Love can be complicated. But treats for the one you love don’t have to be. Sometimes the most basic, simple, fuss-free path is the one to go with. Is there anything better than a really great brownie and an ice cold glass of milk?
We didn’t have a lot of homemade brownies at my house growing up, just the good ole Sara Lee version as an after school snack. But for my husband Charlie, a self-proclaimed chocoholic, the brownie was very high on his list of favorites and he is pretty particular. This one passes the test-a box mix from Ghirardell. We love 'em! I keep a couple of boxes in the pantry at all times. They are delicious, easy to find in stores, and turn out perfect every time. All you need is oil, 1 egg, and water! I like the Double Chocolate version that has little chocolate chips in the mix. For the photo above, I tossed in some walnuts, but the mix doesn't have them in it.
Make them Valentine's Day perfect by cutting them into hearts! I like this little cutting kit from Amazon. You get several differences sizes to choose from or pick up one from your local craft or kitchen store or anywhere that sells kitchen items, like Walmart or Target.
A little tip is to line your baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil so you can lift the brownies out to cut. When the pan comes out of the oven, let the brownies cool for a while. When cooled, lift up the parchment paper to remove them, grab your heart-shaped cookie cutter, and press down gently to cut out each brownie. An 8-inch pan yielded 5 shapes with my size cutter.
You’ll have some leftover brownie edges. Don’t waste that! Here’s a trick my mother-in-law Miss Pat told me–shape the excess into balls and roll them in powdered sugar for little brownie bites. Or take it one step further and put a little indention into each brownie ball and plop in a dollop of raspberry preserves.
Sprinkle the hearts with a little powdered sugar and serve with some fresh raspberries or strawberries. You could also sprinkle some crushed peppermint on the brownies too while they're still hot, so you'll have minty-fresh breath when give your sweetie a Valentine's Day smooch :)
If you have a favorite brownie recipe, the heart-shaped cutter is all ya need! So have fun making sweets for your honey-no matter if it’s homemade or a box mix. Presentation and intent wins every time. And the fact that you’re making something for the one you love says it all.
Happy Valentines Day-I hope you're surrounded by love!