When our organic foods order came in for sorting last weekend my big bin of cocoa brought forth visions of brownies. I simply could not resist them.

The lovely Irina asked if there might be a recipe and it was just the prompt I needed to make a batch to share with you here. Oh how my waistline would thank me if I was sharing more than just the recipe.

This favourite dessert is based on the America’s Test Kitchen Classic Brownie recipe with a few twists of my own. They are moist, chewy, and rich, with a crispy top and fudgey centre. Seriously perfect indulgence.

They are great fresh from the oven or a day later. They are perfect for holding a birthday candle; or eaten in secret with a glass of milk while the kids do math. For an absolutely decadent treat they are glorious topped with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with caramel. But I’m sure you can find your own perfect way to enjoy them.

I won’t say they are the world’s best. But they come pretty darn close in my opinion.

world’s best brownies or something like that 

1 1/4 cup unbleached flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa

50 grams dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more), chopped

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 – 2 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Butter a 9×11″ pan and line with parchment paper. Then butter and lightly flour the parchment.

In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Place 2 inches of water in a pot to simmer over low heat. Place a bowl over the simmering water and in this melt the butter, cocoa, and chocolate. When melted and smooth remove the bowl from the heat and gradually stir in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture, in three sections, using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread smooth.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting and enjoying. Store any extras in an airtight container.

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And just so I we don’t feel too guilty about these chocolatey gems, I have a much more diet friendly version to share coming up soon! And I’m sorry friends, but they are not as good as these. Good but not as good.

As usual I’ve set myself a tall order (and looming deadline) for an upcoming birthday. Our little guy turns three later this week (*sigh*gasp*sob*) but I am not ready with gifts, and certainly not for another child the leave the wonders of toddlerhood. But sentimental gushing aside, I am knitting away wondering if there may be a chance to finish something, anything in time.

The striped raglan I started last week for him (like I knit for him last year) has been coming along quite nicely and rather quickly. I’m reminded that it’s not the body of these things that slow me down but the sleeves. So while I still have a little ways to go on the body, I may start onto the sleeves first. I’m hoping that way I can fly through the rest of the body without the looming sleeve disease mocking me from those darn scrap yarn stitch holders.

As for the other unfinished gift…remember this guy? He’s still in the same state he was then. I think I’m admitting defeat to him for the time being.

I haven’t picked up many books for myself this week but bedtime always offers plenty of opportunities to snuggle up with a book. Tonight Sarah and Simon chose Home for a Bunny for their story and I smiled. How perfect for this time. The bunny is searching for a home, a home of his own. It’s not with the robins, the frog, or the groundhog. Then he meets a bunny who invites him in.

And that was his home.

How I love the courage that comes my way – from a wise daughter; from a children’s book; from dear, kind friends (in person and in this space) who share our joy and excitement. Thank you.

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joining Ginny‘s love of books and yarn with yarn along

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal

into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our

past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

~Melody Beattie

In the name of gratitude and truthfulness I’ve decided to post a little piece of reality here once a week. Likely just a single picture. See my original post here.

Runny noses happen.

A spring cold has been making a visit in our home.

And we’ve been singing the praises of our bone broths and Thieves oil but in the end we depend on a grace beyond our own. And a wise eight-year-old, with a spring cough reminds us that maybe we were doing too much on our own. Reminds us we need to lean more on those everlasting arms. From the mouths of babes.

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If you’d like to join in with a reality check of your own, please add a link or note in the comments!

Paint swatches, roasted veggies, sweet friends;

a favourite game with a new twist;

last year’s cherries in anticipation of this year’s bounty.

The neighbourhood and its children enjoying spring with picnics and water balloons;

chats with family and stolen moments at the sewing machine;

the best cinnamon rooibos.

Kids with kind friends for sandboxes and sunshine,

we shop for hardwood and check Energy Star ratings;

secret pretzels and pastries;

thrifting denied.

A chicken dinner for twelve, not early enough for sandy, sun-kissed kids;

visiting with mama and papa until bedtime has long since come and gone;

a late night so worth it.

Chicken stock a simmering, bread rising, granola baking;

Kids out all day, baby giggles, the boy tells jokes;

perhaps now a nap.

Laughter, sunshine, dreaming – this is how we’ve spent our weekend. 

How about you?

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joining Amanda for weekending

Some of you wandered for years looking for a good place to live.

God got to you in the nick of time…took you straight to a good place to live.

Ps 107:4-8  (paraphrased)

I have a story for you.

A couple of weeks ago Dan found on a house on the mls to show me. We have seen many houses this way. Many. I suggested we see it. Dan sent our realtor a message.

Then, after that spring cleaning day, Dan suggested we drive by it and a couple of others he’d found. We saw this particular house backed onto a bike path. We wondered where the path led. One cul de sac over we found the playground it emptied out at. Full of the euphoria of  tasks accomplished and good burgers we piled out of the car, I strapped Mira into the ergo, we played. And certainly we walked up that bike path, peeked through the broken fence slat into the backyard of that vacant home, and wondered.

Boy, did we wonder.

Two days later we visited again, this time with our realtor and a key, full of anticipation. The kids ran, laughed, chased. Hide and seek games took them all over. So much room to move in. Elizabeth walked around ear-to-ear grinning. Dan took measurements, examined details. I walked holding coats, now a hand, now a babe. Watching the sun pouring in. Laughing at the brown bathtub, the basement bar, the height of a showerhead. Feeling the ear-to-ear creeping up on my cautious face.

That grinning girl finds me, “We need to listen hard to God. I think this is our house.”

“Me, too, ” I say. Now I’m grinning, too.

We venture past green carpets, a sunshine ceiling, white tile. How many bathrooms does it have? I keep looking at that sunlight. Looking out those windows. I look out every one. Wondering if this is our new landscape.

We pull on shoes, I retrieve the coats which have been tossed with such familiarity, we visit the yard. Oh, the yard! The pie-lot goodness. Now everyone is saying they don’t want to leave.

I don’t want to leave either.

And so we offer. There is an offer in already. We go back and forth. Courage from loved ones, plenty of prayers, and a few tense hours later it’s ours. Ours. Ours?

Tension gives way to shock. Shock gives way to gratitude, relief, excitement.

It all happened so quickly – you know, one day after ten years quickly.

I think we knew before we stepped inside, before she opened the door, before we walked up the driveway. I think we knew after that night at the park when we were all hoping and smiling and laughing.

And finally after ten years of looking we’ve found our first home together.

Now I just have to steel myself for the task of saying goodbye to this current home of ours. This good, good home…but I’ll save those words for this story’s prequel.

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Wishing you a beautiful weekend, rich with blessing and light.

xoR