Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Whoa - Thirty Years!




It's amazing to think of being with someone for thirty years.  In fact it's longer if you count the seven years we were together before we married. We've had our good and hard times.  Times where you wish it would end and more times you wish it never would.  But that's what marriage is about.  It's about compromise and compassion; overcoming challenges; friendship and understanding, growing together, family and having love, like a silk ribbon woven through the different strands of life, bind it all together.

 Billy, Fred, Don, me, my sister Bonnie and Jeannine
(My  mother made the bouquets and the bride's maids head pieces.)

One of many candids capturing our guests enjoying themselves.
                                          
                  
               With love, to my husband, Don.  Happy 30th anniversary.


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                          And now for something complete different.

You probably know I don't like to cook but I do like to bake goodies.  Debora Dennis, a LIRW member who writes romantic,sexy time travel, brought these delicious brownies to the meeting.  Everyone who tried them really liked them so I'd like to share the recipe with you.  Instead of making the brownies from scratch she got a mix, made that up and went on from step 3.  Hope you enjoy.



~*~Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies~*~

Ingredients...

BROWNIE:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

COOKIE DOUGH:
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

DRIZZLE:
1/2 cup semisweet chips
1 teaspoon shortening


Directions

1 Prepare the brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. In a medium glass bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds; stir after each burst and remove from microwave when melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

2 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk those in too. Mix in melted chocolate. Whisk in the flour and mix just until combined (don't over-mix). Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes. Watch closely and remove from oven when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

3 Prepare the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

4 Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is quite firm. It's okay to speed up the process and place it in the freezer too.

5 If you'd like to add chocolate drizzle on top, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the microwave; stir until smooth. Place chocolate into a zip baggie and snip off the corner. Squeeze the bag to drizzle the chocolate on top of each brownie. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, if desired.

17 comments:

  1. Happy anniversary! 30 years, truly awesome and I love the pictures. Marriage is ups and downs, but when you find the right person to enjoy the bumpy ride - it's all worth it. Congratulations! And enjoy those brownies, I'm glad everyone liked them :)

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    1. Thank you Debbie. Appreciate you coming by and the great recipe.

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  2. Congrats to you both! Love the pictures. Hope you have a wonderful day together.

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    1. Thanks Maggie. Glad you like the pics.
      Thanks for bopping by. :)

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  3. Congratulations! The hubs and I are at 20 years, and I agree with all of your how-to-make-it-last list. Loved the pics!

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    1. Hey Julie, 20 years, that's great. Congrats to you too.
      Appreciate you stopping by.

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  4. Happy Thirty Years! Love the top hats, too.

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    1. Thanks Lynne. Yeah I think the top hats were pretty cool. Don wanted them so that's what we did.
      Thanks for commenting.

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  5. Congrats!! Love the photos

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  6. Happy Anniversary to you both!!! And many blessings to come. :-)

    Thank you for sharing the recipe. Those look yummy and I think I'll have to give them a try.

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    1. Thanks for the blessings, there are some days we really need them. lol

      Hope you like the brownies. They were yummy.
      Appreciate you coming by.

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  7. Congratulations to you and Don. Now I am really upset I had a conflict for the meeting!! LOL. Will try to make the recipe. Your advice re: marriage is spot on. Hugs to you both.

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    1. Caught the hugs - thanks! :)
      I don't think you'll be disappointed with the recipe.
      Hope you're doing okay. You take care and thanks for stopping by

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  8. Happy Belated Anniversary!! Everyone's looking pretty smart in their top hats :) LOVE the advice. I always ask my elderly patients who've been married for half a decade or more what the secret is and the overall consensus is: she's the boss. Lol! Btw, those brownies look yummy! And the recipe doesn't seem too difficult. I just might try it!

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    1. I've heard "she's the boss" as the secret before. Those older couples probably have some stories to tell.

      From what Debbie said, the brownies aren't really difficult. Haven't tried to make them yet.

      Good to see you here.

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