Z is for Zebra Brownies

Wow, we have made it to the end of the alphabet!  :-)  Hope you have enjoyed reading a recipe a day for the month of April.

Today, for Z is my daughter's Zebra Brownies.

Zebra Brownies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

In a large bowl, cream the butter and the brown suugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, flour, and baking powder until well mixed (mix in one at a time).

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or over low heat on the stove. Place half of the batter in a small bowl and mix in chocolate chips. Spread evenly in a greased 9" x 9" baking pan. Drop by tablespoons of a butter knife through the batter to create zebra stripes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.. Bake for 25-30 minutes.(kiddo #4 did 2 minutes longer until a toothpick came out clean) Let them cool for 3-5 minutes then cut them into squares. 

  

Note: These freeze well if wrapped tightly.

 Enjoy!!!

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Y is for Microwave *Y*ellow Cake

Wow, we are almost there!  Today is Day #25- the letter Y!  I am sharing our Microwave Yellow Cake today.

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  In a mixer bowl, beat butter for 1/2 minute.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Beat until fluffy.  Add egg.  Beat until combined.  Add flour mixture and milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating well.  Cut a piece of wax paper to fit bottom of microwave-safe pan/dish. Pour cake batter on top of wax paper.  Cook cake uncovered on 50% power for 10 minutes.  If not done, cook on 100% power for 30 seconds to 2 minutes or until the surface is nearly dry.  Cool cake on wire rack for 5 minutes.  To loosen, run a narrow metal spatula around dish edges and slightly under wax paper.  Frost with your favorite homemade frosting.  :-)

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X marks the spot: Buried Treasure cookies

Here is another oldie but goodie-- Buried Treasure cookies-- there is a treat hiding inside each one!  :-)

We got the recipe from a book called "Mr. Food's Favorite Cookies."  Can you believe I picked it up at the used book store at the library for $1?

Buried Treasures
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Foil-wrapped milk chocolate candies, unwrapped (we used Hershey's Kisses)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and the brown sugar until light and fluffy.

She looks so little here.  Can't believe she'll be a teenager in a few months!  :-)

Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. 

Form the dough into 1-inch balls; press a candy piece into each ball, covering the candy completely with dough. 

Roll the balls in granulated sugar and place on the cookie sheet. 

Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden.

These are SO good.  They always disappear in a matter of minutes here.  :-)

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W is for Whole Wheat Brownies

Welcome to Day #23- the letter W.  We are almost there!  This has been quite the challenge.  :-)

Today, I am sharing an oldie, but goodie, Kiddo #4's Whole Wheat Brownies.  Look how little she looked just a few years back!

Whole Wheat Brownies (adapted from Sesame Street Yummy Cookies cookbook)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8-inch square pan.  Stir the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat.  Add the sugar; stir for 4 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cocoa.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well blended.

Stir in the flour mixture until blended.  

Stir in the chocolate chips.  Spread the batter in the pan.  

Bake for 16-20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

Enjoy! (we certainly did!)

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V is for Valentine's Day cookies

Welcome to day 22- the letter V!  I am sharing my kids' Valentine's Day cookies!

1 cup butter softened
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla (I usually put a little bit more)  :-)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour (one cup at a time) mixing after addition. The dough will be very stiff, blend last flour in by hand. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball in a circle approximately twelve inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Dip cutters in flour before each use. Bake cookies on cookie sheet on top rack of oven for six to seven minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.

Hope you enjoy!  They can be made into any shape you like!  :-)

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U is for Uber-easy Taco Seasoning

Welcome to Day 21-- almost all the way there!  For the letter U, I have my Uber-easy Taco seasoning.

This is simple, yet SO much healthier than the store bought varieties with MSG and other chemical additives. And it tastes great, too!  :-)


Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/8 cup ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon sea salt

Put ingredients in a small mason jar and shake well.  4 tablespoons equal one packet of the store bought variety.  After you brown and drain your beef, add the seasoning and 3/4 cup of water.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Enjoy your tacos!

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T is for Triple Chocolate Cookies

Welcome to Day #20, the letter T.  T is for *T*riple Chocolate Cookies!

