Just beet it!

Beets....a strange food.  You see, I got just one beet in my Bountiful Baskets juicing pack last go around.  Now, I don't juice and only bought the pack for extra variety, but there aren't that many recipes that call for just ONE beet.  

So what to make with my lonely little beet?  Brownies of course!  Sounds strange, I know, but they are super-yummy and very moist.  Give it a try....I know you'll like them.  The beet gives the brownies a rich, sweet flavor that goes so very nicely with chocolate.  A word of caution...unless you just really like red hands, wear gloves when you work with the beet.  Trust me, beets stain!

Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies

1 medium beet, peeled and cut into big chunks

2 stick butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, preferably dark

3/4 cup white sugar

4 eggs (use only 2 if you want them really dense and chewy)

1 1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup white flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small pot, add beets and cover with water.  Heat over medium heat for around 30 minutes until very soft.  Drain, puree, and set aside to cool. 

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and then add both sugars.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes, and remove from heat. 

Beat eggs with mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Add cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and vanilla and incorporate well. Add pureed beets and sugar/butter mixture and mix well.  On low speed, add flour and then chocolate chips, scraping the sides as needed.

Generously grease a 9X13 pan, add batter, and bake for 30 minutes until knife comes out clean (or with just a few crumbles).  Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Hope you enjoy!