brownies always make things better

We've got a 'ladies night' tomorrow. (Note – this was begun LAST Thursday)  I am making what how sweat eats calls "better than crack brownies"... 'nough said.  I mean, anything that starts with smashed oreos, right?  We'll see, literally in the process.  The original recipe is here.  First thing, I used a double boiler not the microwave, however, my chocolate/butter mixture is too soupy right now to do anything, so it's in the freezer - problem solving!


Ingredients
1/2 lb unsalted butter
2 oz baking chocolate cubes (I buy the kind that come wrapped in their own wax paper and freeze them to use on an "as needed" basis)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 Oreo cookies, crumbled
1/2 cup salted peanuts (if don’t have salted, add sea salt)
1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

  

Directions
Crush Oreos in a bowl, set aside.  Melt the butter and baking chocolate together - hopefully you don't get soupy like me. I bet if you chopped up your chocolate and butter you could just barely melt them...and maybe, just melt the chocolate and have your butter at room temp. [DID YOU KNOW - you can't "over-beat" your butter and sugar mix, it only happens when adding your flour.  So, if you go crazy on the first few steps, it's ok, i promise. my girlfriend, Janell told me this...I had no idea.  This also could be wrong?  Do you know?] Also,  I think you should use 3 oz baking chocolate.


Another note - it makes you feel healthier if you're making brownies and drinking kombucha, especially when its friend-made. :)

Preheat oven to 350.  When your chocolate and butter are just combined, cream the mixture, this takes about a min or 2.  Then add those 2 cups of sugar and your vanilla, one cup of sugar at a time if you do not have a stand mixer, I don’t and it was a little messy.  Beat this mixture for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Mix eggs in one at a time.  Add flour and stir until just combined.  Fold in cookie those cookie crumbles!  Pour into greased 9 x 13 baking dish and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, I think I baked too long … I’d try 15 – 20 minutes, you want these just a little done, you care going to be adding more stuff to them!

Now comes the laying affect.  This layering is awesome goodness at its best.  Remove the brownies from the oven and top with peanuts and peanut butter cups,  bake for 4-6 minutes more.  While this civil union happens in the oven, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal.  Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top.  Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

So, I was disappointed with these brownies, they seemed dry, they were falling apart…I was sad, I was expecting so much.  So instead of just bringing these brownies, (which probably would have been sufficient) I made a Lemon Raspberry Loaf and brought both desserts, both were a massive hit.  I will give you the recipe for the Lemon Loaf soon because I think any and every person should make this…it’s so freaking good.  I’ll post a picture later!

What do you do if you feel like you have a fail? Begin again and fix or just ‘make do’?

xo