When I grew up I was always surrounded by mason jars. There are still a ton of them in my mom’s basement, though she doesn’t use them any longer. She and my grandmother were both avid canners, and they always made sure they took their time and saved each of the precious vegetables they had growing in their gardens each summer. I always had a fun time helping with this chore and though I don’t do it myself, I do know there are many who still do it.

Both my grandmother and my mom used mason jars they had used before, but they always had to end up buying more. The grocery stores in my area always had jars for sale because many people where I grew up canned food for the winter, and they wanted their business. I don’t find this as much as I did when I was a child, but on occasion I do come across a display in a local store and it reminds me of my childhood. Funny how something as simple as mason jars in a store display can bring back pleasant feelings from long ago.

Mason jars aren’t just for canning though, there are a lot of people who have found a new use for them. I have a friend who makes and sells candles, and a lot of her candles are in mason jars and other glass containers. They have a homey look to them and many people prefer this type of candle because the mason jars can be closed.  This type of candle is all around cleaner and easier to take care of. She has a large assortment of mason jars in her garage and she will end up using every single one of them. I have quite a few of them in my house and I love how they can be stored anywhere and used at any time.

If you need a large supply of mason jars for any reason, you can get them at a good price. They are generally not very expensive and if you buy large amounts at once, you can save even more money. If you can’t find them locally, you can look online for good deals. In most cases, you will find ads in your local classifieds. People cleaning out attics, garages and basements may be looking to get rid of a bunch of them and you may get an amazing deal that way.

Who doesn’t like chocolate brownies? Maybe those deprived during their childhood, but if that’s the case, it’s time to get with the program. Chocolate brownies are a timeless classic with many different tasty variations, something for everyone indeed! Of course, you must love chocolate and after all, it’s good for you.  It’s considered a major food group by adolescents and women of all ages. You can’t ever go wrong bringing a plate of this delicious desert to any type of gathering. They’ll be gone in no time. Nuts, cherries, raspberries, marshmallows, caramel, peanut butter, white chocolate and mint flavoring are just some of the ingredients that can be added to a basic brownie recipe. There are also modified versions of the classic recipe including low fat brownies and recipes that use sugar substitutes like Splenda.

Let’s test your brownie knowledge and see just how much you know about America’s favorite desert. Here are some interesting facts about chocolate brownies from www.chocolatebrownies.net. Also known as a Boston brownie, it was named after it’s brown color, which was sometimes glazed with fudge or other ingredients. Chocolate brownies are known all over the world, but they are most popular in America, just like Mom’s fresh baked apple pie. And of course, the best way to serve a chocolate brownie is fresh and hot with vanilla ice cream.  Other toppings are optional, like hot fudge or fresh whipped cream. Mmmm. It’s the most common desert item on the menus of country diners as well as fine dining establishments, all with a different twist. Chocolate in any form is one of the most popular after dinner treats ever, even in very small quantities it is so satisfying! It’s the best self reward for whatever reason.  In fact you don’t need a reason, just go for it. You know you want to!

Adventurous cooks can find recipes for chocolate brownies in most any cookbook as well as online. Being one of the most popular recipes of all time, you won’t have to look hard to find a delicious recipe just waiting for you to try. If you’re not a cook, that’s okay too. There are lots of specialty sites featuring gourmet baked goods, like www.brownies.com, where brownie connoisseurs can choose from twelve flavors using fine Belgian chocolate. Shop now for scrumptious brownies that can be gift boxed and sent anywhere in the world, even to your house! Is your mouth watering yet?

There are many times when I have asked my husband what he would like for dessert, and he would tell me that he wants chocolate brownies. I know that many people love them and some of them more than others. The great thing about chocolate brownies is that you can do almost anything you want with them. I am always a little disappointed because my mother loves to put nuts in her brownies, though I know a lot of people like to do this. Just because my idea of the perfect brownie is different from everyone else does not mean I won’t enjoy one now and then.

When I make chocolate brownies at home I never include nuts. Even though my husband would likely to put them in, I simply cannot stand them within a brownie. I am open to putting other things in brownies however, and one of my most favorite additions is peanut butter. Other times, we like to make double chocolate brownies, or perhaps just make a double batch so that they are thick and chewy.

If you enjoy chocolate brownies in your home like we do, you have probably noticed that they don’t last very long. My husband seems to go through them like they are water, and I have even tried to make a double batch to see if they would last longer. It doesn’t seem to matter how many chocolate brownies I make, they disappear within a matter of days. I am quite often trying to watch my weight, so I will put them away in the cupboard so I can’t see them. Though out of sight is out of mind for me, this doesn’t seem to affect my husband very much. He finds them no matter where they go.

You can buy chocolate brownies most anywhere you buy desserts, but you will find the best ones are the ones are homemade. Though there are some decent ones that come in packages in the store, you can’t beat making them at home for yourself. There are also bakeries that make their own chocolate brownies and these are quite often the very best you can buy. Even better, they have many different ingredients for brownies, and you can usually find whatever it is you want for desire. Brownies are definitely not a dieters best friend, but if you have a chocolate craving that just won’t let you be, having a bite or two of a really great brownie might be just what you mean.

Each year in the fall my husband takes several hunting trips. The destinations are usually within six to eight hours from our house so he takes extra days along with a weekend to hunt. He has many different hunting buddies that he goes on these trips with. There are some family trips that include his brothers and nephews and then there are trips that include long time hunting pals. Regardless of where he is going, what he is hunting and who he is with he always wants me to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies for him to take along. This started the first year we were married because I made a batch of the cookies for him to take along hunting. He likes them so much that I can hardly keep up making them during the fall months.

The chocolate chip cookies that I make are a cross between several recipes that I have seen in cookbooks or have eaten. There are some recipes for cookies that have many ingredients for energy including oatmeal, peanut butter and honey, and then there are the standard chocolate chip cookies recipes. I have combined the two and added a few touches of my own to create a cookie that is very tasty as well as packed with energy producing ingredients.

I started experimenting with the recipes because one of my husband’s friends did not like oatmeal. I wanted to leave the oatmeal in for the nutritional value. I had read that one of the famous chocolate chip cookies that are sold in the shopping malls uses a ground oatmeal. I decided that I would try using the blender. This works very well. I simply put a cup of oat meal at a time into the blender and push the grind button. The result is oatmeal flour that I add in with the wheat flour. The texture of the chocolate chip cookies no longer has the oatmeal in it. I also do not stop with the basic chocolate chips. I also add toffee chips, peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips, anything that I have on hand. The oat flour keeps the cookies moist. I also finely chop walnuts and pecans and add them to the chocolate chip cookies. I drop the dough in big balls that I make with the ice cream scoop.

This year I spent one afternoon making a huge batch of the chocolate chip cookie dough. I multiplied all the ingredient amounts by ten. I had a huge stainless steal bowl as well as my largest mixing bowl full of dough. I rolled the dough in long strips like the ready to bake cookies in the grocery store. Now I can bake them as he needs them without having to make the dough each time.