Deep, Dark Chocolate Brownies

2 sticks (8 oz) butter
8 oz good-quality semisweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch metal pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray. Alternatively, you may use parchment. These are pretty sticky at first!

Melt butter and chocolate in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar to the hot chocolate mixture. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.

Whisk in remaining 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth. Whisk in salt and cocoa powder, then add flour and stir until it disappears (do not overbeat).

Spread in pan and bake until a pick inserted in center comes out with crumbs, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature then chill for an hour or more. Lift from pan, place on a cutting board, cut into squares.

Makes 1 13×9 inch pan (yield depends on how big you cut your brownies, but they are rich, so small is fine.

Very Very RICH Blueberry Dessert

This is a very rich dessert but is one of my favorites. I got the recipe YEARS ago from one of my good friends when we lived in Springville. (That's how many years ago it was!!) Beware though because it has LOTS of butter and calories and you will only want a small piece!! Another caution, it is not a cooked dessert and calls for raw eggs. I use "Egg Beaters" for this recipe. You could easily alter this recipe by adding more cream cheese (12 oz instead of 8) and cutting the butter to 1 1/2 cubes instead of 2 (or 3/4 cup butter instead of 1 cup butter). You can also add another can of pie filling if you desire!

I am giving the original recipe as I received it:

Blueberry Dessert

Mix together and press into 9x13" pan except save out 2 TBSP of the crumbs:

3 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 Tbps butter melted

In a bowl cream together: (Mix until light and fluffy)
2 eggs (I use 1/2 cup Egg Beaters which is equivalent to 2 eggs)
1 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz package cream cheese

Spread on top of prepared crust then add:
1 large can blueberry pie filling

On top of pie filling ADD:
1 pint real whipped cream (sweetened with 1/4 -1/3 cup sugar to taste and vanilla)

Last Step-Spread the nut crumb mixture on top of Whipping Cream:
Mix 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans with 2 TBSP crumb mix that you saved

Refrigerate until set (about 2 hours). Cut into SMALL squares to serve.
Makes at least 20 servings ormore depending on size of square.

HEAVENLY PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Heavenly Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Kitchen Cafe

1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (I used salted butter and cut the 1/4 teaspoon salt down to 1/8 teaspoon), 1 cup peanut butter at room temperature, ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar, ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1 large egg, at room temperature, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup peanut butter chips, ½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern but do not overly flatten cookies (like Deb from Smitten Kitchen, because I want to be just like her, I used the back of a flat spatula to flatten - don't ask me why I avoided the crisscross pattern, like I said, I just wanted to mimic Deb's exact actions with these cookies). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (I only baked mine for about 9 minutes). Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Lauralyn's Chicken Salad

Lauralyn’s Chicken Salad


4-5 chicken breasts:
(You can buy a chicken (rotisserie kind) at the deli and cut that up or you can boil chicken breasts until done or you can buy the chicken breasts with skin and bone on (this is my favorite way because the chicken is so tender and moist!!)

If you do the chicken breasts with bone and skin on, this is what you do:
Place the chicken skin side up on a cookie sheet or baking tray. Coat the chicken skin with olive oil (or you can use canola or any oil if you don't have olive oil). Generously salt and pepper the chicken and place in 350 oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when you pierce chicken with a fork. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pull off skin and remove from bone. Cut the chicken (or you can shred if you like) into bite size pieces.

To the cut up chicken add:
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup pecans chopped-not too fine- or slivered almonds
1 large container grapes (red or green or both-it doesn't matter although red have higher nutritional value) I buy the big bags of grapes or the containers at Costco and use the whole thing because I like extra grapes.
1 cup chopped dried apricots (you can buy them at Wallmart and it will take several packages to get a cup or you can buy them at Costco
Mayonaise (about 1 cup or so-- you will have to add enough until it is moist and the chicken and other ingredients are well coated)
Salt and pepper (be generous)
A titch of onion salt and you can also add a little tiny pinch of poultry seasoning (Do this all to taste)
**Sometimes I add chopped granny smith or fuji or gala apples but when I made it for Jessi's wedding shower, I just used the apricots.

Mix altogether and refrigerate.

Lauralyn's Chicken Salad

Lauralyn’s Chicken Salad

4 chicken breasts
(You can buy a chicken (rotisserie kind) at the deli and cut that up
or you can boil chicken breasts until done
or you can buy the chicken breasts with skin and bone on (this is my favorite way because the chicken is so tender and moist!!)
If you do the chicken breasts with bone and skin on, this is what you do:
Place the chicken skin side up on a cookie sheet or baking tray. Coat the chicken skin with olive oil (or you can use canola or any oil if you don't have olive oil). Generously salt and pepper the chicken and place in 350 oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when you pierce chicken with a fork. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pull off skin and remove from bone. Cut the chicken (or you can shred if you like) into bite size pieces.

To the cut up chicken add:
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup pecans chopped-not too fine- or slivered almonds
1 large container grapes (red or green or both-it doesn't matter although red have higher nutritional value) I buy the big bags of grapes or the containers at Costco and use the whole thing.
1 cup chopped dried apricots (you can buy them at Wallmart and it will take several packages to get a cup or you can buy them at Costco
Mayonaise (about 1 cup or so-- you will have to add enough until it is moist and the chicken and other ingredients are well coated)
Salt and pepper (be generous)
A titch of onion salt and you can also add a little tiny pinch of poultry seasoning (Do this all to taste)
**Sometimes I add chopped granny smith or fuji or gala apples but when I made it for the shower, I just used the apricots.

Mix altogether and refrigerate.

Mediterranean Tacos

My friend, Barbara who lives here in Texas serves these little tacos that are to die for (in mine and Jenn's opinion). We call them mediterranean tacos, even though I have no idea why we call them that-maybe it's the feta cheese. Anyway, Jennie and I make them alot cuz we are always craving them:
Here is how you make them:

Mediterranean Tacos

white corn tortillas
(Jennie and I have found a grocery store here that makes tortillas similar to Cafe Rio but a little thicker and smaller and they melt in your mouth they are so good-so we now use those- so you could try something similar if you don't like white corn tortillas)
Red onion
Sliced avacados
Sliced fresh tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Slice the red onion very thin and saute in a pan with a tiny bit of olive oil,just until tender. (It only takes a few minutes.
Heat the tortillas in a nonstick frying pan (don't need to use oil) or use the microwave. (For the corn tortillas we like the fry pan better)
Slice the vegies
Assemble with the feta cheese and onions first.