Chocolate Brownie Pie

Chocolate Brownie Pie

It's been a gorgeous few days here in Houston. These days remind me of growing up in Overland Park, Kansas. The weather was always beautiful with bright blue skies and highs in the 60s. We called days like that Kansas City Days. Of course, we didn't have those kinds of days year round, but come spring and early fall, it was heavenly weather! I miss the midwest weather... four seasons, instead of what seems like a year-round summer here.

The pups and I spent some time in the backyard while the weather was so nice. I took my camera with me hoping to get some pictures of the girls, who are in desperate need of a grooming! (They're going next week!) I know the neighbors, if they can hear me, think I'm crazy. I say just about anything to get the dog's attention when they're outside, so I can snap a few good pictures of them. This is all I got today!

This afternoon I took the time to start getting ready for the inaugural Friday Pizza Nights, which will start tomorrow. Now that I'm not going to work everyday, I can cook dinner on Friday nights, without feeling exhausted or going out to eat! I also decided that Mike needed something stress-free and fun after a long work week, so from now on, most Friday nights will be homemade pizza….or take-out pizza. So in preparing, I wanted to make a yummy dessert. My only hope is that it's still around come Friday night!

Chocolate Brownie Pie- A yummy, fudgy pie, that's super easy to make!

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 dark corn syrup

3/4 pecan halves

9 inch pastry shell 

DIRECTIONS:

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler over hot water.

Beat in the eggs, sugar, and corn syrup. 

Stir in pecan halves.

Pour into 9-inch pastry shell and bake 45-50 minutes on 375 degrees, until just set. 

(Once it cooled, I put mine in the fridge, just to help it set a bit more)

Serve slightly warm or cold topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

I ate half the slice before I remembered the whipped cream......it was really delish!

pups & kisses,

  Tiffany

It don't have a job, won't pay your bills

Love will hold us together

It was Matt Maher's song, "Love Will Hold Us Together" that was played as the closing song at mass on Sunday night. The words of that song resonate with me so much! Especially, after spending a blessed day with my grandparents, who were celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary.

My grandparents are just about the greatest people I know. They've shown unconditional love, care, and support to everyone that comes into their lives. My grandfather worked harder than most to provide for his family. He worked construction and basically saw the city of Houston go up before his eyes. He worked on sky-scrapers downtown, hospitals in the med center, museums, and stood on scaffolding as he and others built the Astrodome. My grandmother stayed home and took care of 6 children. Getting them to and from school, drill team and football practice, and many other activities. Together, they loved and took care of their family, and made Christ an important part of their lives, despite the fact that some times were hard.

My grandparents have been there for me, just as they've been there for their 14 other grandchildren. I have memories of them coming to my choir concerts, watching me dance at halftime during high school football games and dance competitions. However, some of my greatest memories are when they visited our family when we lived out of state and when we came back to Texas during the summers. My grandfather used to ice skate with me, he built furniture for my American Girl doll, my grandmother used to make us homemade donuts, give us all the sugary drinks we wanted (that my mom would never give us!) and together, they supported and showed excitement for everything we did. 

Things didn't change as I got older. They were extremely excited when Mike and I got engaged and they've shown our precious puppies so much love too! On several occasions, they've watched Pasha and Carly while we've been out of town and I know the girls love getting to spend time with their great-grandparents. Anytime we mention Nanny and Grandad, our pups go crazy!

I use their marriage as a great example of what our marriage should follow. Even through the tough times they've had, and the tough times still to come, love will hold them together. If you have some extra time today, listen to the Matt Maher song. Whether you listen to Christian music or not, the message is great!

Matt Maher's Love Will Hold Us Together

pups & kisses,

  Tiffany

Chicken on Sourdough

I don't have the proper name for this recipe….or even an actual recipe for that matter! As I made it tonight, I had to measure out some of the ingredients, so I knew the right amounts to tell you! 

This is a meal that my mom made when we were growing up. She gave me the ingredients and some very brief instructions (no actual recipe) when I got married. When I made it for my husband for the first time, he really liked it and named it CHICKEN ON SOURDOUGH. The name is pretty boring, however the taste is fantastic! It's easy enough and would be great for a dinner party.

If you're making this for more than 4 people, you may want to double the recipe.  If you're just cooking for 2 like I am, you'll use 2 less chicken breasts, 2 less pieces of bread, and have some left over gravy…but that's okay, because it's fun pouring more gravy on top of the finished chicken! 

INGREDIENTS: (for 4 servings)

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin and cut in half

5 tablespoons butter (divided into 3 and 2 tablespoons)

3 tablespoons of flour + more for dredging chicken (possibly more for gravy…just keep it out in case you need more)

1 can of golden mushroom soup

1 cup of hot water

1/2 cup of white cooking wine

salt

pepper

8 slices swiss cheese

8 pieces of sourdough bread

Begin to melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a deep skillet pan, careful not to burn. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then dredge in flour. Brown the chicken breasts in the butter, take out, and set aside. 

Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to pan and melt. Add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir to make a gravy. Then add 1 can of golden mushroom soup and stir. Next add 1 cup of hot water and stir. Finally, add 1/2 cup of white cooking wine to thin out the gravy. Stir to combine.

Return chicken to the pan, cover and simmer to cook about 20-30 minutes. I like to stir occasionally, just to prevent any burning on the bottom.

Once the chicken is almost finished, place the oven on broil. Place the sourdough pieces on a baking sheet and put 1 slice of swiss cheese on each. Put in the oven and watch carefully. You want the bread toasted and cheese to melted, not burned!

Arrange the bread on dinner plates, place 1 piece of chicken on each slice of bread, and spoon gravy over the top.

