Bake Brownies Today

 Lillian the Domestic Engineer

SUPER SPUD BROWNIES

A super use for mashed potatoes.

Instead of throwing away the last dollop of mashed potatoes

now you use them up creatively!

Moist and cakey Brownies

This is a copy of a recipe I received from some one? Somewhere? Sometime?

It had been originally published in a magazine? And submitted by Marlene Gerer

who got the recipe for Moist and Cakey Brownies from her Mom's old Cookbook.

3/4 Cup Mashed Potatoes

1/2 Sugar

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1/2 Canola oil

(I substitute 1/4 cup apple sauce for 1/4 of the oil)

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1/2 Cup All purpose

1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/8 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Cup chopped Pecans (Optional)

Confectioners Sugar

In one large bowl,

Combine the mashed potatoes, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt ;

Gradually add to potato mixture.

Fold in Pecans.

Transfer to a greased 9 inch square baking pan.

Bake at 350 degree for 23-27 minutes.

(or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.)

Cool on wire rack.

Dust with Confectioners Sugar or Cocoa Powder

Or

Finely Grated Chocolate..... 

Serve warm with a dollop of plain yogurt or whip cream on the top. 


 

Bundt Cake abound! Check out...yup Betty Crocker @
 http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults?st=1&term=bundt%20cake&src=SH

You Melt my Heart

After Easter stock up on assorted solid chocolate bunnies 'n things.

At half the regular price they are cheaper than buying bags of chocolate chips.

Use a hammer to break up chunks ( in a fairly heavy plastic bag) for cookies

and keep bigger chunks for grating in and on cakes.

Chocolate freeze  well..

Frozen or aging chocolate will turn a little spotty white

but it does not destroy the taste or the quality of the chocolate.

You can shave the chocolate with a sharp knife to remove the white if you like.

Normal is still a Relative to me.

I lived a normal childhood. As normal was to me...

We drove our bicycles without helmets and rode in cars without belts. We played outside unprotected and unsupervised.

We made mud pies in the sun shine and drew with chalk on walks,
 while guzzling Kool Aid and eating hot dogs.

We walked alone to school and home everyday
to Parents who would reiterate what our Teachers had said.

We respected our elders and our National Anthem too
 because we knew that's what was expected of you.

We stood at attention while singing out loud;
 eager,excited, naive and proud.


 Nightly, we gathered together in the family room
 to tune in to what The Beverly Hillbillies were doing.
 The racey comedy...Jed, Granny and Elly May with all her moves!

 The Carol Burnett Show was funny and the Fonz was cool too
 but our favorite was the Brady Bunch who lived with blended rules.
We would watch the Walton's just before heading to bed
right after the Public Announcement on the TV had said,
BEEEEEP.
 It's now 9:00 PM. Do you know where your children are?

 Sunday was dump day, our favorite family activity. It was close, easy and absolutely free!
The icing on the cake so to speak was chomping down on a burger from the burger family
 while chugging down a shake in a race with siblings.
 Brain freeze and deep fryers hold good memories for me.

The air was fresh and the food was too, it was the second hand smoke that might kill you.
People puffed in the Market and in their cars, in hospital rooms and in shopping malls.
Smoke, smoke where ever you are!.

The neighbors were believed to be looking out for and not peeking in on the community.
The elderly were warm but not fresh so when you went next door to borrow sugar
you could bet
that there was nothing else that went with that, except perhaps getting a home made cookie.
Getting a little more than you were asking for is what that meant.

I'm a little older than I used to be and although once taller than I've now shrunk to be,
but the normal that once was, is still  relative to me. My Parents live not far away.
 
I sit down feeling like I'm seven again, to laugh along with Carol and Harvey and friends,
warmed by the memories of  family and thankful for the ever running, re runs on Satellite TV!
 when suddenly a familiar BEEEEEP emotes from the TV,
a public service announcement....now, on the state of reality. 

  The egg lady has busted the Lawyers To Do, 
 the kids are looser and the drugs are too.
  It's no longer legal to shop at the dump
  and family time now features -The Donald Trump!

   The Principal has run off with Mama PTA
   just a week before graduation day.
   Our parliament is puffing over second hand smoke
   and the legal system is wounded, some would even say broke.


 The good old days are gone some say; left town shortly after Jed and Ellie-May..
As I prepare to get on my way, I'm thankful for the relatives that gave normal to me.
Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Dad, love you. See you next week.

What more Knead You?

There is nothing better than the aroma of fresh bread... 
except of course the sensational taste of finally getting it to eat it!
I have had and used this 2 hour Bread Recipe for years.
I got it Gladys the Camp Cook I worked with years ago in the camps of Northern Alberta and the NWT.

 Lillian the Domestic Engineer
Here it is!  Gladys 2 Hour Bread Recipe
I make up a full batch of dough and form it into a variety of things;
 Doughnuts (and the holes of course) for deep frying, cheese sticks for baking, buns for dinner, bread for lunch tomorrow, pizza to have left over for another day and cinnamon sticks for the moment their ready...
 This recipe is easily made in half batches.

  
In one bowl  Combine the 1st 3 ingredients and let rise in warm place for 10 min.
4 Tbsp Sugar
3 cups warm water
 4 Tbsp. Traditional Yeast
  

In another bowl  Combine 2nd ingredients together and cool to lukewarm
3 Cups Boiling Water
12 Tbsp. sugar
12 Tbsp. oil
 4 Tsp. salt                                        

        

Add to the second  mixture (once cooled) and beat in until well mixed
 4 beaten eggs
 2 Cups flour

Continue adding and mixing flour into the 2nd bowl until the dough is past the sticky stage.
 8-9 Cups of flour
After the addition of the first 6-7 cups of flour, I find it's easiest to dump the dough onto a well floured, clean surface and vigorously knead in the last couple of cups of flour.
Knead it like you need to. Work up a sweat and a smooth, air filled dough. Fold dough over and over onto itself

 I have  replaced a cup of flour for a cup of oatmeal (which I grind to a flour like powder between my hands before adding) and have also added a few Tbsp of natural oat bran without detection or complaint.

Put dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with clean cloth and let rise in a warm place for  
15 minutes.

ONE PUNCH  down onto lightly floured surface knead for 2-4 minutes
  Return dough to bowl  and let  rise for another
 15 minutes.
TWO PUNCH    down on lightly floured surface kneading for 2-4 minutes
Return dough to bowl and let rise for another
15 minutes.
THREE PUNCH  down on lightly floured surface and return dough to bowl to rise for the last
 15 minutes.
Last wait  before Forming your BREAD products.

While you wait DO  Prep your baking pans with a light coat of spray or liquid oil.
 Get your cheese for the pizza and the bread sticks grated, mix together the cinnamon and sugar for both the cinnamon buns/sticks and of course for the doughnuts and holes.
Roll out dough and form into bread, cinnamon buns, bread and cheese sticks, dinner buns, doughnuts or a pizza pan. 

Cut Doughnuts using a mason jar lid and a bottle cap to cut out the center holes..
 Let them rise also for 15 minutes before deep frying .
I put about 1 1/2 inches of clean cooking oil in a deep frying pan and deep fry 3-4 doughnuts at a time absolutely, very carefully.. Hot oil anywhere can certainly be a danger, do take care! You could also add small bits  of chopped apple to make apple fritters! I like to glaze some of the doughnuts with icing sugar and warm water and all the holes get shaken warm in a brown lunch bag with a cinnamon sugar mix. These are even better than the mini doughnuts  you buy at the midway!

Let rise for 15 minutes.
Bake in 350 degree oven  for 10-15 minutes for all except bread loaves, which will take up to 50 min.
I like to rub a bit of  butter on my bread loaves and buns when they come out of the oven. It soften the crust.

MMMMmm and the reality is that before indulging myself, I simply cannot resist the desire to add the likes of at least a slab or patty of butter or two, to the warm top...the sides and oh yeh..in the middle too!

 These are my Cinnamon Buns. I roll out long triangle shapes, similar to a croissant and paint with melted butter and the mixture of cinnamon and sugar before rolling up, starting at the wide end. They have been iced with a glaze of icing sugar, butter and warm water. Can't you just smell them?

 

These of course are the Cheese Sticks.  They are good for several days, unlike the doughnuts that really are best eaten on the first day.

I didn't on this day but I have made Pizza Sticks. Squeeze on the store bought pizza sauce and top with grated cheese. Bake. 

The cheese sticks are great the second day sliced open and grilled in the toaster oven.

Stuff with a slice of leftover chicken or roast, spinach leaf or other greenery, mayonnaise and mustard-

TERRIFIC, Let's Eat!

What more could you knead!

Happy Holiday

                                      My kind of Holiday. I stay put and the world goes away!
                                                      

Happy Holiday

              An unusually beautiful, quiet, calm greeted me 
                       as I stepped out my front door this morning. 

                                    No crickets cricketing, no birds chirping, no bugs a buzzing.
                                    No coyotes calling, no dogs bawling...no bunnies running!
 
                                   No neighbors waking, no kids cruising, no cats prowling.
                                   No calling commitments, no commitments calling.

                                  No TV roaring, no radio blaring, no wind blowing.
                                  No highway traffic, no trucks passing.

                                 It's a Long weekend and everyone is away
                                                  Even the wind is on a holiday!

                              I intend to enjoy every moment of this precious day.

                                       Think I'll play in my garden today
                                                     The weeds here never take a holiday!            

Lillian the Domestic Engineer

                                                        I shall Rest, Relax and Rejuvenate                                                                                                                     The world gets back on Sunday night.
                                                                         My DAZE HERE

Spring Time and Amazon.

 Spring into new things..
 Lillian the Domestic Engineer 

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  Amazon now brings beauty and practicality to your door!
                            

I know, I know it's 40 Below..

I know, I know it is 40 below
  but the SUN will shine

 
          This I know!
     
Check out this gorgeous IGLOO 
 made of beautiful handmade ice bricks.

        IGLOO Visit to the North!

 Try freezing colored water into balloons. 
Once the Ice Ball is frozen remove the balloon
 and display the glass ball as desired.
 They are gorgeous to see in the sun. 
Dress up your deck, your yard, your winter day.

   

 

 the Beauty of a winters day

  the colors of winter play

                                                 

 the light on a January day

                                                  
  simply...

Take my breath away!

Have yourself a beautiful day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't forget to go out and play. 
 Take out a spray bottle filled with warm water and food coloring. Take out two or three, all different colors! 
A perfect use for those terrific squirt bottles that I personally hate to throw away.
 Go on SPRAY Momma SPRAY!
I think a wonderful Guinness Record challenge would be to create the longest colored Snow Ball Caterpillar!
If each of 500 kids rolled up and spray painted a snowball it would take no time at all!
 Perhaps the kids at a school near you are up 
                                                                                              to the challenge?

  All from the start
                of a Snowball 

These backyard balls were a blast to make
 and a joy to meet!