Have I got a fabulously tasty, easy cookie recipe to share with you today, and just in time for Easter as well. Fudgy Easter Egg Brownie Cookies!
This is a Betty Crocker brownie cookie recipe that I adapted from the Betty Crocker site. We just happened to have a box of brownie mix in the house and some candy coated mini-eggs so why not!
We also have a cookie-monster in the house that goes by the name of Dan. He loves his cookies! And I love baking cookies, so it is really a win/win situation!
This easy recipe results in a super fudgy-like brownie cookie that is filled with dark chocolate chunks and candy covered mini Easter eggs. What's not to love about that!!
From the minute I saw these cookies in an e-mail, I knew that they were something I wanted to bake. They looked super-easy to do and we had all of the ingredients in the house. It was the recipe for the perfect storm!
I am a lover of Easter goodies. There were only two times a year we got treats like this in our house when I was growing up. Christmas and Easter.
The rest of the year, goodies like this were totally verboten!
Easter in our house also meant we got to use our special Easter Mugs. We never got to drink from them at any other time of the year. I don't know what happened to them all, but my sister still has this one.
I am really loving seeing these old treasures again. My mother took really good care of most of them through the years and everything looks brand new. My sister is also a great caretaker of them.
Made in Japan, these mugs sported a bird whistle on the handle. We loved being allowed to drink our milk or juice from them on Easter morning. I can imagine we made quite a ruckus blowing the whistles!
We would also have been really hyped up with sugar. Candy was only something we got a few times a year as well. Halloween, Christmas and Easter, so we would have really eaten our fill!
We would have gotten a chocolate Easter bunny, some marshmallow filled candy eggs and then real eggs that my mother would have coloured for us the night before after we went to bed.
What a loving thing that was for my mother to do for us. She would painstakingly colour each egg with crayons from our crayon box. My favourite ones were the ones she used all the colours on so they ended up with multi-coloured stripes.
The eggs were never hard-boiled, always raw and we would get 3 or 4 of them apiece. They would be sitting at each of our places at the table when we got up on Easter morning, safely placed into our coloured melamine cereal bowls.
We each had our own colour.
We always had scrambled eggs for breakfast on Easter morning. Mom would pierce the ends of the coloured eggs with a darning needle and blow them out into a mixing bowl.
Sometimes she would let us help her. I can remember it making my cheeks ache from the exertion of blowing.
Once the eggs were all blown out she would scramble them for us in her shiny wear-ever aluminum skillet. That skillet still lives in my sister cupboard and is just as shiny as it ever was. See . . . a good steward.
Once the eggs were all blown out my mother would wash out any residue with some water and then string the empty coloured shells on a piece of yarn, tying it closed like a necklace. We would wear those eggs all day.
Our goal was always to see who could get to the end of the day with the most egg shells still intact. Oh what a picture we must have made with our chocolate covered faces and those coloured eggs hanging from our necks!
We were not spoiled by any stretch of the imagination. We would have gotten those few candies, and perhaps a new skipping rope and a container of bubbles to blow.
We were happy with it all, so much so that my heart is filled with warmth just thinking about those sweet Easter memories from my childhood.
Easter dinner was always a baked ham, that my mom would bake the night before so that it could be served cold and sliced. Always with mustard and mashed potatoes. Dessert would always be a lemon meringue pie, cold and jiggly from the fridge.
What are some of your Easter memories from your childhood? Were they any traditions that your family held to? Anything special that you only did at that time of year?
Oh how I wish we were not in a Covid Lockdown still. These fabulously fudgy chocolate cookies are something I would have dearly loved to bake for my grandchildren.
Rich, chewy, fudgy and stuffed full of lovely dark chocolate chunks and crushed mini eggs, I decorated the tops of each one with several more candy eggs prior to baking.
They are as simple to make as stirring a few ingredients together in a bowl, letting the batter sit and then rolling it into balls. If you can stir, then you can make these. Better yet, why not let the children help!
