We did.

It started with a to-do list that was just way too long for the amount of time we had.

I had both girls working on different things in the kitchen while I did 10 other things at once.

It wasn’t long before things started to fall apart.

Angel Girl was melting a package of chocolate chips and a package of butterscotch chips in the microwave – and it seized. Badly. There were 2 entire bags of chips ruined.

We almost cried.

I tried adding butter, shortening, and even milk before I finally got it back to a smooth consistency – but I had added so much that I wasn’t sure if it would harden up on the top of the bars. (After the fact – I know it would have been just fine – but at the time I was doing too many things to think clearly. )

I had Angel Girl start over again – this time with a double broiler – while I set out to figure out what to do with all this reclaimed chocolate.  It wouldn’t go to waste if I had to eat it all myself- with a spoon! (Which might have been my best idea all day!)

It took me a few minutes – but I finally decided to try to use it in brownies and researched until I found one that uses melted chocolate chips.

I just doubled the recipe and put it in a 9 X 13 pan.

Chocolate Chip Brownies

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons of water
2 cups chocolate chips, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

In a sauce pan combine 1 cup of chocolate  chips, sugar, butter, and water. Cook over medium heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Let cool for about 5 minutes before adding the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a greased 9 x 9 inch prepared pan. Bake  at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

We let them cool before we cut into them – enjoying the rich chocolate goodness with a hint of butterscotch.

But wait there’s more.

I called these double fail brownies for a reason!

While Angel Girl was melting the chocolate chips, Dagmar was making an ice cream dessert that called for a cream cheese filling in the center. We were playing with a recipe and adapted it – and our communication wasn’t the best (Because I was busy saving the melted chocolate that didn’t really need to be saved!)

The original recipe called for milk to be added to the cream cheese, powdered sugar and Cool Whip. But as she mixed it up and poured it on top of the ice cream layer – it looked way too runny.

As I stood there with the decadent brownie in my hand, pondering the runny filling – I had a burst of inspiration!

We grabbed the dessert from the freezer, scraped the cream cheese layer off the ice cream layer (and yes it was still too runny) and poured it over the now cooled brownies. Instant frosting!

We put the whole pan in the fridge until the “frosting” hardened enough to eat.

Voila! A double fail brownie that turned out to be really tasty!

That’s a good thing – because after the confusing day I had – I needed more than one!

Enjoy!

This post is linked to the Chocolate Friday Fun at Stop and Smell the Chocolate and Friday Fails over at My Blessed Life.

I  love this month!

There’s so much to look forward too – my favorite chocolate holiday – Valentine’s Day – and my birthday, and this year there’s even the Olympics!

And…to make it even better…it’s a short month with spring just around the corner!

One of my favorite February flavors  is the combination of chocolate and cherries – it’s so Valentine -like!

Dagmar and I put our heads together and came up with this yummy cherry chocolate cream cheese combination.

We started with our classic brownie recipe and added a cream cheese layer, topping it off with cherry pie filling. What could be easier – or tastier!

Creamy Black Forest Brownies

1 – 1/3 cup flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and chopped nuts together in a bowl. Set aside.

Combine the oil, eggs and vanilla together in a bowl, mixing well.

Pour the egg mix into the dry mixture and combine until just moistened. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cool completely.

In a bowl, whip together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Carefully fold in the Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the cooled brownie. Top with the cherry pie filling.

Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Many, many Christmas’s ago (almost 20 I think!) my sister brought home a tall, blond fella that she had taken a shine to.

Seems he liked her just fine too – and a few years later he married her and they’ve been together every since.

But back to that first Christmas – this tall blond fella brought along some gooey wonderful brownies to share. I don’t know if  he was trying to win “brownie points” (sorry – I couldn’t resist!) or even if my sister tipped him off to how much the entire family loves chocolate – but at any rate – these were a BIG hit.

And have been ever since.

Our family calls them “Peacemakers” – although the last piece has been known to cause conflict!

Peacemakers (Caramel-Pecan Brownies)

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 bag of chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 bag (14 oz.) Kraft caramels
1 small can evaporate milk (6ounces)
1 package of pecans (you can substitute walnuts)
3/4 cup margarine (softened)

Combine the cake mix, margarine, 1/3 cup of the milk. Stir in the nuts. Spread 1/2 of this mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the caramels and the rest of the milk (1/3 cup) in the microwave.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the brownie base and pour the caramel over the top. Put the rest of the cake mix on the top in spots and pat down.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Cool thoroughly before cutting.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with my friend Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates for her Chocolate Friday Fun!

