Over the years, I have slowly made my way around o Over the years, I have slowly made my way around our house … decorating, renovating and reorganizing it into a soft place to land. The only part that I haven’t touched that much are our yards (except for a fire pit area that went in two years ago, thank you pandemic). I want our outside to be as much as a sanctuary as our inside is, so I plan to spend the next year digging in (no pun intended 😂). I don’t have a green thumb, so feel free to spam me with all your awesome, low maintenance ideas as we create a Japanese-style zen garden. 🤩 I also hate gardening, so there’s that, but am hoping that some #gardentherapy changes my mind as much as it changes the space.
✌🏻 ✌🏻
About last night … we spontaneously decided to m About last night … we spontaneously decided to make a @crumblcookies run at 8:30 and snagged a front seat to Mother Nature’s show. 😍
I took five books with me when we went on a little I took five books with me when we went on a little vacation in May, and got through two of them, one of which was The Magnolia Story. You are, no doubt, familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines, but you might not know how they became so popular or how their business exploded. This book, told by both of them, shares their journey from their dating stages to just a few years ago. It’s quite amazing how their path unfolded, with the universe seemingly guiding them every single step of the way. Every time they hit a crossroads, they received clear signs to continue to point them in the right direction. It was interesting to learn more about their story, and a great reminder that you need to trust in yourself and follow your passions, and everything really does just fall into place. Chip has his own book out too, Capital Gaines, which I added to my list after I read this one. If you’re curious about their story or just need confirmation to continue to chase your dreams, read this one. ✨ #catesbookaweek 6/52
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the w “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl ✨
We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister an We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister and her family were away. She has settled into a new routine here (ours 😂), and now doesn’t get up until after 9 am, stays up until well past midnight, eats a very late dinner, knows that the kitchen is where the magic happens and sits for a treat after her morning backyard visit. We’ve broken her in nicely but she will be returning with her continued bad habit of suffering from #fomo, playing tag with the cats, and barking every time she hears a door open or sees someone go up the street. We did our best. 😇
The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Gar The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Garlic butter and bleu cheese butter from @njgarlic (the bleu on steak! 😍), empanadas from @catalina_empanadas_2017, half sour pickles from @pickleculture and the quiche and bread were from a vendor I forgot to get the name of. This was all from the @bernardsvillefarmersmarket. Today I hit the @denvillemarket and added full sour pickles from @pickle_licious and a roasted garlic and duck fat loaf and cheese biscuit from @bobolinkdairyandbakehouse. Basically give us all the bread, cheese, butter and pickles and we’re happy campers! Did you hit up a farmers market this weekend? What’d ya get?
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it is with the gnocchi from Trader Joe’s. Skip what their directions tell you and pan fry them in olive oil, add some of their 4-green bag of vegetables, salt, pepper, drizzles of pesto and a sprinkle of parm. So freaking good and dinner on the table faster than you can order take out. 🤤
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Symphony Brownies

February 9, 2009 · Narrative

image

Last month I got into a conversation with a guest at a party about all the things she baked over the recent holiday … toffee, shortbread, brownies and countless other items, each one sounding better than the next. “And then I made Symphony Brownies.  I made them so many times I’m sick of them now, but they’re so good,” she said. “Symphony Brownies?”  This was a new one on me. “You’ve never heard of them?  They’re all over the net and very simple to make.”  She rattled off the ingredients and I was already making a mental grocery list of items to buy on the way home. It starts with a box mix.  Actually two box mixes.  And three big candy bars.  And nuts.  There’s nothing wrong with making a box mix once in awhile.  Or all the time.  It depends on your comfort level, your motivation and available hours in the day, you know?  Truth be told, as much made-from-scratch baking as I do, I always have a few boxes on hand for those spur of the moment times. The week we went away on vacation, and a few days after our baking conversation, we had our monthly supper club gathering.  Although the theme was tapas, which I love, I brought the brownies as an extra dish.  They were everything she said they were and more … fudgy, dense, decadent and sinfully delicious.  So now when I have box mixes on hand, it will be to make these. When I google’d “symphony brownies,” who should pop up but Paula Deen?  Unless she got it from someone else, it looks like the recipe is hers, and there’s even a video of her making them on Food Network with one of her sons.  She gilds the lily a bit by topping the brownies with powdered sugar and candied whipped cream, but I think we can safely skip that.  No matter how you serve them, they’re sure to satisfy your sweet tooth just fine. Symphony Brownies 2 brownie mixes (you want to look for ones that have a 9×13 pan as a baking option; not all do; I used Duncan Hines’ fudgy brownie mixes) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 3 Hershey’s Symphony bars Preheat oven per brownie mix directions.  Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.  Mix up one brownie mix, following the directions on the back of the box.  Add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts to batter.  Pour it into the baking dish.  Unwrap the three Symphony bars and place them on top of the batter, side by side.  Mix up the second box of brownies, adding the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter, and pour the batter into the baking dish, over the Symphony bars.  Bake 40 minutes.  Allow brownies to cool.  Cut and devour. Notes:  These cut a lot neater if you wait for them to completely cool.  I was running late for Supper Club, so didn’t.   You can obviously make both boxes of brownie mix at the same time and just put half in the dish, add the candy bars, and then the other half.  I mixed it by hand, so found it easier to mix up each box separately.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Paula Deen, Supper Club, Symphony Brownies

Comments

  1. Claire says

    February 9, 2009 at 11:57 pm

    THis is my brother’s favorite brownie recipe…except without the nuts! I usually use only one brownie mix but it is kind of hard to spread. I use the Martha White, which may be a southern brand, version. These are divine brownies. You can make them with chocolate bars with Butterfinger in them as well and that’s pretty good.

    Claires last blog post..Birthdays All Around

    Reply
  2. maris says

    February 10, 2009 at 1:31 am

    Sounds delicious…I agree that there is always a time and place for boxed mixes. Even for “real food” – I never thought I would use a box of macaroni and cheese that I’d had in my cupboard for ages but I made it when I was just sick and I was sure glad I had it!

    mariss last blog post..My Actual Favorite Movie…and Chocolate Chip Scones

    Reply
  3. jan says

    February 10, 2009 at 11:06 am

    my signature brownies used to be boxed mix brownies with instant espresso powder (medaglia d’oro) and a scoop of raspberry chocolate chips. When baked, I’d dust the top with some powdered sugar and a smidge of cinnamon.
    I did the same thing with espresso and butterscotch chips. These often went to office parties when I didn’t want to buy, but wanted something easy and showy.

    Reply
  4. paula says

    February 10, 2009 at 11:10 am

    Boxed brownies are definitely one of the better boxed items in the supermarket. I love homemade brownies but I’ve never turned down a boxed brownie either.

    paulas last blog post..Yummy pork roast

    Reply
  5. lesley says

    February 11, 2009 at 8:33 am

    Hi Paula,
    I’m a Tapas and a choc brownie lover, :0) I hadn’t heard of Symphony Brownies either, but I’m looking forward to making them, if I manage to get the right ingredients :0)

    lesleys last blog post..Freezer Blues

    Reply
  6. Blond Duck says

    February 11, 2009 at 4:14 pm

    Those sound sooo good! Perfect for Ben’s b-day!

    I moved! Check me out!

    Reply
  7. darla says

    February 12, 2009 at 1:11 pm

    Hi Cate,
    I loved your Nutella Fondue “recipe” and decided to share one with you,,,,,,Symphony Bar Fondue!

    1/3 cup heavy (or whipping cream)
    2, 6 oz. Symphony Bars, broken into pieces
    1 Tblsp. almond flavored liqueur

    Melt candy pcs. into cream in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Add liqueur and pour into fondue pot (with tealight candle underneath). Dippers: Pound and angel food cake, strawberries, bananas, pretzels, etc. Super YUM!

    Reply
  8. jan says

    February 12, 2009 at 1:51 pm

    couldn’t you make the Symphony Bar Fondue in a mini-crockpot (lil dipper)? Crockpotlady would be all over this one since she ‘puffy-hearts’ the lil dipper.

    Reply
  9. Calgary alberta restaurants says

    February 19, 2009 at 8:08 am

    Just tried this recipe and I love how simple it is. The walnuts add a nice flavor. I find these brownies are best served with ice cream!

    Reply
  10. Daddy Cooking says

    February 22, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    This recipes looks chunkalicious! I’ve been on a brownie binge recently with my favorite over at King Arthur (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/RecipeDisplay?RID=4), which has a recipe to die for.

    Daddy Cookings last blog post..Baked Teriyaki Salmon Recipe

    Reply
  11. Cathy @ Chief Family Officer says

    February 22, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    Wow, decadent and simple, it doesn’t get any better than that! Now I know what I’m doing with those brownie mixes in my cupboard, thanks! :)

    Reply
  12. Kristine says

    August 9, 2009 at 4:40 pm

    Yum. These were fabulous. But I am having a problem getting them cooked in the middle. 350 for 45 minutes isn’t doing it… the edges are crunchy (which is actually delicious) but the insides are still mush (but yummy mush!). Any tips??

    Reply
  13. Cate says

    August 10, 2009 at 11:40 pm

    Kristine – the center part (the chocolate bar) doesn’t actually set up like you think it might/should. It remains slightly soft, with the top and brownie portion holding it together. Does that sound like what you have/make sense?

    Darla – that fondue recipe sounds delish!

    Claire – the butterfinger version sounds yummy – my mom is a fan of them, so think that might be my next version – thanks for the suggestion!

    Reply
  14. Cabin Decor says

    March 2, 2010 at 11:29 pm

    My favorite candy bar is a Symphony, so why not chop it and throw it in a brownie mix? I should’a thought of that, lol

    Reply
  15. Afajor says

    May 2, 2010 at 8:31 am

    I use boxed brownie mixes when I’m in a hurry, but this recipe with a few additions make it so much better! I’ll try this recipe and make it together with alfajores, which I’ll be trying soon!

