Brownies for 2!

So, did you ever have one of those days you just want a little bit of something sweet? Well, now here's your chance to have something without having to make a whole batch. These brownies are delicious. And they are just right for one or two people. And quick and easy to boot!

preheat oven to 300 degrees

Spray loaf pan with cooking spray, do not use larger pan

Melt butter 25 seconds in microwave, stir in sugar, add vanilla and egg then flour and cocoa; mix well

spread batter evenly in loaf pan, larger pan will cause batter to be too thin

bake for about 20-25 minutes until done

After baking, top with about 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips if desired

Cool, cut and enjoy. Makes 3-6 brownies depending on size

Snack size brownies:

Ingredients

1/4 cup salted butter

1/2 cups sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup flour

3 TBSP cocoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a small loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, such as Pam.

Use a microwave safe bowl. Heat butter in microwave approximately 25 seconds - until mostly melted. Stir in sugar, stir until well mixed and butter has melted in. Next, mix in egg and stir until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and cocoa and stir just until mixed. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. (Check at 20.) Makes 3-6 brownies depending on size of cut. 

Recipe found on Pinterest 

Recipe source: Cooking Classy

Enjoy!!

I love all y'all! ❤️

To be continued.............

Using a bread machine

Have you ever used a bread machine to make a loaf of bread? Do you have one and you are intimidated by it? I have owned 3 bread machines in my life. The first one was horrible. The loaf was tall like this image from Google. It was difficult to get a "good" loaf from this machine. The next machine I bought made a "traditional" loaf. It was simple to use and made great bread. Then our house burned. I replaced that machine over 15 years ago with my West Bend Baker's Choice Plus machine. It bakes a traditional loaf in about 3 1/2 hours. And it is good.

tall loaf, image from Google

When I first started making bread in the bread machine, I had a difficult time. It wouldn't rise, so, I called the help line. That was when they recommended "jar" yeast for bread machines. My favorite is Red Star. You can't always find that though so I also use, and like, Fleichmann's Rapid Rise in the jar. It is for bread machines, and you can use it for regular baking as well.

                              

I have always used White Lily Unbleached Bread Flour for my bread making. I tried many, many brands including Martha White and Pillsbury. I felt White Lily was best. Then I used King Arthur and oh, my. It is the softest flour to the touch and nothing I have made with it has ever failed. Flour does make a difference. I will now and forever use King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose flour for my bread making. For ever.  AND NEVER, EVER use margarine in your bread making! If it calls for butter, USE BUTTER!! It makes it so much better, plus the water content of margarine can flatten your loaf!

google image, old fav

google image, new fav

So today I got an email from the King Arthur folks. Sunday Recipe Roundup. The King Arthur baking site is also linked on this blog to the left if you are on a PC. There was a recipe at the bottom of the email with a recipe for bread, and since I had already considered making a loaf, I opened the link and read the recipe. I decided to try the loaf and wow. What a loaf of bread! It is super!! Best bread I ever made, and not to brag, but I am a pretty great baker.

Always use real butter in the bread recipes that call for butter! NO margarine substitution!! 

So the recipe is as follows: (ALWAYS follow the ingredient add order recommended by your machine!!)

for large (1 1/2 to 2-pound) machine

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/3 cup lukewarm milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast

1) Put all of the ingredients into your machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.

2) Program the machine for basic white bread, and press Start.

3) When the loaf is done, remove the pan from the machine. After about 5 minutes, gently shake the pan to dislodge the loaf, and turn it out onto a rack to cool.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Set your machine accordingly and turn it on! In about 3 1/2 hours you will have a perfect loaf of bread! Good luck!  Cut the butter into small cubes and have it be close to room temperature for better mixing. 

So hard to wait for it to cool enough to slather it with Land O Lakes butter!

Happy baking!

I love all y'all❤️
To be continued...................

some images are mine, some from google and some from King Arthur email

Pioneer Woman Strawberry Sparkle Cake

Yesterday my grandbabies spent the day and night with me. They are still here this morning, playing angry birds on my iPhone. They are mesmerized.  We made (yes made) an angel food cake yesterday. My first angel food cake. Ever. It isn't bad at all and was much easier to make than I thought. The recipe can be found on http://thepioneerwoman.com and is called Strawberry Sparkle Cake. Search the cooking section, it comes up with step by step instructions. Read it all the way through before you start. Easy!

Like my Fiesta cake plate? I do!! The finished product looks wonderful on it!!

The pictures of the cake on the website look much better than mine but it still tastes very good!

Homemade angel food cake after it cooled

Slice off part of the top and set it aside, then dig a trench and place strawberry filling in the trench and replace the top. 

whip cream with a little powdered sugar and use as frosting then top with strawberries

Enjoy!

Tobi says it is 1000% good!

Bubba just likes it

To make the strawberry filling, take a small box of strawberry jello and add the hot water as called for, stir and dissolve completely. Then instead of cold water or ice, take one package frozen sliced strawberries and place in jello. Stir until well coated, jello with thicken as it sits. Don't thaw the strawberries or use fresh at this point. You need the frozen berries to gel the jello. You won't use all of it. 

Yummy. My babies got it right!

I love all y'all!❤️

To be continued............