Easy Cooking Ideas

Brownies: Your Future Self Will Thank You For Saving This.

**Ingredients:**
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

**Directions:**
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until well combined.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).
7. Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting into squares.

Banana Pudding: Don't Let This One Get Away!

Ingredients
* 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
* 4 cups cold milk (dairy or non-dairy, based on pudding mix instructions)
* 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 (12 ounce) box vanilla wafers
* 4-5 ripe bananas, sliced

Directions
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk for 2 minutes until well combined and thickened.
2. Gently fold in half of the thawed whipped topping into the pudding mixture.
3. Arrange a single layer of vanilla wafers in the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish or trifle bowl.
4. Top the wafer layer with a single layer of sliced bananas.
5. Spread half of the pudding mixture evenly over the bananas.
6. Repeat the layers: vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and the remaining pudding mixture.
7. Top the final pudding layer with the remaining whipped topping.
8. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, before serving to allow the wafers to soften.