Category: C R E A T I V I T Y

Salted Espresso Dark Chocolate Brownies

September 13, 2018 3:00 AM September 13, 2018

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I stumbled upon this Salted Espresso Fudge Brownie recipe by the amazing www.butterandbrioche.com. Thalia’s blog and Instagram are filled with the most amazing pictures of the most delectable foods. (Seriously #igfeedgoals)! We have a house guest coming in tomorrow for the night, which is always the best excuse to try out a new dessert recipe. 🙌🏼

As I reviewed Thalia’s recipe I realized that it was a little over my skill level and would require more free time than I had 🙆🏻. With the photos of these brownies dancing in my head, I decided to use her recipe as inspiration for a quicker, less pastry chef level dessert 🙈. Although I am certain the original recipe would blow my socks off the option below is incredibly tasty.

First, collect your ingredients. To save time I used a boxed Dark Chocolate brownie mix.

Make the brownies as instructed on the box with the addition of espresso powder and dark chocolate chips.

Bake as instructed on the box and then let cool in the pan.

Now by using a mix for the brownies, we were able to save time and effort. For the frosting, however, we are making it from scratch and believe me – it is worth it. To begin, melt the finely chopped dark chocolate in a double boiler. Stirring constantly. Meanwhile, combine the room temperature butter and powdered sugar, mix together until light yellow. Then slowly add the melted chocolate. Mix together as you add the remaining whipping cream, espresso powder, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Continue to mix until the frosting is light brown and fluffy. Once brownies are cool apply a generous layer of the frosting to the top. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Directly before serving sprinkle some sea salt flakes on the top.

Enjoy!

xo,

5 from 2 votes

Salted Espresso Dark Chocolate Brownies

Gooey dark chocolate brownies with a homemade salted espresso chocolate frosting make for a super indulgent treat!

Course Dessert

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

1 box dark chocolate brownie mix
1 tsp espresso powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips preferably not chunks or pieces

For the Frosting:

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips finely chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla bean extract

Instructions

For the Brownies:

Grease the pan and prepare for baking.
Pre-heat the oven per the instructions on the box.
Whisk together the brownie mix, espresso powder, oil, water, eggs and salt.
Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly incorporated throughout the batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
Bake per the box instructions, or until the brownie is firm around the edges and just set in the middle. A knife inserted into the middle should come out of the middle with a few moist crumbs attached, not clean. Remove from the oven and allow the brownie to cool completely in the pan.

For the Frosting: (From the kitchen of www.butterandbrioche.com)

First, melt down the chocolate in a double boiler. Heat, over medium-low and stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat together the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Set the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly stream in the melted chocolate. Return the speed back to medium and beat until well combined, a further 2 minutes. Beat in the cream, cocoa, espresso, and vanilla until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for a further minute, or until the frosting is lightened in color, smooth, and aerated.
When you’re ready to frost the cooled brownies, use an offset palette knife or the back of a metal spoon to thickly spread the frosting over the top of the brownie. At this point, I like to chill the brownie for about half an hour to slightly set the top so it’s easier to cut, but, you could serve the brownies straight away. Make sure to sprinkle over a little pinch of flaked salt or fleur de sel, right before serving.

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C R E A T I V I T Y

Back to School – FREE Printables

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August 16, 2018 3:00 AM August 16, 2018

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3,648 Comments

It is that time of the year again – school is back in session! Whether you are excited for the peace and quiet or nervous for the life changes ahead this…

It is that time of the year again – school is back in session! Whether you are excited for the peace and quiet or nervous for the life changes ahead this time of the year can be very busy and downright stressful. Between school supplies, new clothes, doctors visits and paperwork the last thing on many of our minds is the obligatory first-day picture.

To help take one thing off your list this year I have created two free downloads! In each download, you will find signs for all grade levels stretching from Day School to 12th grade. Click on the icon below, download the link and then print the page that works for your child. Voyla! One less thing. 🙌🏼

Download Now!

As we move into the fall and get the ball rolling on this school year let us all work to relax about the small things, be present at every opportunity and embrace our kiddos at every juncture. They grow up way too fast to sweat the small stuff.

