.chocolate for mother.

after diving head first into the world of baking, i've tried all things cake and cup. homemade frosting, i would venture to say, has been my most prized accomplishment. however, there is still a lifetime of sweetness yet to explore.

when all the ads on television and in emails began reminding me of mother's day's near arrival, my mind began munching the possibilities. flowers? a sentimental card? a book? photos? none of these seemed quite sweet enough. this year, i wanted mother's day for my own mother and my new mother-in-law to be full of smiles; in the form of sugar, butter and chocolate that is. at first, i pondered baking and sending cake pops, but worried too much about them becoming cake fritters in transit. so, i was back to the cutting board...

my shopping excursion for their delicious gifts began by looking through baking blogs, in search of just the right thing. that is when i ran across an adorable little place called bakedbree.com. after oohing and ahhing over some of her scrumptious recipes, it hit me like a brick (of chocolate).

brownies.

these chocolate treats have always been a staple in my dessert life and an easy go-to item for potlucks and parties. since i was a little girl and even into my teens, i can remember picking up a box of brownie powder and magically turning it into a finished product with a little oil, eggs and water. best yet, i had faith in their ability to be shipped from tennessee to florida for this mother's day. in the most dire of situations, they'd be one big mass of chocolate. hey, nothing wrong with that!

.makeshift double boiler.

like the new kitchen warrior i am, i embarked on my grocery shopping hunt with vigor to find all the ingredients needed to make from-scratch brownies. with all my goods in tow, i donned my apron as soon as i got home and got to work whipping up this dark, decadent treat. you can find the recipe i used here:
http://bakedbree.com/matts-crazy-brownies#axzz1LDj0dGvG

making and baking these brownies reminded me of my mom along the way. chocolate has always given her joy and i hope to bring a smile to her face when she opens the package and gets a whiff. as i placed the bowl and spoon in the sink, i snuck a lick only to think back to her telling me not to do that for fear of salmonella. looks like i'm still as stubborn as i was all those years ago because i've yet to learn that lesson.

when the brownies came out of the oven and i taste-tested a little piece, i was pleased with the outcome and knew i'd be proud to ship them off. for this mother's day, i ended up giving myself a gift. i was able to frost together my past of my forever family to my future of my new family with my present life of baking. i hope both of our mom's enjoy their brownies baked with love.