ENJOY!

pups & kisses,

  Tiffany

Nutella

The FIRST time I ever tasted Nutella, I was on top of a partially snow-covered mountain in the middle of July.

We were on vacation with one of my good friends and her husband, when we were in our last stop on the trip…beautiful Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Before an afternoon of wildlife trekking through the Grand Tetons, we took the Jackson Hole lift up to Rendezvous Mountain. Being a native Texan, it was quite strange to see snow in July, but the cool weather was a such a nice change during the summer! At the top of the mountain was Corbet's Cabin, a very small restaurant, known for their waffles. We ordered freshly made, perfectly golden-crisp waffles that were folded like a sandwich, and FILLED with NUTELLA. It was heaven!

Amy, Scott, Me, and Mike in Yellowstone before traveling to the Grand Tetons

Mike and I on Rendezvous Mountain in Teton Village, Jackson Hole, WY

Corbet's Cabin at the top of Rendezvous Mountain

So, the point of this story…today on PINTEREST, I came across a recipe for Nutella Brownies. I'm a sucker for any type of brownies, but mixing Nutella in, I was sold! The recipe is from BunsInMyOven.com and I've included it below. They are fudgy, yummy, and wonderfully delicious! ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder, (I didn't use this ingredient…I don't like espresso!)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounce package Hershey's Milk Chocolate Baking Melts (or chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
In small saucepan over low heat, melt butter completely. Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not allow sugar mixture to boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Nutella until well combined.
Pour butter mixture into a large bowl or stand mixer, beat in cocoa powder, eggs, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Stir in the flour and baking melts until just combined.
Spread into prepared pan (batter will be very thick and sticky) and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean. The edges should be set and the center should still look slightly moist, but not uncooked. Cool on a wire rack.

I went a little powdered sugar crazy!

pups & kisses,

  Tiffany

Those who say you can't buy happiness have never had a puppy

Those who say you can't buy happiness have never had a puppy.

All my life until I was 23, I did not like dogs…or any animal for that matter. I was scared of them when I was a little kid, and as I got older, I just got used to not having a pet. 

It wasn't until I was 23, shopping in Old Navy, and ran into one of my old drill team directors from high school, that I all of the sudden wanted a puppy.  While shopping, she was holding this precious little puppy, that couldn't have been more than 3 pounds. The pup was white and brown, with black tipped ears, and as I pet it, that dog didn't try to lick or bite me. The adorable little dog just sat there and let me pet her. I went home (still living at home while I finished my degree) and that dog is all I talked about. I started researching the breed and where I could get one. All the while, without my knowledge, my parents and sister were trying to find me one that looked just like the one I saw while shopping in Old Navy.

My family pulled off the ultimate surprise that forever changed my life.  I will never forget the day I walked outside to greet my family after being gone and my sister stepped out of the car with MY puppy. Her name was already Pasha, and it fit her like a glove. She brought and continues to bring us all happiness, laughter, and sometimes a little grief….but what child doesn't?!

When Pasha and I moved out after I got married, my parents had puppy withdrawals. While looking for a dog of the same breed for them, I came across a breeder who had two little girls, just waiting for loving homes. My mom and dad came home with one, and my husband and I welcomed a second pup, Carly, into our home. 

Some would say we're a little dog crazy in our house; rushing home from work to let them out, coordinating work schedules so that they're not cooped up too long in one day, or talking about them like they're our children. They are a vital part of our family and we wouldn't have it any other way! 

Miss Pasha

Little Carly 

pups & kisses,

  Tiffany

Cheddar Cheese Beer Soup

We got home Saturday from our 9 day vacation in the happiest, most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World! It was a great trip, filled with fun, good food, delicious drinks, and a big accomplishment…..my amazing husband ran his first FULL marathon! 26.2 miles is a LOT of miles, but he did it with a smile on his face, until mile 20. The weather was unseasonably warm, but he finished and I could not be more proud of him. 

While we were in Epcot, we had lunch at Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada Pavilion. They are known for their cheddar cheese beer soup and pretzel bread. I have had the recipe since our last trip to WDW 2 years ago, and have only made it recently, over the holidays. It was a huge success and having just had it less than a week ago on our trip, I decided to make it again….because it's SOOOO good! It's also game day in our house and I always like to make yummy food while watching our game. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK and enjoy!

Cheddar Cheese Beer Soup

-Adapted from Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs

-Le Cellier Steakhouse, Epcot

1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

3 celery ribs, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

4 tablespoons buter

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken stock

4 cups milk

1 pound grated white cheddar cheese (I use Boar's Head)

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup pale ale, room temperature

1. Cook the bacon, stirring over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, in a 4-5 quart Dutch oven.

     2. Add the red onion, celery, and butter; cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.

     3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes. Whisk in the      chicken stock and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

    4. Add the milk and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Do not boil after you add the milk.

    5. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth. Stir in the pale ale. If the soup is too thick, add some warm milk.

   6. Serve it hot and WITH PRETZEL BREAD!!!

Without whining, Pasha patiently waited by the backdoor the entire time I was cooking for me to let her out. She probably thought I was crazy....taking pictures while I am cooking is new. 

pups & kisses,

  Tiffany

Better late than never!

I feel like I'm late to this blogging party, but better late than never joining at all! I want to start this blog as I start a new chapter in my life. That new life is one of a Domestic Dog Mom. I retired, at an early age, from teaching. For a variety of reasons, it was my time to leave that career and begin a new life filled with spending time with family, friends, cooking great food, doing projects around the house, volunteering, and of course taking care of our precious dogs. I hope you enjoy following my new adventure!

pups & kisses,