fun to make these with my girls. We died them pink for valentines, and cut them with a heart shape cookie cutter. If that's not enough we dipped them in chocolate and added sprinkles. I also used peppermint extract instead of vanilla, so leftovers will be perfect for my hot chocolate.

Updating.. in Scotchmallow ..

Ham and Cheese Casserole

from Nancy Durrant
Super easy, and yummy, perfect for leftover ham

2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 cup diced ham
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tbl. chopped onions

Bake at 375 until slightly brown. (I put it in a 8x8 or 9x9 pan. I also added a little more rice and cheese. Takes about 15-22 minutes.)

French Bread

So I have always used Aunt Liz recipe for french bread, it was always a little dense. My friend Tammy told me to try this one and I did and it was so yummy. Recipes from Best Bites usually are. While making it I realized I did not have an egg, so I substituted 1 Tab. flax seed for the one egg. It was a little dry, but delicious! And the flax seed gave it a cool speckled look.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/french-bread-hoagies-and-buns/

French Bread, Hoagies, and Buns
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
mix and sit 10 min
then,
1 tsp. salt
4-5 1/2 c. flour
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 egg, separated (flax seed)
2 Tbsp. cold water(this is for top, if your using egg white, mix and spread on top of buns)

Cover 1 hr. 45 min
Shape.
Cover for 45 min
(I didn't wait that long, dinner was ready, already)
375 degrees for 15-20 min.