Strawberry Brownies +FREE "Shooting for Brownie Points" VALENTINE Printable

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and it's the ideal time to bake up something pink for your sweetie.  My husband's Mamaw gave me this recipe years ago.  It always reminds me of her.  It also reminds me of my Grandmother Mary and her Strawberry Cake, but way easier.  Only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes in the oven and you've got an adorable valentine in no time.  I've included a free valentine printable that says "Shooting for Brownie Points Valentine," complete with cute little arrows.  It's a very simple recipe that starts with a boxed cake mix.  You could switch up the flavors and use a chocolate or lemon cake mix, but I think the strawberry makes a perfectly pink brownie that makes a great homemade gift. 

Perfectly Pink and ready for gift giving...

Only three ingredients for the brownies themselves.

Look at that Valentine Pink batter!

Only two ingredients for the glaze.
Glaze the brownies while they are still warm.

Add sprinkles if desired.

Thick, rich and strawberry pink.

You'll be Shooting for Brownie Points
when you bake up a batch of these
Strawberry Brownies.

I found some adorable zip-style bags at Michaels,
and added my printed tags with glue dots.
Each bag held four brownies.  Great for a Valentine Snack!

Click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and save to your computer.
Open with the software of your choice
and print onto cardstock.These images are my exclusive artwork.
Please be courteous when using these printables
and remember they are for personal use only.

Strawberry Brownies

1 box Strawberry Cake Mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. With a mixer, combine cake mix, oil and eggs until well-mixed. Spread batter evenly into pan.  (The batter will be very thick and sticky.  I usually spray a spatula with PAM to help it spread easier.) Bake approximately 14-16 minutes, or until edges start to barely brown.  While brownies are baking whisk together powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze.  Spread glaze over warm brownies.  Cool completely before cutting into squares. 

Prep Time:  Approximately 5 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 16 minutes

Aunt Louise's Homemade BBQ Sauce

Mr. Devilish Dish got an electric smoker from Santa for Christmas.  I guess he was a good boy.  I'm starting to think Santa is punishing me though, with enormous amounts of smoked meats.  I probably should not complain because it actually gives him a weekend activity when its too cold for golf.  For some reason he refuses to take up Little Devil's suggestion as soap carving for a hobby.  So smoked food it is.  So far we have had brisket, ribs, chicken, ribs, brisket, jalapeno poppers, brisket, ribs, smoked tomatoes (fail) and brisket and ribs.  I am getting to test drive a lot of new side dishes, but really there are only so many variations of potato salad you can make before you never want to see a potato again.  My venting aside, he has certainly had a lot of fun creating his own rubs and sauces, and they have all been tasty, but none of them compare to my family's old stand by from Aunt Louise.  Aunt Louise wasn't a biological aunt.  She was better.  She was my mom's childhood friend from the first grade, who passed away several years ago.  I have two favorite memories of Aunt Louise. In the summer of 1981, I spent the night at her house and she made snacks and we stayed up all night to watch the royal wedding of Charles and Diana.  (A tradition I carried out at my own house years later for the royal wedding of William and Kate.)  My other favorite memory of Aunt Louise is her BBQ Sauce.  It's thick and sticky and sweet and the perfect accompaniment to brisket or ribs or chicken, which at my house translates to brisket, ribs, chicken, more brisket, more ribs, more chicken.  Just a few simple ingredients that we all have on hand, and in 15 minutes you'll have jar of BBQ Sauce that will make the abundance of smoked meats so much more enjoyable!

A true family favorite...

Thick, sweet, sticky and delicious.

Your ribs, brisket and chicken will thank you.

Aunt Louise's Homemade BBQ Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 small onion, finely diced

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Stir in the brown sugar until it is smooth.  Add the remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer approximately 15 minutes, until sauce it thick.  Delicious over shredded beef, ribs or chicken. 

*NOTE this makes approximately 1 jar full as shown, but it's so tasty I usually double it so there is plenty.  It also makes a great gift presented in a jar with a cute label.

Bonus:  Since the recent gluten-allergy diagnosis, my doctor cautioned me that many bottled sauces and dressing contain gluten as a thickener.  Making your own is a great alternative.

Prep Time:  Approximately 5 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 20 minutes