Fudgy Brownies

No joke best brownie recipe ever. ever. They're suppper rich, and super perfect. Crispy top layer, crunchy edges, soft, fudgy, gooey middle. You'll never make a box brownie again after you try these bad boys.

Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
8 oz good quality semisweet chocolate
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
5 lg. eggs
1/3 c. unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 metal baking pan by lining it with foil and spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat; stirring till smooth. Add one cup of sugar to hot chocolate mixture. Remove from heat and cool till lukewarm. Whisk in remaining one cup of sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Stir in salt and cocoa powder. Last add flour until it disappears (don't over mix) spread dough into the prepared pan and bake 25-35 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean (for me this was at about 28minutes - just fyi) cool the brownies to room temperature and remove from pan by holding foil edges. Cut and enjoy!

Brownie Trifle

Brownies - Check
Caramel - Check
Chocolate Mousse - Check
Cool Whip - Check
Heath bars - Check
Gaining weight one bite at a time - Double Check

You guys I'm sorry for doing this to you but I have to post this recipe. It sucks it's so good. I have the leftovers sitting in my fridge right now, and seriously they won't leave me alone. I keep picking at them but it's just that good. The brownies...and that mousse its just so...laced with caramel and crunchy heath...crap I need another bite. Ok I have a serious problem.Whatever you do don't make this recipe with good intentions.This dessert is not one to be trifled with...(haha I'm hilarious). This recipe is pretty simple.

 

 

Brownie Trifle

 

Ingredients:  

1 9x13 pan of prepared brownies; cooled and cut into 1'' squares (I have a killer homemade brownie recipe.)

1 (3.9oz) package instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup water

1 (14oz can) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream (for the mousse)

1 (12 oz) container Cool Whip (for the topping)

3 crunched up Heath candy bars

1/2 jar caramel ice cream topping

Start by pouring heavy whipping cream into a medium sized mixing bowl. Whip, with a hand mixer until soft peaks form and the consistency is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Now in a big bowl whisk together the chocolate pudding powder, 1/2 cup water, and can of sweeten condensed milk. The mixture will be sort of goopy and thick. Gently fold in the whipped cream to the chocolate pudding mixture this will make a "sort of" mousse type mixture, fold until no streaks of white remain. Be very careful when folding not to deflate the cream. Feel free to lick the bowl, whisk, counter, any "accidentally" mousse covered fingers or other appendages. Don't feel guilty. Now comes the layering process. In the bottom of your trifle bowl, or any other tall glass bowl (Preferably one that will show off how pretty this dessert is) layer in 1/2 of your brownie cubes. Then drizzle with caramel and sprinkle on 1/3 of the heath pieces. Now add 1/2 of the mousse, it's going to be sort of thick so grab your spatula and spread it out over the brownies. Don't worry if the process gets a little messy, it happens to the best of us. Now add 1/2 the 12oz container of cool whip and spread over the mousse. And start the process over again...Brownies, caramel, heath, mousse, cool whip. On your last layer top it off with a sprinkle of heath pieces. Cover the beautiful thing up with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 8 hours. Good luck containing your excitement! Enjoy!

 

New Years Eve

Winco pizza + two glasses of Martinelli's = Best way to ring in the new year ever

Twenty10

If it's fair to say - I'd say that 2010 was my best year. My favorite year. Ever. I'm sure that with time 2010 might loose its #1 spot due to change and unknown future events - but for now I like 2010 most. Amazing things happened - and if it's ok with you I'd like to take a second to remember.

I started out the year like this

In January I got a sweet job

In February I found Kansas

In March I got my picture taken

In April I had the best day ever


In May I got a new ride


In June I got a new job


In July my husband was 13 years old

In August we visited Mickey

In September he cooked his first meal

In October we turned into zombies

In November we had some family time

In December we were beach bums

Bring it on 2011 - I'm ready for you.
I have a feeling it's going to be a good one.

Cruisemas

This year we had a bit of an unconventional Christmas. There was no snow, or fireplaces, or home cooked meals...

However

There was this...

and this...

and this...

and this

It was glorious, 10 days filled to the brim with sandy beaches, card games till all hours in the night and all those midnight soft serve/french fry runs.

heaven. on. earth.

Now the harsh reality of snowy road conditions and waking up early is forcing the 85 degree weather in the bahamas into the past, leaving me with only a memory.

A memory that could very well turn into a return plane ticket to St. Thomas if my finger dares click the mouse.

Once upon a time...

We went to the festival of the trees...

For this cute girls birthday...

And this was my favorite tree...

Then I found this Gingerbread house, it made me want to quit every thing and open a gingerbread house making factory...

Then I got depressed because I knew I was being ridiculous...

So to ease my woes we went here and I ate this...

and I was all better

Yay.

Happy Birthday momma!!!

Sweet and Very Talented

Black Friday-a busy, exhausting day in which thousands of people all over America fight over slightly discounted items enthralled with a rush of adrenaline when finding themselves victorious in making a purchase.


The only thing that I wanted was a $34.99 Christmas Tree.


Which I got-after A LOT of hassle.
But that's another story.



After purchasing my Christmas Tree my sweet and very talented mother offered up her Christmas tree decorating services.


Which I readily accepted.


She drove an hour to my house and we started off by getting the tree up and fluffing branches.

Next we made a trip to walmat where we purchased ornaments and lights.

Then back to my apartment where we started decorating the tree where my sweet and very talented mother could work her magic.



Unfortunately we took a little detour.

Just as we began opening packages of bulbs and ribbon my sweet and very talented mother made a decision that for as long as I live will never make sense to me.


It involves wire, a serrated knife, and a finger.


I think you get the idea.


After nearly cutting off the top half of her pinky finger my mother calmly stood and made her way to my kitchen sink, exclaiming meekly:


"Manda, I think I'm going to need a band-aid"


Me still unaware of what exactly was going on I took my sweet time in my medicine closet looking for a band-aid.


After a short and unsuccessful search, I let my mom know that we didn't have any band aids and that she should just wrap a paper towel around it to stop the bleeding and then we could carry on with the decorating. I stopped mid sentence as I walked back into my kitchen to find my sink covered in blood and my sweet and very talented mothers face as white as a ghost.


I realized that a paper towel wouldn't cut it.


She asked me to look at the wound and help her decide whether or not it was "stitches worthy".


I kindly reminded my sweet and very talented mother that although at one point in my life I wanted to be a nurse, I no longer have the desire (due to may things, including a weak stomach).


She insisted.

I looked.

I'll spare you the details.


BUT...


My stomach did a flippy thing and then I started to sweat and then I closed my eyes and...


She needed stitches.

We got in the car and tried to made our way to an instacare in orem, a 10 minuet drive that somehow seemed more like 110 minutes. I was freaking out. My mom was breathing heavily.


Finally we made it to the instacare where a Nurse let us know that my sweet and very talented mother cut an artery and would need 6 stitches and a very painful shot.



Mom was such a trooper, she didn't even cry. And the with a numb finger and tetanus injected arm she was still willing to come home with me and finish the tree...sans serrated blades.



At the end of the day it was a memorable experience that we'll laugh about in years to come, but more importantly my decision to not be a nurse was again validated.