"Simplest Homemade Fudgey Brownies!"

Is your mouth watering yet?

Yah, that's what I thought! ;)

I made these for desert tonight, because

we had a friend over for dinner and had a "brye"... {I'm not sure if that's how you spell it.}

Anyways, a brye is the African version of a BBQ- Meats, salads, bread, etc. 

We've been having one almost every night! haha :) 

I'm super psyched for Wednesday BECAUSE we're going

to the capital and my brother and I are going to spend

our birthday money at the "mall"... The mall there actually

is pretty nice! It has lots of good stores, a movie theatre, some restaurants

and cafes, and stuff like that. Just like a normal mall pretty much!

What's on the shopping list?

CLOTHES! I brought a lot of running shorts, baggy shirts,

sweatshirts- nothing very impressive. SOOOO I wanted to 

find some jean shorts, cute shirts, dresses, and skirts. 

ONTO THE GOOD STUFF!!!!! :)

Enjoy this yummy  recipe from Good Life Eats!

Ingredients:

12 {1 1/2 sticks} tablespoons Salted Butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla, orange, or peppermint extract, optional
3 large eggs
1 cup flour
A heaping 1/2 cup chocolate chunks, optional {for me, NECESSARY!!!}

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Set a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Next, add the granulated sugar and your choice extract. Stir well. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl and whisk in with the eggs until well combined. Stir in the flour and chocolate chunks, but do not beat.

Pour batter into the previously prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. Cool completely, or if you’re impatient like me – at least 15 minutes, on a wire rack.

Remove parchment paper (with brownies) from the pan. Peel away the parchment paper and cut the brownies into serving size pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days – if they last that long!

Also, PLEASE, with a cherry on top, be sure to link up 

to my first ever LINK PARTY! 

Recipes, photography, DIY's, crafts, tips, ANYTHING 

would be muchos appreciated! :) Tell your friends- get the word out! 

 Lots of brownie love! 

-Sophie

Coffee Frappucino!

 

Tastes just like the real thing! 

If you wanted to, you could

add chocolate, caramel, or butterscotch syrup

for some extra flavor... 

I preferably like plain

'ol coffee!

Homemade Coffee Frappucino

1-1 1/2 c. freshly brewed coffee

{it's better if it's been sitting in the fridge for a little bit so it's cold}

3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar 

{you can add more if you like it sweeter}

2 c. ice cubes

Put it all in a blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

P.S.

If you'd like to pin this recipe

on Pinterest, it's found

right here...

<center><a href="http://lacreativitedelafille.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb434/swandog25/427278_323936017643279_100000806491634_889269_1763736438_n.jpg"/></a></center>{Grab a button!}

-Sophie

Tuna avocado salad and 100 healthy snacks!

I found this on Pinterest too... what'dya know! ;) 

It made a super yummy, healthy, and refreshing lunch... Enjoy!

Tuna Avocado Salad: 

Romaine Lettuce

1/2 Avocado {sliced}

Cherry Tomatoes {sliced}

Canned Tuna 

Also I thought I should share this! I've been trying to eat healthier

 lately and believe it or not, Pinterest has a bunch of tips for that too! 

Click HERE for my fitness board! 

You'll find lots of tips, exercises, and healthy recipes... 

And I'm adding to it daily!

:)

100 Healthy Snacks:

from here.

