Brownies From Cake Mix!

Hello there! (:

OK I'm so excited to write this post! Why? Because I just discovered the most convenient way of making brownies with a gooey and chewy center!

How I discovered this recipe (and tweaked it for my own liking): My pantry is usually stocked with a couple of cake mixes and they are all cake mixes most of the time, so whenever I craved for brownies I had to make them from scratch (although that's nice and all but who doesn't want to save some time, eh?). Anyway this one day my cousin kept asking me to make brownies and as lazy I am, I reached for the Mixes in my pantry and found that I only had cake mixes and that's when I thought, how can I make brownies from this? Well, helloooo Google! The answer to all our questions!

I found that by adding 1/3 of oil and an egg to the mix I can make brownies out of the 'cake' mix! The brownies also called for some kind of soft candies but I had better things in my mind hehe!

I followed the directions with adding one of my own ingredient and whoa!! These were consumed within minutes of coming out the oven! They're the best while they're hot! Add in some Ice-Cream and Caramel Sauce anddd delish!! Heaven in mouth! Oh I'm so sure I'm making these again tomorrow this time enjoying them with some dulce de leche! 

So before my mind convince me to save this to the drafts and go make this deliciousness right now, I'm going to jump right into the recipe! As always, this I promise you is VERY easy!

The Chocolaty and Chewy Brownies Using 'Cake' Mix:

Ingredients:

1.     Chocolate Cake Mix    : 1 box (I used Betty Crocker's Dark Chocolate Cake Mix)

2.     Oil                                : 1/3rd cup.

3.     Eggs                            : 2.

4.     Chocolate                    : 100 gm (I used half a bar of Italiano Cooking Chocolate).

Method: 

• In a large bowl blend together the oil and eggs until thick and creamy.
• Add in the Cake Mix gradually and fold in or use a mixer to incorporate it very well.
• The batter will be like a cookie dough -a smooth cookie dough.
• Grease a square pan and with either clean wet fingers or a wet spatula smooth in half of the batter in the pan.
• Cover it with the chopped chocolate, press and smooth in rest of the batter on top.
• Bake in 350º/180º oven for 30-35 minutes. 
• ...or until the toothpick when inserted does not come out squeaky clean! Yes. Some crumbs and chocolate will come out sticking to it.

You're done! All you have to do is take it out of the oven when done and cool it a little so that you do not burn tongues, cut it in squares with a plastic knife for neatly cut squares and enjoy the heavenly brownies! Isn't this the smallest and easiest brownie recipe!! Except for those mug brownies of course which will be posted soon too ;) Now add in some ice cream or have them without, just pieces of pure deliciousness!

After you're done licking off the last of the crumbs please don't forget to comment down below and tell me how you enjoyed your brownies! I would loveee to know! 

The raw batter in the greased pan.

 The brownies straight out of the oven!

They were devoured within half an hour and they're the best while they're hot! Let m know in the comments down below if you like recipes like this, so that I can share more (:

Until next time, Good Luck and Ciao! (:

Chocolate Truffle Pie

Hi there (:

I always always find peace in baking, desserts specially. I'm sure many people feel the same way. Beating, mixing and whipping up something that not only others like but you enjoy the most. When the air is filled with that delicious aroma and it's so hard to resist grabbing your dish from the oven and just indulging in it while its piping hot!

My cousin and brothers kept asking me to bake something the other day, I thought of trying this recipe I once saved from a little recipe booklet from "Dream Whip".

I found the recipe easy and it turned out rich and soft. I only felt that there should have been lesser eggs than called for in the recipe. So I encourage you to add one egg less and let me know the results (in the comment box).

Chocolate Truffle Pie:

Ingredients:

1.     Semi-Sweet Cooking Chocolate : 225 g chopped.

2.     Whipped Cream : 1/2 cup.

3.     Eggs : 4.

4.     Ground Sugar : 1/2 cup.

5.     All Purpose Flour (sifted) : 1/4 cup.

6.     Toppings (optional) : Whipped Cream or Ice Cream.

Method:

• On lowest possible flame, melt and combine chopped semi-sweet cooking chocolate and whipped cream. Take it off heat when melted and combined well.
• Add eggs, sugar, sifted all-purpose-flour in the chocolate mixture and beat for a few minutes to blend it well.
• Pour in a greased pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degree, until a toothpick when inserted comes out clean.

