Chewy Brownies Recipe

Everyone loves brownies.  Who wouldn't, with their moist crumb, satiny crust, and strong and sweet chocolate taste.  They are definitely a favorite around here, especially to my brother Isaac.  He is very picky about his brownies and hasn't liked any of the homemade brownies that I've tried making before these, so we've always stuck with the trusted box mix brownies.  Every recipe for brownies that I've tried, the taste just isn't right.  They tend to be bitter, dry and just blah (if you know what I mean).  

It was last Monday and we were trying to decide what dessert to make to take over to my brother and sister-in-law's house for supper.  I was feeling adventurous and wanted to try something new.  I went through my cookbooks and came across a chewy brownies recipe in The Best Of America's Test Kitchen 2011.  Have you ever heard of America's Test Kitchen?  I first heard of it on PBS.  They have a cooking show that I always love to watch.  They test recipes and come up with formulas for the best cakes, cookies, ect.  I made these brownies in very little time and was delighted with the results.  They looked prettier that the box mix brownies and they tasted better that the box mix brownies, and you know how hard it is to come close to compare with those Ghirardelli brownies.  The brownies had a silky crust concealing the chewy, moist, and soft inside that made you drool just by looking at it.  Also, the chocolate chips gave a nice added chocolaty and gooeyness to the already amazing brownies.  

To sum all of this up, these brownies are better than any box mix brownies you've ever had.  Now, I've done all the convincing I can do...

Chewy Brownies recipe from The Best Of America's Test Kitchen 2011 

Makes 2 dozen 2-inch brownies

1/3 cup (1 once) Dutch-processed coca powder

1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (We didn't have bittersweet chocolate, so I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips and it worked wonderfully)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.  Set aside.

2.  Whisk the cocoa powder, expresso powder (if using), and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth.  Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted.  Whisk in the melted butter and oil.  (The mixture may look curdled, don't worry that is want it is supposed to look like until you add the eggs. Move on.)  Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous.  Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated.  Add the flour and salt with a rubber spatula until combined.  Fold in the bittersweet chocolate pieces.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted halfway between the edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool.  Cut into 2-inch squares and serve, with a little confectioners sugar maybe?  (The brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.)

P.S. If you would like to achieve the heart design on your brownies like mine, all you have to do is fold a piece of paper in half then cut a half heart shape.  Unfold the heart and place it on your brownies, sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top.  Carefully lift the heart from the brownies and voila! 

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55 degrees on January 11th

With the Christmas decorations down for the year, the word 2013 becoming more familiar, and no snow covering the earth, it feels like Spring.  The grass is green, the ground is wet, the air is warm.  Where I live, where having a warm spell.  It is supposed to be in the 50's and 60's all the weekend and next week.  I like it.  I'm ready for everyday to be in the 50's and 60's.  Everything that is supposed to happen in Winter has happened, and now I'm looking forward to a new season, Spring.  The season when flowers bloom, when I finish up school, when the tree limbs grow leaves, and when I turn a year older.

Today, after reading Persuasion, I decided to go outside and take some pictures.  I walked around the outside of our house taking pictures of this and that, then decided to head to the barn then walk in the fields and take pictures of the cows.  I thought they were all good ideas, but soon realized when my feet sunk down into the deep mud, that maybe walking in the fields was not such a great idea.  My feet quickly became damp from a few tiny holes in my boots.  I slowly maneuvered myself through the gate and back on gravel.  I thought I would have to settle for long distance photos of the cows but, Bell, who saw me and was curious, was nice enough to walk up from the field and pose for a little bit.

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Making faces

Today, my little cousins came over to play with Sebastian before he, Mary, Cody, and Bruno leave to go back to NC tomorrow.  They are some of the cutest kids I know.  They all have such distinguished and silly personalities.  I was sitting at the table when Taylor, that girl that is too cute, came up to me and asked in her soft and sweet voice if she could see my fish.  We all walked up to my room and gathered around my fish bowl.  They were all fascinated by my bata's large eyes and Wade, who acts way older than he actually is, thought that my fish's fin was broken... No, I don't think so...  After staring at my fish for a while, I thought it would be fun to take some pictures on my computer.  It first started out with just Taylor and I but grew to group shoots.  They all had fun making different and creative faces.  Now, get ready for some ridiculously awesome faces.

left to right:  Brody, Sebastian, Taylor, and Wade

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Winter Wonderland

Snow-  cold, wet, white, fluffy, fun, and beautiful.  These are the words that describe snow and they are the reasons why I love it.

