Saucepan Fudge Brownies
Saucepan Fudge Brownies
Sometimes you just need a quick chocolate fix.
Sometimes you have company that surprises you and you need to make something very quickly!
Sometimes you just want to bake the best and easiest brownies in the world.
These saucepan fudge brownies are all made in one pot, so it’s easy to make, and has easy clean up! Who doesn’t love that?
This is a recipe I got from my mom and is a staple in our house.
Eat them as is, or slab on some homemade or store-bought icing. Or, just sprinkle with icing sugar. It’s all good and the pan won’t last long!
- ½ c. butter or margarine
- 2 (1oz) sq. unsweetened or semi sweet chocolate
- 1 C. sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. Baking powder
- ¾ cup flour
- Frosting
- 2 tbsp. Shortening or marg.
- ¼ c. cocoa
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 3 tbsp. Milk
- 1 ¾ cup icing sugar
- In a saucepan melt butter and chocolate.
- Remove from heat and stir in sugar.
- Blend in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
- Stir in flour and baking powder. Mix well.
- Spread in an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Frost when cool.
Rainy Day Activities
Rainy Day Valley Family Fun
It’s raining, it’s pouring! The old man is snoring!
I get a lot of questions of what to do when it’s raining! It does put a damper on things, but doesn’t exclude all family fun!
Here are a few great ideas of things you can do when it’s raining.
1. Museums
The Valley is full of so many museums from National Historic Sites to community spaces. It’s a great way to keep history alive, appreciate where we come from and to learn something new. This list of Valley museums is full of our Tried and Tested recommendations.
Some are seasonal, so be sure to check opening times before going.
2. Bowling
Bowling is often a forgotten about activity, but it’s open year-round, and fun for the whole family, and doesn’t matter if you are a good player or not! A list of Valley Bowling allies is here.
3. Indoor Play
Roo’s Playhouse in Greenwood and Cotton Tale Cafe and Play in New Minas offer great play experiences for kids up to 12.
4. Swimming
Valley Family fun has a list of places to swim inside. There are so many places to choose from!
Or, fancy a water slide, the Valley has those, too. Some have height restrictions, so you might want to check those before you go.
5. Get artistic
Go to the Clayground – Paint your own pottery, fuse your own glass creation or stuff a bear! It’s all possible at the Clayground Studio in Wolfville. No talent is necessary, so it’s another great activity for all ages!
Or head to the Acadia Art Gallery!
6. Spend the day at the Library
There are so many free library programs at any branch on any given day of the week. Or, head to the library, grab a book and curl up with your family to read!
What else is on your rainy day list?
Middleton Family Fun
Middleton Family Fun
Have you ever thought of spending the day in Middleton?
It’s a great place to explore and there are lots of things to do for family fun! Here are a few of our suggestions.
Go for a walk at Riverside Park
This lovely park is located at 80 Bridge Street, you guessed it, right beside the river!
When we arrived, a town employee was working on the park, and so he told us all about it. You can’t really see from ground level, but all the maple trees are planted in the shape of a heart along the walking trail – as Middleton is known as the Heart of the Valley!
The path is less than a kilometer, and took us about 15 minutes to casually stroll along the edge of the maple trees.
It is a lovely path to explore, sit on a bench and read, or just enjoy the surroundings!
Go to a Museum
Middleton has two museums worth checking out.
The first is the Memory Lane Train Museum. Memory Lane Museum is located at 61 School St, Middleton in the old Middleton train station.
It is full of paraphernalia from the days of the Dominion Atlantic Railway. There is so much to see here!
Read more about it in our blog post.
The Annapolis Valley Mcdonald Museum is in the old school house. There is a great scavenger hunt for kids and you can see an incredible collection of clocks!
Read more about it our blog post.
Get a Bike
The best place to buy used bikes of all sizes is in Wilmot, right at the Middleton border. These bikes are in the driveway of a gentleman who lives on Route 1 in Wilmot across from Evans’ Family Farm Market. He also has bike gear and racks. 902-825-3624
Get an ice cream!
