Fudge Frosting

A quick post today for a quick but delicious frosting recipe. This is easy to make in a single saucepan, simple to whip up, and delectable enough for company - or just for yourself and a spoon!

I'm going to go ahead and warn you right now: this is evil frosting. It's made with lots of butter and sugar and chocolate, and it practically begs to be eaten right out of the pot. That's okay with me. That's VERY okay with me. But if it's not okay with you, you might want to check out a different post. A healthy post. Like tofu. Or soup.

Cherry Chocolate Bars

Have you ever had one of those days where you just need to bake something? No? Well I do, perhaps more than I care to admit, and today was one of them. I was tired of studying for finals, tired of the dreary, rainy weather that made me have to cancel my hike with a friend. But baking makes everything better! Trust me on this one.

I had set my mind on making Swedish Almond Bars, but we were all out of almonds. Also I was running low on Swedes, although those are optional. They really improve the flavor though... (insert laughter here).

So I decided it was improvisation time. Oh wait, that happens every day around here because I fail at keeping a well-stocked pantry. But sitting there on the shelf was a lovely bag of dried cherries, just begging to be used. "Eat me!" they cried. You know you're in trouble when the produce starts to talk to you.

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

I was never a fan of caramel when I was younger. It wasn't that I hated it - it was just too bland. One-dimensional. But I changed my tune once I tried this new salted caramel thing that's going around. I bought right into this craze and I'm sold 110%. Salted caramel is legit, folks. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out on one of the most delicious things on this entire planet.

I have about a dozen recipes in my to-bake folder that integrate some form of salted caramel, and I decided this afternoon to try out one for salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars. Doesn't that sound fantastic? Of course I had to make a few revisions of my own, but let me tell you, these things are as good as gold. Better, actually, because you can't eat gold.

Orange Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

For my sister's 20th birthday, she asked for a cheesecake, just like last year. But while last year's version was plain with raspberry sauce, this time she wanted orange and chocolate. So, I thought, how can I really pump up the flavor while still maintaining the pure flavor of our tried-and-true cheesecake recipe?

Well folks, I think we have a winner, because this cheesecake was amazing! It's not too difficult to make, nor does it require any strange equipment (besides a springform pan, which every baker should own). It doesn't have to be fancy, but it tastes great, which is the most important thing. My sister gave it two thumbs up, and I hope you will agree!

Bird-Worthy Brownies

What better way to start a new blog than by making the title recipe?

Brownies. One of my favorite desserts of all. They're chewy, gooey, fudgy, and - most importantly of all - brownies are undeniably chocolatey. Not only is chocolate good, I'm firmly and utterly convinced that it is also necessary for life on Earth. Really.

There are hundreds of brownie recipes floating around on the web, and on little paper slips in people's recipe boxes. Some of them are more gooey, others more cakey. Some have caramel and some have peanut butter. Some even have cheesecake baked in. They're all delicious. But sometimes, you just want a plain, no-frills brownie. Do you ever feel like that? Cut the almonds and pine nuts, forget the coconut and candy bar pieces. Put a hold order on that cream cheese, because it's time for a simple - but delectable - brownie.