The Way To a Man's Heart is Through ... Brownies.

Now I'm no relationship expert but I have learned that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Seriously, try it some time. I also mentioned before that my boyfriend has been asking for normal brownies. He pretty much gets everything I bake and I do a lot of baking for him so I complied because I do tend to go a little crazy sometimes. But I couldn't help but get a little gutsy with another batch.

 Can't really go wrong with a chocolate chunk brownie, which is what he constantly tells me. And he's' right and they turned out great as usual. I had some extra supplies though and a little something else I wanted to add. Can you tell what it is?








You know it's already a good day when I get to use the Ninja. Despite it sounding like I'm grinding up silverware it was great for chopping up some Reese's Pieces. I didn't want them to be too fine and just add them to the batter so I sprinkled the partially chopped chunks on top.

They turned out fabulous too. Peanut butter and chocolate just work. Super simple too and it'll work with any candy you'd like really. I thought about M&M's but it would be a little too much chocolate for me. (Gasp!) I know I know.

Not too shabby, eh? 

A spin on hot chocolate

Usually it has to be closer to winter for hot chocolate to be on my mind, but hot chocolate in cake form is a different story. And not just any hot chocolate; tuxedo hot chocolate. I'm not a big fan of real rich and dark chocolate so I found a happy medium by adding white chocolate chips to the batter along with mini marshmallows.

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Too sweet? No way. This chocolate cake is very different from any other chocolate cake and honestly, with it's smooth and soft texture it does taste like a good cup of hot chocolate. The marshmallows and the white chocolate collaborate nicely especially with the light and fluffy marshmallow frosting. 

Speaking of really good tuxedos, ready for some new James Bond this weekend? Grab a cupcake and take a look back at Casino Royale before Skyfall hits the theaters: Just Hit Play Also take a look at the not-as-good Qauntum of Solace

Or just look at this...

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It Must Be Monday...

You know it's Monday when...

I have more baked goods than I know what to do with... And my apartment feels like the surface of the sun with the oven on for hours.

One of my favorite things my mom would bake when I was a kid was oatmeal scotchies. Whenever she cooked, whenever she baked, I thought it was her secret recipe and was always afraid to try it myself. After all, no one can make anything like mom can.

Soooo I decided to spin it. I had to make the originals but sticking with my square theme, I made them into bars. I realized they take a lot longer to bake when they're in a brownie pan but it is so worth it. And it doesn't feel like you're eating two or three with one bar :).

Another twist- Oatmeal toffee. Replace the butterscotch chip with heath bar toffee bits and it's a whole new ballgame. Again extra baking time with a brownie pan but patience is a virtue and it's totally worth the wait.

Another twist on an old favorite - the rice krispie treat. Really simple, not really baking but it's square! And not your average rice krispie treat. How about chocolate with white chocolate chips?

Yeeeessss ma'am.


Pairings - Today's baking partner is the usual Moscato which would actually go very well with the butterscotch. Even a bit with the rice krispie treats. While Moscato is sweet and crisp and may not sound too good with chocolate, the lightness of the white chocolate balances out the cocoa and makes a great pair.

Moscato not your thing? You can go with a Pinot Noir or a mild Merlot. Still, this is probably why I like it so much, a good moscato holds up well with milk chocolate.

Now, who's going to eat all of this?



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Coffee Talk

Say hello to my new favorite toy! Well, maybe at least until I join the Keurig frenzy.

Coffee's the perfect pairing for anything baked but the right coffee is always key. Being a barista for, yes, eight years, I tend to be pretty picky in this department.

Obviously, pumpkin syrup in any coffee goes with anything pumpkin but if you're a not-so-fancy coffee drinker and a chocolate lover, I have to admit Starbucks' Cafe Verona is the way to go. Even as a barista I wasn't a huge coffee drinker but this full-bodied, multi-region blend with a touch of Italian Roast is perfect.

It's a blend of of Latin American and Asia/Pacific coffees and a touch of Italian Roast for depth. The rich, well-balanced flavor, cocoa texture and slight roasted sweetness pairs well with your favorite fudge brownie or chocolate chip cookie.

Some say Starbucks' coffee is too strong, and this drives me up a wall. Coffee is only as strong as you make it. The coffee beans at Starbucks come from the same place in the world as similar blends of beans at Dunkin Donuts, Intelligentsia, Lavazza, etc. It's all how they're prepared. Starbucks' grind-to-water ratio may be a little higher which is why some people don't like it; you can actually taste the coffee. They make it so you can catch those flavor notes, tell which part of the country their from with their acidity and pair it with things while it's not clogged up with extra cream and sugar.

Another fun coffee myth; The darker the roast the stronger it is. Stronger in flavor? Yes. Caffeine? Nope. The roasting process takes out the caffeine so if you think you're being gutsy by choosing Thanksgiving Blend over Pike Place this week at Starbucks, think again.

Okay one more fun coffee myth; Espresso has way more caffeine than brewed coffee. Nope. Two shots of espresso (give or take four ounces) has less caffeine than a 12 ounce cup of coffee. Why you ask? Espresso is shot out at about 20 seconds per 2/4 ounces depending on if you pull single or double, while brewed coffee does exactly that; brew. It takes about four minutes for a regular cup of coffee so the coffee grounds have more time to soak. Weird, huh? Did I lose ya? Probably way more than you wanted to know about coffee but something to think about next time you set that coffee pot for the morning.

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