#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Writing
  • Contact

Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Fudgy Brownies {Day 3 and 4 of Teacher Appreciation Week}

May 10, 2012 · Narrative

Easy Fudgy Brownies-001
Every morning this week, the kids have come downstairs and looked on the kitchen counter to see what was going to be sent in for their teachers and Teacher Appreciation Week.  I didn’t set out to send something in every day of this week, but it’s kind of worked out that way.  Once I got to Wednesday, I felt like I needed to do it the rest of the week, you know?

I had torn out a recipe from Woman’s Day magazine for chick pea burgers, and as I was going through the ingredient list to see if I had everything, I spied a small mention for Fudgy Brownies in the corner of the page.

If you’ve been a Sweetnicks reader for awhile, you know that we’re always on the look-out for a solid fudgy brownie recipe.  You know, the one that stops the search.  A quick scan of THAT ingredient list, and I actually had everything on hand.  In fact, I bet you might too.  Well, the bakers among you will.

Nick had a friend over and Madeline was busy “cleaning” her room.  Which basically means she finds a favorite toy or stuffed animal and takes a trip down memory lane.  And completely forgets that she was asked to find a path to her bed clean.  She usually surfaces an hour later, her room a bigger disaster than it was when she first started.  And that’s when we close the door and pretend it doesn’t exist.  At least until we see it again at bedtime.

When it comes to keeping her room neat, I’m having flashbacks to my teen self’s room.  It’s not pretty.  And my mom is saying something about I told you so.

So with three kids in the house, all magically entertaining themselves, and dinner already taken care of, I decided to make a quick batch of the brownies.

It took all of about 15 minutes before the batter was going into the oven.

The recipe said 18 minutes for baking.  And they were a bit off.  Well, at least by the O’Malley oven standards.  I think it ended up being an extra 10 or so minutes, so beware.

Even after that, they were still a bit too fudgy, but I didn’t want to bake them longer, for fear of overcooking them.  I ended up sticking them in the fridge for a bit, and that did the trick.

Later on.  Ok, before dinner.  I cut off a corner to give them a try.  You know, quality control and all that.  I can’t very well send a new recipe in to three teachers without having tried them myself first, right?

F-u-d-g-y to the nth degree.  Just the way we like them.

And hours later, they were bagged up and gone.

My biggest complaint about the recipe?  That it is for an 8×8 pan, so it doesn’t make a ton.

In a round-about way, that’s likely a good thing.

But Nick loves brownies, and he didn’t get to try these before they were gone, so we’ll be baking more up again tonight.  You know, to appease that healthy dose of Mom guilt I served myself.

If you need a quick sweet treat for your after-schoolers, or to finish up celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, or if you just finished Day 10 of rain-wet-gloom-rinse-repeat with the rest of us, bake these.

When I had my first bite, it reminded me of Nick’s request last year for Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes as part of his birthday dinner.  These are totally perfect for that.  And, of course, countless other non-birthday, just because moments.

You can thank me later.

…

Read More

Pin It

Recipe: Orange Coconut Cobbler Muffins {and Teacher Appreciation Week}

May 7, 2012 · Narrative

orange coconut cobbler muffins
This past Saturday, Madeline stood in front of the counter at our favorite bagel shop and announced that she wanted muffins.

While staring at their very-large-look-better-than-they-taste muffin selection in the glass case.

“How about we make some muffins this weekend instead?”

Luckily she was quickly appeased.

gorgeous

I ended up waiting until today to make them, since the kids were with their Dad for the rest of this past weekend, and my littlest sous chef couldn’t have been happier.

sous chef

She mixed. And stirred. And crumbled. And patted.

littlest helper

I was only arm candy, there just to provide measurement assistance and reaching things in high places.

most important step

All these years, who knew you were supposed to pat the crumbs down? Good thing she’s there to lead the way.

crumb close-up

She could barely wait for them to come out of the oven.

And then to cool off.

And before even tasting them, has already ear-marked which one she wants for breakfast.

Luckily for her, they’re pretty darn tasty. The muffins are moist, without being overly sweet. In fact, most of the sweetness comes from the crumb topping, so be sure not to skip that step.

They were crazy simple to make. I’m not fibbing when I say Madeline took charge of most of the recipe.  She was so proud of her efforts that she very carefully wrapped one of the muffins up tonight and sent it home with The Ex after Nick’s soccer try-outs (travel team).

This week is Teachers’ Appreciation Week, so three of the muffins are going to be packaged up and sent in for the kids’ teachers. This morning, I sent the kids in with these jars below.

Super simple to make, of course. I bought the jars from Wal-Mart, and filled them with Swedish fish. Tied with scrap ribbon I had on hand, and then made a quick label on the computer, using an image I found online and secured with a little bit of washi tape.
Red Fish Jar - Teacher Appreciation Week

I heard they were a hit, so my work here is done. Well, for today, anyway.

Until tomorrow…

Source info:

*That cute stoneware plate that the muffin is on? It’s a series of appetizer plates from none other than Diane Keaton. They came out last year. She designed them for Bed, Bath, and Beyond and it took me forever to track them down.  I have every one but the “yum.”  If you can’t find them at your local BB&B, they can order them and have them shipped directly to your house, which is what I did.  They’ll still take the 20% off coupon, so that ended up covering the shipping cost.  And if you’re interested in hearing more about her inspiration and foray into the design world, you’ll like this article from the New York Times (I love that square plate pictured in the article, but haven’t found it anywhere).

* Madeline’s dress is from the folks at Pink Chicken (specifically this one). They sent it over to give us a chance to check it out. It’s super soft, ultra comfy, and really nice and roomy. She loves the little pink chicken that is embroidered on the front of it, and as long as I don’t call it a dress, she’ll wear it any day of the week.  (She wears it with leggings)

…

Read More

Pin It

Storytelling…
Through photos.
Words. And recipes.

Archives

Categories

Instagram

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

Pinterest

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

Copyright © 2023 Sweetnicks · Theme by Vicki Harrison Design