Mixes are a convenient way to make all kinds of things from cakes to skillet dinners. The problem is that they often come with ingredients we don’t really want in our bodies – things like preservatives, artificial flavorings, and preservatives that make you glow in the dark.
You know.
You don’t have to settle for a choice between having dessert and not having it. There is a third choice – and a good one. Just make your own brownie mix. It isn’t hard to do and you can add all kinds of ingredients to vary the flavors of the brownies.
Buy a big, resealable container or a large apothecary jar to keep the mix in. It’s a good idea to make a label for the container with instructions for making a batch of the brownies.
This will make about 4 batches before you have to make another mix.
Basic Brownie Mix
- 5 cups of flour
- 4 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 2/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
- 8 cups of sugar
Mix the ingredients together and put in your container.
Making the Brownies
Stir the mix up to make sure nothing has settled to the bottom.
Scoop out 4 cups of the mix into a bowl.
Add:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
Mix well and spoon into a greased 13†x 9†pan.
Bake at 350F for about 20 – 25 minutes. Take them out of the oven, let them cool, and then cut them into squares.
Once you get the hang of it, you can add things like chocolate chips, crushed candy bars, nuts, or whatever you like when you add the liquid ingredients. Now there’s no excuse for a brownie free environment.
photo credit: Marye Audet
