Visiting, Crafting, and Cooking. Life doesn’t get better than this!

Tony and I had an amazing weekend with my sister-in-law, Lori and nephew, Tyler from Georgia.  It was such a joy to have them visit.  I got to show Tyler around LCU on Friday and introduce him to several of our wonderful faculty and staff members. 

Since Pinterest has taken over my life recently…yes, I am seriously addicted.  I have discovered some wonderful new recipes.  The following is another one of my recent finds.  The Baked Brownie is claimed to be one of Oprah’s favorite things.  Well I am not sure about Oprah but it is definitely one of Shelley’s favorite things…hands down the best brownies I have ever made or eaten.  Again, I am glad cheat day is only once a week or I would be “huge-er”. 

The Baked Brownie...not sure why it is called the "baked" brownie...Don't you bake all brownies?



This recipe is adapted from the BrownEyed Baker.   

The Baked Brownie
Yield: 24 brownies
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time : 30 minutes

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped  (I used semi sweet chocolate chips)
3/4 cup  unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 T. of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.
7. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

(Recipe adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)

Tyler, Lori and I had fun making some more coasters.  Super easy and fun gifts. 





Have a blessed day!

Use a coaster...

Have you ever heard those words from your mother?  I am sure I have said it a few thousand times. 

In an attempt to come up with a really cool (and cheap) craft for camp, I started blog searching.  I came up with several ideas but this one caught my attention.  Tony and I did not get to go to camp (insert very sad face here), so I decided to create some coasters for myself (and practice for next summer's adventures).  I really think the kids will like this craft next summer and it is so versatile.   

Supplies:

Tiles

Scrapbook paper (4x4)

Initials  (3.50 tall)

Corkboard

Mod Podge

Sponge brush

Clear Acrylic Matte Sealer

Vinyl

Transfer tape

Coasters

I got the ceramic tiles at Lowes.  The white tiles are 4.25 x4.25 and very cheap $.16 each.  The brown tiles were on the discontinued table and were $.48 each.  I bought 10 of them and I wish I would have bought more.  When I went back to get more, they were all gone…bummer.   

Here is the scoop…

For the white tiles, I cut 4x4 pieces of scrapbook paper (I used the scraps from my previous project) and used Mod Podge to adhere them to the tile.  I cut out the four different P’s with matching cardstock using my cricut and used Mod Podge to finish.  After the tiles were dry, I gave them a couple of coats of clear matte finishing spray.   Finally, I attached corkboard to the back with hot glue I love how they look!   

For the brown tiles, I used brown vinyl and cut out the designs on my cricut using some cut files from Lettering Delights.  I used transfer tape to get the proper placement.  I put felt on the back of these tiles but the corkboard would work also.

I got this idea from Pinterest.  If you have not tried pinterest, you really should.  It is addicting.  Click here for the website that I used as my guide for white tiles.  Click here for the website I use for the brown tiles. 



Could be used as decorative also.



Makes a nice gift!