Bomb-diggity Brownies...

Every now and then, a girl just needs some chocolate. Truth. I'm getting to the point in my life, where not just any chocolate will do. I will not waste my calories on fake chocolate, half-hearted candy bars, and the like.

And now I present to you the best homemade brownies I have ever had! Children liked it, and my husband loved it. His favorite dessert is brownies of all kinds, and he noted how "cocoa-y" these are. YUM YUM. I did not make these with the frosting, so that's saying a lot! I think a good brownie doesn't need frosting, just like a good steak doesn't need steak sauce. Yes, you can borrow that analogy. :)

Cocoa-Licious Brownies
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Get all the rave reviews at:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-brownies/detail.aspx

And the winner is...

Have you heard? The "SPICE" girls have a new occupation: Oscar Night® America party planners! We have the privilege of planning this great event for our friends at the Utah AIDS Foundation. Every year this event is hailed as the "Party of the Year" in Salt Lake City, so we girls are having TONS of fun planning and organizing and emailing each other constantly.

Want to get in on the fun? You can VOLUNTEER and follow us on FACEBOOK! Wanna donate to the Silent Auction, or know someone who wants to be a sponsor? Email us at utahoscarnight@gmail.com!

Stay tuned for more fun details on our "GOLD RUSH" themed event!

Love,
M

It's a Cucina kind of day...

Last night, we three "spice" girls had a work meeting at our favorite joint: Cucina Toscana. Oh, how we love this place. We go for each of our birthdays, but we have a big drought of birthday fun between September and April. That is far too long to go without Cucina goodness. :)

CUCINA! 

They treat us so great there! I almost feel like a celeb. But if I was a celebrity, I probably couldn't get away with stuffing myself like I love doing there! We enjoyed a fun sampler, so here are some of my main recommendations. These items aren't all on the menu, but I bet if you ask nicely, and if they have the ingredients on hand, they'll do a little magic for you. :)

• Limoncello Pasta: a little bit sweet, a little bit sassy. Angel-hair pasta covered an an uber creamy lemon/sweet sauce. YUM. 
• Ravioli: Guess what? All of their ravioli's are good. Last night was no exception: a spinachy savory delight! If they say, "[Blah Blah] Ravioli," just say, "YES, PLEASE!"
• Gnocchi in a FABULOUS meat sauce: I'm sorry-- did you say MEAT sauce? Yes, and it was so dang good. 
• Okay, I'm running low on remember names. But it was a lovely appetizer which had pate (I know, but guess what, it's OKAY!), duck, fennel flavor, pear slices, fig with figgy sauce... happy in your mouth! I love the warmth of this dish. I've had it a few times, and I always make sure I have a little fig in every bite. I'm a sucker for sweet/savory. 
• Caprese: Can you really ever go wrong with caprese? No. But throw a zuchinni on top?! GRAZI!
• SCALOPPINE DI VITELLO BOSCAIOLA: Try to say that even once! This one is straight from the menu: veal scalloppine served with a ragout of wild porcini mushrooms. I know, veal. Sad, scary... but it's okay, just take a few bites. It's fun and different then something you'd probably choose for yourself. 
• We also had a pork tenderloin with a fun, rich burgundy colored sauce that had Chianti, capers, peppercorns, and some other fun flavors. 
• Escolar with a Mustard Sauce: Escolar is a firm, white fish. YUM. But my favorite part about this dish is the MUSTARD sauce. You've got actual mustard seeds in it, as well as a little lemon. It is such a lovely pairing with any fish. One of my absolute favorites! 
• THE BREAD. Eat it. Don't be shy or say you're saving room. Just eat it. and drizzle the happy sauce on it. 

There you have it. A not so short rundown on the Cucina highlights. Such a lovely atmosphere, great location, and amazing service! When you feel like splurging, this is the place to go!

Cucina Toscana

307 W. Pierpont Ave. 

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Monday-Friday: 5:30pm-10:00pm

Tell them Colleen, Megan, & Paige sent you!  

♥, 

M