Chocolate filled Brownies

Brownies are one of the simplest and best baked treats there is. Several years ago a friend of mine told me how her mom would stuff Hershey bars in the center or let them melt on top after baking.  Really??? Talk about sinful.  Then about a year ago a parent shared a brownie at school that had Symphony bars in the center.
Here's what you will need:

2 brownie mixes. I usually use the regular fudge brownie mix but decided to use the

milk chocolate mix in honor of "National Milk Chocolate" day. Not the best decision I ever made,

stick with the regular fudge brownie mix. Prepare the mix by the instructions on the box. Place half

in the bottom of a sprayed baking dish and save the other half for the top.

2 or more candy bars. I know it sounds crazy, but I usually have the best

luck finding these at the Dollar General Store.

(you can also use the chocolate Hershey bars if you want)

This day I only had two bars so I chopped them and sprinkled them on top of the bottom layer.

If you have enough you can lay them solid in the center... which is how I prefer.

Then top the candy bars with the remaining batter at bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

The chocolate will be runny so cool well before serving.

Sorry I didn't get a picture of these after they had been baked, but try them today.

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

For PK graduation Brandon and I bought Braley a pandora bracelet. Of course the first thing she wanted to do was buy charms for it. I told her charms were expensive and we couldn't just run out and buy one every time she wanted. The conversation ended with me telling her that if she wanted to go out and buy charms she would need to work and earn the money. It may have been cheaper for me to just buy the charms..... but would the lesson have been in that ?

One morning we were Olivia and she had a lemonade stand..... talk about seeing the light build pop over this girls head. Before I knew it, big plans were underway for a lemonade stand.  We served lemonade, rice krispy treats and cupcakes.

Braley stirring her lemonade.

A few of our finished cupcakes.

Set up and ready for business.

 

Her sale sign

Braley and mammy waiting on customers.

Checking off Pappy and Uncle Boy's I.O.U.

 

At the end of the day she made $40, but the time and memories we made were priceless.

Color Days

We have spent the last two weeks dressing in the colors of the rainbow. Every year at the start of school, kindergarten host color days. Each day is assigned a color and that's the color you wear that day.

This year I decided i wanted to make Braley a color book. Everyday I snapped a (okay,several) photo of her and a friend and am going to get them printed..

Here is a look at all the colorful fun.....

Red

Orange

Yellow

Blue- yes we broke the Roy G Biv order. On green day we honored 9/11 and we all wore red/white/blue

Green

Purple

Black

Brown

Rainbow

I guess they made this shirt in class. Not the best shot, put the only picture I got of it.

Looking back at all the pictures, I have decided that we have a dress/skirt problem. Maybe we should get her a few pair of pants:)

Boston Cream Pie Cake

 This cake is one that never fails, always turns out tasty and is super easy.
Even though it breaks a major cake commandment...
                                                     it uses canned frosting.                                                                   

What you'll need:
1 Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix
2 small boxes french vanilla pudding (plain vanilla will work also)
1 small can homestyle milk chocolate frosting (don't skip this... homemade frosting just doesn't melt right. Trust me i've tried)

For the cake:
Bake the cake in two round pans according to the directions on the box. After cooling I like to cut my 2 cakes in half and have 4 layers.
For the pudding:
The 4 1/2 serving size calls for 2 cups milk. I prefer to mix both boxes into 3 cups milk. This will give you a thicker pudding that will stay on the cake better.
To assemble:
Layer: cake, pudding until all the layers are used.
For the icing:
Melt the canned frosting down in the microwave for about 30 seconds..... needs to be pourable. Stir icing well and pour over cake allowing it to run down the sides.
Refrigerate cake for several hours before serving.

Wordless Wednesday

10 Things I could not live without.....

I came across this post on a friends blog. I got to wondering what are 10 things I use in my day to day life and would miss if they weren't there. Here are 10 things that I am sure I could live without but make my life a little easier.....

1. DVR- If you don't have one, call your provider today. I don't have time watch much t.v and when I sit down to watch it, there never seems to be anything on worth watching. I can record all my favorite shows and watch them when it's convenient for me.

2. Paula Mitchell smoothing iron- I actually have the black version but either way... pure love! Looking  back I wish someone had told me about this in high school.  I might have considered trading my car for one of these babies. Best $100 (x2) I ever spent.......... yes, I am on my second one of these in 5 five years. 

3. Redken products- love them! Shampoo, conditioner and styling products (other than hairspray) can't get enough of them. My shower and cabinet are filled with way to many of these things. I am the sucker who will buy every "miracle cream" out there.

4. Big Sexy Hairspray- Spray & Play Harder. You know the saying... the bigger the hair, the closer to heaven. You can get awfully close with a can of this and a teasing comb.

5. Mac Makeup-  I never leave home without my makeup bag. Love Mac makeup and brushes.

6. Victoria Secret Very Sexy for her perfume. I have wore this for about 8 years now and have no intention changing it. The day they stop making it... I might just curl up and cry. Seeing the old bottle makes me realize how much I love the new bottle style.

7. Kitchenaid Stand Mixer- Brandon bought this for my first birthday after we were married. Best gift he's ever given me.

8. Denim Jacket- Super excited to see that the denim jacket is in this year... but with fur collars...... not sure that I will be updating to fur. You can wear it with anything.... pants, over a dress, I have even wore mine with pajama bottoms to a sleep over and pj day at school.  I could were my jacket everyday of my life and be happy. And just like a pair of jeans the older the better.

9- Little Black Dress- Can you go wrong with a black dress? I know it's not exciting, but now-a-days black black is more than the symbol of death/ mourning.  And the right one goes perfect with a denim jack and a few accessories.

10- My camera- Nikon D3000 SLR, have no idea what it all means but I love it. It was my Christmas present two years ago and I rarely leave home without it. Now if I were only better about printing out all those pictures I snap.

And most importantly of all.... my family and friends. Without them all the rest of it would just be stuff.

Wordless Wednesday