Another gift idea for Brownies

I don't know why I'm so obsessed with BROWNIES lately. Really I don't bake them that much. But these ideas just keep popping up in my brain!
Again I found this idea at Dollar Tree.
A square cake pan 7 1/2" is perfect for baking a batch of brownies in. Cooling. A dusting of confectioners sugar or spreading on homemade fudge icing. I'll post an easy fudge icing soon. Wrap in cellophane and tie a bow in a wired ribbon and add a cute label.

Pretty Paper Bowls

Yesterday I was looking for ideas for gifting brownies. Wilton has a kit that comes with window boxes, tissue, and sticker 6/$2.99. I'll wait until Hobby Lobby has their 40% off coupon and buy some.
Another idea I found from Martha Stewart. I subscribe to "craft of the day" and in today's mail there was an idea for making pretty paper bowls. I thought now this would be an inexpensive alternative and you could use the colors of your choice!
Martha used white paper plates and bright colored rubber bands. You could make these from the white or your theme color. Add several square sheets of tissue paper or a doily. Lay your brownie in the bowl and wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and tie a bow from colored twine, ribbon, or string and tie on or sticker label. In place of the colored rubber bands you could use plain rubber band or just use a glue stick to put the bowl together and tie a ribbon around the bowl or leave plain since you're going to wrap it in cellophane or plastic wrap.

Mama's Brownies

I found this recipe over 30 years ago. I've made it so many times that the page became worn and smudged with cocoa, butter, etc that it became hard to read! :) This is my spin on the original recipe so now we call it Mama's Brownies.
It's an inexpensive basic recipe with ingredients that most folks keep in their pantry. I've used melted butter, melted margarine, corn oil, or canola oil. Whatever I had on hand. Although, I think it taste best using butter. If you like a chewy fudge taste then this one is for you. Now I've used other Brownie recipes and some have been better but required ingredients that I don't usually keep on hand. So if you need a quick sugery chocolate fix without having to make a trip to the grocery store then this is it!

Mama’s Brownies

6 Tablespoons melted butter, margarine, or oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
7 Tablespoons cocoa
mix by hand and add
2 eggs
then add:
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla or more if you like
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional )

spread in 8x8 greased pan (use shortening, butter, or spray on Pam)
bake 350° for about 30 minutes. Let it cool a few minutes before you cut into squares.
Makes about 4-8 according to how big you want them! LOL

Substitutes:
for a self-rising flour substitute use: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 3/4 teaspoon baking
powder+1/4 teaspoon salt.

For all or half of the fat (butter,margarine, or oil) use applesauce

substitute all or half of the sugar with Splenda

use a bigger pan if you like thinner brownies. This takes less time to bake so check
in about 15 minutes.

Optionals:
stir in 1/2 cup or more of your favorite chocolate chips
stir in or sprinkle on top 1/2 cup of your favorite nuts.

Note: If I'm giving brownies as a gift I line my pan with a greased or sprayed with Pam foil or parchment paper. After letting the brownies cool for about 10 minutes I carefully pull it out of them pan by the edges of the foil or paper. I let them cool about 30 minutes. I take a clean ruler and lay on top and measure to get even cuts. Then I shake on powdered sugar using a fine mesh sifter. It makes a nicer presentation. Another cute idea is to bake them in a disposable pan and lay a stencil that fits nicely on top of the brownies then then sprinkle on powdered sugar and carefully lift the stencil. Wrap with cling wrap and tie on a bow and label.

I’d like to try these:
http://therecipegirl.blogspot.com/2008/02/chocolate-mascarpone-brownies.html