Twilight

I watched Twilight today for the first time, and I must say, it is super great. I had never understood the appeal of Robert Pattinson (Edward), but I kinda get it now. I actually wanted to re watch the movie right after watching it. I also had a great desire to run out and immediately buy all the books and read them right now. I did end up running out and buying the first book and may read the whole thing before I go to bed, but I do know how it ends, so I don't feel the compulsion to stay up as late as necessary like I do when I usually start a new book.

I also watched some of the special features and the one-on-one with the author, Stephenie Meyer, was really insightful. It also made me want to write a book.

I'm Addicted

I stumbled across the greatest brownie recipe a few weeks back and I think I am officially addicted. They are sooooo good. I have had a number of requests to make them again, so it's not just me. :) I have been putting in chocolate chips and maraschino cherries. I'll see if I can get a good photo to post, I am having camera issues. I will be sampling the batch that just came of out the oven. :P

"Whatever Floats Your Boat" Fudge Brownies

* 1 cup butter, melted
* 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
* 2 cup sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1 tbl vanilla
* 1 cup flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT:

* 2 (or more!) cups chocolate chips (semisweet, white, butterscotch, peanut butter, mint, etc.) and/or raisins, chopped maraschino cherries, chopped nuts, M&M's or Reese's pieces, miniature marshmallows, etc.


Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line 13 x 9 pan with Reynolds Parchment Paper: TURN pan upside down and press a sheet of parchment paper over the inverted pan. FLIP the pan over and drop molded sheet of parchment paper inside pan, pressing folds into corners to fit inside pan.

In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved.

Add sugar and mix well.

Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.

Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not over-mix!).

Fold in "WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT"!

Spread in prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

DO NOT OVER-BAKE - your brownies will come out dry. Adjust time/temp accordingly for your oven. If you do the knife/toothpick test, it should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.

WHEN cooled completely, lift out of pan by edges of parchment paper; place on a cutting board. Fold back edges of parchment paper; cut into squares.

You can 1/2 this recipe and make it in an 8 inch square pan - bake for about 25 minutes.

Recipe from bakespace via karen

Nice Weekend

So we had a really nice weekend. Friday was (after work) naps, mac n' cheese and a whole lot of nothing. Saturday we cleaned out part of the garage and I had my first successful experience giving stuff away on freecycle.com. People were clamoring for my old junk that we haven't touched in years and didn't even know if the stuff still worked. Then we went out for dinner at Outback. Watched Kung Fu Panda and went to bed early. Matt got me up early for church with the promise that we'd go out for breakfast afterward. I got my first experience participating in a Lutheran communion. Kinda odd, and Matt kept laughing at me. Some poor kid threw up two rows behind us. And all the kids there for Palm Sunday were very noisy/disruptive. The Pastor kept talking louder as the sermon went along to try and drown them out. It didn't work. Then we went to Omlette Shop for breakfast. So good. mmmmm Back home for more naps. Now I am typing this blog because I don't want to work on my research paper that is due Wednesday. I'm a procrastinator.