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July 03, 2007
Signs
I have eaten most of a pan of brownies in the last 24 hours, and I am only content when I am blasting CDs and reading Entertainment Weekly. (At work, I am forced to substitute my iPod and Kirkus, which is okay but not quite the same.) I know what this is about, and we’d all be better off if I could just continue peacefully damaging my hearing while reading ephemera for a couple days, but no. Happily, I have the world’s fastest and easiest brownie recipe, and I don’t care what the medical establishment has to say about it – the chocolate helps me feel better.
I originally found the recipe for Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies in More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend that you make it a priority, although I note that the brownie recipe is right there on epicurious. In How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman says, “Americans must have been sadly alienated from the kitchen for pancake mixes to ever have gained a foothold in the market, for these are ridiculously easy to make.” I think of this whenever I make brownies. Katherine Hepburn’s recipe takes approximately three minutes to mix and uses ingredients that are already in most kitchens. (Well, some people don’t keep baking chocolate in their kitchens, but I’m not sure what’s wrong with them. I fear that they suffer from self-hatred.) I dare you to find a boxed mix that takes less time, and these brownies are GOOD, as in I-think-I’ll-just-go-ahead-and-hide-these-so-no-one-takes-any good. Yum, yum, yummity, yum. I might just make some more. People eat brownies on the 4th of July, right?
Posted by adrienne at July 3, 2007 12:10 AM
Comments
First, I don't know how you're writing this tomorrow when I'm only reading it tonight but that's the magic in you. Second, let me know when the next pan is ready and I'll be right there. Jean retired on Friday and I'm it for now so I know I'll be ready for chocolate before too much longer.
Posted by: Pat at July 2, 2007 10:24 PM
Adrienne, I LOVE Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking--and More Home Cooking. Why don't I remember the brownies? I must reacquaint myself with them. I do remember that Laurie says eating bologna is a good substitute for grilling. I always liked that.
Posted by: Susan at July 2, 2007 10:50 PM
Turning baking chocolate into brownies in 3 minutes flat. I'm in...
Posted by: Liz Garton Scanlon at July 3, 2007 12:12 AM
I made banana bread from scratch yesterday. Because (a) those bananas were ripe and going to waste; (b) I know the recipe by heart; and (c) it just seems mean not to bake yourself something like banana bread or brownies when it's so easy, you know how, and you have the ingredients.
Solidarity, sister.
Posted by: Robin Brande at July 3, 2007 12:21 AM
ack!
Poor Pat. Those branch managers are just dropping like flies! Is there something in the city water?
Maybe we'll send you cookies interdepartmental... :)
Posted by: Cathy at July 3, 2007 09:13 AM
Thanks for the link to this recipe Adrienne, I will definitely have to try it out, and soon....A chocolate fix is always a good thing!
Posted by: Bri's Mom at July 3, 2007 09:52 AM
I am so going to make these browniws when I get out of here today. It brought to mind another favorite recipe- Adrienne's World-Famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. Probably the chocolate made me think of the delicious muffins and I was happy to see the recipe for the muffins on this blog.
Thanks for solving my "what to bring" dilemma for tomorrow. Happy 4th!
Posted by: Lori at July 3, 2007 01:12 PM
Somehow knowing they're Katherine Hepburn Brownies makes it seem like I'd be classier for eating them. Maybe even for spooning up the batter before I have a chance to bake it, which is what usually happens.
Posted by: eisha at July 3, 2007 08:17 PM
Pat, I wish that instead of having the time-shifting magic, I had the magic that would make the groceries just appear in my house whenever I think of them. Tammy and I have often discussed how this would be a truly useful superpower to have, if we had superpowers. And -- YIKES! -- I pretty much do whatever I can to avoid being in charge. You seriously will need reinforcement.
Susan, Yes, I'm a fan of the original Home Cooking as well. I'm sad that she didn't get to write more wonderful cooking books. The brownie recipe is in my favorite chapter of the second book, "A Harried Cook's Guide to Some Fast Food." Lots of great advice in there. (I am also addicted to Steen's Cane Syrup thanks to Ms. Colwin. That's brilliant stuff, and it comes in a can. Got to love it.)
Yay to all those other bakers out there! :) Who knew brownies would strike such a chord?
Posted by: adrienne at July 3, 2007 10:04 PM
YUM! I'm trying not to eat the whole pan in one day but....(Ken is helping too)
Posted by: Pat at July 4, 2007 08:31 PM
Awesome!
One of the guests I had over today is lactose intolerant, so I made an angel food cake, which is definitely more difficult than the boxed mix but I was ever-so happy with the result. Of course, for those of us who aren't lactose intolerant, I also made whipped cream. I was, in fact, just recently using the leftover whipped cream as a dip for some of the leftover angel food cake. I also used a little of the leftover whipped cream in my coffee -- talk about yum.
It's a good thing I forced myself to go to step aerobics last night. I should probably be doing more right now. Instead, I think I'm going to read a book or maybe try to finish this crossword puzzle that's been stumping me....
Posted by: adrienne at July 4, 2007 09:06 PM
That angel food cake *was* very yummy. I haven't eaten the leftovers we brought home yet, and I'm very much looking forward to it. Come to think of it, there are strawberries in the fridge and I haven't had breakfast yet.....
Posted by: Olivia at July 5, 2007 08:37 AM
Mmmm . . . chocolate. Bring some to Chicago!
Posted by: Jules at July 7, 2007 12:31 AM