Cheers to a successful 2018 – 2019 school year!

xo,

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C R E A T I V I T Y

Dollar Store Hack – Fingernail Polish Marbled Coffee Mug

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August 9, 2018 3:00 AM August 9, 2018

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4,614 Comments

Homemade gifts and personalized items are always on my preferred list and these Marbled Coffee Mugs check all the boxes. I am always on the hunt for the quick and…

Homemade gifts and personalized items are always on my preferred list and these Marbled Coffee Mugs check all the boxes. I am always on the hunt for the quick and fun DIY that is also easy on my pocketbook. This project comes almost entirely from the Dollar Tree with supplies totaling $ 11.00. This week my daughter, her bestie and I played with the marbling technique to create one of a kind coffee mugs.

Supplies

Before you get started you’ll need to gather the following supplies:

Coffee Mugs
Nail Polish (2-3 colors per mug)
Containers for dipping
Warm Water
Clear Gloss Sealer (find one here from Amazon or pick one up at your local Michaels – remember to use the coupon!)

Our local Dollar Tree did not have any plain white mugs so we chose to use these fun accent mugs!

First, fill each container with warm water. Next, dribble the fingernail polish around the water. After trial and error, we found that less polish worked the best during application. Once your design is ready dip your cup into the water, rolling it through the paint. Work to not double back in the paint. Although, if you do we found it easy to manipulate the paint directly after application. Once it dried it was not as easy.

Sealant

Once your paint is applied, let stand on a paper towel and allow to fully dry (at least a day). Once dried I used fingernail polish remover on a Q-tip to remove paint from unwanted areas, i.e. inside the rim, on the bottom or stray marks throughout. Next, I applied the Gloss Sealer to the painted area (only) using a foam brush. It is important to not apply the sealer where you will put your mouth. Also please note that these mugs are not dishwasher safe – please handwash for best results.

Have you ever tried this dipping technique? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks.

xo,

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C R E A T I V I T Y

Sweet Treat – Protein Balls

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July 12, 2018 3:00 AM July 12, 2018

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3,389 Comments

This weekend we are hosting my sister-in-law and her husband. I am so excited for the opportunity to spend time together! I don’t know about you but it seems like…

This weekend we are hosting my sister-in-law and her husband. I am so excited for the opportunity to spend time together! I don’t know about you but it seems like anytime we are vacationing or hosting the sudden neeeeed for dessert increases exponentially. 🤷🏻With our upcoming trip to Hawaii (less than 14 days 😳😬) it was important to me to find a sweet treat we could indulge in, that wouldn’t bust my whole diet. #winning

Below you will find a very generic recipe to make you very own Protein Balls! They are so easy and versatile! Whether you are serving dessert to family or shopping the #nsale these bites are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and give you the energy needed to make it through!

The best part about these Protein Balls is that you can fill them with almost anything! This week I decided to make two different flavors, the first a tropical fruit mixture, the second classic chocolate almond.

In the Tropic Mix, I chopped up dried pineapple, cranberries and unsweetened coconut. For the classic, I used chopped almonds and mini chocolate chips! Both flavor profiles came out wonderful, such a wonderful sweet treat!

Taking this treat one step further, as to camouflage the dessert’s nutritional value 😉, I chose to add candy coating to the Protein Balls. This step is completely unnecessary, but effective!

Hope you enjoy this indulgence!

xo,

Carolyn

Candy Dipped Protein Balls

Sweet Treats without all the guilt.

Course Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Almond Butter (Or alternate nut butter)
1/2 cup Protein Powder
1-2 cups Dry Mix Ins
3-4 tbsps Honey (Or alternate binder)
1 package Candy Coating

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bow
Mix until everything is moist and sticking together well. (Keep in mind the more dry mix-ins you use the more binder you will need.)
Begin rolling 1in balls and place on wax paper.
Once rolled place in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.
Melt the candy coating per the package instructions. Drop protein balls into the candy then replace to the wax paper.
Let set for an additional 30 minutes
Store in airtight container or resealable freezer bag.

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C R E A T I V I T Y

Quick & Easy Dinner – Green Chile Chicken Mac

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May 31, 2018 3:00 AM May 31, 2018

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4,161 Comments

I am always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes for dinner after work. This Green Chile Chicken Mac has proven to be one of my favorites! This 30-minute…

I am always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes for dinner after work. This Green Chile Chicken Mac has proven to be one of my favorites! This 30-minute mac and cheese is so tasty you’ll have the whole family asking for seconds. Throw together a fresh garden salad and you have a complete meal in under an hour.

My family is originally from Southern Colorado where Pueblo Green Chile runs in our blood. Being transplanted to Texas the craving for Green Chile never goes away. When I found this Green Chile Enchilada Sauce by Las Palmas I knew it, mixed with the ground cumin would provide a delicious flavor. A flavor that was reminiscent of home 💗. The recipe calls for one pound of cooked, shredded chicken. I subbed a rotisserie chicken from my local grocer to make this recipe even faster. Other substitutions you could make would be subbing any type of pasta or perhaps a red enchilada sauce! Mix it up and see how it goes!

Start off by mixing the heavy whipping cream, enchilada sauce and seasonings in a saucepan on medium heat. Whip the mixture often until the mixture begins to bubble.

While waiting for the sauce to bubble (in between whipping) I shredded my chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

Once the sauce began to gently bubble I added the cheese 😍🤤. Slowly I stirred in the cheese until the sauce became smooth.

Once the sauce was done it was time to mix it all together. I was so excited at how it all came out perfectly timed. The noodles were ready at the same time as the sauce – that rarely happens when I cook. 😜 #winning

Hope you enjoy this quick and easy Green Chile Chicken Mac!

What’s your go-to meal on a busy night? Let me know below!

xo,

Carolyn

5 from 1 vote

Green Chile Chicken Mac

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb Medium Pasta Shells cooked and drained
1 lb Chicken cooked and shredded
2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Can 10 oz green chile enchilada sauce
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 cups Colby Jack Cheese shredded

Instructions

In a stock pot get pasta going.
In a large pot (or saucepan), heat cream, enchilada sauce, cumin and salt on medium heat.
Whisking often, heat until mixture just begins to bubble.
While sauce is heating shred your cooked chicken.
Reduce heat to medium low and add in cheese. Stir until smooth.
Mix in the cooked chicken and the cooked noodles.
Serve immediately.

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C R E A T I V I T Y

Make Your Own Personalized Farmhouse Sign

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May 17, 2018 3:00 AM May 17, 2018

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3,525 Comments

Looking for a fun farmhouse sign to jazz up your existing decor? This fun personalized farmhouse sign is the perfect addition. Whether you make it for yourself or as a gift for…

Looking for a fun farmhouse sign to jazz up your existing decor? This fun personalized farmhouse sign is the perfect addition. Whether you make it for yourself or as a gift for someone else, your hard work and attention to detail will not go unnoticed!

Shopping List

Wood Sign
Wooden Embroidery Hoop
Sharpie Paint Pen – Water-Based (Blue ring at base, NOT pink)
Floral

I was able to pick up all of the needed supplies at my local Michaels. With their already awesome sale prices and my additional 30% off coupon in the App, I was able to pull off this fun project for less than $ 30.00. 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 I really love Michaels new Personalize It shop! Such a fun area to wander around and get inspired! Check out some of their fun projects here.

Step 1

Before you begin you want to take a moment to space plan your space. Depending on your particular sign and size hoop you will want to space accordingly to give you plenty of space for your name. Once I decided where the bottom of my hoop would fall I marked it with a pencil. Using this as my max height I then lined out my space using this awesome tutorial by Amy Latta Creations, read it here. After lightly drawing my ascender, cap height, x-height, baseline and descender lines I found the center of my total area. Then it was time to decide on what to write. With the amount of usable space I had, I opted for “The Bidwells” as opposed to “The Bidwell Family”. This is a change you could make if your sign was bigger or your last name was shorter. Using your pencil lightly do your lettering. Also lightly letter the “est 2013” within your hoop.

Step 2

Once your layout is complete and your lettering is penciled in, begin by tracing the downward strokes with your Sharpie Paint Pen. In faux calligraphy, the downward strokes are always the thicker lines. Take this time to get used to your pen (the thin lines are less forgiving).

After you are happy with your downstrokes, begin connecting your letters with a single stroke, take your time! This is where the real magic happens!

Step 3

It’s time to prepare your hoop. Because my house is filled with darker woods I chose to spray paint the natural wood with Rust-Oleum Satin Coastal Gray. This step is optional.

Once it was dry I began to play with the placement of my greenery. Using my hot glue gun I secured the hoop to my sign as well as the greenery to the hoop. After letting the glue set for a couple of hours it was ready to hang. So excited with how it came out!

Any questions let me know. If you choose to create this personalized farmhouse sign tag me in the photo – I’d love to see! (@handrafted).

Carolyn

Love this design but not up for creating your own? This post was inspired by the lovely Brooke of Faith & Timber – click here for their Etsy shop!

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