OOEY GOOEY FUDGEY LOVEY HOMEMADE BROWNIES

I think my favorite thing about having Adam as my hubs, is the fact that I can make anything and he will eat it - ALL OF IT.  So, on the bright side, in my fitness journey, I won't feel as bad, because Adam eats most of it, before I get a chance to.  This is not a healthy post, guys.  I repeat -

THIS IS NOT A HEALTHY POST - BUT IT IS OH SO GOOD, IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL.

I was inspired by today's blog post, because Adam is sick...sad face, I know.  But, when he is feeling really sick, I know that what makes him happy - my baking.  So, in honor of my Granny, I tried to remember her brownie recipe that she had in her cookbook, oh so long ago, when I would spend my summers at my grandparents house in Maine, with my foot stool, on my tip-toes, hovered over her mixing bowl, so intrigued by the magic she was concocting.

Grab your apron, slap a little flour on your ass or have your lover do it for you (wink wink), and lets get down to baking.

OOEY GOOEY FUDGEY LOVEY HOMEMADE BROWNIES

Ingredients:

           

            Brownies –

-       2 sticks unsalted butter

-       8 ounces, semi-sweet chocolate (2 boxes Bakers Chocolate) – chop it up

-       1 ¼ cup all purpose flour – sifted

-       2 Tbls unsweetened cocoa powder – sifted

-       1 tsp salt

-       2 cups sugar, divided

-       2 Tbls brown sugar

-       1 tsp vanilla

-       4 large eggs – room temperature

-       Chocolate chips - optional

            Chocolate Frosting –

-       3 cups powdered sugar

-       ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

-       ¼ cup unsalted butter – room temperature

-       ¼ cup milk – room temperature

-       ½ tsp vanilla

Directions:

1)   Melt the butter and chocolate together in your double boiler, medium heat. (Or a pot with water in it with a stove proof bowl on top) Make sure that the water does not touch the bottom.  I did one stick of butter with one box of chocolate. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

2)   Line your pan (I used a 9x9) with aluminum foil – covering all sides.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

3)   In a medium bowl, add the sifted flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  This makes for a fluffier batter.

4)   Whisk 1 cup of the sugar, and vanilla into the chocolate/butter mixture until the sugar is dissolved. (About 30-45 seconds)

5)   In another bowl, add your remaining sugar, and the 4 room temperature eggs, use an electric mixer to blend together. 

6)   Pour half of the egg mixture into the chocolate/butter mixture and whisk constantly.  When whisking constantly – this prevents the eggs from setting because of the heat. (Basically, this means it turning into scrambled eggs)

7)   Back to your bowl of the other half of the egg mixture – whip on high for about 3 minutes, until it is thick, doubled in volume and pale. (See in photos)

8)   Pour chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs and fold together. When the eggs are almost in completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients (I added it in thirds)

9)   Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Stick a toothpick in there and when it comes out with a few crumbs, you are good to go.  If you need to – wiggle the toothpick around in order to see inside to make sure it didn’t look like soup.

10) When done – cool on rack.  After cool, frost with frosting (optional)

For the Frosting:

1.     Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (if you don’t have a sifter – you can add it to the bowl and use a whisk – it works the same)

2.     In a separate bowl beat your butter until creamy (about 2 min).

3.     Alternately add your milk/vanilla* and the dry ingredients.   Once incorporated, beat on high for 2 minutes.

* Pre-mix your milk and vanilla

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? GO MAKE 'EM!

But, first - if you love these, try some of these out:

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramallows

Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy Peasy Caprese Salad

Sunday Funday in the Herre house today, y'all!

As Adam and I relax after a fun filled week with my fam, soccer games, volleyball practice, job interviews and just normal chaos in your life, we sat down and watched one of our favorite Sunday shows - The Kitchen!

PS - If you guys were keeping up with Food Network Star, we voted for LENNY!! And we were so happy that he won!  We cannot wait for his show to come out guys, you will be getting A LOT of his food on this blog! :)

So, as I was saying we were watching The Kitchen, and the most darling, Geoffrey Zakarian had a recipe that I just wanted to make right then and there, so I did. You should just get up right now and go make it, too!

Cooking teaches love and patience.  So, get your mozzarella, because cheese is happiness, and lets get our cutting boards out y'all for this yummy "Easy Peasy Caprese Salad!"

Yields one serving.

Lipsticks and Squats,

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramallows!

I know you are already intrigued by the title, believe me, I was too!  While working out, eating healthy, and seeing ALL of those beautiful, yummy sweets recipes, it was difficult to not try one out for y'all!

If you are a caramel lover, or a cow tail lover, then THIS is the recipe for you, and it is delish!

I found this recipe on Pinterest, which lead me to the recipe, here.

Y'all, this recipe gives us a caramel that we can make in 6 MINUTES!!!

YES, you read that correctly SIX MINUTES!

And it doesn't burn, like it would on the stove!

Here we go, guys!

Chocolate Dipped Caramallows

For the Caramel ::

1/4 cut unsalted butter (half a stick)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

For Everything Else ::

mini marshmallows

10oz. dark chocolate, melted and tempered (I got two bags, just in case - which I needed.)

Sea Salt - not fine, if you can find flaked then that would be great

Step One ::

Before y'all get started, prepare a 9X9 pan by placing parchment paper in it to cover all sides.  From the original recipe, she recommends to put them in both directions, but mine fit perfectly without it being both.  THEN MAKE SURE YOU GREASE THE PARCHMENT PAPER, with nonstick spray or butter. (I used wax paper, and it didn't go so well, so make sure it is good quality)

Step Two ::

Put the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted; about 35-40 seconds.

Next, add the sugars, corn syrup, and sweetened conduced milk to the butter and stir until well combined.  

Microwave for 2 minutes.  Take out and stir.

Microwave another 2 minutes. Take out and stir.

Microwave for a third time for 2 minutes. Take out and stir.

Then, pour IMMEDIATELY into the pan.

Tilt pan to make sure it is in corner, and tap the pan firmly on your counter, to make sure it's level.

Set aside for 1 hour.

Lift out the cooled caramel, place on counter and cool for an additional hour.

Step Three ::

Take a sharp, greased knife, and cut the caramel into 1 inch squares.

Step Four ::

Take a cookie sheet, and line it with parchment paper.  

Next, take a caramel square, stick a marshmallow in the middle and pinch all corners together (like a wanton) and then roll into a ball in your palms.

Press gently between your palms, then place on baking sheet.  (you will see the marshmallow fluff back up, it's okay!!)

Step Five ::

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Step Six ::

Make sure that you melted your chocolate!  Then start taking your caramallows and drop them in the chocolate, one at a time.

Then, using a dipping fork (a plastic fork with the center tines snapped off) remove and gently tap off excess chocolate.  

Transfer onto parchment paper.

Sprinkle with a touch of salt.

Step Seven ::

Refrigerate caramels 15 minutes, until the chocolate has set.  

Store at room temperature.

BAM! There you go!  You just made, homemade Caramallows!  WHOOO! Go you!

A balance diet is chocolate in both hands. <3