It has been awhile!

Hi there...I am sorry I have been away for so long! Life got a little stressful, but now hopefully I am back for good! 

Today I just found out about a great new website called Veggie Trader that is such a fun concept an online marketplace that works like a mash-up of eBay, Craigslist and your local farmers' market. This newly minted site lets you buy, sell and trade homegrown produce with other backyard farmers in your area. Have a ton of tomatoes but no lemons or wax beans? The registration is free so why are you waiting?

I am going to start trying to branch out into other area's of food on my blog so it is a little more interesting than simply recipes. It might take me a little while to find my footing so bare with me :)

Now on to what I know how to do best....give you yummy recipes! And these brownies won't disappoint! 

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies Mix (the 18.3-oz. Family Size box)
2 cups canned pure pumpkin
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly crushed
2 tbsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine brownie mix, pumpkin, and chocolate syrup in a large bowl, and stir until completely mixed and smooth. (Batter will be thick!) Spray a mid-sized baking pan (8" X 8" works best) with nonstick spray and pour in the mixture. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, and evenly distribute mini marshmallows across the top of the batter. Sprinkle almonds over the marshmallows. Using a spatula, press down on the marshmallow-nut layer to help it adhere to the batter.

Return pan to the oven, and bake for 10 additional minutes. Remove pan from the oven, and let cool slightly. Refrigerate, uncovered, for several hours, until completely chilled. (Important! Do not cover pan while initially chilling it in the fridge.) Cut into 36 squares and serve!

MAKES 36 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1 square

Calories: 73, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 52mg, Carbs: 15.5g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 10g, Protein: 1g

PS- I am also getting used to posting on my new Mac so I am slowly working out the kinks with that as well!

Peppermint Cookies n’ Cream Brownies

Everyone loves a good brownie when they are stressed and this is the ultimate one! I am sorry but I don't have the nutritional information for this recipe but you need to live every now and then and forget about counting calories right? I made these and took them to a party and people couldn't get enough of them! It is best to make these before going to a social gathering because they do make a lot and you don't want these tempting you!
Oreo's, peppermint and chocolate....could I ask for a better treat after finishing a semester?

Ingredients:

Makes 36 brownies

1 cup butter

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups roughly chopped peppermint oreo-type cookies (approx 18)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and grease lightly.In a medium-large saucepan over low heat, melt together butter and chocolate, stirring occasionally. Whisk in sugar, salt and vanilla, then turn off heat.
• Whisk in eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in flour and cocoa powder until mixture is uniform. Stir in peppermint oreo cookies and pour batter into prepared pan.
• Crush 3-4 additional cookies finely and sprinkle on top of batter, if desired.Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, but not coated with batter.
• Cool brownies in pan for about 20 minutes, then lift brownies in the foil out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Once again I am sorry I don't have the nutritional information but after finals and papers I just wanted something sinful and chocolaty and this hit the spot!

ENJOY!!!