Before the sun came back I was down and depressed by the weather. So depressed I lapsed back into old baking habits and made some low fat Betty Crocker brownies. Well the package also says fudge but you don’t bake fudge!
Now you know I try and make everything myself but on this dark and sad day, I didn’t care. I just wanted a chocolate brownie and for a boxed mix, this one isn’t too bad. I made them for years before I taught myself how to bake. I still think they are a lot better than a lot of homemade brownies that contain tons of egg yolks and butter.
You just add some water and an egg and mix together, no more than 50 strokes with a wooden spoon!
I line a square baking pan with parchment and put it in the oven.
These were a treat considering I had zero energy to make anything. Thankfully the weather has improved hugely before the end of our vacation, not after it! My spirits are doing much better as a result although I am back to living on smoothies and salads.
Today I am asking, how do you cheat in the kitchen? Is there a product out there you like and want to recommend? There are days we just can not do everything ourselves and I would love to know who you’re cheating with in the kitchen if you’re not too ashamed to admit it?
I admit I often buy the Pillsbury Pie Crusts as I loathe making my own. I find them quite good actually and they save me a lot of time and irritation. :o)
Bisquick or canned biscuits. OR the graham cracker crusts… though I say I use those b/c they make taking a cheesecake to a party easier.
Ditto the pie crusts. Mine have never been anything spectacular, and actually taste about the same the store brand ones in the refrigerated section. Sigh.
Also, I know making pesto isn’t hard, but I just love the Classico jarred pesto. I put a spoon of it on so many things…pasta, eggs, toast, rice, make it into salad dressing…
The other day, I tried to cheat by using my breadmaker to make dough for pizza. When I make dough by hand, I put the yeast in the water and let it sit. When you make bread in the breadmaker, you put the water in first and the yeast in last. This difference made me forget the yeast. So my shortcut backfired.
I used to buy pie crusts all the time too! Oh I love Pillsbury’s biscuits, total guilty pleasure for me. I make them at Christmas all the time. I tried growing my own basil so I could make my own pesto, um, going to need a whole field of basil plants for that! Classico rocks!
Oh no! That is a bummer Brenda and OMG, that would have been a mess. When we work out of habit we remember stuff. When we try something new but similar, it is so easy to forget the small things. I have made bread a few times without salt and ugh, no thanks!
Boxed brownies are always my go-to “cheat”. I use the betty crocker one that comes with hershey syrup that you mix into the batter. SOOOOO GOOD!!! Love it. haha.
Definitely a Betty Crocker girl! And frozen pie crusts for when I want to make lemon meringue…
I use cake mixes – especially angel food cake. I can’t buy a dozen eggs to get the whites for the same cost as a mix.
I`m a big Duncan Hines fan though – a lot less ingredients listed on the box and some of the mixes – chocolate and french vanilla I think… are dairy free INCLUDING the brownies if you can believe it. Lauren LOVES them. My kids are all about cupcakes…
If I’m tired from work I tend to cheat in cooking. Oh I rather buy a gram cracker crust then make one.
Coffee is on.
We use boxed brownies too. Ghirardelli brand is tasty!
I also use dry, packaged tortellini often for a quick, tasty meal! I usually add in meat/veggies in some combination and a jar of our favorite sauce.