Chewy Chocolate Brownies

A few weeks ago it was my friend Alex's 23rd birthday. I know I say this a lot about friends on here, but I really cannot sing the praises for this girl enough, she is amazing! I have known her since grade 4, and no matter what ups and downs we've gone through, she has always been there for me through thick and through thin. She is not only an amazing friend, but an all around incredible woman. I don't know if I have ever met anyone so motivated and full of life. Much of my drive and inspiration comes from her support and watching her thrive in her own pursuits. We have gotten so close over the years that I truly consider her part of my family. We have that special and incredibly rare bond that I know will keep us together for the rest of our lives. I love her like a sister. So for her 23rd birthday I had to make something special for her party.

Alex is a big lover of all sweets, especially chocolate, so it isn't too hard to please her in that department. I decided to stick with something classic, yet delicious, that would be a real crowd pleaser. I turned to a very simple yet delicious brownie recipe. These brownies take hardly any time to prepare, and are super chewy, moist, and chocolatey! How could anyone possibly resist!

Click here to learn more about Alex and her interesting and exciting life!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp water

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup pecans

Directions:

1. Mix the butter, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

2. Pour mixture in a food processor and add chocolate chips. Process until smooth and chocolate has melted.

3. Add eggs and process until just combined. Add the flour, baking powder, vanilla, and pecans, and pulse on and off until nuts are chopped.

4. Line and butter a 8 inch square baking pan. Pour mixture in pan and bake at 350º for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the brownie comes out clean.

5. Let cool and cut into desired squares.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

One of my best friends is my sister Justine...now if you know me and haven't spoken to me recently, you may find this a bit odd. The truth is, my sister and I didn't always get along. Growing up we were like two peas in a pod, always together, best friends, but as we grew older and went through changes in our lives, we began to drift apart. Going through that rift was torturous! Two redheads should never fight, because let me tell you, everything they have said about redheads having a bad temper is absolutely correct! This rift between us went on for years, and it was only until very recently (within the past two months!) that we put everything behind us and have begun getting along just as we used to! I cannot tell you how much happier I have been having my best friend back. Justine is such an incredible and unique person that I am so proud to call my sister!

But just as Justine and I began getting along, she finally found the perfect little apartment to rent with her boyfriend. As sad as I am to have Justine move out, and as weird as it is for my little sister to be moving in with a boy, I am so happy to see her so excited to have her very own place! My sister and her boyfriend can party like champs (seriously I don't know how they do it!), so clearly they had to celebrate their new home by throwing a housewarming party!

Justine's all-time favourite dessert is Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies, so I could think of no better treat to make Justine and her boyfriend for their party! Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies are dense semi-sweet chocolate brownies with ribbons of velvety cheesecake marbled within the batter. Chocolate chips are scattered whole through the batter, giving texture to the squares as well as incredibly chocolaty bites! After you try these, they will surely become a favourite of yours as well!

I love you so much Justine and I don't want you to ever forget it! You mean the world to me and you truly are the best sister I could ever ask for. I love you up to the sky and back again! xo - Stink

Ingredients:

1 package (250 g) of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, divided

3 eggs

1 package (280 g) of chocolate chips, divided

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 egg until smooth.

2. Make a double boiler by placing a bowl over a pot of about 1 inch of simmering water on the stove. Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips with the butter in the bowl over the pot of water.

3. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 eggs until well blended.

4. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Pour half of the chocolate mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Stir in remaining chocolate chips into cream cheese. Pour evenly over chocolate mixture in pan.

6. Top with remaining chocolate mixture. Run a knife through the pan back and forth to create a marble effect.

7. Bake in a 350º oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool, and cut into squares.

Click here to check out Justine's blog!