knock you naked.

it has been quite some time since i last baked something and actually took the time to document my efforts for the ole blog. this week will was having an especially hard week at work, so i decided to take the opportunity to make something new and encourage my favorite person with his favorite.

brownies. 

yet, i was having a dilemma. do i make the go to Martha's brownies or do i step out on a little adventure of my own and create something new....

seeing that i enjoy risks and new adventures, i chose to make something new. so this is what happened.

a twist on three different recipes. and they still need a name {comment with a suggestion:)}

i have always been a BIG fan of The Pioneer Woman {remember "the bread"?}. well, she made an adaptation to one of her favorite brownies and so i did the same with hers. They are called Knock You Naked brownies. with good reason, i might add. 

so i made these babies with a twist. and they will also, knock you naked. 

Grandmama calls them "sin". 

  most of the time i shy away from a box... but this time it alright! you use one box of German Chocolate Cake mix....

one stick of butter, melted.

one cup of finely chopped pecans... not a cup of pecans chopped... there is a difference :)

1/3 cup of evaporated milk.

then you mix all that goodness together until it looks like cookie dough/ brownie batter!

then in a separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup of nutella

with half a can of sweetened condensed milk and set it aside. 

get a 9 x 9 or 8 x 8 pan and grease it realllly good. i used coconut oil for mine. 

and half the batter and press it down in the bottom of the pan. 

cook that puppy in a 350 degree oven for about 6 mins... and then pour that nutella goodness over it. 

take the remaining batter and a LARGE sheet of wax paper. put the batter on the paper and using another sheet, press out a square the size of your pan. place it on top {HINT: i didn't do it this way and i wish i would have... this idea is hindsight.}

after about 26 more minutes in the oven.. you get this baby!

its so YUMMY! but dont eat it yet. save it. 

let it cool all the way, and then generously cover it with powdered sugar! 

then enjoy!

{note: i think they are better the next day... }

hope you enjoy this little creation :)

and please... come up with a name for me after you try them!

much love. 

 xoxo.
mb.

munchie monday.

DISCLAIMER: this post was meant for yesterday, however i was distracted by a phone call...

if i ever wake up without something specific to do, i find myself longing for my once busy lifestyle pre-senior-graduation-mode.

then i think about it for three minutes. 

and decide there is much to be thankful for during my time "off."

for example, i took a two hour nap today. might i add that i achieved at least 7 hours of sleep last night and needed no nap today, however, when i felt my body calling for a siesta, i accepted. and i didn't set an alarm...

i finished a book today by Naomi Zacharias call The Scent of Water. it's about human exploitation and her fight and passion to achieve peace and justice through her efforts. and her prayers. and the battles she sees others fighting. it is beautifully written and crafted in such a way that invites you along side her journey. it gave me a mini preview into the work i will be doing this summer. 

_________________

being that it is monday and i am a fan of alliteration and cooking, let me give you a little munchie for moday. 

meet the SNICKERDOODLE CAKE with Brown Sugar Butter Creme Icing. 

probably the best cake i have had in a long, long time. props and shout out to little miss sister who baked this beauty for mother's day. she did a two layer, sometimes is calls for four. because we did two, go with half the icing. but, it is so good. with a little vanilla ice creame... yummm-e.

click on the name up there and it will give you a link to the website where sister found this gem. you will not be disappointed. 

_______________

tonight i took a trip back to my early days of writing this blog. true there are not as many spelling errors or awkward sentences. i went through times of happy posts and sad ones. there were also long lulls of no posts at all. but somehow, i find myself sitting behind the old faithful laptop sharing my thoughts with an open world. 

today i read a blog from three different women who are hosting a conference for women in the blog world who are Christ followers , discussing their influence in the world and how they can make a positive impact for Jesus through blogging. 

what a cool way to reach people for Jesus. 

it's called "Influence" and it's hosted by these three women, 

Jessi

Haley

and

Casey

i have been reading their Mommy Blogs for some time now, and must say the reach they have for the kingdom is amazing. maybe it is their love for their children, or the hard times they have been through, or their ability to write honestly about their lives with transparency and grace.

i admire their risk. it is so easy to pretend like everything is perfect on your blog. post perfect pictures of pretty things and people. make your house look spectacular, dress your kids (or imaginary ones) up in their best get-up and put on a little show. 

but these ladies don't even try this. they just live, and write for the kingdom. and making our Lord famous and His name known.

it's impressive.

today's aspiration... do that. 

baked goods.

when i was home for easter weekend, i decided to take advantage of the four other mouths and try out a new recipe. it was welcomed with excitement from my little brother [being 16 makes him ALWAYS hungry]. i made then friday night for everyone, and then sunday afternoon Stead begged me to make some more...

and i cannot pass the opportunity to bake.

these are chewy double chocolate coconut blondies [wrong name from yesterday...my bad]

and they are amazing. click here for the actual recipe.

then you add the chocolate and coconut (and here i opted for milk and semi sweet becuase emily and i ate the white chocolate... )

BEFORE......

23 mins later.....

and after they "semi-cooled" [because, they were made for stead primarily and he cannot wait very long....]

let's just say someone's stomach was not feeling 100%....

they are perfect with vanilla ice cream.

and so easy to make.

hope you enjoy