I am doing a very quick post while my brownies cool enough so I can slap them on a plate and take them to church. Hmm... that sounded odd, huh?! Brownies going to church... They are for the recipe swap luncheon after church actually.
I made a batch of brownies last night but I used jumbo eggs and they came out a gooey mess. Michael said they were the best brownies I ever made. LOL
This batch this morning came out much better. I iced them with bitter chocolate and sliced almonds. Growing up, nothing said "party-fied" like sliced almonds. Mom also used paprika on the deviled eggs for a party. Family got non-paprika'd eggs; people we wanted to impress got the paprika and the sliced almond-topped brownies.
Well, since I've been talking about brownies, here's the recipe:
Brownies [adapted from The Joy of Cooking, Rombauer, 1948]
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate 2 cups sugar
½ cup butter 4 eggs
1/4 t. salt 1 t. vanilla
1 cup plain flour 1 cup nuts (optional)
½ t. almond flavoring 1 t. instant coffee (liquid)
Melt butter and chocolate slowly in a double boiler, or in the microwave. If using a microwave, use a glass bowl with a wet paper towel on top. Don’t melt the chocolate completely, but when it’s about half melted pull out the bowl and stir it for a couple of minutes, and it will melt. Mix together all other ingredients until smooth. Fold in chocolate. In a 9x13 pan, place a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper. Pour in mixture and shake pan a little to make sure it’s evenly distributed over the paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
After you remove the pan, it’s fun to melt a large Symphony bar on top and spread it out, or with plain Hershey’s chocolate bars, and spread it out after it has melted. It’s easiest to use a plastic knife to cut these.
Alesia left to go "chillout" with friends Friday afternoon and we haven't seen her since. She texted and said she'd be home late yesterday afternoon and we haven't heard from her. I texted at 6 last night and she never bothered to answer. I hope she turns up today. It's this sort of irresponsible behavior that is so annoying, and worrisome. She has an 11 p.m. curfew, so rather than abide by it, she sleeps on couches at friends' houses.
UPDATE: I just spoke to Alesia and she is fine. She just didn't think it was important to check in with me. I told her I was fixing to call the police and report her missing. Grrr.....
Michael and I watched an interested movie yesterday called The Way Back. about political prisoners in a Russian prison who escape and walk across Siberia and Mongolia, and finally reach India during World War II. Good history and geography lessons there. Plus it has one of my favorite actors Ed Harris.
Better get ready for church.
It's supposed to be 97 here today! Thanks be to God for air conditioning...
