We’re two weeks into 2015, and the blues – along with the cold – are settling in for many of us. Time to whip up some yummy, retro-ish snacks!

Farmer Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa
1 c hot water
3/4 c butter
2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs beaten
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 c chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray or grease a large cookie sheet (12×18)

Mix cocoa with boiling water, stir in butter and allow to cool. Mix all dry ingredients together, add to cocoa mixture and eggs. Beat in buttermilk, vanilla and nuts. Spread on prepped cookie sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350*.

When cooled completely, ice with:

Grandma Shirley’s Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Ingredients

1 c butter, softened
2/3 c unsweetened cocoa
3 1/3 c icing sugar
2 tbsp Pacific Evaporated Milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Either whisk or sieve the cocoa to remove lumps. Cream the cocoa with the butter using an electric mixer, and slowly add the sugar, milk and vanilla. If the icing seems to heavy or thick, add a half-teaspoon of milk at a time until you achieve your desired consistency.

Butterscotch Slice

Ingredients

1/2 c margarine
1 c peanut butter
1 bag butterscotch chips (like Hershey’s, not flavored ‘baking’ chips)
1 bag colored mini marshmallows

Directions

In a large microwaveable safe bowl, or in the top of a double boiler, melt margarine, peanut butter and butterscotch chips. Stir often to blend everything well.

Let it sit for five to ten minutes, then fold in the marshmallows. Pour into a 6×9 pan (for deep slice) or 9×13 pan (for shallow slice). Chill before serving.

Mock Rocky Road

Ingredients

1/2 c margarine
1 c peanut butter
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c roughly crushed Golden Grahams
1 sm. bag white mini marshmallows

Directions

In a large microwaveable safe bowl, or in the top of a double boiler, melt margarine, peanut butter and butterscotch chips. Stir often to blend everything well.

Let it sit for five minutes, then fold in the crushed Golden Grahams, then the mini marshmallows. Pour into a 6×9 pan (for deep slice) or 9×13 pan (for shallow slice). Chill before serving.

Yummy – hope you enjoy as we do!

’til next week,
<3 JL