...was totally rigged. I just realized that one of the judges was related to one of the contestants. Who conveniently won first and second place. So think he, unwittingly, knows where his bread is buttered?
Someone, several years ago, had the brainstorm for getting people to bring desserts to go along with the barbeque dinner by telling the attendees there would be a contest, with winners being announced for bringing their best. When F. went with me a couple of years ago, she was incensed that she had brought labor intensive cupcakes and got no notice whatsoever. Was completely disregarded by the (highly biased) judges. All men: who will eat anything involving whipped topping. The 'best' was something made with a purchased sponge cake, torn up and layered with fresh strawberries, and large quantities of coolwhip. While her made-from-scratch cupcakes with laboriously stirred caramel icing got hardly a passing glance.
So she plotted to make something the judges would to take to the family gathering this year. To impress judges who happen to be: guys with beards, dressed in camo., wearing hunting boots and cargo shorts. Guys who would fall all over anything with the first ingredient listed being whipped topping. Using a recipe she filched from her sister, she made this thing that is layered poison and (the original artificial food-stuff) coolwhip. Chopped Reese Cups, coolwhip, chopped Snickers, coolwhip, chopped Oreos, coolwhip. Maybe add in some cream cheese, whipped up with more coolwhip. What's not to love?
That was a tie for second place. The first place was a zucchini cake, and the second was: I forget, along with the layered dessert we hauled across the state. And my little offering of Mexican Brownies got: nothing. Not even a decent tasting. As I brought three-fourths of the pan back home with me, and immediately thought: where can I farm this out, so I won't eat any? The answer: "I will give them to someone who has zero body fat, and will burn them off while sleeping".
The recipe came from a Good Housekeeping magazine years ago. I recently un-earthed it in my box, and made it for a 'bring desserts' reception at church. Makes a lot, and they are really rich, so you need to go someplace other people will eat them for you.
Mexican Brownies
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. Each: baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened (two sticks)
4 large eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
Coffee Frosting
1 Tbs. instant coffee powder
1Tbs. vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 metal baking pan. Line with foil, and grease foil.
In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.
In 3 quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in granulated sugar. Stir in eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add vanilla. Stir in flour mix. until blended, Spread in pan.
Bake 25 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on wire rack.
When completely cool, prepare frosting.
In a small cup, dissolve coffee and vanilla with 2 Tbs. hot water.
In 1 qt, saucepan, heat brown sugar and butter over medium heat until mixture melts and bubbles, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. With wire whist, beat in coffee mixture, then confectioners sugar until smooth. With small spatula, spread warm frosting over brownies. Let stand 20 minutes, to allow frosting to slightly set. Cut into squares, makes two dozen.
If desired garnish each square with a coffee bean or chocolate curls.
Give away 23 of these, or you will not like yourself.
No! MY dessert tied for THIRD place. First place was a key lime jello pretend pie in a casserole dish with graham cracker crust and COOL WHIP. Second place was the zucchini spice cake thing, made by the woman who won the first place prize and whose husband was a judge. I tied for THIRD place because I was not married to a judge.
ReplyDelete