Limeade

I love the sweet, tart flavor of limeade. On a hot summer day this is one of my favorites. You'll need 6 or 7 limes to make one cup of lime juice. Roll the limes on the counter, cut them in half, and squeeze through a juicer. If you don't like pulp strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer. Follow the instructions below and freeze into one cup portions to use for later. I hope you enjoy it!

LIMEADE CONCENTRATE

1 c. lime juice (fresh limes please)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water

1. Heat one cup of water.
2. Stir in sugar and lime juice.
3. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and divide into 1 cup portions. I use Ziploc bags. You should have enough for three bags of concentrate.
   
4. To make into juice combine 1 cup of concentrate with 2 cups of water.
   

Brownies From Scratch

I love brownies but I've never loved the ones that come from a box. The texture is either too dry or too gooey. I think this recipe is perfect. The brownies are dense, and not too "cakey" or too flat and gooey. The best part is, it's a simple recipe; you dump everything in together, pour it in a pan and bake it for 30 min. Let it cool and voila! Perfect made from scratch brownies. I have three different options for topping them off. With all of the potlucks that are just around the corner this is one recipe you'll have to try.

BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH

2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. baking cocoa (I use Dutch or Black Cocoa)
1 t. salt
5 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Topping variations:

#1 Sprinkle 1 c. chocolate chips on raw batter BEFORE baking.

#2 Sprinkle 1/2 c. chocolate chips & 1/2 c. white chips on raw batter BEFORE baking.

#3 Mint layer ingredients. Combine the following while brownies are baking/cooling:

Mint Layer:

2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. melted butter
2 T. milk
1/2 t. peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Beat until smooth, spread over cooled brownies then...

Glaze:

3/4 c. chocolate chips
3 T. butter

Combine chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. Be careful so you don't scorch the chocolate. If you burn it, it will not spread well. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread evenly over the mint layer. Refrigerate brownies until ready to serve.

Where have I been?

So, where have I been since there haven't been any new recipes? Well, Papa Murphy's just opened down the street (been there twice,) McD's, Carl's Jr., and Mimi's just to name a few.

Seriously, I've been outside. This is one of my favorite times of year. I love planting my vegetable garden and flowers in the spring. This year I got 7 new trees that I'm looking forward to enjoying and I still have several flats flowers that need to be put in the ground. Spring clean up is not for the weak! This leaves little time for kitchen experiments. I must say, however, that I'm tired of eating out. It takes it's toll on the stomach and the wallet. I will do my best to get new stuff on here soon.