The Big Scoop is a great place to eat and has hard-serve ice cream.
What other things do you do in Middleton for family fun?
The Dukes standing at Duke Street in Middleton, NS
Gourmet Pizza with Phyllo Pastry
Gourmet Pizza
This is a recipe that I cut out of a magazine or from the flyers years ago. Whatever the source, this is a yummy pizza with a twist.
It’s not always a hit with kids, but adults love it. Whenever I have to make a pizza to take to a party or a potluck, this is the one I bring.
Made on a 9×13 cookie sheet, this pizza can serve a large crowd.
Buying the ingredients listed will make you 2 pizzas.
Try something new! Think about what other ingredients you could use!
- 1/2 bag frozen asparagus
- 1/2 package phyllo pastry
- 1 C grated mozzarella or other cheese
- 2 Tbsp oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- Olive Oil
- Melted butter
- Cook asparagus according to directions. Trim ends, and cut into bite-sized chunks.
- Place phyllo pastry on a 9x13 pan, one sheet at a time, rubbing melted butter between each layer.
- Spread cheese over base.
- Spread with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes. Top with goat cheese and onions.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, until phyllo pastry starts to turn golden brown.
- Try a variety of other ingredients to see what works!
Annapolis Valley Macdonald Museum, Middleton
Annapolis Valley Macdonald Museum, Middleton
*Disclosure: Our family received a pass to visit the museum. It just means that we could add another awesome Nova Scotia museum to our checklist! All opinions are our own.*
Located on School Street in Middleton, the Annapolis Valley Macdonald Museum is located in the former Macdonald Consolidated School building, which was the first consolidated school building in Canada, operating from 1903 to 1979.
The museum houses collections of historical artifacts of the area, a research library for genealogical historical research, a recreated classroom and general store, and a small natural history exhibit, including species at risk.
Our Visit
When we arrived, we were greeted by the museum’s director, Sherry Griffin. She gave a wonderful introduction to the boys about what they would see in the museum, and the importance of and reasons behind not touching everything.
Artifacts were clearly labeled of what could be touched, and what things could not be. There were so many things that the boys could play with, that they hardly noticed what they couldn’t!
To give the boys a focus for our visit, Sherry and her team came up with a great scavenger hunt and a big list of things of things they were to find in the museum.
This was a great activity, as it took us throughout the entire museum. Because both boys had different lists, by the end of our visit we had seen just about everything in the museum!
Especially in the room with the Rusty Nail Collection!
“There are so many awesome things in here to look at!”
“Make sure you find the toy fish. It’s filled with sand!”
The Rusty Nail Collection consists of over 500 items assembled and catalogued by the students of Middleton Regional Junior High School history teacher, Mrs. Leonie Cumming, who began teaching at the school in 1949. Housed first at the high school, the collection moved to the museum in 1980 and is an integral part of its collection.
By far, the boys’ favourite was the clock room.
The Clock Collection has over 150 antique clocks and watches on permanent exhibit from the Nova Scotia Museum.
Try to pick your favourite clock! It’s not an easy job!
“I found all the clocks amazing!”
“I really liked seeing how the clocks worked!”
There is even a place where you play with things to see how a clock works!
Upstairs there is a recreated general store. Just look at the prices and see how many of these old products you remember!
You can sit and play checkers, too!
Best of all, there is an old-fashioned phone that the kids could play with!
“Operator! Operator!”
The kids got to sit in a re-created classroom, practice their penmanship, and learn abut the one-room school.
“I wish we had desks like that in our school!”
The museum will be creating a few more children’s areas with old-fashioned toys. Stay tuned for more details.
For a great overview of the museum, check out the video on the Nova Scotia website.
Prices and hours and Location
The museum is open from April 1 to December 16.
Jun 15–Sep 30, Mon–Sat 9am–4:30pm, Off Season: Mon–Fri 10:30am–4:30pm.