Build a new Easter Tradition of your own with them. Fudgy Easter Egg Brownie Cookies. They're a VERY good thing!
Easter Egg Brownie Cookies
Yield: 21
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 11 Mininactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 36 Min
Cute, colourful, easy and delicious. Adapted from a recipe found on Betty Crocker, with a few additions.
Ingredients
- 1 box (18.3 oz/450g) fudge brownie mix
- 1/2 cup (120ml) butter, melted
- 1 TBS water
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 bag mini candy coated chocolate Easter Eggs (250g/about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2/3 cup (120g) dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line several baking sheets with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Coarsely break up 1/2 cup (75g) of the Easter eggs.
- Whisk the brownie mix, broken eggs, chocolate chunks, egg, melted butter and water together in a bowl until well combined. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Press three mini chocolate eggs into the centre of each.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are just set. (The middles should appear slightly wet.) Leave to cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes before scooping off onto cooling racks.
- Leave to cool completely, about half an hour. Store in an airtight container.
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Salt & Pepper Chicken. The first time I tasted Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings was when I was in the UK. I adore Chinese food and probably about once a month we would order a Chinese meal from one of the local takeaway places.
Chinese food in the UK was quite different than what I had been used to eating back home in Canada. They didn't have the normal Chicken Wings I was used to. Always my favorite part of the Chinese Buffet we used to go to pre-Pandemic.
What is it about chicken wings that we all love so much? I mean, there is very little meat on them. They are mostly bone, but my oh my, they have an incredibly moreish quality to them that everyone can't get enough of!
Years and years ago when my children were quite young I used to be able to buy huge packs of chicken wings at the grocery store for about $2. Nobody wanted them. It was a cheap way to feed my family chicken and we all loved them.
With five hungry birds in the nest they were a deliciously cheap and cheerful way to feed them. I would just throw them into a large roasting tin, season them with some salt, pepper and summer savory and then bake them until they were crisp and golden brown.
DEEELICIOUS!
My sister cooks chicken wings in shake and bake every second week or so for my father as he loves them. They are so expensive now. We only get about 12 wings for $10. Mucho dineros for what amounts to a small amount of meat and bone. But yes, very tasty.
So what does that have to do with Salt & Pepper Chicken? Not a lot really. I found myself craving the salt and pepper chicken wings from the UK, but didn't want to spend a whole lot of money buying wings right now, so I decided to adapt my recipe to using chicken breast strips instead of wings.
The recipe I am sharing today is a play on those, albeit a tad bit healthier for sure. There is none of the fat and skin, but that doesn't mean that they are not delicious. Who says you need to have skin and fat for something to be delicious!
Boneless, skinless chicken breast meat is cut into strips and rolled in some soy sauce. I like dark soy sauce myself, but you can use whatever kind you prefer.
Once they are coated in the soy sauce, I roll them in a special spice mixture I have thrown together. Montreal steak spice, black pepper and lemon pepper. Yes, they are peppery for sure, but that is the charm of salt and pepper chicken.
I know that lemon pepper seasoning can bee very difficult to find in the UK. At least I could never find it. I soon learned how to make my own. It is very easy to make and I think, even better than the ready made stuff you find.
Make Your Own Lemon Pepper Seasoning:
Zest 5 whole lemons using a fine micro-plane zester and mix the zest together with 1/3 cup of black peppercorns and peppercorn medley. Spread out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake until dried out on the very lowest setting of your oven.
Stir every so often. (Mine takes about an hour.) Grind this mixture to the texture of fine bread crumbs in a spice grinder, and then stir in 1/4 cup fine sea salt. Mix well together. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to six months.
Once you have your chicken rolled in the spice mixture it is a simple matter of laying the strips out on a foil lined baking sheet. I like to spray it with some low fat cooking spray.
Then you just bake it. Eight minutes on one side, flip the pieces over, and then four to six minutes on the other side. Easy peasy.
