Honey Brownies- SUCCESS!!! Finally!

I don't like cakey brownies. As a result I have gone through several different recipes for brownies made with honey with out any success. Oh, if I wasn't so picky! I found one and tried to once. Failure- I accidentally added baking soda AND baking powder when I was supposed to just add powder. Second try- increased flour and did not use baking soda. Almost but not quite what I was looking for. Third try- now this says something because I NEVER try a recipe three times. This time I changed the amounts of honey and maple syrup and PERFECTION! Even my husband who has not truly embraced the no sugar lifestyle I have introduced said they were really good and he ate several. Hooray! I will count that as success. I frosted them with this chocolate frosting- HERE.

Chewy Honey Brownies
Cream together:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C honey
1/2 C maple syrup- the REAL kind!
Add in:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Stir in:
1/2 C flour
1/3 C cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease an 8x8 in pan. Pour the batter mix into it. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top will be glossy.
Frost when cool and enjoy healthy, yummy, chocolatey goodness.

Paleo Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not really ALL about the new Paleo diet that is taking the world by storm. I just don't agree with some of the things about it. For one I am totally not into raw meat like some Paleos are doing and I also think that whole grains are a beautiful thing if used in moderation. That being said, I have found some really good recipes on Paleo websites and have fallen in love with them. I am on day 16 without any refined sugars in my diet. All I am allowing myself for sweeteners is real fruits, honey and 100% maple syrup. I actually feel really, really good and have tossed around the idea of never going back to white sugars and all their offspring.

There are times like today when I just needed something sweet and so I decided to make this recipe that I came across. Unlike some other paleo cookies I have made these kept their shape and taste amazing!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 C almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 c coconut oil
2 T honey
4 T mini dark chocolate chips (preferably 62% or higher cacao)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine the flour, salt and soda. Add the egg, oil, and honey  until dough forms. Stir in the chips.
Scoop onto cookie sheets with a cookie scoop. I used one that was about a tablespoon.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Now this is important: Once you take them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack let them sit for about 15 minutes before eating them. Trust me!

Makes about 22 cookies depending on size

The perfect brownie from a mix!

My mom mentioned that she had found this brownie mix recipe that was really fast, easy and really, really good. Then I was at her house one day and tasted a brownie from this mix and completely agreed.
I love the box brownies because they are fast and easy and always taste really good. So I thought that I (she) had finally found the recipe that I needed. She mentioned that she just searched it online and got the recipe. I did the same. Made the mix I found and then made the brownies. But something was seriously wrong. They were not that good.
Then I compared my recipe to hers and found they were totally different. Now I have the right one and can make brownies whenever I fancy. Like I did at 7:30 this morning! LOL

Brownie Master Mix
4 C flour
6 c sugar
2 1/2 c cocoa
3 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 C shortening
2 C mini chocolate chips (optional- I added these for more chocolate- you can never have enough right?)
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Cut in the shortening. Will store for 3 months on the shelf or 5 months in the fridge in an airtight container.

To make the brownies-
grease an 8x8 pan
Mix:
2 C master mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Stir until completely mixed in. Put in pan. Bake 350 for 25 minutes.

These are SUPER good with chocolate frosting, but still wonderful without!

Nutella Brownies

The virtues of these brownies far outway the fact that they are pretty expensive to make. The taste that the Nutella gives them is pure bliss. The top is all crinkly, like every good brownie should be, with a fudgey center. I am wondering if there is any place I can buy Nutella in bulk now, just so I can make these again and again!

Nutella Brownies
Ingredients:

½ cup flour

¼ tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup Nutella

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:Preheat oven to 325F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.Sift together flour and salt; set aside.Beat eggs, Nutella, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Alternately add butter and flour mixture, beating until well incorporated. Spread into prepared pan.Bake at 325F for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack. Makes 16 brownies

Chocolate Mouthful of Peanut butter bars

Haven't cut these yet as they are for the picnic tomorrow at our friends house. I bet they will be good though. I mean, how can chocolate and peanut butter not be good?

Chocolate Mouthful of Peanut Butter Bars

6 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/4 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 C sugar
4 lg eggs
3 T corn syrup
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C peanuts
1 C creamy peanut butter

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Cream together sugar, eggs and corn syrup. Add chocolate/butter mixture. Mix in dry ingredients until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Fold in peanuts. Put in a greased and floured 9x13 in pan. Top with melted peanut butter, running a knife through it to stir it into the chocolate a little. Bake @ 325 for 35 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

Update: These were not gooey brownies, but very solid and cake like!