Chocolate Fudgey Brownies!

Why have I never blogged a brownie recipe until now? Sinful. This and chocolate chip cookies are like a staple of survival. We're having Sunday Family Dinner tonight and I knew I wanted to bake something for dessert, but I was not about to make myself accepting looking for society, and I knew I had all the ingredients for brownies, so I made these! They are SO stinkin' good. So fudgey and gooey and good. And it's a brownie recipe so it only takes like 7 seconds to make! Dinner, which is roast beef with rainbow carrots and loaded mashed potatoes made by Phillip, is about to be set on the table, so I'm going to hurry up and post the recipe and go be a glutton. Ugh. I wish I didn't know I was being a glutton. Forgive me Lord, I know not what I do. Or do I? ....I'm 100% hungry. Goodbye.

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup butter - room temperature
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup all purpose flour
-1/2 cup cocoa powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 cups chocolate chunks

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 baking dish.

-Beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer bowl. Add the eggs one at a
time, mixing well between each addition.

-Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix in the baking soda.

-Mix in the chocolate chunks with a wooden spoon or spatula.

-Once the batter forms (it will be thick), scrape it into the prepared dish and spread evenly.

-Bake for 25 minutes, until brownies begin to pull away from the side of the pan.

Pumpkin & Maple Bread w/ Streusel Topping!

I didn't have the slightest clue it has almost been 4 months since my last post! Yikes! Where does time go? Life is silly sometimes (Ok, most of the time....ok, ALL the time).  I have a lot of questions that are sometime left unanswered. Like what is cured ham being cured from? And why do ducks float? Why ducks, though? Why not pigs or raccoons or a polar bear? Wouldn't it be so cute to see a pig float on water? I'll answer that for you, yes, it would be adorable. I also wonder what it would be like to be a rabbit, but I could go on for days talking about that. You may be wondering why I'm talking about the life of animals, and I'll just tell you I have no idea why I think these things. I always think everyone thinks these things, but I'm just the one who makes it public. Haha. Anyways, today is a beautiful Fall day, and I decided to make this (Grandma says it's "sheer delight!"):

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/4 cup pecans, chopped



Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
-Butter a 9 inch loaf pan- set aside
-Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.
-In a larger bowl mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, maple syrup, egg and oil. Add the dry ingredients and blend until it's just combined.
-In a small bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and pumpkin pie spice then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until it resembles pea sized chunks. Toss it with the chopped pecans.
-Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.
-Bake it for 30 – 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for about 5 – 10 minutes before lifting it out to cool completely on a wire rack.

-Enjoy!

Tiramisu!

As I sit here and contemplate about just how great life is, there's only one thing, maybe two things, I could complain about.  Before I complain, I would like to just say how great it feels to have 3 days off from work in a row! Woo! And the weather is great! Double-woo!  Now....about buying a new phone. Holy. Cow. My poor phone went ca-puts this evening at approximately 6:32 pm. It was a sad day.  I watched my phone go from 100% battery, to its' last breath...0% battery. And that was that.  So what did I get to do? I got to take my dad to the phone store.  And Phillip.  My boys!!.....Have you ever been inside a phone store? It's like willingly stepping inside hell for 3o minutes.  Literally. Ok, not literally, but ONLY because there wasn't flames....that I know of.  But oh my gosh....can't a gal just buy a darn phone? Shoot. I don't want a data plan. I don't want to pay insurance. I don't want to spin around 10 times and do a magic trick. I just want to go inside and purchase a phone. But no. It doesn't work like that. What I want would consist of me buying a phone, buy a data plan, cancel that data plan, and pay $100 in cancellation fees. Like, holy cow....no.  I'll find a way to just buy a phone. Some day. Some day. Also, some day I dream of a better world when chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned. That is all. Here is my tiramisu recipe.

Ingredients:

-6 egg yolks
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1 pound mascarpone cheese
-1 1/2 cups strong espresso, cooled
-2 teaspoons dark rum
-24 packaged ladyfingers
-1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions:

-In a large bowl, using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of espresso and mix until thoroughly combined.

-In a small dish, add remaining espresso and rum. Dip each ladyfinger into espresso for only 5 seconds. Letting the ladyfingers soak too long will cause them to fall apart. Place the soaked ladyfinger on the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish, breaking them in half if necessary in order to fit the bottom.

-Spread evenly 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers and top with remaining mascarpone mixture.

-Cover tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours.