Perfectly cooked, delicious strips of chicken. Not dry in the least. Succulent and well flavoured.
Spicy and delicious. Yes, even finger lickingly tasty good. But that's not all I do . . .
While the chicken is baking in the oven I put together a lush sweet and sour sauce for dipping them in.
This more than makes up for the lack of skin and fat in the chicken itself. Its also very easy to make. As you know I love easy things.
And chicken with a dipping sauce is one of my very favorite things to eat. Isn't it yours? This is such a simple sauce.
You will find yourself making it and enjoying it with all sorts, not just these tasty Salt & Pepper Chicken Strips. It goes with chicken nuggets, breaded chicken fingers, katsu style chicken cutlets, and all sorts.
I dare say it even goes well with fish fingers. Shhh . . . don't tell anyone.
Making the sauce is a simple matter of blitzing together a few simple ingredients. Nothing too out of the ordinary.
Apricot jam. I like Bonne Maman. It has plenty of lovely bits of fruit in it. As well I add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, tomato ketchup and some Worcestershire sauce.
Simple ingredients. Just stir them together and then blitz to a smooth sauce. I use my immersion blender, but you can use a mini food processor as well, or even a regular sized blender.
I just find that the immersion blender does a great job of it and it is a lot easier to clean up afterwards. To be honest I hardly ever use a full sized blender any more.
The immersion blender is so much easier to use and clean, and does a wonderful job on things like this.
There is no need to cook the sauce. Just pop it into little dipping pots and onto plates, ready for your family to dip their scrumptious chicken strips into.
Oh my, but this is some tasty. Served with some steamed basmati rice, with a garnish of a few scallions, it always goes down a real treat.
All the tastiness of salt and pepper wings, with half the fat and calories, and a tasty sauce to boot. This be good eating, plain and simple and most delicious! No gfooling!
Salt & Pepper Chicken
Yield: 4
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Spicy chicken strips served with a lush sweet and sour sauce. Very easy to make and oh so delicious! Finger licking good!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 900g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips (2 pounds)
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 2 tsp Montreal Steak Spice
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
For the sauce:
- 235g of apricot preserves (3/4 cup)
- 3 TBS soy sauce
- 3 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Spray a foil lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the soy sauce into a bowl. Combine the spices and seasonings in a plastic bag.
- Roll the chicken strips in the soy sauce and then shake them in the plastic bag to coat with the seasonings.
- Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, flip over and bake for a further 5 to 6 minutes, or until the juices run clear, and they are golden brown.
- While the chicken is cooking, put all of the sauce ingredients into a deep wide mouthed jar and blitz with a stick blender, or alternatively blitz together in a regular blender/food processor until smooth.
- Serve the chicken strips hot with the dipping sauce.
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Victoria Scones. I wanted to share this lovely traditional scone recipe with you this morning. It is a be-ro scone recipe coming from a book that was sent to me from a friend.
It is a lovely scones recipe that was originally published in the 1928 Be-Ro recipe book, so, it is a very old recipe. In this newer version of the book it has been updated to use modern methods and ingredients.
Roasted Tomato Soup. Nothing is more delicious than a fabulous soup made from fresh ripe vine tomatoes tomatoes roasted in the oven with plenty of herbs and garlic.
Several weeks in a row my sister and I were lucky enough to score two very large boxes of fresh vine-ripened tomatoes at the shops. Normally I would not get so excited about seeing tomatoes out of season, but these looked beautiful and the price was right.
They were only $4.99 for about 6 pounds of them. An amazing value, and what is wonderful about tomatoes is that they keep ripening so long as you keep them out on the counter.
The first bunch we enjoyed in tomato sandwiches and bacon and tomato sandwiches. And then the next week they had them marked down to $3.99 for the box and we bought some more to use in a soup and more sandwiches.
Yes, we love tomatoes.
Baking is a lot of fun, and it’s also a fantastic way to foster your creativity and sharpen your skills. If you love to bake, adding a baking station to your home is an excellent way to cook up new creations and keep things organized.