1. Frozen Grapes 

2. String Cheese
3. Banana
4. Frozen Banana (peel it first, stick in the freezer overnight- it's like a yummy popsicle)
5. Low-fat Yogurt
6. Sugar-free or fat-free pudding
7. Apple dipped in Peanut Butter (or spread peanut butter on top of apple slice and top with pecans . . . so good!)
8. 100-calorie bag of popcorn
9. Applesauce
10. Raw veggies with hummus
11. Almonds
12. Apple
13. Skinny S'more (two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate)
14. Smoked Beef Jerky (about 1 oz- look for low-sodium!)
15. Chocolate Milk
16. Hard Boiled Egg
17. Sunflower Seeds
18. Cottage Cheese
19. Sliced Cantelope
20. Raisins
21. Pita Bread and Hummus
22. Rice Cakes
23. Sugar-free Jello
24. Dried Fruits
25. Frozen Yoplait Whips Yogurt (these seriously taste like ice cream when they are frozen!)
26. Air-Popped Popcorn
27. Pistachios
28. Clementines (we call them Cuties or Clemmies)
29. Fruit Smoothie (or Kristen's Green Smoothie- it's actually delicious!)
30. Handful of olives
31. Pickles
32. Handful of blueberries with 2 tablespoons fat-free Cool-Whip
33. Ants on a Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)
34. 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.
35. Peanut Butter and Bananas on whole wheat bread
36. Trail Mix (make your own! Throw in dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, low-sugar cereals, and even the occasional piece of candy for something sweet.)
37. Orange Slices
38. Cherry Tomatoes
39. Graham Crackers
40. Small Green Salad with light dressing
41. Mango smoothie (frozen mango, mango Greek Yogurt, and a small amount of orange juice)
42. Kabobs (thread low-fat meat, low-fat cheese, pineapple and cherry tomatoes onto a stick- my kids love anything on a stick!)
43. Half of a  Cinnamon-Raisin topped with peanut butter and banana slices
44. Grilled Pineapple (throw them on the grill or a skillet on med. heat for two minutes or until golden)
45. Baked Apples (one tennis ball-sized apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and cinnamon, and baked until tender)
46. Animal Crackers
47. Strawberries dipped in fat-free Cool Whip
48. Low-fat tortilla topped with egg salad, shredded carrots and cucumber slices
49. Parfait (build your own with Greek yogurt or plain yogurt, fruit, and granola)
50. Bowl of bran flakes with 1/2 cup skim milk and berries
51. Guacamole with veggies
52. Triscuit's Thin Crisps dipped in cottage cheese or hummus
53. Cashews
54. Pretzels
55. Sun Chips (portion control! Read the serving amount on the side!)
56. Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes: Two roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
57. Sugar Snap Peas
58. Steamed Veggies (steam non-starchy vegetables in a microwave safe bag and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup pasta sauce)
59. Apricots
60. Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges
61. Any 100 calorie pack
62. Snack/Granola bar (around 150 calories or less, like Kellogg's All-Bran, Kashi TLC Trail Mix, or Fiber one Bar)
63. Baked chips (about 7-10) with salsa
64. Soy Chips
65. Protein Bar
66. Sweet Potato Fries (one light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes)
67. Wrap (I like a slice of turkey, swiss cheese, baby spinach leaves, and cranberry relish wrapped up in a tortilla)
68. Pumpkin Seeds (2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) and baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt on top)
69. Bean Salad
70. Broccoli Florets
71. Peaches and Cottage Cheese
72. Chopped Red Peppers (dipped in fat free ranch)
73. V8 Vegetable Juice
74. Tuna with Triscuit crackers
75. Cooked and Cubed Chicken Breast
76. Homemade Popsicles (puree watermelon, strawberries, mango, banana, etc and freeze in popsicle molds)
77. Dates with almond butter or rolled in coconut
78. Quesadilla (whole wheat (or corn) tortillas w/cheese (or not) melted in microwave - adding on tomatoes, beans, corn, olives, avocado or guacamole or whatever sounds good)
79. Watermelon
80. Cubed Apples and Cubed Cheese
81. Craisins {by themselves or with almonds}
82. Goldfish Crackers
83. Edamame
84. Cheesy Roasted Asparagus (four spears (spritzed with olive-oil spray) and topped with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°)
85. Turkey Roll-Ups (Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard)
86. Strawberry Salad (1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic)
87. Oatmeal
88. Banana Smoothie (½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth)
89. Lime Sherbet (1/2 cup serving) with sliced kiwi
90. Apple Chips (dehydrated apples- they are so good!)
91. Black Beans (mix 1/4 cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt for an added twist!)
92. Lettuce wrap (try two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf)
93. Pecans (try five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
94. Chocolate Covered Strawberries (dip 5 strawberries in 2 squares of dark chocolate- that is still good for you, right?!)
95. Honeyed Yogurt (½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey)
96. Blackberries (so good mixed with plain yogurt)
97. Frozen Mangos
98. Tropical Juice Smoothie (¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice)
99. Healthier Banana Bread
100. Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip with fresh fruit

CLICK HERE 

for a printer friendly version that will fit all 100 snack ideas on one page. 

Thick Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 I made these the other day and they were DELICIOUS!
The outside is crispy and the inside's thick and chewy! YUM!!!
Chocolate chips aren't very common here, and if you DO find them,
they're about 5 american dollars for a tiny little container of them!
So I used a chopped up chocolate bar instead...
Enjoy this scrumptious recipe I found on Pinterest! :)
 WANT THE RECIPE? IT'S RIGHT HERE!

Molasses Cookies

The first Christmas cookies of the year... YESSSSSS! (; ha ha ha I made them last night for a Christmas party and they were gone pretty quickly. They were super crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle... YUMMY! Enjoy(:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted margarine, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

• Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies!
• 
  
• Ingredients              
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) Butterscotch chips
• Granulated sugar

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

DROP dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.

BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Spread dough into ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Bon Appetite! 

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting! {and AN AWARD!!!!}

First of all, I am soooooo sorry about my lack of posting!
It gets that way after having such a busy-bee life!
Anyways...

 I was given my first every blogging award by Rebecca from Just Me....
YAY!

Thanks so much Rebecca!

Along with the award, I get to choose some of my OWN followers

 for the award and say seven random things about me... 

{if you receive this award, you'll have to do the same!}

So here goes it...(;

1} I love hello-kitty.

2} I'm totally craving muffins right now.

3} I'm on the worship team at my youth group.

4} I hate{x5000} the color black.

5} This is my first award.

6} My favorite fruit is a banana.

7} I am Type 1 Diabetic

The followers of my choice:

Sierra from Keep Growing Beautiful...

Emily from The Nerve of Verve

Pie from Pie-News

Book Blogger from Baker's Corner

Now for the recipe...

This was my first time EVER making a cake IN MY LIFE! 

I made it for my mom for her birthday, so I received no help...

And I was actually pretty surprised at how well it turned out!

The cake was so yummy and moist, you wouldn't believe it was homemade!

In the middle, along with the frosting, I chopped up some of that extra halloween candy 
I had laying around

{Reese's and Butterfinger}... 

Hopefully I'll have another opportunity to make a cake again soon(:

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. 2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. 
4.  10 to 12 servings. 
5. VARIATIONS: 
6. ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. 
7. THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost. 
8. BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. 
9. Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting

10. Ingredients

11. • 1/2 cup butter, softened
12. • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
13. • 3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
14. • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

15. • Directions

      1. