Chocolate and Coffee Brownie Recipe

This is my most requested dessert recipe ever! No joke. People that know us ask them by their true name which is Pastor Brownies. Why the name? I've been making these for about 15 years or more and the first time was for my husband who is a pastor. It makes a huge amount so when I make them I take them to church. So they are Pastor's Brownies and he shares them with others.

I do make these for potlucks so if you know me, don't bring them to a potluck we are attending together :)

This recipe has had many steps but well worth the effort.

Preheat oven to 400 degree. Butter/spray PAM on 17 1/2 X 11 baking sheet. This is also known as a jelly roll baking sheet (you need to use this size..if smaller it will overflow when baking). I use the 3 butter wrappers in this recipe to spread on the baking sheet instead of using spray oil.

Step 1

2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar

Dump in bowl and mix. Set aside.

Step 2

1/2 cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Vanilla

I use a 2 cup measuring cup for these ingredients. I use a fork and lightly mix them together. Set this aside.

Step 3

1 cup Butter
1 cup coffee (any flavor.... this is my most secret ingredient for these brownies....so fun to use different flavored coffee)
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa

Put ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil.

Step 4

Pour hot cocoa mixture into the flour/sugar bowl. Mix together.
Next add egg mixture and stir until you no longer see the eggs.

Step 5

Pour batter into pan.
Bake 12-18 min or until center springs back when touched. Don't over bake!

Step 6
While brownies are baking quickly make the frosting. You will pour it on the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven.

1/2 cup Butter
2 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup Milk
3 1/2 cups Powder sugar
2 tsp Vanilla

Combine butter, cocoa and milk in same saucepan from step 3. I do not clean out the pan.
Bring to a boil over med heat.
Remove from heat and stir in powder sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Pour over hot brownies, spreading evenly.

Step 7

Once cool, cut into squares. Makes 30-40 brownies depending on size. Eat and share!

Easiest Chili Recipe Ever

*Easiest Chili EVER*

I will share this recipe with you if you PROMISE not to tell my family how easy it is to make! It might cut down on all the compliments I get when I make this! This is a large pot of chili.

Easiest Chili EVER

Ingredients

2 large onions, cut in strips, diced,etc

2 tsp olive, veg or canola oil

2 green peppers, cut in strips, diced,etc

1 bulb of garlic, cut in slices, minced,etc

3 large cans of diced tomatoes

1 large cans of tomato juice

1 large tomato juice can of water

3 # ground turkey, beef, chicken,etc

3 cans dark kidney beans

1 Tbsp celery seed

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp onion powder

1/2- 3/4 c Chili powder

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

Saute onions in oil for about 10 min. Add in garlic and green pepper and saute for a few min. Add meat and cook 10-15 min. Then dump in rest of ingredients except kidney beans. Simmer at least 3 hours. 3o min before serving dump in beans. You can cook this all day in your crock pot. Just dump it all in, turn it on and leave your house!

Fun options

4 potatoes, cubed are a great addition during simmer cooking time.

Fritos (excuse me, great value corn chips) and cheddar cheese are great for toppings

YUMMY 

Ahhhhh haaaa moments......homeschool and math

I think my biggest reward as a homeschool mom is when one of the girls have an "ahhhhh haaa" moment! It is that brief second when things just click all at once! Emily has had that this week with Math. We can't give up.... we won't give up.... we will keep on going and going and going!

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Family Favorite Pizza Soup Recipe

******PIZZZZZA SOUP******

This pizza soup is such a fun and yummy soup. This is easy to cut in half and or double for large crowds. This amount here will make a large crockpot full. I don't leave out ingredients my kids might not like so instead they try it and if they don't like it then they politely have to pick it out. This is one of our go to fall recipes.

Ingredients

--2 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce
--3 empty jars full of water (this time I used lg can of tomato juice- much better)
--3 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
--1 freshed chopped jalapeno
--1 lg red onion, chopped
--1 jar sliced mushrooms
-- 2 lg can petite diced tomatoes
-- 3 lb ground turkey or beef or Italian sausage-any kind (turkey, chicken, pork,etc whatever meat you prefer
--1 lg sliced pepperoni, sliced in quarters or as circles
--8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 T dried)
--1 T dried oregano
--1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (I don't add the pasta to the soup...I let people add it themselves)
--shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later as a topping)

Directions

Use a large Crockpot for this recipe.
Serves 10-12 hungry adults with leftovers.

Wash and prepare veggies. Dump them into the crockpot. Cut up the sausage into small pieces--I sliced, then cut the pieces in fourths ( or dump in the other meat raw as it will cook in the crockpot) Add to crockpot. Cut up the pepperoni, add it, too. Add basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water (or lg can of tomato juice).

COOKING

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours for the flavors to meld. It will smell very good! Try to not keep opening the lid of the crockpot. Make it when you will be out of the house. (lol)

Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta. It can take 20-30 min to cook. I prefer to make the pasta separate and let people add it to their soup.

Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Serve w/ garlic bread! YUMMY-OOOoohh

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WOWOZZZZZZZZAAAAA We had a Bake Sale for one of our parishioners who has been struggling with Leukemia. We raised over $1,700 on the bake sale~~~ Have you ever heard of such a sale? I was blown away by the generosity of the community contributing to this event! My girls took pics of some of the goodies. Thanks to all who helped!

Happy National Banana Bread featuring Anna Banana Bread

This is a banana bread that we've been baking as along as I can remember. Shhh it is a family secret. haha No secrets here. Our family loves to share food and recipes. Enjoy!

Anna Banana Bread

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter (no salt butter)
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp milk
1 cup ripen and smashed bananas

MIX all together and then add

2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp b. soda
1 pinch salt

Blend until moist
This is when you can fold in extras. Try cranberry, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.

Bake 350 for 45min - 1hr. Check at 45 min and if toothpick is almost clean when sticking in center then it is done.

Toppings- You can also add brown sugar, nuts and or chocolate chips on the top. They bake down into the bread. The sugar gives a yummy crust. Add this before baking!