Baking stations offer you a designated area for all of your baking ingredients, goods, tools, and more. But beware: A baking station might just encourage you to bake so much that you end up starting your own business. Here’s how to design and build the ultimate baking station at home.
Materials
As with any DIY project, you’ll want to start with the materials you plan to use when building your baking station. Quartz is a favorite choice for bakers, as is marble, which keeps your butter cold while you’re prepping dough or working it into a recipe.
Once you’ve chosen your countertop surface material, consider how to spruce up the wall behind it. Bead board or shiplap painted in a charming color is a fabulous choice, or you can install a tile backsplash to add some flair and keep the walls easy-to-clean and protected from damage.
Placement
Once you’ve decided on the materials, it’s time to think about where your baking station will be. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
Under a window: If your sink isn’t already taking up this space, consider placing your baking station under a sunny window so you can enjoy the view while you bake and prep your favorite homemade recipes.
Kitchen island: Your kitchen island can easily double as a baking station, but make sure you have plans to organize everything when you’re not using it. A stepped-down section with a lower countertop installed on one side of your island is a great option, too.
End of the kitchen island: Another great option is to create an extension of your island with wheels so you can roll it out, then tuck it away when you’re finished. Just be sure that the extension is lower than the island and that you have room to roll it under
Add on to your kitchen: If you have the budget and the time, a complete extension of your kitchen is an excellent way to designate a particular area just for baking. Always consider the pros and cons of additions or extensions to your home before committing to this type of project.
Pullout shelf: For those short on extra space, a large pullout shelf can double as a counter for your baking endeavors. You can also designate specific cabinets in your kitchen for ingredients, tools, and accessories.
Height
Your baking station’s height is very important since you need to be able to comfortably mix ingredients, roll dough, spread dough for a delicious focaccia, and perform other baking-related tasks.
When designing the station, keep in mind that the counters should be lower than the rest of your kitchen countertops. Table- or waist-height is ideal, which is approximately 30 to 32 inches.
If you plan to use an existing table, you can cut the legs to height, making it shorter for better functionality. Ensure that anything with wheels has a locking mechanism, so it stays securely in place.
Equipment
If you cook everything from sweet cookies to savory breads, you’ll need a variety of different tools and equipment for a successful baking station.
Stand mixer. Perfect for all kinds of dough and batters, a stand mixer is a must-have piece of equipment for any avid baker. Additional tools like a paddle can be attached for perfect bread and more.
Hand mixer. When baking smaller batches or specific recipes, a hand mixer can make your baking projects fast and easy.
Measuring cups and spoons. Stock measuring cups for both wet and dry ingredients as well as measuring spoons for accuracy when you bake.
Wooden spoon and rubber spatula. This simple tool is a baker must-have. A wooden spoon and rubber spatula make it easy to “fold” ingredients together and scrape your bowls without damaging them.
Baking pans. From cookie sheets to pie plates, you’ll need a variety of baking pans in different sizes and materials, depending on what you love to bake.
Rolling pin. Perfect for rolling your dough to the right thickness, a rolling pin is a critical tool for any baker’s arsenal to create the perfect homemade white bread.
Wire rack. A wire rack helps your baked goods cool faster, and it’s another must for your baking station.
Ingredients
While every recipe is different, there are some standard ingredients to keep on hand in your baking station, including:
- Flour: Perhaps the most common ingredient in baked goods, keep cake flour and all-purpose flour on hand.
- Sugar: White, brown, and powdered sugar are all crucial ingredients for baking.
- Salt: Even if you need just a pinch, it’s wise to have plenty of salt on standby for your recipes.
- Cocoa powder: Many recipes call for cocoa powder, so be sure to have at least a small amount on-hand.
- Butter: Most baking recipes require unsalted butter, so it’s good to have plenty in the fridge whenever you need it.
