chocolate chips

Aunt Kimbo’s Brownies

This is a perfect recipe for a beginner baker. If you can read, you can make delicious brownies. This is also a perfect recipe for anyone who wants to make a fantastic chocolatey dessert for their friends and family. It’s foolproof. This is just a perfect recipe. Not that long ago I mentioned I had received a recipe card with a wedding shower gift from a family friend. I actually grew up calling her Aunt Kimbo, although technically we are no relation. She is my real aunt’s sister, and we didn’t discriminate. I love that about my childhood. I also love that she took the time to write this down for a young bride-to-be. It is one of, if not the first dessert I made as a newlywed… and still make today.

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1 cup Butter (2 sticks)

4 oz unsweetened Chocolate

2 cups Sugar

4 Eggs

1 cup Flour

2 tsp Vanilla

1 cup Nuts

1 cup Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan, set aside. I love using a paper napkin (or paper towel) and a pat of butter for stuff like this. There are times when spraying a baking dish with non-stick spray makes more sense… to me, now is not one of those times.

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Heat butter and chocolate squares until melted. Using all of your strength, try not to add cream and drink the mixture. (That’s really a note to myself).

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Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Take a big whiff of that chocolate goodness. There are few things that smell this outstanding, and a good portion of life is making sure you enjoy those simple pleasures. Plus, smelling doesn’t actually add calories, so awesome.

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If you have to lick your finger dipped in batter now would be the time, because we are about to add eggs and then it will be too late. Ok, add the eggs, one at a time, beating until blended.

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Stir in the flour, followed by the vanilla and nuts. Now, everything inside of me wanted to add some chopped walnuts this time. (Because really you can add your nut of choice.) And I love balancing all that sugar with some protein and a little Omega 3… But my kids act like I am poisoning them if they see nuts. Ugh. The sacrifices we make for our kids!

Pour the gooey batter into the prepared baking dish.

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 Now spread this glossy goo in an even layer.

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Ok, here is where it gets a little iffy. My organic chocolate chips (which do not expire for months) have started to get a little white coating. I have no problems with this as I know it is completely harmless and edible. I also know that once baked, you won’t see a thing. But if this bothers you… please turn your head away for the next picture(s)! But do note you are going to miss my cute little helpers.

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Bake for 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, or completely before serving… with milk or coffee or hot cocoa…

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Best Cookie Bars Ever

You are probably familiar with cookie bars, from Magic to 7 layer. I don’t discriminate against cookie bars, I love them all. They are my fall back, go to, SOP (Standard Operating Procedure; my husband is an engineer) for every event all year round. For my very knit close group of friends, who get together regularly, we often bring a dish to impromptu gatherings. I go straight to the cookie bars. They never let me down.

As organic as possible:

1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter

9 Graham crackers, full sheets (I like Annie’s Organic)

14 oz Sweetened condensed milk (1 can or Trader Joe’s organic bottle)

1/2 cup Crunchy peanut butter

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup Coconut

1 cup Chocolate chips

1 cup Chopped hazelnuts

Okay, here’s the drill. Preheat the oven to 325º for a glass pan, 350º for metal. In a ziplock or mortar and pestle type set up, smash the graham crackers until fine crumbs. Place the stick of butter in a 13X9 baking dish and let melt in the oven. Continue to leave in the oven a couple more minutes until browned (not burned). In the mean time, in a sauce pan over medium-low heat, warm condensed milk, peanut butter and vanilla just until smooth. Remove from heat. When butter is a little browned and bubbly, (using oven safe gloves or hot pads) remove the dish from the oven and move around, letting melted butter coat the whole bottom of the pan. Add the crumbs to the butter making an even layer. Press down gently using your hands or the bottom of a glass. Pour condensed milk mixture over the graham cracker crust and gently smooth to make it even. Sprinkle the coconut flakes over the milky peanut butter. Scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the coconut. Sprinkle chopped nuts on the top of the chocolate. Carefully pat the toppings down. Bake 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool, cut into squares and serve.

Tip #1 Use good ingredients! I love Annie’s Organic Graham Crackers, they are sweet and perfect all by themselves.

Tip #2 Use Salted Butter! For this recipe, a salty bite on the crust is what you need.

Tip #3 Brown your butter! It just adds that je ne sais quoi.

Tip #4 Use crunchy peanut butter! We are building layers of texture and flavor here, it all matters.

Tip #5 A little coconut goes along way. Too much does not make it better in this case!

Tip #6 Use milk chocolate! Everybody likes milk chocolate.

Tip #7 Hazelnuts have a great crunch! (chopped peanuts are the next best thing) And great bars have crunch.

Tip #8 Layer bars are best served at room temperature. It allows all of the flavors to shine.

Tip #9 Share! Because something this good should be had by all.