Ooey Gooey Brownies

"Ooey Gooey Brownies" is the short name for these bad boys. The long version is "Ooey Gooey Peanut Caramel Chocolate Chip Brownies."
They look a little gross, but they're seriously delicious.

I apologize for the picture quality of my last few posts. Life has been... hectic. To say the least.
Chris requested this combination of flavors, and I adapted my favorite brownie recipe to accomodate his vision :) He's so talented at coming up with recipes and food combinations.

I have an exam in the morning, then I'm jetting off for Spring Break. So I'll put in the full recipe later. For now, I'll just say there are a handful or two of chocolate chips and chopped up peanuts. Then I poured some pre-made caramel sauce on the brownies when they came out of the oven. I'd recommend sticking them in the fridge for a few hours to firm them up. They're gonna be ooey gooey, but fantastic.

Enjoy!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

I learned about this homemade vanilla extract from Desserts with Benefits a few months ago. I've been letting my vanilla beans soak for a month, and I can't wait to use the extract. I'm forcing myself to wait the full 9 weeks, to make sure it gets nice and saturated. I opened the bottle two weeks ago to smell it, and I'm not gonna lie, I wanted to take a bath in it.

My brain is pretty fried, please excuse the shortness of this post. I can't wait for Spring Break!!

Homemade Vanilla Extract
Courtesy of Desserts with Benefits
{I doubled the recipe so I could use up most of the Pinnacle bottle)
Ingredients:
Vanilla beans- 18
Pinnacle Whipped Cream vodka- 2 c + 4 tbsp
*If you use the whole vodka bottle, I'd recommend adding 2 or 3 beans to the mix. You could also use a different bottle.
Directions:
1. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise, just deep enough that you pierce through one side- you want to expose the seeds but keep them attached to the bean.
2. Place the vanilla beans inside the filled-up bottle. Place the lid onto the bottle and shake up and down a bunch, at least 10 times.
3. Store the bottle inside a dark and cool cupboard/pantry and shake once a day for 4 weeks. For the following 5 weeks, shake it every 2 or 3 days.
4. After 9 weeks, use the vanilla! Shake before using.

Enjoy!!

Hot Clam Dip

I've decided to branch out and include some non-dessert posts on Kelly's Konfections now. My mom's awesome appetizers are up first :)

This is Hot Clam Dip. It's incredible. At a recent gathering, I stood next to the table and ate it over and over... and over...

Yeah New Year's Resolutions! Woohoo!
I think Valentine's Day is silly, so I'm not doing any heart-shaped stuff. Show love every day, not just on February 14th! Make this clam dip any (or every) day, not just for special occasions. :)

Hot Clam Dip
*Prep time is 3 hrs 20 minutes, so plan accordingly!
Ingredients
Two 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened
One 16-oz carton sour cream
Two 6 1/2 cans of minced clams, drained
8 scallions, finely chopped
Worcestershire sauce- 1 tbsp
1 garlic clove, minced
2-3 drops Tabasco sauce
Round loaf unsliced French or sourdough bread
Crackers
Directions
1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, clams, scallions, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and Tabasco sauce in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut top off loaf of bread and hollow out, being careful not to puncture crust.
3. Fill bread with clam mixture.
4. Wrap loaf in aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours. Serve hot with your choice of crackers.
Enjoy!
Courtesy of the Purple Sage cookbook

Oreo Brownies

HELLO! Today, I'm going to talk about something other than food.
{2/9/13 update: It was a sinus infection! I feel so much better! YAY!!!!}

Moving on to food...

I hadn't baked in three weeks until this weekend. Chris asked for Oreo Brownies, which is what I made- my favorite recipe + a bunch of oreos. They're delicious. Don't ask questions, just make them!

Oreo Brownies

{Adapted from Smitten Kitchen}

Yield: ~9 brownies

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter- 10 tbsp (1 stick + 2 tbsp)

Sugar- 1 1/4 c

Unsweetened cocoa powder- 3/4 c + 2 tbsp (Dutch process or Natural is fine)

Salt- 1/4 tsp

Vanilla extract- 1/2 - 1 tsp

Large eggs- 2, cold

Flour- 1/2 c

One package of Oreos (just to be on the safe side)

One tub of Cool Whip

Directions:

1. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot. 

3. Remove bowl from the skillet, and let cool for ~5 minutes until warm but not hot. Note: It will look kinda gritty at this point, don't panic!

4. Stir in vanilla with a spoon or spatula. Add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. At this point it should look well-blended, shiny and thick. 

5. Stir in flour until completely blended, then stir vigorously ~40 strokes. 

6. Crush at least half of the package of Oreos. {Crumble them by hand, or put them in a ziploc bag and smack them with a meat hammer thing.} Stir as many as you want into the batter.

6. Prep an 8x8" square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil so it overhangs on two opposite sides. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake at 325 degrees F for ~20 minutes. The tester should come out moist but not drenched.

7. Let the brownies cool for about an hour. In the meantime, stir a ton of the Oreo crumbs into the cool whip. When the brownies are cool, cut them up and spread the cool whip on top. 

I've eaten one for breakfast the last three days. I must get these out of my apartment. 

Enjoy!