- Eggs: Keep a dozen fresh eggs in your refrigerator at all times if you’re planning to do lots of baking.
- Nuts: From almonds to pecans, you should stock up on a variety of nuts for various recipes.
- Oil: Vegetable, coconut, and canola oils are all common ingredients in baked goods, so be sure you have all three on-hand and stocked up.
- Extras: From chocolate chips to dried cranberries, keep some extra goodies stored for different recipes so you’re prepared.
Storage
Once you’ve gathered everything together, it’s time to organize. It’s important to keep your baking station tidy and clean, and the right storage can keep this area mess-free.
Here are a few helpful tips to inspire you:
- Clear jars or canisters with a tight-sealing lid make it easy to find the ingredients you need. Label each jar using stickers or a small chalkboard label that you can write on.
- If you have the room, consider installing open shelving over your baking station area, so it’s easy to grab what you need as you go.
- Dedicate one section of your kitchen cabinets solely to organizing your baking ingredients. You can use a drawer underneath for your tools and the bottom cabinets for your mixers and other equipment.
- Add organizers to your baking drawer so that you can separate items by type or size. It also keeps the drawer from getting cluttered, and you won’t lose your favorite tools in the fray.
- A spice rack is a great way to store and organize ingredients that you only need a pinch of, like salt or powdered sugar. Use a tackle box for your food coloring and sprinkles.
- To store your cookie sheets more easily, “file” them lengthwise and upright in a lower kitchen cabinet. Install small dividers so each cookie sheet is separated yet stored with the others in one central location.
- If you’re short on storage space, use a kitchen or bar cart, and stock it with all of your tools and ingredients. This is also a terrific way to access everything you need in one place while freeing up the rest of your kitchen.
Create a business out of it
If baking is truly your passion, there’s no reason why you can’t make it a successful business. Now that your baking station is set up and you have a great space to create your delicious recipes, it’s time to think big.
Before you dive into baking as a career, be sure to look into your state or provinces cottage food laws.
Each location has different laws that apply to cooking and selling food out of a residence. Start by creating a comprehensive budget, and decide which items you plan to sell and to whom.
Local schools and small businesses are both excellent places to start. You can advertise online through social media or design your website.
Whatever you decide, becoming a professional baker can be an extremely fulfilling and rewarding career that allows you to do what you love.
Make it family-friendly
Baking together as a family is a wonderful way to bond and spend time with those you love. If you want the entire family to cook with you, there are a few important safety precautions to take into consideration:
- Set a few safety ground rules in advance, like washing hands before handling ingredients or cooking.
- Never leave children in the kitchen unattended, especially if the stove is on or there are knives within reach.
- Use a small step stool to help your child reach the countertops so they can bake with you without straining or being tempted to climb onto the counters.
- There are many activities young children can help you with that are safe, easy, and fun. For example, stirring up ingredients in a large bowl is something safe that kids love to do.
- Ensure all pot and pan handles are facing inward to prevent them from accidentally getting caught on clothing or knocked off the stovetop.
- Store all knives and sharp tools safely out of the reach of children.
Whether you enjoy baking in your free time or your dream is to start your own baking business, a beautifully organized baking station is a great way to get started.
Remember to decide on your baking station’s materials and placement first, then stock up on ingredients, tools, and equipment.
With the right organization and the perfect spot, you can enjoy using your home baking station for years to come.
Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes. This easy recipe for sausage and potatoes in the oven has to be one of my most popular recipes on here. It has had literally millions of views.
I first published it way back in 2012 on my Recipes From the Blue Binder Blog and then I moved it over here. It has been copied (including the text and photography) onto other people's pages over and over again through the years.
They do say that copying is the most sincerest form of flattery. But I will confess I don't really feel flattered when they do that, I just feel robbed, but it is what it is, and there's not a lot I can do about it.
I wish I could say that I am updating the recipe with new photos, but I can't. Its the same old photographs. I don't think it hurts to be reminded every now and then when you have a recipe that's this delicious.