But I wanted a rich thick brownie, not the cake-like brownies that I associate with one baked in a sheet cake pan.

But the recipes I found all called for almost a pound of butter! Sorry – but I am way to cheap and calorie conscious for that.

So I improvised.

I substituted peanut butter for some butter called for. The result? A really yummy peanut butter lovers dream brownie with a hint of nutrition!  Those teenage boys loved them!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup (12-ounce package) peanut butter chips
1 cup chocolate chips

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15-1/2 X 10-1/2 X 1-inch jelly-roll pan. In large mixing bowl beat butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla; mixing well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in chips.

Spread batter into prepared pans and bake 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely; cut into bars.

Makes about 4 dozen bars.

Enjoy!

A cocoa brownie, these are still very gooey and rich!

They get extra points for having a frosting layer as thick as the brownie layer!

They are most definitely a contender – and disappeared very quickly around here!

Rich Chocolate Brownie

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

3 tablespoons baking cocoa
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla until creamy. Add butter and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add to the batter and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a greased 8 inch square baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. remove from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For frosting, combine the cocoa and the butter. In a small cup, dissolve the coffee granules in the warm water and add it to the cocoa mixture. Stir in the powdered sugar until smooth. Frost the brownies.

Enjoy!

Gooey and crunchy, they satisfied a deep craving!

I would definitely recommend keeping these in the fridge as the marshmallow layer does tend to get soft and start to run – which is messy but provides some excellent finger licking goodness!

Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jar (7 ounce) marshmallow creme
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips
3 cups Rice Krispies

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine the flour,cocoa, and salt. Gradually add it to the creamed mixture. Spread into a greased 9 x 13  pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Cool completely.

Spread marshamllow creme over the cooled brownies.

In a small saucepan, melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and add the Rice Krispies, stirring to coat.

Spread the chocolate mixture carefully over the marshmallow creme and chill before cutting.

Enjoy!

An unexpected visit by my in-laws provided just the excuse I needed to try these brownies. My father-in-law loves chocolate and my mother-in-law loves raspberries – a perfect combination!

These brownies were fast to make and came out super moist and yummy! I added ice cream and raspberry sauce to dress them up for “company”.

Raspberry Brownies

1 cup four
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 teaspoons vanilla

Sift together  flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

Melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in jam and vanilla, whisking until well mixed.

Stir in the flour mixture until just blended. Spread batter into a greased 9″ by 13″ pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool and serve with a scoop of ice cream and raspberry sauce.

Raspberry Sauce

2 cups crushed raspberries (red or black, strawberries work as well, can use frozen fruit)
1 1/2 cup sugar (I used only 1 cup)
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon butter or margarine

Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water.  Mix into the berries and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Stir in butter. Cool and serve over cheesecake, ice cream, brownies, or eat it with a spoon!

Enjoy!

These super rich and gooey brownies were the temptation of the weekend here in my home!

The decadent chocolate brownies covered with melted marshmallows and  honey roasted peanuts just screamed “Eat me!” as I passed them.

They were a big hit at the potluck they attended Friday night as well!

Rocky Road Brownies

Sift together and set aside:

1  1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt in saucepan:

3/4 cup butter or margarine (1  1/2 sticks)
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

Remove from heat and stir in:

2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add 5 eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Stir flour mixture into the melted chocolate mixture until just blended.  Spread the batter in a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with 2 cups of miniature melted marshmallows and 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped honey roasted peanuts.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until the marshmallows are slightly melted.

Garnish with hot fudge sauce.

Cool and enjoy!

Every year we celebrate the first snow by making and enjoying a snow cake.

Traditionally we have made my favorite chocolate brownie recipe and then sprinkled powdered sugar on the top to look like new fallen snow.

This year however, the first snow came right after the “big move”. It was a time when my pantry was empty and my day was full.

When I heard the excited cries of “It’s snowing!”, my first thought was “Good!”. We had hoped to be in the new house by the first snowfall.

My second thought was one of panic as I frantically tried to remember if I had the ingredients I needed for snow cake, and more importantly, could I find them?!

Thank goodness for Dagmar! She found a brownie recipe and even made it for us. But when it came time to sprinkle the powdered sugar, we realized we were out.

It was time to improvise!

We had just unpacked all my pretty plates and china dishes to fill Grandma’s China hutch. So I pulled out my beautiful star plates. We put a brownie in each one and covered it with a big dollop of whipped cream (the snow).

Arranged together, the snow cake made a pretty presentation and received rave reviews from my children.

This is one special snow cake, it was an old tradition carried to our new home.