Brownies

Who doesn't love brownies!!  But why pay $1.50 - $2.50 a box, when you can whip up a batch for under a $1.00.  Let me show you my brownie mix - it's lower in sugar and fat and tastes so much better...

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 8 X 8 baking dish - this mix will come together pretty quick.

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teas salt
1/4 teas baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup applesauce (see my note below)
1 teas vanilla

Note:  I make my own applesauce, but you can use store bought.  We like using applesauce, to cut down on the fat.  If you want to use 1/2 cup oil, then you will probably want to increase the sugar to 1 full cup.

In a large bowl measure together the sugar, flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder.  Stir together.

 Now add the applesauce, eggs and vanilla to the flour mixture.

 Stir until well mixed, but don't over work the mixture.  Pour into your pan.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until done.

And there you have it.  From start to finish in only 1/2 hour a pan of delicious brownies.  These never last at our house.  My husband and the grand kids just love them.  They are so moist and delicious.  And they cost so much less then the boxed brownies, (and because I use applesauce, to cut down on the sugar and fat - it's healthier).

Try these and let me know what your family thinks.

Barb's Banana Bread

This Banana Bread is SO EASY, that you won't need to get out your mixer.  We always have ripe bananas around the house, so this is pretty much a bread that I make quite a lot.  And if your bananas are ripening and you don't have time to make the bread, just throw the bananas in the freezer until your ready to make the bread, pull them out about 5 minutes ahead of time and they'll be ready to go...

Here's what you'll need:

3 or 4 ripe bananas (the riper the better)
1/3 cup applesauce (* see note below)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teas. vanilla
1 teas. baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup chocolate chips

NOTE:  I make my own applesauce, (just core the apple and cut into 8 slices and boil in a small amount of water until tender, then process in the food processor).  You can use store bought applesauce, or if you want the extra fat even use 1/3 cup of melted butter.  We find that we like the taste of the applesauce MUCH better and don't miss the fat at all!!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  This bread will come together quickly, so you need your oven ready to go.  Spray a bread loaf pan, (or butter it).  I use an 8 X 4 inch size for this banana bread.

Mash the bananas.  Boy do these smell wonderful.

 In a large bowl combine the mashed bananas and applesauce.

 Mix well with a spoon.   NO NEED FOR A MIXER.  You'll just use your wooden spoon for this bread mix.

Add in sugar, egg, and vanilla.

 Mix well with spoon.

 Add in flour and chocolate chips.  Mix well.

If you want to add a few nuts at this point you can.  My husband doesn't really like nuts in his banana bread so I leave them out, but walnuts or pecans would be good.

 Pour into bread pan

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool on rack.  Remove from pan, slice and enjoy.

This is delicious.  Your family won't miss the fat and extra sugar that other banana breads have - we've replaced them with God's natural sugar from the applesauce.   I have made this in small gift size loafs for family, neighbors, and friends.  They all love it and are surprised that I use applesauce.  When I tell them they all ask for the recipe.

Now go make something healthy and delicious for your family.  Let me know what you think.

Easy Irish Soda Bread

OK - have you got your St. Patrick's Day meal ready?  Do you need a delicious and easy Irish Soda Bread?  This is the one!!  It's moist, richly sweet and so easy, you'll want to eat it all year long.

 4 cups all purpose flour
4 Tbsp white sugar
1 teas baking soda
1 Tbsp baking power
1/2 teas salt
1 teas orange peel
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 cups Craisins (or raisins)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg

1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  I like to cook my bread in a cast iron pan, so I put the pan in the oven to preheat.  But you can also cook your bread on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or lightly greased, (if your in a pinch).

 In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and orange peel.  Stir lightly to combine.

Add 1/2 cup softened margarine.  (Sometimes I will use butter to give my bread an extra rich creamy flavor.)   Stir until combined.  Remember the key is not to over handle the dough or it will be tough.

 Add the 2 cups of Craisins, (or raisins), and stir in gently.

 Next to the 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 egg and mix till incorporated.  Add to the flour mixture and stir in.  Once your dough has come together, (it will be rather wet), turn out unto your lightly floured surface and shaped into a round flat loaf.  Remember - don't over handle the dough or the bread will have a tough texture.

 Place the loaf in your baking pan.  Brush the top with a mixture of 1/4 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup buttermilk.  Cut an X in the top of the loaf, (this will help the inside of the loaf to cook evenly).  Cook for 40-60 minutes - depending on what type of baking pan you use.  When I use my pre-heated cast iron pan, it only takes 40 minutes.  If I use a cookie sheet it can take 45-60 minutes.  I always test the temperature of my bread for 200 degrees for doneness.

 OH, I wish you could smell how wonderful this is.  It comes out so nicely browned.  I place it on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan.

YUMMY - a nice slice of bread and some butter.  This is so good and so easy to make.  And it was so inexpensive.  I noticed that the loafs in the store were rock hard and selling for $5 a loaf.  I made a loaf twice the size for only a couple of dollars.


You give this a try - and let me know how yours turned out.


This will go so well with our corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Ranch Dressing Mix

This mix is so versatile, I use it for making dips and several different types of salad dressings.  So let's mix up some of this and keep it on the pantry shelf.  The next time you need it, it will be on hand and only cost pennies.

 I bet you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry.
2 Tabs dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper

You will notice there's NO salt!!  You DON'T need it when your using herbs to cook with, your food will taste SO MUCH better - trust me

Just measure everything together in a small bowl

 Stir gently - and there you have it!!  It make about 4 Tbsp worth of mix, but it goes a long way.

Just store it in an airtight container, or plastic baggie.  I use a clean herb container.  Now how do you use it....... Read on.....

Need some Ranch Dip -  Mix 1 cup of sour cream with 1 cup of Mayo, (I use low fat, but you can use whatever you prefer).  Mix in 1 Tbsp of your herb seasoning mix - be sure to shake it before using.  Stir into the the sour cream/mayo mix and you have a delicious dip.  And you don't have all the salt and preservatives that you get with the store packets.  And your mix only cost a few pennies!!  When we have cookouts, my dip is gone way before anyone else' is even touched.  Refrigerator leftovers.

 Need some Ranch Salad Dressing - Mix 1/3 cup mayo with 1/3 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of milk, (I use low fat, but you can use whatever you prefer).  Mix in 1 Tbsp of your herb seasoning mix.  If you need to thin the dressing, add a little milk to the consistency you want.

And you have a delicious salad dressing.  It you want to add a little salt you can, but it doesn't need it.  Refrigerate the left over in an airtight container.  I usually store this in a clean Ranch salad dressing container - my grand kids don't know it's homemade and they love it.  My husband won't eat the store brands.



Need a delicious Herb Italian Salad Dressing - Mix 1 cup olive oil, (or any oil), with 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, (or any vinegar), add 1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard and 1 Tbsp of your homemade herb seasoning mix.  Whisk together and you have an Italian Salad Dressing mix.  You can mix up the additions to suit your tastes.  And it only cost you pennies.  I keep this mix on my shelf all the time.  My great "GO TO RECIPE"!!