Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips in the Mix Reviewed

I recently tried Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix made with a special ingredient and loved it!  

My sister, sister-in-law and I went shopping together before Christmas.  When I spotted the Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix, I commented that I would like to try it because it included the chocolate chips.  While I rarely use baking mixes, I thought using the mix might make the Christmas baking a little easier.

The sales associate of the kitchen shoppe offered to make a batch of her brownies so we could taste them.  She had a special ingredient she added that she thought we would want to try.  I am so glad we accepted her offer.  They were the best brownies I have ever eaten.  

Needless to say, we left the shoppe with several gift bags that included the brownie mix and the shoppe's special ingredient, blood orange olive oil.

 

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix

 Ghirardelli Brownie Mix, Dark Chocolate, 20 ozCheck Price The #1 reason I wanted to try the Ghirardelli mix is because it included chocolate chips and required only 1 egg, water and olive oil to make.  Those are ingredients that are always in my kitchen.

Using the newly discovered blood orange olive oil gives these delicious brownies an extra punch with a slight taste of orange. Everyone in my family loves them!  I definitely look forward to using the blood orange olive oil in additional recipes.

We don't all agree on whether brownies should be iced or not, so I make a small recipe of icing.  Those who want the icing don't agree on whether it should have nuts or not, so I divide the icing in half and mix walnuts or pecans in half of the icing.  Therefore, one batch of brownies makes 3 different treats.  Add a scoop of ice cream and you have the perfect dessert.

 

Easy Brownie Frosting Recipe

*Baking Products are Linked in recipe so you can see recommended product packaging. 
However, prices are based on shipped products. 
Most likely, the items will be much less expensive in your local grocery store.

• 1⅓ Cups Confectioners Sugar (powdered sugar)
•  2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Pecans or Walnut, if desired

1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir powdered sugar and cocoa together.  
2. Heat butter & milk together in a small saucepan to melt the butter.  
3. Gradually beat (with a hand mixer) the butter & milk into the cocoa/sugar mixture until smooth.  
4. Stir in pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Pampered Chef Brownie Pan for Perfectly Shaped Brownies

 

A Note about the Specialty Shoppe We Visited

As far as I know, the Bazaar Orange Olive Oil that we purchased is only sold at the Bazaar store in Collierville, Tn, located in the historic Collierville Town Square.  Sadly, I couldn't find an online resource. 

If you love to cook and are ever in Collierville, Tn, you should definitely plan to spend a few hours in this store.  It isn't a big store, but it is packed with fabulous unique kitchen items, including their specialty oils and vinegars.  I love this kitchen specialty store and their extremely helpful sales associates! 

 Ghirardelli Premium Chocolate Brownie Mix VarietyCheck Price GHIRARDELLI Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix, 20 OzCheck Price GHIRARDELLI Dark Chocolate Brownie MixCheck Price Ghirardelli Chocolate Lovers Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix - Pack of 3Check Price

 

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Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips in the Mix Reviewed Written by:

© 2021 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

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Chautauqua Lake New York Fishing

Chautauqua Lake - Reviewed

If you are an avid fisherman and looking for a new lake to cast your line. Chautauqua Lake just might be the place for you. Come and fish in Chautauqua Lake and you might even see a rainbow or two.

Chautauqua Lake is located in western New York, just east of Erie Pennsylvania, and south of Buffalo New York. The lake is the largest inland lake in western New York. Stretching 17 miles long and 2 miles wide at its widest point, with 42.5 miles of shoreline.

We have lived here since 1989 and consider this our home. We live just two blocks away from the lake and can never get enough of it.

Many fishermen come here to fish for Muskie a North American fresh-water fish, it is the largest fish in the pike family. In the lake, they range from 40 to 50 inches. I've done my share of fishing in Chautauqua Lake, but have never landed a muskie.

Popular Species of Fish in Chautauqua Lake:

• Muskie
• Walleye
• Largemouth Bass
• Smallmouth Bass
• Crappie
• Perch
• Bluegill 

The north basin of the lake is 75 ft. at its deepest with an average depth of 25 Ft. The south basin is much shallower at 19 Ft. at its deepest with an average depth of 11 Ft. The south basin with its shallow waters and weedy areas make this the perfect environment for bass fishing.

