Better Than Box Brownies
Source:  Brown Eyed Baker

Brown Eyed Baker is one of my favorite site.  I get emails from this site throughout the week.  Often recipes pop up that pique my interest.  This brownie recipe was no different.  When I needed a treat for my boys having some friends over this was my 1st choice.  It didn't disappoint.  It makes me wonder why I'd ever buy a box mix.

Better Than Box Brownies

Ingredients

⅓ (28 grams) cup Dutch-processed cocoa
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (148 ml) boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (140 grams) vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups (496 grams) granulated sugar
1¾ cups (248 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk cocoa powder and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the melted butter and oil (the mixture may look curdled at this point, that's okay!). Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated. Add the flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 1½ hours.

4. Using the foil overhang, lift the brownies from pan. Place the brownies on the wire rack and cool completely, about 1 additional hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Chewy Brownies

Brownies from scratch?? Like the chewy kind from the box??? No mixer needed??? Yes! Please!! I love making things from scratch! These are really good! It's so great to know all of the ingredients going into our treats! Made these for our 2nd anniversary as a treat! (Complimented them with peppermint ice cream!!) Thanks to the Brown Eyed Baker blog for sharing this recipe ~~ and thanks to my friend J for testing them first!!


Chewy Brownies
Source: Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 24 Brownies

Ingredients
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1½ teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups (17½ ounces) sugar
1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into ½-inch pieces

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours.

4. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

(From Cook’s Illustrated, March & April 2010 issue)

S'mores Stuffed Brownies

AHH~~ s'mores! Who doesn't love them. Friends were passing around this recipe - I had to try them. They didn't disappoint! I've already made them twice! Thanks to the Picky Palate blog for such great instructions and pictures! So easy and SO good!

S'mores Stuffed Brownies
Source: Picky Palate

Ingredients
Batch Prepared in 8×8 inch baking pan
1 box of your favorite brownie mix
4 1/2 full Graham Crackers
3 1/2 Full size Hershey’s Bars
16 large marshmallows

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Line foil into an 8×8 inch baking pan and spray generously with cooking spray. Pour half the brownie batter into lined pan. Layer graham crackers over brownies following Hershey Bars and marshmallows. Pour remaining brownie batter over marshmallows. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes mostly clean from center. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Carefully remove foil and brownies from pan. Peel any foil from away from edges and cut into squares.
12 brownies

Note: Be sure to bake long enough ~ they first time I made these I didn't bake them the full 45 minutes & they didn't set as well.

Double Chocolate Cherry Brownies

I am going through a stage where I'd much rather 'home make' something, than use a box. So from a cooking class with Rania Harris these brownies fit the bill. They have a little bit of a different taste ~ I'd say a more sophisticated brownie. And they are super easy to make - only a saucepan & no beaters.

Double Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Source: Rania Harris

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter ( I used the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter baking sticks ~ turned out fine)
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate - chopped
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup + 2 TBSP flour (for baking dish)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 coup halved dried cherries (pitted)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

Butter & flour a 13x9 glass baking dish.

Melt butter & unsweetened chocolate in a heavy large saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Mix in sugar. Mix in eggs 1 at a time, then the yolk. Add extracts, and then flour and cinnamon and stir until just blended. Mix in cherries and chocolate chips.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until brownies are firm around edges and tester inserted comes out with a few crumbs, about 35 minutes.

Cool on rack. Cut into 16 or 32 pieces.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

Looking for something to satisfy the sweet tooth but very quick and easy to make. This fits the bill!

Ingredients
1 (18 1/2 oz) package of chewy fudge brownie mix (and what goes into making brownies)
Miniature peanut butter cups or peanut butter chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. (I didn't get this many - maybe 18)
3. Prepare the brownie mix according to the package - using the instructions for cake-like brownies.
4. Fill the cups 1/2 full of brownie batter.
5. Press 1 peanut butter cup (or 1 TBSP peanut butter chips) into the batter until the top edge of the batter matches the top edge of the peanut butter cup.
6. Bake 18-20 minutes, until set.

Source: Paula Deen, Food Network