With over 10 years worth of content on the blog, sometimes these golden oldies can get buried in the mix! I hope you will forgive me for repeating myself.
This is a FABULOUS recipe. I love sheet pan suppers. They are so quick and easy to make and when you are talking about smoked sausage and potatoes, DELICIOUS as well!
No fuss, no muss, very little to clean up afterwards!
This fabulous sheet pan sausage and potatoes dinner has everything you need for a delicious dinner. Smoky rounds of sausage, gilded brown on the edges. Lightly caramelized onions . . .
Crisp golden brown cubes of potato. All herby and crisp on the outsides, and meltingly tender on the insides.
This is a tasty supper that is simple, delicious and economical. Plus you only need five basic ingredients to pull it off. Smoked sausage, potatoes, onions, some oil and seasonings. Oh, plus cheese if you are wanting to add an extra special touch.
You can of course fancy it up by adding chopped peppers or other vegetables, but to be honest, it is pretty darned perfect just as is. Why mess with perfection?
It makes for a wonderful supper to throw into the oven on those nights when you just can't be asked to cook anything complicated. Perfect for nights when you have been dashing about all day coping with one thing or another and I can tell you this . . .
Ain't nobody ever turned up their noses at this one! Seriously. Unless they are vegetarian I suppose. Its quite simply delicious.
The smoked sausage is sliced into coins and then tossed together with cubed potato. I like to use a baking type of potato as they roast the best. A russet in North America is best, whilst in the UK I would use a King Edward or a Maris Piper.
You add some oil to this. I like to use a light olive oil. Never Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Using EVOO for cooking is a tad pretentious I believe. Its wonderful for salads, but for cooking, its a waste of olive oil in my opinion.
I just use a light olive oil, which is still good for you, but a bit cheaper. You can also use a canola or sunflower seed oil.
I like to use a mix of herbs and seasonings in this. Salt and pepper of course. I like fine sea salt. I love the purity of its flavor and I usually grind my pepper fresh.
Add to that some sweet paprika. This gives a touch of flavor but I mostly use it for the color it adds to the dish. You could use smoked paprika if you want to add an extra touch of smokiness and some zip, but I am happy with just the sweet.
In addition I add some dried thyme. This adds a lovely herby touch. If you don't like thyme just use an herb that you do like. Marjoram is nice as is rosemary. You don't want anything that will be too overpowering however, so be judicious in whatever you choose to use.
I also like summer savory.
It all gets mixed together and spread out onto a baking sheet before roasting in a moderate to high oven. (200*C/400*F) You do need to stir it every fifteen minutes or so. This helps to keep anything from sticking to the pan and gives your potatoes and sausage a better chance of gilding golden brown all over.
The final piéce de resistance is the smattering of cheddar cheese that you scatter over top at the end. I like to use a good cheddar. If you use a good strong one, you don't need as much, but well . . .
In all honesty I have never been really good at moderation, so add as much as you want, or as much as you think your family will enjoy.
And that is one promise I can make to you. Your family WILL enjoy this a lot! I like to serve it with baked beans and crusty bread, maybe some pickled beets. All in all a most delicious supper that is easy to make, easy to clean up after and well received.
Supper just doesn't get much better than that!
Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes
Yield: 4
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
An easy and simple meal that is also economical . . . oh, and pretty delicious too!!
Ingredients
- 1 package of smoked sausage
- (Peel if necessary, and slice into rounds)
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
- olive oil
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- sweet paprika
- dried thyme
- a handful of grated strong cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray (with sides) with several sheets of foil, and drizzle with a bit of oil. Spread the oil out over the pan. Set aside.
- Put the sausage rounds, onions and potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with a couple TBS of olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and dried thyme. Toss together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Pour this out onto the baking tray, and spread it out as much as you can.
- Place into the heated oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender. Turn off the oven. Scatter the cheese over top of the cooked meat and potatoes, Pop back into the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.
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