Mmm-Mmm Better Brownies

Rated: Submitted By: Sarah Photo By: LaurenM Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 16

"I personally think these are the best brownies in the world. Try them, I think you'll agree! To make the brownies rich and buttery, use melted butter instead of the vegetable oil."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2.	In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
3.	Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Peanut Butter Fudge
recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil until your thermometer reaches 234 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 4 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8x8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

Salted Caramel Fudge

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup International Delight Salted Caramel Coffee Creamer
1 (12oz) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (7.5oz) jar marshmallow fluff
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup caramel sauce
sea salt for garnish

Directions:

Combine butter, sugar and coffee creamer in a medium size saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until candy thermometer reads 248°.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, marshmallow fluff, salt and vanilla. Mix well and pour into a greased 8 x 8 casserole dish. Let cool completely. Pour over caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt.

Make Your Own Sweetened Condensed Milk

If you are like me, you start to make a recipe that needs sweetened condensed milk, and you are 100 % sure you have it in your pantry, only to discover after starting the recipe that it was evaporated milk in your pantry. Great! Before grabbing your keys to run to the store or sending your hubby to the store and spending 15 minutes on the phone trying to explain where it is in the store and what the difference is between evaporated and sweetened condensed milk (not saying that has every happened to me!) I have a quick and easy solution!

Here is an inexpensive recipe you can make from ingredients we usually have on hand to make your own!

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Ingredients:

3/4 cup powdered milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup hot water

Directions:

In small bowl combine the powdered milk and the sugar. Set aside Put hot water into blender. Start blender. With blender going pour in the powdered milk /sugar mixture. Blend until smooth.  This recipe equals one can of store bought condensed milk.

Jan's tip: If you are using the sweetened condensed milk in a recipe where it is replacing the shortening, as in some cookie recipes, add 4 Tablespoons of butter or margarine to the hot water.