Brownies Today

I like to keep a supply of baking ingredients on hand at all times. This is awesome because if I am craving something sweet or bready then I can just bake something and have it in a few minutes/hours.

Today I am baking brownies. I have to work this evening and they will be done right before it is time for me to leave. Hopefully there will be some left when I get home...

The recipe I am using can be found here:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mmm-mmm-better-brownies/

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil (I used Crisco Brand Canola Oil, bought on sale with a coupon)
1 Cup White Sugar (I used Domino Brand...I think...I just refill the container)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract (I used McCormick Brand)
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour (I used White Lily Brand)
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa (I used Hershey's Brand)
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder (I used Argo Brand)
1/4 Tsp Salt (I used Morton's Kosher Salt)

Combine the sugar, oil, and vanilla in a bowl, then add eggs, then add the rest of the stuff. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until it tests done (I use the toothpick method--stick a tooth pick 2 inches from the edge of the pan, if the toothpick comes out clean it's done.)


These are nice little brownies and I bake them frequently. This recipe is also great for the brownie portion of slutty brownies (which I will detail later). Sometimes I add walnuts (If I have them) or chocolate chips (when I am feeling a particularly strong sweet tooth).

Because this recipe has raw eggs in it, I should probably point out that licking the bowl or spoon afterwards is a salmonella risk.

I *always* lick the spoon and wipe out the bowl. I have never gotten salmonella (yet, *knock on wood*).

My thoughts on salmonella from eggs are as follows:

Egg farms pasteurize eggs before they ship them out to retailers. Pasteurizing kills bacteria/germs.

A year or two ago there was a lot of fuss about "salmonella contaminated eggs" and mass recalls of the eggs.

We freak out if they're contaminated, so I am guessing there is maybe a 20% chance of me getting salmonella. If that. I think 1 out of 5 is worth it to lick that delicious chocolatey batter out of a bowl (yes, I have a weight problem, why do you ask?)

Pictures later!