Saucepan Brownies

Sometimes, there is nothing like a good brownie. This brownie recipe is a nice cake-like brownie that makes a small batch for when you just need a few brownies. Brownies are often categorized as cake-like or fudge-like. Some people only like one type or the other. I like all brownies. If you like cake-like brownies, this recipe is for you.

These brownies are mixed together in a saucepan and are quite easy to make. These brownies are just as easy as using a boxed brownie mix. I made this recipe without nuts. When I was a kid, I did not like nuts. Now, I love nuts in most baked goods. But for me, the best brownies are brownies without nuts. 

Saucepan Brownies 

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 6 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1.4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and water. Over medium heat, bring to just a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips until melted smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. If using nuts, stir in half the nuts. Spread the batter in a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Drop Cookies

This recipe is another recipe from Mom's recipe box for cookies with nuts. After I delivered some of the cookies to Mom, MDS recalled how Grandpa loved cookies with nuts so much that he might not eat cookies without nuts. I am sure that he would like these cookies. The use of brown sugar results in a caramel taste and the nuts create a nice crunch to contrast the chewy cookie.

Mom's recipe called for using an electric mixer. I just did hand mixing. The cookies probably would have been fluffier had I used an electric mixer. But the cookies were just fine. When baking the cookies, I used both a silicone baking mat and the grease and flour method from Mom's recipe. Either method works, but the silicone baking mat was slightly easier. I do recommend allowing the cookies five minutes or so to cool on the pan before removing the cookies.

Brown Sugar Drop Cookies 

• 1 egg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a mixer bowl, beat the egg until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes on high speed). Add sugar and vanilla; stir until smooth. Quickly stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Blend in walnuts. By teaspoon, drop onto greased and floured cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes or until brown at the edge. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before removing. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Raisin Squares

This recipe reminds me of Rice Pudding, which was Dad's favorite, only instead of rice, there is a shortbread-style crust. On top of the crust, a custardy mix is poured and then baked until set. The result is a creamy treat with the benefit of cinnamon and nutmeg seasoning.

The crust is is a basic blend that is baked first. Then the filling is poured over the baked crust and returned to the oven for more time.  When I made this recipe, I did not have any sour cream on hand, so I substituted Greek yogurt. The result was just fine. I also used a little more cinnamon and nutmeg than called for in the recipe because those two flavors are so good.

Sour Cream Raisin Squares 

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened

Filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup raisins

Combine the flour, sugar, and butter for the crust. Mix until it resembles small peas. Press evenly into a 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 12 to 17 minutes. Combine the sugar, milk, sour cream, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Mix until blended. Stir in raisins. Pour over crust; return pan to oven Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting

On Thanksgiving, I made a huge batch of fresh whipped cream that was devoured by the family. So, for Meg's birthday, I thought I would try strawberry whipped cream frosting for her cake. It was another hit; everyone enjoyed the frosting. I just used the frosting on a standard yellow cake. I do think that this frosting would also be excellent on a chocolate cake too. Megan had a terrific 39th Birthday!

For this recipe, I used freeze dried strawberries that can easily be found at Trader Joe's or Aldi. Just grind the freeze dried strawberries in a food processor into a powder with some small pieces remaining. Fresh or frozen strawberries could also be used, but need to be cooked down and strained to remove some of the liquid. This recipe uses more powdered sugar than regular whipped cream to make a more stable whipped cream that serves better as frosting. To make whipped cream, I use my blender instead of a mixer. It seems to work fast but does need to be checked on regularly otherwise you will end up with really sweet butter.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting 

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered freeze dried strawberries

Place the cream, sugar, and powdered strawberries in a blending. Blend for two minutes. Check the consistency. Continue blending, checking frequently until you get the desired consistency. Frost your favorite cake. Enjoy!

Glazed Pecan Cake

I do not remember this cake from my childhood probably because I was not a big fan of nuts when I was young. But now I love nuts and regularly eats nuts and include them in recipes. This recipe is a fairly standard yellow cake recipe with the addition of nuts. I have used many variations of powdered sugar glaze, but this recipe introduced me to honey glaze.  The honey nicely complements the pecans

The recipe calls for using an electric mixer to prepare the batter. I just mixed by hand, which might have made my cake denser, but it was just fine for me. I liked the use of pecans but other types of nuts could be used. Hazelnut might be a good substitution.

Glazed Pecan Cake 

• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup butter

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add 1 cup softerned butter, two eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer at medium speed for two minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Add remaining two eggs; beat two minutes longer. Fold in pecans. Pour into a greased ten-inch tube pan. Bake at 375 for about one hour or until done. Cool in the pan for ten minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Prepare the honey glaze by placing the honey and the 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan. Boil for three minutes. Brush glaze over the cake. Enjoy!

Dutch Baby

This recipe is not an old family favorite but might just become a new family favorite. A Dutch Baby is a baked, custardy pancake. On New Year's Day, we often like to have breakfast for lunch, so I thought I would give this recipe a try. The Dutch Baby was so delicious. I enjoyed it with maple syrup and a side of bacon for a very delicious meal.

The Dutch Baby is very easy to make. The ingredients are pantry staples. After mixing the batter, it is poured into a pre-heated and buttered cast iron skillet. Then, it is baked in the oven. It is best to use a cast iron or oven-safe metal skillet because the outside will get more crispy while the inside will remain custardy. 

Dutch Baby 

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. butter 

Prepare the batter by mixing the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla until there are no lumps. Preheat the oven to 425. Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet while the oven is preheating. Remove the skillet and place the butter into the skillet. Swirl the butter around. Return the buttered skillet to the oven for about one minute to slightly allow the butter to brown. Then, add the batter to the skillet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Brown-eyed Orange Bars

I made these bars for this year's Christmas cookie bags. I am not sure how well they will survive the bags, but these bars are a delicious holiday treat. I just love the orange and chocolate flavor combination. The brown-eyed in the recipe name refers to chocolate chips. It might be better to call these Chocolate Chip Orange Bars.

Making these bars is quite easy. The recipe calls for grated orange rind, which is not too hard with a hand grater or could be left off. But I think it enhances the orange flavor, so I recommend keeping the grated orange rind in the recipe. When I made these bars, I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 to use a 9x13 pan instead of a 9x9 pan. The use of dry milk powder adds a nice richness to the recipe.

Brown-eyed Orange Bars 

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup instant dry milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 egg
• 2 tsps. vanilla

Orange glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange rind

Sift the flour, dry milk, baking powder, and salt together. Add butter, sugar, orange rind, orange juice, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in a greased and floured 9x9 pan. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until bars pull away from sides of pan. Make the orange glaze by blending the powdered sugar, orange juice, and grated orange rind. While warm, spread with orange glaze. When cool cut. Enjoy!