A small admission fee is charged.
It is located at 21 School Street, Middleton
The next time you are in the Middleton area, please do stop in at the Annapolis Valley Macdonald Museum. Take time to appreciate our local heritage, and support these museums who are doing a great job keeping our history alive.
It’s an afternoon well spent!
Grafton Street Dinner Theatre is for Kids
Grafton Street Dinner Theatre
*This is NOT a sponsored post. It’s just a place that I love and wanted to know if it was appropriate for kids. Because I wondered, I’m sure you will have wondered, too!*
I love going to the dinner theatre.
I always have. There is something fun about being in the middle of live “street” theatre and never knowing what is going to happen next.
So, when we were trying to make plans for my 40th birthday, I decided that we would go to Grafton Street Dinner Theatre in Halifax.
I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to take kids or not. I hadn’t been in about 5 years, and never looked at it with the “mommy lens”.
When I called to make our reservation, the woman on the phone assured me that it was a family-friendly show and was NOT full of sexual innuendos that would make my grandmother blush.
How it Works
For the most part, shows run on Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 6:30. You need to be there at least 30 minutes prior to the show.
Wait in the main lobby. Order a drink and get prepared for a fun evening.
6:00pm – The Lounge opens with full bar service
6:30pm -The cast will call you into the dining room.
If you have a RESERVATION you do not need to pick up tickets. You will be called by your reservation name and billed at the end of the evening.
If you do not have a reservation please see the bartender for availability .
On cue, the cast will come out, in character, and call your name and take you to the seat. Then the show will begin!
Our Evening
Throughout the night, the actors are also your waiters. They will look after you for the evening, so take time to get to know them and have some fun!
Throughout the evening, a play will be happening around you. It’s usually a fun, simple plot that involves a lot of great music, depending on the theme.
For example, when we went, it was all about talk shows (a secret past addiction of mine) and music from the 1980s.
The cast walk around the room during the show and the music and involve as many audience members as they can. The boys loved being “picked on” throughout out the evening!
Because it was my birthday, the cast serenaded me with happy birthday! And, there were 2 music teachers in the audience, so they were pulled up on stage to help play the instruments in my honour. One of the best Happy Birthday songs, ever!
It’s amazing to see how talented these actors are. They can flip between instruments, can sing and dance and interact with the audience all at once.
Meals
“The food was absolutely fabulous, especially the seafood chowder!” so said my 9 year old son.
When you arrive, you get to order from several choices off the menu. There are several choices for every course. You cannot go wrong. They are all delicious!
They even have special drinks based on the theme for the kids.
Price
The Grafton Street Dinner Theatre is well worth the price. Especially if you are going to celebrate a special occasion.
All prices include a three course dinner and the show. Reservations can be made through the box office and ticket prices are charged at the end of the performance.
• Regular rate: $46.96 (plus tax)
• Children (12 years and younger): $29.00 (plus tax)
• Special performances (fundraisers and New Year’s Eve) have different pricing, please see calendar for prices of these performances.
Discounts
Seniors discount: 10%
University Student Discount: 10%
Military Personnel and their families: 15%
Group rate is available for parties of 21 people or more.
Ages
The show is definitely family friendly and the boys thought it was so much fun!
They loved the food, they loved the music, they loved being “picked on” by the cast, and they loved being there.
The show starts at 6:30 and finishes around 9:30. This makes for a late evening for some kids, especially if you are coming from the Valley.
We think that, depending on the kids, it is best suited for children who are 10+ who can stay up later, follow plot lines, and maintain attention (especially when tired).
If you are looking for a fun family night out, especially to celebrate a special occasion or to take visiting company, we highly recommend the Grafton Street Dinner Theatre.
The shows are always high quality, the food is delicious and the entertainment can’t be beat!
We combined our night at the Grafton Street Dinner Theatre with a family staycation in Halifax.
Grafton Street Dinner Theatre – we will be back!
