Brownies

1 cup Butter
2 cups Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
4 Eggs
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 - 1 cup freeze-dried Raspberries


Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13"x19" pan.
In medium or large (don't let it be too small) saucepan, over low heat, melt butter. Add sugar, vanilla and eggs (beat eggs before hand and slowly add), blend well. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt; mix well. Turn off heat. Add chips, coconut, and raspberries. Stir. Pour in pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until set.

Depending on how firm you like your brownies time in the oven is important. If you want firmer brownies leave them in longer, if you want soft chewy brownies take them out as soon as you are able. Experiment with adding extra items, like nuts, or taking out things like the coconut. I like mine chewy so I take them out as soon as they are set, or just after. They aren't sticky though, just chewy and not firm. My mom add chips and 1 cup chopped nuts. She bakes them a little firmer and then adds chocolate frosting which tastes great! Keep in mind that if you choose a different size pan the timing will change. Enjoy!!!!

Roast Beef and Pasta

1tbsp Butter (optional)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup freeze-dried roast beef
4 tsp flour
1 tsp seasoning (your choice of salt/pepper or a variant of your choice. I used Alpine Touch)
1/2 cup frozen snap peas
2 cups bow tie pasta

Cook pasta according to directions. Do this while making the meat or do it before hand. The pasta will be added at the end.

Reconstitute Roast Beef according to directions. Mine was 1 cup water to 1/2 cup roast beef.

While roast beef sits in water melt butter in pan. (I do not have non-stick pans and so the butter helps to keep my food from sticking)

Chop onion and put in pan. Let cook for a few minutes. Add the roast beef without water, do not get rid of the water that is left. Add flour and seasoning. Stir until dissolved. This will act as a thickener for the sauce. Set the floured water aside. Add snap peas. Cover. Stir occasionally, but do allow some browning on the bottom of the pan, do not let burn. Uncover, add floured water plus 1/2 cup water. Turn heat down and simmer. As soon as the water is added scrape the bottom of pan with a spatula to get as much off as possible. This will add extra flavor to your sauce and help get your pan clean too. Add pasta. Simmer. As soon as your sauce is the way you want then serve and eat.
I would say this creates about 4 servings.
Add any garnishes you would like. We enjoyed it with a little bit of Parmesan cheese on top.