Posted on No Comments on Symphony Brownies

Symphony Brownies

Symphony Brownies

Over the past few months I have come across this brownie recipe at least a dozen times. Instagrammers (is that a word?), food bloggers I’ve followed for years, and a few friends all seem to have fallen in love with “Symphony Brownies”. I honestly don’t even know if you can count such a simple addition to box brownies as a “recipe”, but after trying them for ourselves, it is definitely a tip worth sharing.

I don’t think that I’ve ever even tried a Hershey’s Symphony bar before. Have you? They are large milk chocolate bars with almonds and toffee pieces. It actually took trips to several grocery stores to even find them. The treasure hunt was totally worth it though, because these were awesome!

Practically perfect in every way…down to their ooey gooey chocolatey core. You’ve got to give these a try and see what all of the hype is about.    If you do, leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of Ghiradelli Brownies
  • Ingredients called for on brownie mix box (typically water, oil, and egg)
  • 1 large Hershey Symphony chocolate bar (I used the one with blue writing on the label, but I’m not sure that it matters.)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven according to brownie mix box specifications.
  2. Prepare brownie batter according to directions on box.
  3. Pour half of brownie batter into an 8×8 pan that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.
  4. Break Symphony chocolate bar into pieces and gently lay on top of batter.
  5. Pour remaining batter over chocolate bar layer and spread with spatula until top layer is smooth.
  6. Bake according to package directions. Keep in mind that these may need an additiona 5 minutes or so of bake time.
  7. Prepare for ooey gooey chocolatey deliciousness!
Posted on No Comments on Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

 

Chicken Pot Pie

This is our absolute favorite Chicken Pot Pie recipe and the only one that we make now. It’s the perfect dish for a cozy night at home during the Fall and Winter months, and a great way to use up the last of a storebought rotisserie chicken (Aren’t those just the best?). Using a prepared pie crust from the store makes this recipe super quick and easy to throw together, without compromising on the flavors of one of our all-time favorite comfort foods.

Chicken Pot Pie Filling

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion (I sub for 1/4 tsp onion powder due to an onion allergy)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I love to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe to keep things quick and easy)
  • 1 (8-10 oz) bag of frozen mixed veggies (perfect because they are precut for you)
  • 1 package prepared pie crust (Make sure it includes 2 crusts. I typically buy Pillsbury brand pie crust for this recipe.)
  • 2-3 Tbs milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees  F.
  2. Lightly spray a deep pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lay one of the prepared pie crusts in the dish, pressing down around the base and edges of the pie plate.
  3. In medium-sized pot, heat butter until melted.
  4. Add in flour, onions, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Stir to combine. Cook until smooth and bubbly.
  5. Slowly stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling and boil for 1 minute until mixture thickens.
  6. Remove pot from heat. Stir in chicken and veggies.
  7. Pour into prepared pie crust.
  8. Top with second pie crust. Cut several small slits into top crust dough to release heat as it cooks.
  9. Lightly brush a little of the milk over the top of crust to keep it from browning too much while baking.
  10. Bake for 30-35 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Posted on No Comments on Strawberry Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread

As summer comes to a close it’s time to take advantage of the last of those Summer berries. Many of our local grocery stores have had strawberries and blueberries on sale for the last few weeks, so we’re stocking up! Both of our kids go through blueberries like their lives depend on it (I promise we feed them!), and strawberries with a few chocolate chips have been a favorite after-dinner treat this Summer.

We’re big fans of using up those extra ripe bananas by making banana bread, but with all the extra berries on hand, we decided to try a fun twist on the classic banana bread. This strawberry banana bread was easy to throw together and really took our banana bread to the next level. You have to try it!

I think I’ll go buy more strawberries so we can make a few more batches before the pumpkin spice season is officially upon us.

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter (or 1/2 cup), softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1½ cups fresh strawberries chopped
    • mix with a spoonful of flour to prevent the strawberries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Banana Bread Recipe

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
  2. Lightly coat two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, (I use my stand mixer), cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  4. Add beaten eggs to sugar mixture and mix until incorporated.
  5. Add mashed bananas to the mixture and stir to combine.
  6. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
  7. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until flour is just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  8. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake at 375 F for 15 minutes.
  9. Lower oven temp to 350 F and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until slightly golden and cooked through.
  10. Let stand and cool before removing from pans.

Recipe from Recipe Critic