Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies

I'm typing this recipe as I lick the spatula and beaters clean from their heavenly gooey-ness. Anyway, I found these brownies on All Recipes.com and BOY are they awesome?! The perfect blend of fudgey chewyness and the perfect level of succulent richness. Top with a scoop of Bryer's Natural Vanilla Ice Cream, and you'll wonder if you've died and gone to heaven!!!

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. reheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Happy baking!! Gotta run - the timer is about to go off!!! :)

Enchiladas

I didn't like enchiladas when I still lived at home--now I love them. I found this in Mom's recipes and now it is one of my staples! Chili powder can differ in potency by brand and age so you may want to adjust by taste. The recipe makes enough sauce for two batches--I usually half it so I've included those measurements in parenthesis.

Enchiladas

Sauce
1/3 cup salad oil (1/6 cup)
1/4 cup (or less) chili powder (2 tsp.)
1 cup flour (½ cup)
1 Tbsp. cumin (½ Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. garlic salt (½ Tbsp.)
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce (1 can)
5 cups water, approx. (~3 cups)

Put oil and chili powder in pan and simmer. Stir in flour. Add other spices, tomato sauce, and water to make a gravy (not too thick).

1 lb. ground beef
chopped onion
cheddar cheese, grated
tortillas

Brown ground beef and onion. Drain and season with onion salt and pepper. Use half the sauce. Dip tortillas in sauce and fill with ground beef and cheese. Roll very tight and place in a baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with more grated cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes. Makes 1-1½ dozen enchiladas.

French Dip Sandwiches

This is one of my favorite meals. And it is so easy! If we have leftovers, I use it the second day to make a sort of Philly Cheese Sandwich with sauteed peppers, mushrooms and onions. I usually butter the rolls and toast them under the broiler before I put the meat and cheese on and then again afterward. This recipe came from Taste of Home magazine--July/Aug 1999.

French Dip Sandwiches

2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup butter
1 boneless bottom round roast (3-4 lbs.)
5 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 1/2 tsp. browning sauce, optional (I don't use this)
1 garlic clove, minced
12-14 French rolls, split
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded swiss cheese (I usually use sliced)

In a skillet, saute onions in butter until tender; transfer to a slow cooker. Cut the roast in half; place over onions. Combine water, soy sauce, soup mix, browning sauce if desired and garlic; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove roast with a slotted spoon and let stand for 15 minutes. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Place on rolls; sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 1 minute or until the cheese is melted. Skim fat from the cooking juices; strain and serve as a dipping sauce.

Makes 12-14 servings.