So the preparation time is like 10-15 minutes and baking time 30 minutes.

Although everyone at home loved it, they agreed with me that 3 eggs were enough.  My brothers and cousin loved it with Vanilla Ice-cream and I with the ice-cream and whipped cream both.

Let me know the toppings you'd like it with, maybe some cherries or mint leaves for the chocolate-mint lovers?

Oh while I was in the 'kitchen mood', I also cooked this Chicken with BBQ Sauce which I’ll share with you soon (:

Until next time, Ciao and Good Luck! (:

Loaded Cheesy Jacket Potatoes

After having my first ever Jacket Potato (yup you read that right, I never had one before) from Sahara Mall, Dubai, I just had to make one on my own! So, the one I had was this enormous halved baked potato stuffed with chunks of Chicken Fajita and loaded with cheese. The potato itself was so soft and with the cheese and chicken it was just so delicious!

Back from Dubai and after much procrastinating I decided to make these jacket potatoes but without any recipe I felt quite lost but that's where Pinterest came to help; scrolling through gazillions recipes I just settled onto the guide to bake a potato and decided to do the rest on my own.

Now the guide called for the potatoes (washed and dried) to be poked with a fork all over (to let out the steam) before being baked for an hour. Here's what actually happened when I followed the guide: my potato -I actually started out with just one, I was so scared it'll explode or something in the oven, was still not baked through even after an hour and a half so I cut it up in half and baked it again for half an hour. Guess what? It still did not bake through!! It was so frustrating. My mum then told me to boil the potatoes before I bake them which actually gave great result! Crispy skin outside with soft potato inside! So without further ado, I'll start with my recipe for Loaded Cheesy Jacket Potatoes. As I was making them myself for the very first time, I kept everything straight and simple.

Loaded Cheesy Jacket Potatoes:

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes : 3 (washed thoroughly)
2. Carrots : 2 medium
3. Spring Onions : 3 medium
4. Chicken : 1 cup (cooked & shredded -use any leftover cooked chicken like I did)
5. Cheese : 1/2 bar of Mozzarella and 1/2 of Cheddar (you may use a full bar of           Mozzarella if not using cheddar) 

Diced Vegetables

Shredded Chicken

Grated Cheese 

Method:

Baking the Potatoes:

• After washing and cleaning the potatoes, boil them until a skewer or a toothpick goes through them smoothly.
• Take the potatoes out of the boiling water, cool them slightly on a wire rack and dry the skin completely with tissue papers.
• Using the tines of a fork poke all over the potatoes and put them in a preheated oven (at 200 Degrees) and bake until the skin is crispy to touch (and not burnt), for about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Now take them out and cool them completely on a wire rack.
• Split the baked potatoes in half and scoop out most of the fluffy flesh with a fork into a bowl.
• Set aside while we work on the topping.

[If you have a more straight forward (and tried and tested) way of baking the potatoes, please let me know down below! I'd highly appreciate it!]

The Stuffing/Filling/Topping:

• Dice the carrots and spring onions and put them in the bowl which already has the potatoes flesh.
• Grate the cheese and add 3/4th of it to the bowl.
• Add the shredded chicken to the bowl.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and mix it all up.
• Now scoop this mixture back into the potato skins.
• Top with the rest of grated cheese.
• Put them carefully on the baking tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese melts.
• Instead of putting the potatoes straight on the baking tray I put them in the muffin tray first, you know so they're held upright.

Thereeeee! Delicious, cheesy soft and crispy jacket potatoes are ready!! It's all real quick and easy after you've baked your potatoes right! That is, with their flesh soft and skin crispy. Mine were just LOADED with cheese, I mean look at how it's all pouring out of the potatoes :D

Everyone at home LOVED them and I actually gave myself a little pat on the head after tasting them haha!
I encourage you guys to tweak up the ingredients and try other toppings too! Like you can add BBQ or Pizza Sauce or different flavored chicken, different vegetables, there's so much to try and oh yes do NOT forget to share the toppings you tried (in the comment section). Feel free to ask anything about this post. I'd love your constructive feedback and suggestions too! Also let me know which recipe to share next? Savory or sweet?

Until then, Ciao and Good Luck! (: