Chocolate Chip Brookies

Yesterday, I reserved a U-Haul truck.  This morning I ordered boxes, and other packing materials.  It’s beginning to seem more real that we are packing up our home and changing our zip code. It’s been an unexpected turn in our family’s course; but peace continues to be our companion through the experience.

On a house hunting trip that I took alone a few weeks ago, I ventured to a favorite bakery/café everyday for lunch- Kneaders. It’s exactly what I needed to refuel my efforts physically and mentally. I ordered the same thing everyday- Turkey sandwich on Asiago bread.  Absolutely delicious.  One day my “pastry” of choice was a brownie cookie bar.  I call them Brookies because they are a treat where brownie meets cookie. 

Chocolate Chip Brookies

*Begin by mixing and a brownie mix according to package directions.  (I use 2 mixes- I like Ghiraradelli Triple Chocolate or Betty Crocker Original Supreme- in a 10 x 15.5 airbake pan.) 

*Spread brownie batter into desired size pan

*Set Oreos (either whole or cut into pieces) into brownie batter.  I used 24 oreos in the 10 x 15.5 pan.

*Bake at 350 degrees for 28-32 minutes. (This really depends on what size of pan you use.  It may be a few minutes more or less depending on the thickness of the batter. Brownies should be "done".)

*Mold Chocolate Chip cookie batter with your hands and piece together a layer of cookie dough to cover the baked brownies.  Dough should be about ¼-3/8 inch thick. 

*Bake an additional 12 minutes at 350 degrees. 

*Remove from oven. Cookie portion of bars will be soft, but will set up nicely.  Over baking them will result in crunchy cookie and dry brownie layers.

*Let set.  Cut.  Share. 

I certainly am appreciating the afternoon “pick me up” these treats provide as I prepare for our big move.

But even more than that, I’m appreciative of and am ever aware that my steps are being guided, my hand is being held, and angels are bearing me up.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cream Cake

Sometimes there simply are no words to convey the emotion. Today is such a day. So what do I do?  I bond with my Kitchenaid. I've already made these,these, and these, and found places to deliver them. However, on a day where wrapped candy treats prevail in the lives of children, my season has changed.

My focus today is of great reflection. Today, my freshman in college received some much anticipated mail. Within this envelope is a call to action that comes with great responsibility.

Reflectively, this envelope represents not just one decision, but countless little ones.  Each decision following or forming a path. Sometimes the path seemed well marked and seemingly easy to follow and at other times -  more difficult where steps to proceed were small, yet well defined.

As we journey through life,we are daily asked to go and do. Choosing so, and without exact knowledge of where our temporal path will lead; we walk by faith. And as our decisions clear a path that leads not only to our own happiness, but also the joy of countless others, we can pause, reflect, and celebrate. 

Today we will celebrate with this Reese's Peanut Butter Cream Cake:

Reese's Peanut Butter Cream Cake

Begin by making Yummy In My Tummy Chocolate Cake, omitting the chocolate chips.  Cool completely. 

For the Peanut Butter Cream:

8 oz.  cream cheese

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

16oz. tub of Cool Whip

Whip together cream cheese and peanut butter.  Add powdered sugar and beat until well blended.  Fold in Cool Whip. 

Layer cake and cream as desired.  Frost with remaining cream.  Chill thoroughly.  Garnish with your favorite chocolate sauce or ganache and chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

 He's been called to serve in the Resistencia, Argentina Mission.   

 

Oreo Cream Cake

Oero is celebrating its 100^th birthday this year.  What a grand accomplishment to have such a successful product that it’s still flying off of store shelves 100 years after the first sale.  I do my part to keep Oreo very alive in the sales industry.

Yesterday I anticipated would be a day of celebration!  It was J’s first volleyball game of the season!  She’s been working hard this summer to hone her skills, but with no club ball experience, we weren’t sure how she would be able to compete within her team for playing time.   

The team unfortunately lost both sets but battled pretty well.  On the way home, J mentioned that she was surprised she got to start but was pretty sure since it was her fault they lost the first game, she wouldn’t be a starter anymore.  She also spoke of her lonely plight at school having few classes with her friends and how hard it was to try and make new friends on her team and in her classes.  She was emotionally charged.  I was surprised she was so down on herself.  It’s true; she mishandled a deep set on the final play.  However, she had done well overall and the team as a whole had some rough transitions.  I wondered if someone had said something to her to make her feel it was her fault, or if we just needed to chalk it up to excessive raging hormones…

It was not the ride home I expected.  

We came home and I did my best to transition quickly to provide a hot meal on the table.  While I tasked, Y called from college and talked for awhile with J.  Without knowing it had been a rough night, in incomparable Y style- he pumped her full of confidence; she laughed at his exuberance. It was exactly what she needed. She happily ate her dinner and began homework.  I emerged from the garage with my celebratory cake.  Her eyes lit up.  

Oreo Cream Cake

Begin by making Yummy In My Tummy Chocolate Cake, omitting the chocolate chips.  Cool completely. 

For the Oreo Cream:

12 oz.  softened cream cheese

12 Oreos

Blend cream cheese with Oreos in Kitchenaid until smooth.  The Kitchenaid will automatically crush the Oreos into the cream cheese.  If using a smaller mixer, you can break up Oreos first. 

Fold in 16 Oz.  Cool Whip whipped topping. 

Layer cake and cream as desired.  Frost with remaining cream and garnish with crushed Oreos, Cool Whip dollops and whole Oreos.

I thought we’d be celebrating the first volleyball game of the season.  Such was not the case at all.  We celebrated family – the way we can lift and love each other in ways that make life’s mountains a little easier to climb.