-Before serving, sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

**I used a trifle bowl for this tiramisu that is pictured, just layer the same way...use your brain.**

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust.

Mama said she wanted something chocolate for her birthday, so I made her something chocolate.  This cheesecake is so rich and creamy that it could easily serve 15 people.  It's to die for though.  I would like to rant about Mother Nature for 2 seconds.....WHAT IS UP WITH THIS RAINY DREARY WEATHER? oh my gosh. I'm not tan. I've been to the pool maybe like 7 times this summer. It's already July 5th. Not ok. I haven't been able to use my Hawaiian Tropic tanning lotion. Sad times. Sad, sad times.  However, as long as no one else gets to go to the pool, then I guess it's bearable.  Not really though.  I couldn't begin to tell you the last time I've seen the sunshine, and I just took a look at the 10 day forecast, and there isn't any sun on the forecast for the next 10 days. What is this? Winter? Shoot.

Ingredients:
Brownie Layer:
6 tablespoons melted butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Layer:
3 packages cream cheese - softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounce package) Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips - divided

Directions:
-Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch springform pan.

-For Brownie Layer, stir together melted butter, 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 eggs; stir until blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; blend well. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie layer pulls away from sides of pan.

-For Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Layer, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in 4 eggs, heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well blended.

-Set aside 2 tablespoons chocolate chips. Place remaining chips in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate, stopping at 30 second increments to stir until smooth. Gradually blend melted chocolate into cheesecake batter.

-Remove Brownie Layer from oven and immediately spoon cheesecake mixture over brownie. Return to oven; continue baking 45 to 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool to room temperature. Remove side of pan.

6. Place remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at Medium 30 seconds or until chips are melted and smooth when stirred. Drizzle over top of cheesecake. Cover; refrigerate several hours until cold. Garnish as desired. Cover and refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

The tale of making 400 cupcakes.

Once upon a time I was asked to bake 400 cupcakes for a friends wedding.  I can't pass up a challenge.  I knew it was going to be a challenge from the start, but boy, am I SO glad I did it!  From how much ingredients to buy, to how much to charge, to where I'm going to bake 400 cupcakes, ALSO where was I going to store 400 cupcakes once they were all iced, or how was I going to display 400 cupcakes.  These are the things that I had to take into consideration when I had 5 weeks to plan.  For 5 weeks, this house lived, breathed, and ate cake and icing.  First things first was I had to come up with an idea and a design on how I was going to display a good amount of the 400 cupcakes.  My mom and I googled for hours and shopped around Lowe's for inspiration.  We finally found 3 20" glass table tops for $6.00 and my loving father found 3 $1.00 fancy bowls.  We decided to stack the glass table tops of top of the bowls and put a flameless candle underneath each bowl.  It turned out so pretty, better than I ever thought it would!  Then comes the baking of the cupcakes.  First round of baking cupcakes was the chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.  My mom and brother helped and we made a huge dent in what needed to be baked.  Unfortunately, Phillips first turn up to the Kitchen Aid got him fired from the job because he turned the mixer on full blast at the very start.  BATTER WENT EVERYWHERE. When I say everywhere, I mean, EVERYWHERE. So he was fired.  By the end of that night we had 24 dozen cupcakes baked.  The second night I had to make 12 dozen red velvet cupcakes.  My mom and I went over to my sister's house and we took over her house for an evening.  So in only 2 nights I was able to bake 400 cupcakes.  That was certainly a weight lifted off my shoulders.  All I had to do now was to bake a cake and icing the cupcakes and figure out where I was going to store 400 iced cupcakes.  The wedding is on a Friday so Thursday rolls around and my best friend Allie comes over and and my mom helps me out and we set up 3 tables in the family room, and once I again, my cupcakes take over.  Allie is in the kitchen slaving away making about 15 batches of cream cheese icing.  While she is doing that, I'm in the family room icing the cupcakes.  About 10:00 pm rolls around and I finally iced the last 400th cupcake! High fives all around!! Luckily, it was very chilly that night so you know what we did?  We packaged all the cupcakes up in their boxes, opened up the doors and windows in the family room, and the family room served as our innovative refrigeration system.  Don't be alarmed, I did have a back up plan for an actual refrigerator, but this way they were able to all stay in my house, and this was less travel time for when I needed to deliver them the next day.  Friday morning at 9:00, my mom, dad, and myself travel over to Independence to set up my display, all goes smoothly.  Mind you, this entire week I was desperately sleep deprived.  After setting up, I come home and decorate the wedding cake that they were having for the cutting of the cake.  Then, 5:00 rolls around and Aunt Trinett, my mom, and myself travel back over to Independence in Aunt Trinett's van that is lacking backseats.  That is where myself and the 400 cupcakes and cake resided for this 20 minute car ride.  I just sat back there and talked to the cupcakes and encouraged them to stay strong and not topple over or commit suicide.  After a long 20 minutes, we finally made the last turn into the parking lot and everything went smoothly. I know, I know, you were hoping for a traumatic ending to that, but alas, the 3 Musketeers did it again!  We unload the cupcakes and start displaying them out on the cupcake table.  That took only about an hour/hour and half.  To celebrate a successful day, we ordered pizza and drank wine!  Then 10:00 pm rolls around and I go back to the hall for a 3rd time that day to collect all my things and out of the 400 cupcakes, there were only about 50 or so left and the night was still going strong! WOW! I thought they were going to have cupcakes coming out of their ears.  I was so glad to get some great feedback that night and the following couple days.  What an experience it was.  I couldn't had done it without my dad, my mom, my brother, sister, brother-in-law, Allie, and Aunt Trinett and Uncle Don.  I seriously could not.  I am so blessed. For this being my first wedding, let alone a HUGE wedding, I must say, it was very successful. 

