ULTIMATE HEAVEN BROWNIE BAKE

In complete contradiction to my healthy recipe from last post (that's what women do, right? Contradict ourselves..), here is a recipe for a total guilty pleasure.  This heavenly, chocolate rich dessert is perfect for any chocolate lover! I like chocolate but once a month I LOVE chocolate! And this dessert is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

WHAT YOU NEED:

*1 cup      granulated sugar
*1 cup      light brown sugar
*4 eggs
*1 1/2 tsp.  vanilla extract
*2 sticks    butter
*1/2 cup    flour
*3/4 cup    dark chocolate cocoa powder
*1 cup       dark chocolate chips

WHAT YOU DO:
Preheat oven to 350*.  Prepare baking dishes:  Take a 2-quart baking dish and spray with cooking spray. Then place the dish inside a larger baking dish. Set aside.

Melt both sticks of butter in the microwave.  In a large mixing bowl, place brown and white sugar and the 4 eggs.  Using a mixer, beat sugar and eggs on high until thick and creamy.  This will take several minutes. Add flour, cocoa, and vanilla to mixture in bowl and beat on a low speed just until mixed. Add butter and combine on low speed. Using a spatula mix in chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and spread evenly.  Carefully add hot water to outer baking dish until it reaches halfway up the outside of the inner baking dish. Bake 60-70 minutes or until the sides/top is like a gentle crust. Inside will be very soft (something between a brownie consistency and a pudding consistency). Carefully remove from oven. Let cool on counter for at least 35-40 minutes. Serve with ice cream! Enjoy~


 

SKINNY BAKED BREADED PICKLES

It's no secret that my husband and I like the taste of bar type food.  If my husband had his choice, we would be eating wings and breaded mushrooms 3 or 4 times a week.  But even though we both think these foods are totally yummy, neither one of us want all the fat and calories that go with it. 

Just like with my "Oven Baked Buffalo Wings" (see the recipe HERE), I have found a somewhat healthier way of making some of our favorite foods.  One food that I really find yummy is breaded pickles.  I like them so much that I tried to come up with a way to make them at home (without all the fat and calories).  And just like my recipe for buffalo wings, by eliminating the deep frying process, you eliminate lots of calories!! Here is my recipe for super yummy oven baked breaded pickles!



WHAT YOU NEED:
*1 jar     dill pickle chips or spears (your preference)
*1    egg
*2 tbsp.  milk
*1 cup    flour
*1 cup    panko bread crumbs
*Cooking spray

WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat oven to 450*, place a large cookie sheet into the oven while it heats up. Once oven is heated, remove the cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. While oven is heating up, drain pickle chips on paper towels. 

Beat egg and milk together in a small bowl. Place flour in another bowl and bread crumbs in a separate bowl.  Dip pickle slices into flour, then egg, and then bread crumbs.  Make sure to coat pickle slices completely with bread crumbs.  Place slices onto cookie sheet and spray the top of the pickles with cooking spray. This will help them brown and crisp. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn slices over and spray with more cooking spray.  Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or just until golden brown.  Serve with Ranch dressing or my favorite, horseradish sauce. Enjoy!!

CHEESY RANCH HASHBROWN CASSEROLE

Today while perusing my pantry and refrigerator for ideas about dinner, I decided to throw together this yummy side dish. With a few simple ingredients that I already had in my kitchen, I threw together something that my husband raved about! It's the perfect side for chicken, steak, anything! The next time you go to a potluck gathering, look no further than this super simple, totally tasty dish!

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

 

*1 (24oz.) container  Sour Cream

*1 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese

*2.5 cups  Cheddar Cheese, shredded

*10-12 slices bacon or turkey bacon (cooked until crispy, crumbled)

*1-2 pkgs. dry Ranch dip mix (depends on your liking)

*1 pkg. (30oz.) frozen  hash browns, thawed

 

WHAT YOU DO:

 

Preheat oven to 450*. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, and dry ranch dip mix.  Once mixed well, add hash browns and combine.  Place in a large baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour, stirring once half way through.  And that's it, it couldn't get any easier :)