Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients, then add the wet ingrednients. Stir until well mixed.
2. Spread in a greased 9x13" pan.
3. Bake with milk chocolate frosting (recipe below).

Frosting ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup milk (more or less depending on consistency)
• 1 cup powder sugar (more or less depending on consistency)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting directions:

1. Mix all frosting ingredients together, adding more or less milk and powder sugar to get a creamy consistency.
2. Top brownies when they have cooled, so the frosting doesn't just thin out and melt off.

~recipe adapted from thecraftingchicks.com

Black Bean Brownies

Total Time: 50 min
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 20 min

Ingredients:

• Butter, for greasing pan
• 3/4 cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 9-inch square baking pan.
2. In a blender, puree the beans with the oil. 
3. Add the eggs, cocoa sugar, coffee, and vanilla.
4. Melt half the chocolate chips and add to the blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the blender and pulse until just incorporated.
6. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan.
7. Bake until the surface looks somewhat matte around the edges and still a bit shiny in the middle, about 20 minutes.
8. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and removing from the pan.
9. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

~Recipe by Melissa d'Arabian from foodnetwork.com

S'more Brownie

Memorial Weekend is the official start of the camping season, so I though I would make s'more brownies!

Ingredients:

• For Brownies:
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cups flour
• For crust and topper
• 1 2/3 cups crushed graham crackers
• 6 teaspoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups  mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a 8-inch square baking dish with foil, leaving 2-inches overhang. Coat foil with cooking spray.
3. In a bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, 6 teaspoons butter, 3 tablespoons sugar and pinch of salt.
4. Press graham cracker mixture onto the bottom of the baking dish. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes; cool.
5. In a large bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between additions. Add cocoa powder and flour; stir until just blended. Pour on top of the graham cracker crust. 
6. Bake the brownies until a tester inserted into the center come out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes; cool.
7. Scatter top with 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows and place under the broiler until golden brown, about 1 minute; cool.
8. Using the foil overhang, lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into squares.

~Recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray; May 2014