If ice fishing is for you, here in the winter months you will find many colorful fishing huts over the frozen surface of the lake. As for me, you will find me in the house with a warm blanket during the winter. 

There are many fishing tournaments throughout the year at Chautauqua Lake. Click here for a list of the tournaments and much more do here in Chautauqua Lake Region. Then, make your plans,  pack your gear and bring your boat. Maybe I'll see you on the lake.

Make it a family vacation. Find out here just how much there is to see and do in the Chautauqua Region.

 Following are some of my recipes for the fresh fish of Chautauqua Lake:

Broiled Walleye Fillets

Pan-Fried Crappie Fillets

Beer Battered Walleye Recipe

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Greater Than a Tourist- Chautauqua Lake Region New York USA: 50 Travel Tips from a Local (Greater Than a Tourist New York Series)

 

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Air Fryer Sugar Cinnamon Biscuit Bites

 

Air Fryer Sugar Cinnamon Biscuit Bites - Reviewed

These air fry sugar-cinnamon biscuits are so easy to make, and what a wonderful little sweet treat and snack. Your family will think that you spent all day making these.

These little beauties are perfect for breakfast or an after-school snack for the kids. I made these last week and they did not last very long at all in our house.

Sweet Biscuit Bites Ingredients:

1 package Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (8 counts)

1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter

3/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Cut each biscuit into fours
2. In a bowl add the sugar and cinnamon and mix together
3. Melt the butter, I used a measuring cup for the melted butter
4. Spray your air fry pan with non-stick cooking spray
5. Place them in the air fryer, and space them so they don't touch each other.
6. Set to air fry at 360 degrees
7. Set the timer for 3 or 4 minutes. Times could vary with different air fryers. I used our Ninja Foodi Grill and Air Fryer
8. Remove them with tounges to a plate and let them rest for a couple of minutes.
9. Dip each one in butter then roll them in the sugar and cinnamon.

Cutting the biscuits into fours. You can roll these into little balls if you like to be like donut holes. The yield is 32 little sugar-cinnamon biscuit bites.

The first batch is done, in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 360 degrees or until they are golden brown. On the 2nd batch, they were done after 2 minutes because the air fryer was already heated. That is something you will have to keep an eye on.

After about 2 minutes I dipped each one in the butter and then rolled in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

I must say that these are so easy to make, and what a perfect little treat to have on hand for the kids or friends.

Times may vary with different air fryers. I used our Ninja Foodi Grill and Air Fryer. Click here to read my review of the Ninja Foodi.

My friend, Mary Beth also reviewed her new Power XL Air Fryer. Click here to see her review.

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How to Make a Breakfast Parfait

I am going to review how to make a breakfast parfait.   If you haven't tried a breakfast parfait before then you are in for a treat as it is a delicious way to start your day.

Image photo by Louanne Cox, adapted for this article with Canva

I know that technically it's not a parfait, but I saw someone on Instagram layering yogurt, fruit and a little granola in a tall glass and calling it a breakfast parfait.  I immediately thought of a different option that I could make.

First a little bit about me.   I absolutely love overnight oats and eat these for my breakfast regularly, they taste good, but to be honest they don't look that fantastic.   I also love having berries with my breakfast and when I choose to have proats I will often top them with berries.   I also like to keep my breakfasts both gluten and dairy-free for the majority of the time.

Now let's look at the breakfast parfait.

My Breakfast Parfait Breakdown

I basically have 3 different layers:

1. Coconut yogurt
2. Overnight oats
3. Frozen berries

Let's talk through the overnight oats layer.   I use the following ingredients:

2/3 cups oats (now I use regular oats as I'm not a celiac so the fact that some gluten may be present - oats are naturally gluten-free - isn't something I need to worry about, but obviously you can use any oats)

2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (I use Arbonne's one which is a vegan protein)

1 cup dairy-free milk of choice (I alternate between using coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk)

The rest of the ingredients I don't really measure (confession time I tend to be a throw things together kind of cook as opposed to measuring everything carefully!).

