some very cool things happened this weekend

my dear friends.

do you remember, MONTHS AGO,

when my very first blog post had an eensy, beensy blip about the most adorable things i had ever seen in my entire life, aka "CHOCOLATE MICE?!

okay, if you don't remember, you can see them here, but don't worry, cuz i totally know you do, especially since you've been reading me since my incarnation and/or have back-read all my posts.

right?

right.

cool!

anyway, i cried for months and months and months for l.a. burdick's chocolate mice.

MONTHS.

and just when i thought i'd be able to buy some,

or give some away

or do SOMETHING amazing with chocolate mice

something or other in my life would happen

and i'd be out of moolah for my chocolate mice fund.

aaron, of course, super practical

always encouraged me to MAKE some chocolate mice.

WWWWAAAAHHH!

i would cry!

THEY'RE NOT THE SAME!

i DON'T WANNA MAKE A CHOCOLATE MOUSE!

I WANT A SPECIAL ONE!

and then i would whine and cry and tell my friend mikayla in new york to go eat and bury herself to death in all the chocolate mice l.a. burdick's new york had to offer.

and then mikayla sent me a christmas present.

and i thought, of course! it will be divine!

and i spun my wheels thinking about such an amazing friend who sends me presents.

and she said, ba dum! go check your PO BOX! I know there is a present for you today, pal!

and guess what, friends?

i DID, and it was exactly what we are all hoping it was:

CHOCOLATE MICE.

and MAN, are they divine!

they are eensy, teensy.

and smell soooo good. you can literally smell the taste by just looking at them.

^ that's right, i said that.

i ate one this morning for good luck.

i'm surprised it was even still around.

i practically devoured the cardboard box just thinking about how amazing they would be.

friends, romans, countrymen.

your life will not be complete until you witness chocolate mouse heaven for yourself.

do it! 

hot chocolate chunks

it's not been cold enough around here lately for hot chocolate

(although it has been perfect for riding around on the back of motorcycles with cute boys)

but i dream about hot chocolate anyway. :)

these hot chocolates on a stick

are looking so quirky and fun.

if...

if i suddenly found myself working in a chocolate shop...

that would be alright with me. :)

if you are also feeling autumnal...

perhaps

you should look for a reason

to order these.

for yourseslf?

yes?

i mean, srsly, you can eat them. they're adorbz, and they're edible.

dddooo it. :)

A Brownie Recipe for Ashley

Friend Ashley wrote in requesting a good recipe for brownies. I told her I didn't have one, but I knew where to find one immediately, and pulled up Smitten Kitchen, an amazingly classic foodie blog with delectable recipes. They're sooooo so good.

I've many a favorite foodie blog, but Smitten Kitchen takes the cake for its reliability. Here's the link to SK's Classic Brownie Recipe, and the recipe below. :)

Enjoy, Ashley!

Classic Brownies
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it) the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy. If overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1.Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2.If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3.Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

4.Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

5.Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or, ahem, in the freezer until your resistance gets the better of you.)

**Note, Smitten Kitchen takes and copyrights all her own photos.

The Delights of Baking

OMG, Layer Cake Shop, I lurve you.

See that? See that Anatomy of a Cupcake?

They actually think about it.

I do. Sometimes.

Like how deliciously cute it is while I eat it.

Layer Cake Shop was started by two women who found a niche and a trend on etsy. Their parents used to own a bakery, and after searching for the cake toppers they knew and fell in lvoe with, they found deals on them for industry professionals, only. Here, they sell you the vintage looks you love!

And they're just too scrumptious for words!

Bad pun? Eh? Meh.

:)

S'mores

Yes, please.
I've been drooling over s'mores for two weeks now.
I don't understand why I need chocolate so violenty lately.
Josh says it's because I was born a woman.
I asked him to please throw a few more sexist jokes in there, and then maybe I'll consider the suggestion.

:) love!

My Seven Followers!

Hey y'all, way to be on the ball!

Here's to you. Here.
Have a piece of internet-chocolate cake.
Trust me. You're worth it.

Chocolate Mice

I can't figure out why I love these so much. Could it be the cute factor out of the roof? The fact that they're chocolate? Who knows. All I know is I want to bite their freaking adorable heads off. How did I live so long without seeing these?

This dress is amazing. I'm totally into women showing their curves, and can only imagine how this would hug my bod (aka "Curve Central") I love it.



Ooh! So pretty! So simple! So Martha! I love it.