Saturday morning, before I even opened my eyes, I hoped that when I looked out the window I would see a winter wonderland.  I opened my eyes and what did I see?  A winter wonderland.  Instead of seeing grass I saw snow, a smooth shimmering sheet of white snow.  It had fallen on the tree limbs and now weighed them down.  When the wind blew, from the movement of the trees came snow to the ground.  Looking out the window was like looking at a black and white picture.  There was no color, just the contrasts of white and black

Later in the morning, Isaac, Cody, and Seb got all bundled for sledding.  Isaac hocked a rope up to the four wheeler with a sled attached to it.  I had to get bundled also, so I could take some pictures.  It was ten times more beautiful actually being outside than just looking at it from the window.  I had to squint my eyes because it was so bright out, with the sun reflecting onto the snow.  When I stepped my feet sank 6 inches before hitting firm ground.  It was stinging cold outside with an occasional breeze.  The tips of my ears became numb and my nose, scarlet.

Snow- it makes me happy.

This is what I woke up to

P.S. A random picture of Bruno and I to finish this post off. :)

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Christmas recap

Hello!  I hope you had an awesome and cheery Christmas.  Mine was wonderful and jam packed with food, family, and of course, movies...  Let us look back at what my Christmas was like, shall we?

My oldest sister, Rebekah, came home last Friday night in time to go to Isaac's first basketball game.  Then Mary and her family got here on Christmas Eve.  When Mary and her family got here we each opened an Eve gift that we always get.  It is articles of clothing that we get to wear to my Grandma's that night.  Unfortunately, my grandma got the stomach flu and had to cancel.  After we heard the news our hearts dropped a little.  My grandma's Christmas is always so fun and marks the beginning of the many Christmas gatherings, so to not have it was sad, but we were able to reschedule to last night.  That night we ended up eating Dominoe's pizza (the best by the way), drinking hard stuff (pop), and watching White Christmas.

After having a restless night's sleep I woke up at eight o'clock feeling overly giddy.  I went down stairs to see our table filled with festive decorations and a fresh bouquet of white hydrangea.  My mom had woken up at five o'clock that morning just to make us a feast of a breakfast.  After a most delicious breakfast we started opening our presents, one at a time.  We were all a little tight in our small living room, but managed to fit.  After two and half hours all of the gifts were revealed from the packaging.   The rest of the day was spent relaxing, and for me, watching I Love Lucy which I got for Christmas.

We didn't get a white Christmas, but we did get a day after Christmas white Christmas!  It made me so happy to see big snow flakes falling thickly to cover the ground.  Right when there was enough snow to amount to anything, Isaac went outside and made a snow man (I have a picture of it below).  Even to today, three days later, there is still snow on the ground and the snowman in tact except or an eye falling out... It makes me happy, not that the snowman lost his eye, but that there is still snow on the ground.

This week has been so fun, especially with having all of my family together.  It is going to be sad to see most of them leave and have to get back to school.  On the bright side, I am going on a DC trip in February.  I'm looking forward to it!  Have you ever been?  I think it should be really fun.  Our local Christian school opened up this trip to homeschoolers.  My brother, Noah, teaches at the Christian school, so he and his wife are going to be able to go also!  Other than the trip, I don't have much planed for the new year, but I do hope to take more pictures. :)

P.S. I just woke up to a truly winter wonderland outside.  We got at least three more inches of snow last night.  The trees are weighed down by snow.  Everything is white!

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"O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shinning. It is the night, of our dear Savior's birth..."

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope you have a wonderful day, and take time to refect on the reason for the season. If you would like to know what I will be doing today, check out this post.  And if you do not see this post until after Christmas, I hope it was wonderful. :)

"I'm dreaming of a white... Christmas"

"O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shinning.  It is the night, of our dear Savior's birth..."
"I wish you a merry Christmas.  I wish you a merry Christmas.  I wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!"

P.S.  Hopfully I will be able to post later this week with details from my Christmas, but it might not be until after the New Year.  So, if you don't hear from me until after theNew Year... Happy New Year!  My next post might be published in 2013... that is crazy!



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Beeswax candles

Aren't these candles adorable?  I have fallen in love with them... yes, I have fallen in love with beeswax candles.  I love the organic and tectured look that they have.  I think they would look lovely in different height candle holders, clustered on a side table.  Don't you?  You can make them by using this tutorial!  This is totaly on the top of my list of 2013 crafts...

Thank you, Kelsie for guest posting!

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