Homemade Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies

So, ever since Jeff and I got married, I have tried so hard to make brownies from scratch that taste exactly like the boxed brownie kind (his favorite). Weird, I know... I just do not particularly enjoy knowing that my brownies might have unidentified chemicals and substances in the actual mix, so I wanted to do something a little more homemade, where I actually kind of knew a little more of what was going into them. Anyway, I tried these, and they came pretty darn close. Enjoy!

"You can either bag the mix for future use or go ahead and make the brownies. You can also use a high quality cocoa to improve the flavor. Customize it with chips, nuts or whatever you like. I found this on a blog for saving money. Making it yourself should save you about 80- 85%"

Ingredients

Mix

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Make It

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil ( I use canola)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Mix all these ingredients together with a whisk and dump them into a ziploc to save. Should be good in the pantry for 6 months.
2. When making the brownies, preheat oven to 350°F
3. Add eggs, oil and vanilla and mix with a fork til just blended. Do not overmix.
4. Pour into a silicone or buttered 9x9 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Recipe Credit: food.com

Curried Chicken Breasts

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 onions, minced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 Tablespoons Minute Tapioca OR 1 1/2 T flour
• 6 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin removed (you can also use boneless)
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup whole milk yogurt
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• salt, pepper

1. Microwave onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, oil, and tomato paste in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

1. Stir broth and tapioca into slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.

1. Gently stir in raisins and let sit until heated through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon.

1. In bowl, combine 1/4 cup hot braising liquid with yogurt (to temper), then stir mixture back into slow cooker. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon 1 cup sauce over chicken, sprinkle with almonds, and serve with remaining sauce.

Recipe Credit: America's Test Kitchen, Slow Cooker Revolution (also adapted from Olga's Flavor Factory)

THE Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (aka cornflour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/4 cup (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix for about 5 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.
2. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
3. Once chilled, the dough will be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls. Roll balls of dough, about 1 Tablespoon of dough each, into balls. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. They will look extremely soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months. Bake dough balls in their frozen state for an extra minute or two - do not thaw.

Additional Notes:

Makes about 2-2.5 dozen cookies. Do not drop dough onto warm cookie sheets.  Allow cookie sheets to cool completely between batches. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months.  Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months. Bake for 1-2 extra minutes (do not thaw).

Recipe Credit: Sally's Baking Addiction

My Favorite Meatloaf

Ingredients

•  Meatloaf:
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 6 slices White Bread
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
•  Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/3 cup Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
• 4 whole Eggs, Beaten
• 10 slices Thin/regular Bacon

•  Sauce:
• 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
•  Tabasco To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

Serve with mashed potatoes. Yummy!

Note: For leftovers the next day, slice this up for meatloaf sandwiches.

Recipe Credit: Pioneer Woman