Cooking hack: brownies edition

It's safe to say that my friends and coworkers would identify me as a baker. I love baking and find stress relief in it, and I even love the precision of it (the part that right-brained people hate!).

On weekends especially, you'll often find me trying my hand at some new and challenging recipe (like these French cruellers).

Whenever there is a potluck at work or a dinner party with friends, I'm automatically signed up to bring a dessert.

I've made dozens of cupcakes for parties and showers and the like.

When it comes to giving wedding gifts, I almost always go for a pretty cake stand or handy baking sheets.

But I have a confession to make. It's a dark secret. More specifically, it's a dark chocolate secret. and it's this:

These are hands-down the very best ever most perfectly delicious brownies I have ever had. and it's time for the world to know about it.

I know what you're thinking: "oh so you must doctor it up with your own fancy things, right?" Wrong. I wouldn't dream of messing with Ms. Crocker's perfection-in-a-box. I've tried my hand at dozens of from-scratch brownie recipes, and this box by far trumps them all.

This is the brownie for all people. Whether you like your brownies cake-y or fudge-y, whether you are into dark chocolate or not, these perfectly balanced brownies will make you roll your eyes at the ridiculous deliciousness of them.

Stop judging me! This is good news, y'all! I'm telling you that you no longer have to slave over melting chocolate and butter together, and you can stop searching for the perfect flour ratio. You can find this brownie mix at practically any grocery store and all you add are water, oil and 2 eggs. It's so cheap and takes no time at all!

I'm telling you, wooing your friends has never been easier. If you don't believe me, grab a box and try it for yourself. No matter your brownie proclivity, these will satisfy even the most picky palate.

Happy eating!

    

What have we always said is the most important thing?

[fresh herb omelet]

 
After talking with the other two happy eaters, it turns out we all had the same thing on our minds this week: Breakfast.
 
Katie and Laura have the sweet stuff covered, but I've got a savory tooth that would only be satisfied by something salty, eggy and sans a lot of carbs. Enter: the omelet. Or, as Jacques Pepin and the rest of ze French call it, ze omelette.
 
Omelets are super easy. And super easy to screw up. I was inspired to learn how to make the perfect omelet after I saw Wolfgang Puck instruct the latest contestants on Top Chef how he makes an omelet- and then they were to replicate it. My husband and I watched as the contestants struggled, for various reasons, to replicate his simple recipe with their own added twist. After the verdicts were handed down, my husband and I were silent for a long time. I knew what he was thinking. After what seemed like forever, he finally asked me the question I was dreading, "Do you know how to make an omelet?" I'm sure I defensively replied, "Pshyeah! Do you?!" I'm also sure I stayed away from making him eggs of any type for a couple of weeks (a difficult task for us- we go through about a dozen a week). I couldn't admit that I just wasn't sure.

As it turns out my omelet-how-to knowledge was hovering at around 60%, if you want to try to quantify it. Which I do. I was overstuffing. I was cooking it at too high a temperature. I was just letting it sit there. I was using Pam instead of butter. I was ashamed. Ashamed, I tell you. But then I watched a short video tutorial and gave it a go. And it was good.

Here are some easy, basic tips I took away from Jacques Pepin's video:
 

• Eggs, salt and pepper. That's it for the base.
• Make sure you've beaten your eggs enough so that you don't have pieces of egg whites in your pan.
• Use a non-stick pan and just a little bit of butter (1/2 tbsp) to coat.
• Pour your eggs into a low-medium hot pan. You don't want to cook your eggs too quickly.
• Add your fillings as soon as you put your eggs in the pan.  
• When your eggs start to cook (coagulate) around the edges, use your fork or a spatula to gently drag the cooked eggs towards the center (but don't scramble them). Then, let a 'crust' begin to form again. Repeat this process again. And again, if necessary.
• Gently fold your omelet in half while it is still fairly wet in the center. This keeps it from getting too cooked and breaking in half. I did this slowly using a spatula- a fork tends to tear.
• Let your omelet brown on one side and then flip it onto the plate (browned side up).

 
For my omelet, I wanted to do something simple, light and flavorful, so I went with what I had on hand: fresh basil, parsley, chives and thyme (about 1 1/2 tbsp chopped) with some grape tomatoes to garnish. I used 3 eggs, a little salt and pepper, butter in the pan and that's it.
 
 

[aww, look how those pre-birds are nestled in those fresh herbs]

 
 

[eggs, salt, pepper, fresh herbs]
 



[almost ready to flip]


*At this point I thought I was going to switch to a post about scrambled eggs with fresh herbs. But have faith in yourself and in Jacques Pepin. He won't lead you astray.   
 




[perfect]

 Until next time...