Yummy Fudgy Brownies

The other night, after we got the kids to bed and collapsed onto the couch to eat dinner, Zack and I realized we wanted dessert. In the last few years I've discovered I almost alway have the ingredients to make brownies from scratch. I've tried many different recipes but this one was AMAZING. The batter was the consistency of fudge but the brownies weren't dry like unthought they might be. I HIGHLY recommend it the next time you are craving brownies. We used semi- sweet chocolate chips for the chocolate and it worked perfectly. We liked them so much the kids never even knew we had them!

• 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (1 cup) 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/3 cup butter 
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 large egg yolks 
• 1 large egg 
• Cooking spray 

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. 2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. 3. Place butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir until smooth, and set aside. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup sugar, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, egg yolks, and egg; stir with a whisk to combine. Add butter mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Pour batter into an 8-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.

Kathy Kitchens Downie, RD, Cooking Light 
OCTOBER 2010

A Long Time Coming

What feels like a really long time ago I decided to start this blog.  I figured, "I'm a mom, I understand the challenges of home cooking in the realities of everyday life."  I look back on that version of myself now and say , "Ha, you hadn't seen nothin' yet girlie."  Over a year ago I stopped blogging. "Why," you ask.  I'll tell you why, real life.  I found out I was pregnant again and was to sick to even think about food.  Then I was too uncomofortable.  Then Adele was born and busy took on new meaning.  Now Joseph likes to "help" and everything takes six times longer.  This is real life for a lot of moms and I thought, "I really need to get back to cooking and I need to get back to blogging about my kitchen adventures, and misadventures."  So here is what I am setting out to do:
1) Actually write on this blog at least once a week.  Of couse I cook more often than that but realistically I'll be lucky if even one meal a week is worth sharing and twice as lucky if I actually have time to share it..
2) Tell you how long it really took me.  Was toddler helped involved? Will my very picky 3-year-old eat it?
3) Tell you if it was actually worth cooking\eating.
I am not making up these recipes.  I'm honestly not that creative.  I do tweak them if the original didn`t quite hit the mark.  I try as often as possible to tell you where the original recipe is from.  I hope some of you will enjoy this blog, redesigned for the everyday mom (or dad).  I also hope you will tell me what you think about it and the recipes I post.  Let me know what you like, don't like, and whether or not you are even reading it at all.  Check back soon for our first dish, and welcome to real life!