Food Friday: Brownie Mix Waffles

My sister sent me a good-sounding recipe a couple of weeks ago.  We had company coming to stay overnight with us this week. I thought it would be great to give the recipe a try.  After all, I never mind trying out new foods on guests.  Guinea pigs are great news to me!!!

So we made the brownie mix waffles.

In a large bowl mix a package of brownie mix with 4 eggs, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  Stir until well combined.

Pour 1/4 cup batter in each well of a pre-heated pre-sprayed-with-oil-spray waffle iron and let cook for 3-4 minutes, until the light indicates the waffle is cooked.

This made three full waffles, which, in our waffle maker was 12 square waffles...one was enough for each serving but we each took two of them!

On top of the brownie mix waffles we placed Banana Strawberry ice cream we had made in the Vitamix.  This was 4 frozen bananas at 2-3 cups fresh strawberries which were blended for less than a minute and made VERY GOOD "ice cream" with no guilt at all.

On top of the ice cream we put hot fudge sauce. I will put up that recipe on Monday.

As far as I was concerned, this dessert did not live up to my expectations.  There was something a little strange about the texture of the waffle.  It was not at all brownie-like.  Everyone else seemed to enjoy the dessert.

The best part of the dessert was the hot fudge sauce, in my opinion...

Munchie Monday: Brownie Bites

It seems like every time we went to a function over the last few years someone had brought brownie bites to share.  They were nice thick round store-bought treats.  The advantage was that if you could each just one, you had a treat and not so many calories as a full brownie.

Last week I was at Michaels, had a coupon, and saw a 24-well silicon baking pan.  Well, I took that as evidence that I should add something to our kitchen arsenal.  (It would have been good if I had seen a cooling rack at the same time...!). So, I did purchase it.  With plans to make some homemade brownie bites some day.

Well, that day may be sooner than I imagined.  One day this week we had a phone call at the office inviting us to the Senior Missionary Couples' Family Home Evening coming up next weekend. AND we were invited to bring the refreshments.  So far refreshments have  been things like carrot cake,  apple crisp, and once, some chopped fruit with only a little watermelon in it.  Dear One suggested that we bring vegetables.  Well, that appeals to me, but on Sunday evening I think most couples are more interested in a sweet. So, maybe I will make brownie bites.

 Because we have "kitchen basics" here, I am using the white bowl whose actual function I do not know. I used it to mix the brownie mix with the red spoonula I finally purchased earlier this week. The rubber scraper here left too much to be desired.  I had brought two portion scoops with me.  This is the two-tablespoon one.  You only need 1 tablespoon of batter per well.  I baked these bites for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F then let them cool for 15 minutes before pushing them out of the wells.  Since we do not currently have a cooling rack, a situation I plan to remedy really soon, I set the cookie sheet on which I had set the silicon pan to bake on top of a second rimmed baking sheet to get a little air underneath.

Here is the second pan of brownie bites out of the oven and nicely cooked.  You can see that I used cooking spray on the pan.  I do not know if that is necessary but I HATE having things stick to pans.

After letting the bites cool at least fifteen minutes I turned the pan over and pushed them out of each well.  No, if you were thinking they would just pop out unassisted, you would be wrong.  They did come out rather easily, though.









Here you can see them as they came out of the pan.  (Yes, you can also see ant buttons in the background.  I am just leaving them there to scare off the ants.  I will dispose of the buttons soon, probably. )

The 18.4 ounce box of brownie mix made 56 brownie bites, 1 tablespoon of batter per well.

Dear One and I are really enjoying the bites.  I had four. I won't say how many he had!  I believe I will take them to the office tomorrow.  Did I already say the?!

Food Today: Oreo Brownie Peanut Butter Cupcakes!

A friend told me about the blog of one of her friends....networking is everything, isn't it!  I went to that blog which is called "I Sing In The Kitchen".   This particular recipe struck my fancy but made a few changes.

We have a "birthday party" for our women's Relief Society at church this week. I am one of the ladies bringing cupcakes.  When I saw the recipe I just had to make it.

In preparation I needed to bring home some Oreo cookies and a brownie mix, treats that are rarely seen around here...  I have a very good brownie recipe but really like the ease and moistness of brownie boxed mixes, so I purchased several of them, as well, not knowing how much brownie batter I would need.  It turns out that one box (18.4 ounces) of dry brownie mix will make one and a half dozen 2 1/2 inch cupcakes.

I Sing In The Kitchen used mini Oreos and tiny cupcake papers.  I chose to use the regular size ones...being a bit slothful. 

SO...if I was to give a recipe:

Stack two Oreos together with peanut butter in between, or use sweetened cream cheese!

1 or 2 bags of Oreo cookies (I used regular size)
Peanut butter, creamy or chunky
2 or 3 brownie mixes
Cupcake papers (I used 2.5 inch papers)
Frosting

Prepare brownie mix according to box directions.  Put cupcake papers into muffin tins.  Take a small spoonful of peanut butter and spread it onto one Oreo then top with another Oreo and place in cupcake paper in muffin tin.  With a small portion scoop, scoop up brownie batter and carefully release it onto the Oreo stack then put the tin in the oven.

When cooking the brownie Oreo peanut butter cupcakes, my oven took 17-20 minutes to cook at 350 degrees F..  I pulled the pans out when the edges were just a bit soft knowing that they would continue to cook a little a they cooled.

Oreo stacks with brownie batter on top prior to cooking.

Cool 1-2 minutes in the pan then remove from tin and finish cooling on a rack until completely cool.

Make your favorite decorating icing and decorate the cupcakes as you choose.  Since mine are still not cool as I write this post, I do not have photos of icing yet. I place to put a small curlicue or a simple blossom on top.  Not being much of a decorator, this will tax my skill and creativity to the max, as it happens!

Cooked and cooling brownie Oreo peanut butter cupcakes!