One Perfect Bite: brownie mix

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Living with Loons + Homemade Brownie Mix

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The rain has been beating a soft but steady tattoo for hours now, and when the mist lifts, you can see gentle ripples expanding and coalescing as they ruffle the glassy surface of the lake. While it is too early to mate, the loons who give this lake its name, communicate with one another, and as they land and skid upon the water, their mournful wails heighten the solitude and isolation of winter on the lake. If you've never heard the loon's mesmerizing wail and are curious, your can hear it here. We are here to help open the cabin of friends who have often shared their home and hospitality with us. The work has gone quickly and we are left in three small rooms with thoughts fueled by the fragrance of the madrone that feeds the fire as well as the imagination. The cabin is half an hour and a winding road from the nearest store, so the staples that are needed to open the kitchen came with us. The kitchen is small and storage is limited, so little "from scratch" cooking is ever done here. Aside from beer, which is submerged and chilled in the lake, nothing is kept in quantity. The shelves hold the basics: flour, sugar, salt, oil, coffee and powdered milk. Whenever possible, those of us who stay here bring food that needs only reheating or hydration. So, to that end, I've brought biscuit, cornbread and brownie mixes to round out the casseroles that will be dinner for the next few nights. The brownie mix is easy to prepare and makes brownies that will satisfy those in our group who have a demanding sweet tooth. If your summers include a cottage with a barebones kitchen, you might want to keep the recipe on hand. Here is how the brownie mix is made and used.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Buckeye Brownie Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I don't often use cake or brownie mixes in my cooking. This recipe is a contradiction that I'm drawn to when I'm short of time and need something that can be thrown together quickly. The chocolate and peanut butter in these bars guarantee that they will be popular, and for reasons that I have yet to determine, the combination seems to mask other artificial flavors that I swear I can taste in other baked goods made with mixes. These brownies are named after a chocolate and peanut butter confection that is popular in many areas of the country at Christmas time. While these bars are easy to make, the dough is sticky and can be difficult to work with. I've found it helpful to keep my hands wet while patting it into place. I also try to make these a day before I plan to serve them. I think they slice in a far nicer fashion if they have time to firm up before being cut. I suspect many of you have already tried these bars, but I wanted to feature the recipe for those who may have missed it when it was first published by Better Homes and Gardens. I think you'll like these brownie bars. Here's the recipe.

Buckeye Brownie Bars ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
1 (19.5-oz.) package brownie mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Stir in peanuts. Remove half of the brownie mixture and set aside. Spread remaining brownie mixture evenly into prepared pan.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until smooth. Spread evenly over brownie mixture in pan. Separate the remaining brownie mixture into pieces, flatten them with your fingers, and place them on top of the brownie mixture in pan.
4) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.