Black chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

I mix this all together and I'm ready to start making the parfait.   You will note (if you've made overnight oats before) that I don't add as much fluid as usual, this is because I'm adding yogurt and frozen berries so the oats can soak up some of the water from the defrosting process and some of the yogurt.

I use what is called a breakfast smoothie cup to make my breakfast parfait in - I had tried a hurricane glass I have at home, but it wasn't big enough!   I brought mine in K-Mart here in Australia, but you can find similar items on Amazon if you're not in Australia or New Zealand.   Mine has a lid with a hole in it and reusable straw as well as a full lid which is the one that I obviously use and is similar to this one that I found on Amazon - Smoothie Breakfast Cup.

Putting the Breakfast Parfait Together

I place a little yogurt in the bottom of the glass/cup, on top of this I add 1/3 of the overnight oats mixture, then some frozen fruit*, yogurt, 1/3 of the overnight oats mix, frozen fruit, yogurt, remaining overnight oats, a small amount of fruit and a tsp or two of the yogurt (I like to be able to see a little of the oat mixture showing through around the edges when I look at the breakfast parfait, but the aesthetic is up to you.

As far as the frozen fruit I actually use different ones on each layer.  First up I use a mixed blend called the Dark Fruits Mix (it contains blackberries, dark cherries, black currants), next I use a mixed blend called Ruby Fruits Mix (this contains strawberries, dark cherries, red currants), on the top I use frozen blueberries.

To be honest, I would probably mix the fruits up even more, but they've been in short supply in our local supermarket at the moment so I've been using the fruits I've got plenty of.   I do love the variety as I eat so I'll continue to mix it up but I can't wait to be able to get frozen raspberries & blackberries again as I fancy trying a layer of each of the following - raspberries, strawberries & blackberries.

Photo by Lou16

You can see the different layers showing through in this photo, doesn't it look good?   Let me know if you are going to try this or not.

I share recipes on my Healthy Tips to Feel & Look Your Best Facebook group, you're welcome to join us.

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Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Dinner Fast & Easy Recipe Reviewed

I am always searching for fast and easy recipes for dinner.  I enjoy cooking, but I don't always have time to prepare a meal that takes hours to cook.

I recently accidentally purchased the Knorr chicken flavored broccoli and rice packet instead of the chicken flavored broccoli and pasta packet.  Because I hate to waste food, I decided to play around with the rice packet to see if I could create a quick meal.

As with any premixed packet of food, the ingredients are not fresh and it is only chicken flavored.  There is a small amount of broccoli in the packet, but the vegetable itself tastes good.  As it is, it would make a delicious lunch or side.  However, after adding chicken, it becomes suitable to serve as an entree. 

I made it for lunch the first time, but have served it several times since as our evening meal.  It only takes about 15 minutes to throw together and cook.  It is the perfect warm meal at the end of a hard day. 

Plus, it is actually very tasty!

Easy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Recipe

Swanson canned chicken is a fast way to add cooked chicken to any recipe.  It is packed in water and has no artificial flavors or msg, but I still prefer to drain and rinse the chicken before adding it.  

Prep Time	Cook Time	Ready In	Yields
5 min.	7 min.	15 min.	3-4 servings

Ingredients 

• 2 packages Knorr Rice Sides - Chicken Flavor Broccoli
  
• 2 cans White Premium Chunk Chicken Breasts, drained & rinsed 
  
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2¼ Cups Water
  

Directions

1. Combine Chicken, Water, Butter, and Rice packages in a large saucepan
2. Bring to a Boil
3. Stir, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for 7 minutes
   
4. Let Stand for 2 minutes, then serve!
   It really is that simple to make this delicious dinner.
   

 Swanson Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast, 12.5 oz. Can (Pack of 2)Check Price Knorr Rice Sides Chicken Broccoli Long Grain Rice and Vermicelli Blend 5.5 ozCheck Price

 

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Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Dinner Fast & Easy Recipe Written by:

© 2021 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 

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Oatmeal Muffin Day – A Food Holiday Review

National Oatmeal Muffin Day is celebrated on December 19th each year. It's one of those minor holidays with no known origin, but since it involves a delicious and healthy muffin, we are happy to celebrate this fun foodie day. 

