The Best Ever Brownies alla Julia Child

These brownies are super gooey and extra fudgy. If a rich and decadent chocolate brownie sounds like something you might enjoy, this may be the recipe for you. They are just the treat to bake for your honey this Valentine's Day. These are, after all, the best ever brownies according to one of the worlds most well known chefs. Try them out and see if you agree with Julia's great insight.

Recipe yields 16 brownies

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
8 oz unsalted butter
6 oz semisweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Start out by preheating the oven to 350F degrees. Sift together the flour and the salt in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk together the eggs and 1 cup of sugar until smooth but thick.

In a double broiler, melt together the butter and chocolate. Once you get a smooth consistency, add the second cup of sugar and whisk for 30 seconds over the heat. Once the sugar is mixed in, remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Slowly pour half of the egg/sugar mixture into the chocolate, stirring constantly. It is important to keep stirring so that the eggs don't set from the heat of the chocolate. (No one wants scrambled eggs in their melted chocolate!)

Using a hand mixer, whip the other half of the egg/sugar mixture until pale and airy (such that they double in size).

Fold the airy eggs into the chocolate and then mix in the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Once ready, remove from the oven and allow brownies to cool before cutting. (You can see below I got a little excited and the top layer of brownie started to crumble since I began cutting them too early!) Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Pudding

If you are looking to conquer your chocolate craving, this should do the trick. This thick pudding is packed with rich, chocolaty flavor that is sure to please any chocolate lover. This pudding would also make a great filling to a layered cake or for the inside of a cupcake, as a nice surprise!

Recipe yields 8 servings

Ingredients
1 package cook-and-serve chocolate pudding
1 large egg yolk
4 cups chocolate milk (homemade with chocolate syrup is even better!)
1 ounce semisweet chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped cream

Combine chocolate pudding mix, chocolate milk and egg yolk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 2 minutes until pudding starts to thicken.

Chop chocolate and add to pudding once removed from the heat. Add in the vanilla extract. Whisk until all chocolate has melted.

Let pudding cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Potato & Egg Hero

Potatoes and eggs are such a great weeknight meal. They are quick and easy to prepare, it is super cheap and it is easy to throw together with items you normally keep in the pantry. Potatoes and eggs are a staple in any Italian kitchen for these reasons exactly.

Recipe yields 2 heroes

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 14.5 oz cans new potatoes
Salt & pepper, to taste
12 jumbo eggs
2 Italian bread heroes

Peel and slice the potatoes into 1/4" thick slices. Heat a large skillet with oil and place the potatoes in an even layer. If all the potatoes do not fit, you can cook them in batches.

Cook the potatoes until browned and crisp. Season with salt and black pepper, to your liking. Return all the cooked potatoes to the skillet (if you had to cook in multiple batches) and crack the eggs right into the cooked potatoes. Break the yolks and begin to scramble the eggs so they cover the potatoes.

Cook for 3-5 minutes until the eggs are cooked through. Slice the Italian bread and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes so it is toasty. Pile high the potato and egg mixture. Serve with a side of ketchup, tomato sauce or any other sauce you may prefer. Enjoy!

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

A simple side dish often goes unnoticed, but when it is as delicious as this one, it can make all the difference to your meal. Plain and ordinary mashed potatoes get a make-over with this cheesy upgrade.

Recipe yields 8 servings

Ingredients
2 lbs potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Velveeta
2-3 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper, to taste

Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Add to a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring water to a rolling boil and cook potatoes until soft throughout. Drain and return softened potatoes to the pot. Using a hand masher (or a fork) mash potatoes until most of the chunks are removed.

While the potatoes were cooking, prepare your cheese sauce. To a small sauce pot, add heavy cream and Velveeta. Stir until cheese is melted and you have a smooth mixture. Let simmer for 5-6 minutes to thicken.

Add cheese mixture and butter to the pot of mashed potatoes and stir in to combine well. The potatoes should become creamy. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and more butter, as needed to create a smooth texture.

Transfer potatoes to a large serving dish. Enjoy!

Carrot & Zucchini Cake Bars

During this time of year it is so easy to over indulge in all the sweets, cookies and cakes around the house. This a recipe for a great treat that fulfills the want for something sweet, but sneaks some healthy vegetables in, too. I have always been a lover of carrot cake and these little bars and the perfect size for that sweet (but not excessive) treat.

Recipe yields 16 bars

Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp baking soda

Frosting:
8 oz light cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey and vanilla extract.

Shred the carrots and zucchini. Fold them into the mixture along with the walnuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger and baking soda. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated, being sure not to over mix.

Pour batter into a well greased baking pan (13X9). Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. In the meantime, combine all ingredients for the frosting and mix together using a hand mixer or your stand mixer.

Cut into bars and top with the frosting. Enjoy!