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Monday, April 19, 2010

Never Be Without: Brownies

We have a rule here that there must always be something chocolate around. It's a safety thing for us, I'm sure you can relate. It would be pretty dangerous for the general public if one of us tried driving to the local grocery store for a chocolate run while half asleep or cranky....really, not good stuff.
And, despite your belief that I just whip on an apron and Voila! there are baked goods, sometimes, I don't really feel like thinking up something magical just because somebody needs some chocolate around here. So, I cheat. I like easy too. I keep brownie mixes in the pantry that require the mental ability of a sea snail to bake up.

Yeah, a mix. You read that right. And, yeah, there's a catch....I make the mixes. (" oh sheesh! here she goes again-freak." )

Stop and think how much a mix costs. On a lucky day, you'll find them for $2 a pop. IF. So, let's save some coins, mkay?

This batch makes 4 mixes (which would be at least $8 if you bought them)....

In a large bowl, mix together the following:
4 cups of all-purpose flour
7 cups of sugar
3 cups of cocoa
4 tsp baking powder
4 tsp salt

Then, with a fork, blend in 2 cups of shortening. This will make the powder the consistency of cornmeal. This is the "fat" in the formula...because it is shortening and not butter or oil, it's all kinds of shelf stable.

With a measuring cup, scoop even amounts into 4 ziploc bags (or the container of your choice, you green planet saving soul, you).

WOW, that mix was hard. Have a drink.

When it's time to bake up a batch, pour your mix into a bowl and add 4 eggs and a tsp of vanilla. Ta-da. Did I just blow the mystery of brownies....I hope so.

If you'd like, throw in a cup of chocolate chips or nuts or crushed peppermints or toffee bits or marshmallows (that you also now now how to make).

Spread in a sprayed 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. I like to dust mine with powdered sugar when they're still warmish.

Don't blow your hard-earned money on crap. You can bake from scratch and it can be very easy. And don't be without chocolate, life's hard enough.

6 comments:

Vanessa said...

Oh for the Yum of Pete. I put on a pound just learning how easy it is.

And I did have a drink. Which is how I came up with "the yum of pete."

Becaush I yam a fuuuunnnnny griirrl.

Mother B said...

I Google brownie recipes all the time.....the only thing I have in my cookbooks is one called Aunt Nonies brownies, but they always call for those blasted blocks of chocolate that you have to melt and that I never have and then can't remember whether they are semi-sweet or whatever.....whatever being that what the recipe calls for is what I don't have in the cupboard. That all being said....this recipe is perfect and if I hadn't made a double batch of "Mustgo" cookies to use up two bottom of the bag Honey Nut Cheerio leftovers....this would surely be the next thing on the to bake list.

ash said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ash said...

lets try this again...

i make jb brownies all the time for the weekly "something sweet"...i usually get the mixes when they're bogo, but i like this better.

word verification: dummu: how honey butter #93 makes me feel sometimes....

Anonymous said...

Apart from pecan pie, brownies are my absolute favorite, and I don't stop til they are gone....

Mrs. V said...

And now you can have 4x the amount!