HEAT AND BROWNIES

Setember 2, 2008 83 degrees indoors, 122.6 degrees outside, 36% humidity inside.

While in the US this summer I picked up this indoor/outdoor thermometer (had a long conversation with myself in the Radio Shack - do I really want to know how hot it is?). Well, I know now. The outdoor probe goes out my kitchen window, and, to be fair, is in the sun in the afternoon when this picture was taken. So, it was 122.6 in the sun (not much cloud cover here) - HOT!

The holy Muslim month of Ramadan has started. Muslims fast during daylight hours (no eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum). Restaurants (except for those at hotels - travelers are exempt from the fast) are closed during the day. No restaurant may serve alcohol during the month (most don't anyway - generally just the ones at the hotels where Westerners stay, but if you don't have a home supply of alcohol you are out of luck). Most businesses are open for a few hours in the morning, then closed during the heat of the day, opening again after sundown (example - I had to go to a framing place yesterday. It was open from 8 - 11:30 am , then from 7:30 - 9:00 pm). By law, people can only work 5 hours a day during this month. I am not Muslim so am not expected to fast, BUT, if I were to be caught eating, drinking, smoking in public during this month I could be fined and/or arrested. No kidding.

Anyway, I found a great brownie recipe which I will share! Have made this with Bailey's and with Kaluha - both are great. If you make it with egg substitute it is light (145 calories per brownie, figuring 16 servings in a batch). I can't get egg substitute here so can't vouch for how that tastes.

IRISH CREAM OR KALUHA BROWNIES

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. butter (I used stick margarine and it was fine)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. egg substitute (or 2 whole eggs)

1/4 c. Baileys Irish Cream or Kaluha (coffee liquer)

1 t. vanilla extract

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, stir with a whisk.

Place the chocolate chips and butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until the chips and butter melt, stirring every 30 seconds. Cool slightly. Add sugar and next 3 ingredients (through vanilla extract) stirring well with a whisk. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring every 30 seconds. Fold in the flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Spread batter in a 9 inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.