A Bit of Background

A Muffin, or Quick-Bread, is similar to cupcakes both in size and in cooking method.

Muffins are popular breakfast foods, especially served with coffee.

Muffins come in many varieties and can be savory (like cheese muffins) or sweet like blueberry or banana nut muffins.

Oatmeal muffins have oatmeal as the primary ingredient – which has many health benefits which far outweigh any worry you might have over calories. 

Oatmeal muffin recipes began appearing in American cookbooks as long ago as the mid-1800s. They are made with flour, butter, eggs, OATMEAL, and baking soda as the raising ingredient.

Quick Recipe for Easy Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients for a quick & easy oatmeal muffin recipe I like that I found on Allrecipes include 1 cup of quick cooking oats, milk, an egg, vegetable oil, flour and salt. Baking powder is added as the raising ingredient. 

You can find the exact list of ingredients and also the directions for mixing this muffin recipe at the Allrecipes site for Easy Oatmeal Muffins. 

Prep time is about 15 minutes and baking in a preheated oven (at 425 degrees) is 20-25 minutes. Not long at all for a dozen tasty breakfast muffins. A warm, delicious treat on a cold morning. 

Summary

So whip up a batch of Oatmeal Muffins, or pick up a few at your local bakery, to celebrate this day with a delicious & healthy breakfast treat.

National Oatmeal Muffin Day

December 19

For more Muffin Reviews, check out ReviewThisReviews: Muffins

For more Holiday Reviews, check out the ReviewThisReviews Holiday Category

*National Oatmeal Muffin Day review written by 

         ~Wednesday Elf

**Images are from Pixabay; Intro image was created with GetStencil. 

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Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Ever since I lost nearly 60 pounds last year by following a healthy ketogenic diet, I have continued eating a very low carb diet to maintain that weight loss. As a lifelong lover of baked goods, I love to bake and did a lot of low carb baking while I was on my keto weight loss diet, which helped me stick to my plan. Although I continue to bake keto recipes from scratch when I have the time and inclination, I also appreciate the convenience of a low carb baking mix with clean ingredients when I am short on time or energy. 

I have already shared several keto recipes and low carb baking mix reviews here on Review This Reviews. Today, I am reviewing my newest high quality, low carb baking mix find, Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix.

Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix contains real blueberries! Just add butter and eggs.

I love being able to throw together a batch of delicious keto blueberry scones in just a few minutes with this low carb baking mix, with minimal time, effort and kitchen cleanup. They're a lovely breakfast treat as well as the perfect "little something" to enjoy during an afternoon tea or coffee break. My husband and I enjoy eating them as is, but they're even better split, toasted and buttered.

Since this Livlo keto baking mix is gluten free and grain free and has no added sugars, it's a great choice for anyone who follows a paleo, diabetic, LCHF (low carb, high fat) or keto diet (as long as they don't have a tree nut allergy, since it contains almond flour). But you don't have to be watching your carbs, sugar, gluten or grain to enjoy these yummy treats.

Note: The official company spelling of this brand is Livlō, ending with a lowercase "o" with a macron (a straight bar over the letter "o" indicating that it should be pronounced as a long vowel).

Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix vs. My Favorite Keto Blueberry Scones Recipes

When I want to make low carb keto blueberry scones from scratch, I use one of two good low carb baking recipes. One is this Keto Blueberry Scones recipe from Carolyn Ketchum at All Day I Dream About Food, whose Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking cookbook is my keto baking bible. The other is this glazed Almond Flour Keto Blueberry Scones recipe from Maya Krampf at Wholesome Yum, whose Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook is another of my favorites and whose second cookbook, The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics' Cookbook: 100 Low Carb Comfort Food Recipes. 10 Ingredients Or Less, is available for preorder. (I preordered mine the day it became available!)