  

And this was the tale of making 400 cupcakes. 
And no one killed anyone in the process. 
And we all certainly lived happily ever after.

The end.

Dark Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting!

Being a 21 year old, self proclaimed baker is overwhelming.  I work, I go to school, I hang out with family, I hang out with friends, I bake on the side, I booze on the side, because, well, let's be honest, it may be the booze talking, but I love booze. In fact, I might even bake with booze.  And when I say might bake with booze, I mean I do bake with booze.  Anyways, I do all those things all while trying to make a business of my own.  With the help of my happy little family (happy happy happy), we're trying to make my dreams come true.  So far, so good.  Keep the business coming! As for today, I'm off, on a SUNDAY.  That rarely happens.  So as a family we take advantage of it, and we have a feast for dinner.  I am contributing this fabulous cake.

Ingredients:
For the cake-
-1 cup flour
-1/4 cup cocoa powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 salt
-100 grams butter - softened
-3/4 cup brown sugar
-1 whole egg
-1 egg yolk
-75 grams dark chocolate
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup milk

For the frosting-
-250 grams mascarpone cheese
-1/3 cup cocoa powder
-1/3 cup powdered sugar
-1 cup heavy cream

*Fresh berries*

Directions:
For the cake-
-Heat oven to 350 degrees.
-Butter and flower two, 8 inch cake pans.
-Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
-Whip the butter and brown sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy.
-Add egg, egg yolk, melted chocolate, and vanilla until smooth.
-Alternately, add flour mixture and milk ending with flour mixture.
-Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
-Bake 20-23 minutes.

For the frosting-
-Whip mascarpone, cocoa and powdered sugar until creamy.
-Add heavy cream and whip on high to light and fluffy peaks.

**I actually ended up doubling the frosting ingredients from what I have above because I wanted to frosting oozing out the middle and lots on the top :)

Cream Cheese Frosting!

My life is nonstop these days.  And the last thing I want to deal with are moped drivers on the interstate. What? Pretty sure that's illegal, and if it isn't, it sure as heck should be because this hoodlum was all over the place and like screaming at cars.  He had horrible balance and was about to fall sideways on his cool, lime green moped.  And to top it off, he didn't even know where he was because once we got to the end of 471 to 27, he asked the car next to him where 275 was!!! AHHH! I hate you.  Hate's a strong word, and you know what.....I hate you dude.  Now that rant is over. It is now, FINALLY, March....and it's still cold. However March is filled with Basketball, beer, and apparently great cream cheese frosting.  If you are like me, and somewhat despise buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting is the way to go.  It's less "fakey" tasting.  A lot of buttercream recipes call for Crisco, and personally, I think that is disgusting.  There's other recipes that call for just butter, but it's still pretty gross.  Literally, I don't think this recipe could be any easier to do. Also, it has a wonderful, thick consistency and it stays put! 

Ingredients:
-1.5 blocks of cream cheese
-1 stick of butter
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
-2 lbs powdered sugar

Directions:
-Cream the cream cheese and butter until very smooth.
-Add the vanilla.
-Gradually add in the powdered sugar until all is incorporated and smooth.

-Add food gel coloring as desired.