    Reply
  16. Lori @ RecipeGirl says

    May 27, 2010 at 10:59 am

    How do these turn out… fudgy, cakey or chewy?

    Reply
  17. Cate says

    May 27, 2010 at 11:58 pm

    Lori, very fudgy.

    Reply

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Over the years, I have slowly made my way around o Over the years, I have slowly made my way around our house … decorating, renovating and reorganizing it into a soft place to land. The only part that I haven’t touched that much are our yards (except for a fire pit area that went in two years ago, thank you pandemic). I want our outside to be as much as a sanctuary as our inside is, so I plan to spend the next year digging in (no pun intended 😂). I don’t have a green thumb, so feel free to spam me with all your awesome, low maintenance ideas as we create a Japanese-style zen garden. 🤩 I also hate gardening, so there’s that, but am hoping that some #gardentherapy changes my mind as much as it changes the space.
✌🏻 ✌🏻
About last night … we spontaneously decided to m About last night … we spontaneously decided to make a @crumblcookies run at 8:30 and snagged a front seat to Mother Nature’s show. 😍
I took five books with me when we went on a little I took five books with me when we went on a little vacation in May, and got through two of them, one of which was The Magnolia Story. You are, no doubt, familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines, but you might not know how they became so popular or how their business exploded. This book, told by both of them, shares their journey from their dating stages to just a few years ago. It’s quite amazing how their path unfolded, with the universe seemingly guiding them every single step of the way. Every time they hit a crossroads, they received clear signs to continue to point them in the right direction. It was interesting to learn more about their story, and a great reminder that you need to trust in yourself and follow your passions, and everything really does just fall into place. Chip has his own book out too, Capital Gaines, which I added to my list after I read this one. If you’re curious about their story or just need confirmation to continue to chase your dreams, read this one. ✨ #catesbookaweek 6/52

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Over the years, I have slowly made my way around o Over the years, I have slowly made my way around our house … decorating, renovating and reorganizing it into a soft place to land. The only part that I haven’t touched that much are our yards (except for a fire pit area that went in two years ago, thank you pandemic). I want our outside to be as much as a sanctuary as our inside is, so I plan to spend the next year digging in (no pun intended 😂). I don’t have a green thumb, so feel free to spam me with all your awesome, low maintenance ideas as we create a Japanese-style zen garden. 🤩 I also hate gardening, so there’s that, but am hoping that some #gardentherapy changes my mind as much as it changes the space.
✌🏻 ✌🏻
About last night … we spontaneously decided to m About last night … we spontaneously decided to make a @crumblcookies run at 8:30 and snagged a front seat to Mother Nature’s show. 😍
I took five books with me when we went on a little I took five books with me when we went on a little vacation in May, and got through two of them, one of which was The Magnolia Story. You are, no doubt, familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines, but you might not know how they became so popular or how their business exploded. This book, told by both of them, shares their journey from their dating stages to just a few years ago. It’s quite amazing how their path unfolded, with the universe seemingly guiding them every single step of the way. Every time they hit a crossroads, they received clear signs to continue to point them in the right direction. It was interesting to learn more about their story, and a great reminder that you need to trust in yourself and follow your passions, and everything really does just fall into place. Chip has his own book out too, Capital Gaines, which I added to my list after I read this one. If you’re curious about their story or just need confirmation to continue to chase your dreams, read this one. ✨ #catesbookaweek 6/52
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the w “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl ✨
We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister an We’ve been dog sitting Gracie while my sister and her family were away. She has settled into a new routine here (ours 😂), and now doesn’t get up until after 9 am, stays up until well past midnight, eats a very late dinner, knows that the kitchen is where the magic happens and sits for a treat after her morning backyard visit. We’ve broken her in nicely but she will be returning with her continued bad habit of suffering from #fomo, playing tag with the cats, and barking every time she hears a door open or sees someone go up the street. We did our best. 😇
The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Gar The rewards of a weekend of farmers marketing! Garlic butter and bleu cheese butter from @njgarlic (the bleu on steak! 😍), empanadas from @catalina_empanadas_2017, half sour pickles from @pickleculture and the quiche and bread were from a vendor I forgot to get the name of. This was all from the @bernardsvillefarmersmarket. Today I hit the @denvillemarket and added full sour pickles from @pickle_licious and a roasted garlic and duck fat loaf and cheese biscuit from @bobolinkdairyandbakehouse. Basically give us all the bread, cheese, butter and pickles and we’re happy campers! Did you hit up a farmers market this weekend? What’d ya get?
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it Sometimes rules are meant to be broken, and so it is with the gnocchi from Trader Joe’s. Skip what their directions tell you and pan fry them in olive oil, add some of their 4-green bag of vegetables, salt, pepper, drizzles of pesto and a sprinkle of parm. So freaking good and dinner on the table faster than you can order take out. 🤤

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