However, when I just want to spend a few minutes making fresh-baked keto blueberry scones without having to measure out all the dry ingredients, wash a bunch of measuring cups and spoons or running out to the store for fresh blueberries, this quick and easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix is a great option.

All the ingredients are keto diet friendly and are ones I often use when I make keto baking recipes from scratch: Almond flour, erythritol and monk fruit extract sweeteners, blueberries, corn-free baking powder and fine sea salt. You won't find any unpronounceable preservatives in this keto baking mix!

The Livlo low carb baking mix contains real blueberries, which you can definitely taste in the baked scones, which are buttery, tender and delicious! The blueberry scones I make using this Livlo keto baking mix and ones I make from scratch using the two recipes I mentioned are quite similar, although the texture of each is slightly different. Honestly, the main difference is that the mix uses dried blueberries instead of fresh ones. 

Bake Fresh, Hot Scones in Minutes With This Quick & Easy Livlo Keto Blueberry Scones Mix

Making low carb blueberry scones with this Livlo low carb baking mix is so easy, it would be a fun activity to do with a young helper. 

Ingredients

1 bag Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix

1/4 cup (2 oz. or 1/2 stick) butter, very cold

2 eggs, beaten

Tools, Supplies and Equipment

Baking sheet

Parchment paper (I highly recommend these pre-cut unbleached baking parchment sheets, which are packaged flat and stay that way)

Mixing bowl (I use the 3-quart bowl from my favorite OXO 3-piece stainless steel mixing bowl set with non-skid bottoms)

Chef's knife (I love my 8-inch Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, which was highly recommended by Cook's Illustrated and cuts as well as knives that cost twice as much!)

Pastry cutter (although the package directions say you can use a fork instead, I don't recommend it; if you don't want to use a pastry cutter, I recommend using two knives instead to "cut in" the butter)

Mixing spoon, fork or seamless silicone spoon spatula

Cookie scoop or tablespoon (I use my comfortable, versatile Norpro 50mm/3 Tbsp stainless steel scoop)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Open the bag of Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix and pour the contents into a mixing bowl. 

Cut the very cold butter into 1/4" or smaller cubes and stir them into the dry mix in the bowl. Then, use a pastry blender to "cut in" the butter until it is in smaller bits and evenly incorporated. 

Stir in the beaten eggs and mix well to form a soft but thick dough.

Use the cookie scoop to portion the dough evenly into 10 well-spaced mounds on the parchment lined baking sheet. Since I have only a tabletop oven currently, I baked mine in two batches on two smaller baking sheets.

Bake the keto blueberry scones in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. (If you don't let them cool before trying to move them or pick them up, they will fall apart.)

Drizzling them with a glaze is optional. There is a simple recipe on the package (powdered sugar alternative/sweetener mixed with low carb, unsweetened non-dairy milk, plus a drop of vanilla or lemon extract, if desired). However, these keto blueberry scones are also lovely without any glaze, which is how we usually have them.

Optional Add-Ins

Sometimes I'll add a little almond extract along with the eggs when I prepare the dough. I love the flavor combination of almond and blueberry!

Occasionally, I'll amp up the berry flavor even more by adding some fresh or dried blueberries into the dough, which makes these scones even yummier and more nutritious  with very little increase in net carbs per scone. 

If you want to try this variation, I highly recommend adding only fresh or dried blueberries, not frozen ones. The chemistry of keto baking is different from that of conventional baking and the extra moisture from the thawed frozen berries can negatively affect the texture of your scones. 

Fresh, tiny wild blueberries from Maine or Canada, if you can find them where you live, have the best flavor and their small size allows you to distribute them more evenly through the dough. Alternatively, you can uses organic dried wild blueberries with no added sugars or oils. They can be a bit pricey, but fortunately even a small amount packs a big flavor punch.

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review by Margaret Schindel

Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

My First Year on The Keto Diet

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

My Personal Keto Testimonial

How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

Read More Recipe Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

Read More Product Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

Read More Reviews About Health and Wellness by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

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Hooray, Today is National Brownie Day and Time to Celebrate!- A Recipe Review

Come celebrate with me!  

Today is National Brownie Day and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to get out the mixer and fix my family up with some ooey, gooey, good BROWNIES!

