ZUCCHINI BROWNIES

Do you see it? Do you see the green healthy veggies in these decadent brownies?

Nope...you can't...and neither will your kids! They won't taste them either, but they're in there, replacing most the oil and all the eggs. So you get less fat, less cholesterol and all the good vitamins and minerals green veggies have to offer. Not to mention they're a great way to use all that zucchini bursting from your garden.

They're still high in sugar though...you can't have it all!

*As a side note, pureed or grated zucchini can be frozen for up to a year. If you really do have more zucchini than you know what to do with, pure or grate then freeze in 2 cup servings. You'll then be able to make these brownies, bread, or zucchini cookies all winter long. Stay tuned, I have a delicious recipe for Lemon Zucchini cookies that I'll be posting next week.

ZUCCHINI BROWNIES

(Recipe from my mom Dixie Nordfelt)

1 ½ C. sugar
½ C. oil
2 C. grated or puréed zucchini
2 t. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 t. salt
1 ½ t. baking soda
½ C. cocoa
½ C. pecans or walnuts

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix well.
2. Add the flour, salt, soda, and coco. Mix well.
3. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
5. Remove and allow to cool.
6. Frost with chocolate frosting (recipe below) and top with nuts.


CHOCOLATE FROSTING

½ C. butter; softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
½ C. cocoa
1 t. vanilla
¼ + milk

1. In a mixing bowl combine the butter, sugar and cocoa.
2. While mixing add the milk until the frosting reaches desired consistency.
3. If you accidentally add too much milk, add more sugar to compensate.

You'll definitely want Smore...

Several years ago I found a recipe for Smore Brownies. It was a great recipe but really "involved", if you know what I mean. It required melting chocolate, sifting flour etc... They were delicious, but every time I thought about making them again, I just didn't want to go to all the trouble. Honestly I've never found a 'from scratch' recipe for brownies where the taste justifies the work, especially considering that the Betty Crocker box brownies taste just as good to me. You see I'm not opposed to putting in a little elbow grease when I bake, but not if I can't tell the difference between the box and homemade.

Homemade cake...definitely worth it!
Homemade cheesecake...always worth it!
Homemade cookies...usually worth it!

But not brownies. If if you want to jazz them up a bit. Just jazz up the box mix.

So that's what I did. I created my own version of Smore Brownies. They taste just like the "involved" version! Just half the time and probably half the cost. Another great benefit to the box. They go on sale at Macey's all the time for 88 cents a box. I stock up!


SMORE BROWNIES

¼ C. melted butter
1 C. crushed graham crackers
3 T. sugar
¼ t. salt
1 box Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix (or brand of choice)
2 C. marshmallows

1. In a mixing bowl combine the gram crackers, sugar and salt. Mix well. Add the butter and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place in the freezer while you mix the brownies.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to the box instructions.
3. Poor the mixture over the gram cracker crust.
4. Bake according to the box instructions.
5. When the brownies are baked take out of the oven and top with marshmallows.
6. Turn the oven to broil.
7. Put the brownies back in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the marshmallows are roasted. Be sure and watch carefully. This happens so fast and you don’t want to burn marshmallows. You want them to be golden brown.

This one's for you Jody!

I literally haven't made these brownies for over 13 years. I came across it as I was cleaning out some of my old recipes. I was immediately flooded with memories. My old mission companion Jody Parker taught me how to make these brownies, and I can't even begin to explain or put into words the memories that come with them. They say that "smell" is the sense most closely linked to memory, but I'm sure that "taste" would give "smell" a run for it's money.

Anyway, these brownies are rich and delicious! The combination of rich chocolate with gooey caramel will bring any chocoholic to their knee's. Needless to say, the chocoholic in our house aka..hubby.. was very very happy.


CARAMEL FUDGE BROWNIES
(Recipe from Jody Parker Hannant)

2/3 C. evaporate milk, divided
½ C. melted butter
1 chocolate cake mix
1 C. chocolate chips
14 oz. camels (about 50)

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the camels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk on low heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease 9 x 13 pan.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix with 1/3 cup evaporated milk, ½ cup melted butter.
4. Spread half the batter on the bottom of the pan. Press to all corners and bake for 8 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on the cooked part.
6. Pour the melted caramels on top of the chocolate chips. Spread even to corners.
7. Press the remainder of the batter into several flat “pancake” size discs and place randomly on top.
8. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before serving.