The List Lady

Before all of my vacations, I pull out a pen and notepad to write lists. I jot down everything, from the individual shirts and earrings on my packing list to the sights and restaurants on my daily activities list. But every time, I forget to make one very important list: the what-to-do-with-what’s-left-in-the-fridge list.  

 

I usually end up frantically calling friends and neighbors the night before my flight, begging them to take the block of cheddar cheese or ripe red raspberries off of my hands. If no one picks up the phone, the garbage can eats all of the perishables for me instead.

 

 

This time, a half-gallon of milk and a carton of yogurt sat pitifully on the shelf. I noticed them two days before leaving, so I still had time to click through various websites until I found recipes for both.

 

The best part? Freezing the goods and having delicious treats to come home to!

 

 

Basic Cakey Brownies

from Anka’s No Pudge Brownie Clone

makes 16

These thick brownies couldn’t be easier to make: one bowl, one pan, but lots of flavor! They go exceptionally well with ice cream too.

1 c. sugar

¾ c. flour

½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp cornstarch

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

⅔ c. nonfat vanilla yogurt (or ⅔ c. nonfat plain yogurt + ½ tsp vanilla extract)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°, and lightly coat an 8×8” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and next five ingredients (through salt). Stir in the yogurt. The batter will be thick, but if not all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, add 1 tbsp water (or up to 3 tbsp) until everything is mixed in.
3. Spread the batter into all corners of the pan, and bake at 350° for 25-30 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before cutting into squares.

 

 

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