As I was fixing lunch for Mara and myself today I asked her if she wanted chips, baby carrots, or apple slices with her sandwich. Since I was planning on having chips with my sandwich, I was already reaching for the chips as I asked the question. Mara looked up at with me with her big eyes and very seriously asked "Can I have both carrots and apple slices?". I quickly pulled my hand away from the chips, and we both had carrots and apple slices with our sandwiches for lunch. How did a total junk food junkie like myself end up with such a healthy child?
Show us your eyeball.
Submitted by Cassie.
Brownies are one of those baked goods that for years I preferred the box mix version over those made from scratch. The recipes that I tried always seemed to lack the strong chocolate flavor that the box mix versions had. Then a few years ago, I bought a cookbook of recipes from the members of the church across the street from our home. I haven't gotten much out of the cookbook except a good deal of amusement at the church cookbook that has three, count them three, different recipes for "Better than Sex Cake" and this brownie recipe:
Chocolate Brownies
2 eggs
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C flour
1/3 C Cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8" square baking pan. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Beat eggs in medium bowl. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Beat well. Blend in Melted butter. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, blending well. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
This recipe is easy to whip up and yeilds brownies that are rich and chocolately. I almost never buy the box mix now.
I make homemade caramel every year for Christmas. This year I decided to forgo my tried and true recipe for a new one. I made two batches and both of them tasted great, but were hard as a rock. I had to chisel little slivers off the side of the block. I blamed it on the recipe and kicked myself for not sticking with my standard one. I was really busy with the end of the semester at the time, so I just gave up on the caramel. Last weekend I decided that I really wanted some good homemade caramel, so I pulled out my proven recipe and made a batch, and the same thing happened. It had great flavor but was like stone. I'm guessing that I need to check my candy thermometer. I honestly usually buy a new one every year because they are so cheap, but this year I didn't. So I think that it isn't reading acurately. The only other thing I can think of is that the higher altitude here is affecting it, but we really aren't that much higher than we were before. Regardless the pictures that I took while I was cooking it turned out pretty well.
My mom's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. When I was growing up she cooked the same meal every year, all from scratch. The big dish though, the one that it just wouldn't have been Thanksgiving without was oyster dressing. I hated this stuff when I was growing up, but now I really like it. Apparently the family oyster dressing tradition dates back to my great grandmother, but as far as I know no one in our family has the recipe written down. I tried to find the recipe on google, but they were all much fancier than what we eat in our house, so I asked mom to show me how to make hers while I was at home for Christmas break.
Oyster Dressing (all quantities are approximate, just mix until it looks about right)
1 box saltine crackers, roughly crunched up
5 cans oysters
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter melted
Mix all ingredients together, pour into a 9x13 inch pan, bake at 350 degrees until done to your liking (the longer in the oven, the drier the dressing will be).