Ingedients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted)
2 1/2 cups almond flour (I used Trader Joe's 'Just Almond Meal')
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degress Fahrenheit.
Sift cocoa powder into a medium bowl.  Stir in almond flour using a wire whisk.  Cream butter and sugar until very light.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Add salt and baking soda and mix well. Mix in cocoa and almond flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Place a teaspoon full of batter at a time on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until puffed and cracked.  Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!  They were SO good!  :-)

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My Week in Review #57

It is that time of the week again-- to share all about your week!  We can't wait to read all about your adventures.  :-)

An InLinkz Link-up

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*S*nickerdoodles

Welcome to day 19 of the A to Z blogging challenge.  We are almost all the way there!  :-)

3 years ago, when Kiddo #4 was only 9, she baked the most delicious batch of *S*nickerdoodles.  I am sharing her recipe below.  Looking at the photos, I cannot believe how big she has gotten.

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 cup cinnamon baking chips (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)  (Kiddo #4 didn't use either of the optional ingredients)

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.  Combine the flour, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cream of tartar and baking soda in a medium sized bowl.  Mix in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy.  beat in the egg.  Gradually add the flour mixture until a stiff dough forms.  Stir in the cinnamon chips and raisins, if desired.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are coated.

Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes or just until the cookies are firm in the center. (for our oven, it was more like 8-9 minutes)  Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

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R is for Raisinets Cookies

We have made it to Day #18!  Woohoo!  :-)

Here is an oldie but goodie in the Home to 4 Kiddos.  Kiddo #4 found this recipe on the back of a Raisinets box.  They are indeed as good as they sound and look.

Deluxe Oatmeal Raisinets Cookies
1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups Raisinets
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)- Kiddo didn't use these

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.  Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. 

Can't believe how much she has changed in 3 years!  :-)

Beat in eggs; gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in oats, Raisinets and nuts.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets. 

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

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Q is for *Q*uick Bread

Wow, we have made it to Day 17 and the the letter Q!  :-)

Sharing our favorite *Q*uick Bread recipe with you today.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup grated apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bread loaf pan.  Peel and grate apples.

In a small mixing bowl, add sugar.  Next, sift your flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices together.  Stir.  Make a well inside your dry ingredients and pour the liquid into the center.  Add your apple mixture.  Pour the batter into your greased bread pan.  Bake for 55 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy!

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*P*eanut Butter Cookies

Welcome to the 16th day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge!

Today, I will be sharing my daughter's *P*eanut Butter Cookies.  These are truly not your run of the mill peanut butter cookies.  These are really, really good.  She surprised us with them one cold day in February and I knew then that a blog post was going to be born.

                               Ingredients:

                               1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature

                               3/4 cup peanut butter

                               1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling dough

                               1/3 packed brown sugar

                               2 TBSP milk

                               1 egg

                               1 TSP vanilla extract

                               1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

                               1 TSP baking soda

                               1/2 TSP salt

                               Directions: In an electric mixer or a hand mixer, beat together butter and peanut                                    butter until combined. Add sugars, beating well. Add milk, egg and vanilla                                            extract. Beating well, add in flour, baking soda and salt. Spray a cookie sheet                                        with a non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, 105 degrees C. Roll dough                                into 1 inch balls and roll in a bowl of granulated sugar. With something flat, press                                slightly on the balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

                                

ENJOY!

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*N*utella Buttercream Frosting

Welcome to Day #14 of the A to Z Blogging Challenge-- the letter N.  For today's letter, I am sharing my daughter's *N*utella Buttercream Frosting.  To say it was good would be the understatement of the year!  :-)

Didn't she do an absolutely amazing job with the piping?  It was almost too pretty to eat!  :-)

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup Nutella

Directions: With a stand mixer or a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, cream together butter and sugar until creamy. Add Nutella until frosting forms. 

Enjoy!  :-)

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My Week in Review #56

It is that time of the week again-- to share all about your adventures!  :-)

An InLinkz Link-up

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M is for *M*icrowave Chocolate Mug Brownie

My son made this for a 4H project and it was delicious!  :-)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

In a 12 ounce coffee mug, add water, butter, vanilla.  Whisk well.

Add cocoa powder, whisk well.  Add sugar, whisk well.  Add flour, whisk well.

Microwave for 60-90 seconds.  Center should be slightly molten.  Careful not to overcook.  

Enjoy with a spoon.  :-)  It is a quick and easy way to make a delicious snack.

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