I think the thing I like the most about BROWNIES, is that they can be a very plain (but still delicious) dessert, or you can dress them up in so many different ways to make them look picture perfect for any company you may have.

Did you know that the first brownies recipes were published around the turn of the century about 1904.  They were part of regional cookbooks and often found in newspapers.  That is a pretty long history if you ask me.  And they are still favorites all around the country.  Chocolate brownies are number one with "Blondie" Brownies coming a close second.  

What's a Blondie?   Let's set the record straight, it has nothing to do with Hair!  Blondies are cousins to Brownies, just made without the chocolate, hence the lighter color and name!  

Did you know that there are several myths about where Brownies first came into being?  One myth has a baker accidentally mixing liquid chocolate in a biscuit recipe.  Oh happy accident if that is the way it happened.  Another myth is that someone making a chocolate cake forgot to add the flour to the recipe and then there's the one of the housewife who ran out of baking powder and decided to serve her guests "flattened cake".   This last one is my personal favorite because I have been known to do without certain ingredients and adding others in their stead, when making a recipe.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it is a disaster.

But let's get back to the good stuff.  Brownies are a favorite in most families and I know from past experience that they are wonderful sellers at any "Bake Sale." Simple brownies are just made in the pan and cut up.  Dressing your brownies up with frosting and sprinkles or nuts can give the lowly brownie a very dressed up, decadent appearance suitable for any company!

You can also find many recipes for Brownies and some of the best are the ones that have been shared in regional cookbooks and simple cookbooks put together for School or Church fundraisers.  You know you are getting tried and true recipes from these sources.  It's a matter of pride for the bakers who attach their name to the recipe!

So no further stalling, here is a great recipe that I have used and loved!  

Originally found on Ricardocuisine,com:

 

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped 
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• optional ingredients can include chopped walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, broken pieces of candy canes, mini marshmallows (either the plain or fruit flavoured)  

 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Oven rack should be in the middle part of the oven pre-heated to 350 F.
2. Butter or spray with non-stick spray the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.  Use parchment paper and let the excess hang over the sides of your baking dish. 
3. Using a bowl, over a pan of boiling water, or alternately in the microwave oven, melt chocolate and butter. Let cool. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar and salt with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add chocolate/butter mixture and flour and stir until smooth. Pour this all into the prepared pan. 
5. Baking time about 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out just a little bit moist (If it is dry you will have very dry brownies and should use icing to get some moisture back into the mix)
6. Let cool in the pan and place the pan on a rack.  It will take about 1.5 hours. Remove from pan and cut into squares.  Or if you want to get really artistic, you can cut them into any desired shape and eat the extra pieces from between!   Serve warm or cold.

These are plain brownies with great taste and nice presentation. But, and this is a big BUT, you can add other ingredients to this basic brownie recipe to make something even more special! Add chopped nuts, or marshmallows (the little mini ones), crushed peppermints are a great add too,  or leave the recipe as is and make an icing for them.  The combinations are endless and each will have a slightly different flavor when you are done.  

All I know is that your family will enjoy this treat and you just might find yourself making them more than once in a while.

These days I make these brownies for the family, but, I myself will not indulge.  I will make the recipe that our own Margaret Schindel has finessed to fit with my Keto Lifestyle!  So I still get to have some Brownie fun without all the carbs!  You can find her recipe right here: and a whole lot more.

Now I'm going to make another suggestion for all of you!  If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and/or nephews, invite them over to share all these wonderful Brownies you've made and then spend the afternoon writing letters to SANTA!  

Did you know that you could write to SANTA, send your letter in the mail and get a response from him and all it will cost you is the time to write the letters?

Canada Post and all their "ELVES" make sure that letters addressed to Santa, get to him!  His address is very simple:

SANTA CLAUS

NORTH POLE 

CANADA 

and don't forget the postal code:

HOHOHO

No Postage necessary, the elves will get the letters to Santa, but be sure to send a return address!

Now everyone's tummy is full of goodness and the letters have been written, so it's time to settle in and wait for that wonderful holiday that is just on the horizon!

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