{Brownies}

So today I attempted brownies for the first time and I must say I am rather impressed. I am a really strange cook/baker as I tend to whip things together with no recipe or plan and it normally works out OK. I wanted to share the recipe I used as it was pretty good and I have added (sadly only cellphone) photographs of what they mine look like!

Ingredients:

150g Unsalted Butter

1 1/4 Cup Caster Sugar

3/4 & 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Flour

Method:

*Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.

1. Place butter, sugar, salt and cocoa in a bowl. Place this bowl over a simmering pot to warm up the ingredients. Mix this all in until smooth (will be a little grainy still, but that is OK). 

* If you find it is not going smooth you can add a little water to move it along just not too much.

2. Take the bowl off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add vanilla essence. Then beat in both eggs, one at a time. The mixture should begin to get a bit smoother.

3. Beat in the flour until all mixed together. At this point you can add any extras you might want to such as nuts, chocolate chips, cherries, coconut, fudge bits... I added some chocolate chips and some chopped pecan nuts.

4. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and place in the oven for about 20 mins. I find this is the part I play with the most - if I want my brownies more chewy I take them out promptly after 20 mins. Mine came out chewy inside with a crunchy top. Yum!

Give it a try if you want and let me know what you think!

P.S. My whole house smells of chocolate brownies tonight and it is the best :)

Roasted & Toasted & POP!

You might have thought of Rice Krispies after reading that title but fear not! I spotted this yummy recipe on Pinterest and am convincing myself to make these even though there is a definite chill in the air (but, let's be honest, Durban winter is a joke). These are roasted strawberry (I know!) and toasted coconut popsicles by Joy the Baker. If you are drooling already then grab yourself a popsicle tray and the ingredients and click {here} for the recipe!

Image from her site.

Another Red Velvet Recipe

Because I just can't get enough of red velvet cakes. And because they made a recipe for brownies. Yum!

{Smells Like Home}

Too Good to Eat, So Frame It

Yes, I must confess I saw these on my friend and fellow bloggers blog, Everything I Heart, but I just HAD to share this too. How cool are these little recipes with amazing typography? Ready to make, bake and frame!

{Society 6}

Get The Wooden Spoon

Nope, not the painful memories of when you were a child wooden spoons but these cute wood ended bread measuring spoons! They aim to guarantee the most precise loaf of home made bread as they are the exact measurements required. I love them. Seen {here}.

Simple Summer Salad

Yummy!

Just mix together:

Baby spinach leaves

Blueberries (Can substitute with strawberries)

Sliced cucumber

Top with roasted seeds and a yogurt dressing made with Greek yoghurt, olive oil & salt & pepper! 

Suave Spinach Salad

Spinach, cranberries & pecans. Yum. Recipe here.

Pasta Salad with a Twist

This sounds absolutely delicious! If you're vegetarian then skip the bacon and it will still be just as good. Recipe from My Recipes. It has broccoli, bacon, pecans, grapes and pasta! Fresh and healthy!