My Sweet Things

Jo-Ann’s fabrics and crafts is one of my favorites places to browse around on the weekends. Crafting has always been one of my hobbies and this store is to me what a candy store use to be. My eyes grow wide and I get just a little excited. So many colorful fabrics and craft ideas to choose from! On one of my Jo-Ann’s trips I came across a brownie pop mold at a super price so I picked it up and decided to give brownie pops a try. I used a brownie recipe that I found from My Baking Addiction’s Blog. Jamie has a wonderful site full of pretty photos and yummy desserts. Hop on over there and take a peek!

The brownies were so moist and delicious! I did have a mishap with the mold. This was my first time using a silicone mold and I thought they were just magical so I did not spray the mold with non stick spray. Well,  I had to fight the brownies to get them out! It wasn’t a total loss since brownie crumbs are so tasty so they did not go to waste but ended up as an ice-cream topping. The second batch I used my favorite Baker’s Joy spray and out they popped with no trouble at all. I am a huge fan of Ghirardelli Chocolate and I had picked up the candy making and dipping bar at Sam’s Club so I used that to dip the brownie  pops in. Oh so good! But wait! Even better…I had Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on hand so I chopped those up in the food processor and used that for the topping. Double Whammy of Goodness!

Double Chocolate Brownies from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips – These you fold into the batter before baking.

Combine butter, sugar and water and cook over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stir

until melted and chocolate is smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt into the chocolate mixture

and toss in those extra chocolate chips.

Spoon the brownie mixture into the mold just below the second rim line.

I baked these at 350 degrees and checked them at 15 minutes and they were perfectly done.

Well, perfectly done and then this happened!  They would not come out!

Baker’s Joy to the rescue!

Perfect Pops!

For the chocolate dip, I started with 4 squares of chocolate which I heated in a small glass bowl in the microwave for 30 second intervals until melted.

I chopped up those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups into small crumbles.

I used lollipop sticks (which you can find find at Jo-Ann’s or Michael’s) and I put a lollipop stick right in the

middle of the brownie pop and dipped it into the chocolate goodness.

Then the above happened. It fell right off the stick! What to do?! Eat it? That would be instant gratification and it was delish,

but these were meant to be shared so I tried again. I started by dipping the stick in the chocolate first then inserted it into the brownie then placed

it in the fridge for a few minutes to set. When I took them out of the fridge I dipped them in the chocolate and then sprinkled the

Reese’s Crumbs on top and I was good to go!

All done! I used a styrofoam ball that I  cut in half and stuck the brownie pops in the foam to hold them for serving.

Whew! Loved them! It’s all good. ~Donna

On one of our Sam’s shopping trips I picked up three cans of pumpkin for a great price. It’s that time of year for all things pumpkin so I was planning my fall baking. While I was browsing one of my favorite blogs My Baking Addiction I came across this recipe which Jamie found at allrecipes. Gotta love the internet! I must say this recipe is so easy, moist, and delicious! It has a wonderful texture with the flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg all dancing around and the aroma in the air is delightful! The chocolate chips melt nicely and really satisfy any chocolate craving without overpowering the pumpkin. Try this! You will love it! I took this to the office and it was a hit. I will definitely be making this again!

Ingredients

3 cups white sugar

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cups water

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees – I used a bundt cake pan but you can grease and flour three 9 x5 inch loaf

pans instead. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until smooth.

So, while we are adding the vanilla, take a look at my latest kitchen tool!

Aren’t these the cutest? I found them at Merciers Orchard Gift Shop. It was love at first site! This was one

of those “have to have it” items. Totally want, not need, but they are now mine!

Back to the bread….Blend flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Try to take  a photo with one

hand and use the wrong settings and you too will have this sweet blur!

Fold in chocolate chips..see those yummy spices?

Pour this yummy goodness into pan of your choice and bake for one hour or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Oh my goodness..

All cooled down and sitting pretty! I debated on adding a drizzle glaze to it but decided to keep it simple.

It is so delish on its own!

Perfection!

As I mentioned before, I took this to the office to share and I took this photo at work before the last piece was gone!

Thanks again to Jaime at My Baking Addiction for sharing this recipe.

Check out her awesome blog for more of her delicious recipes!

It’s all good.

~Donna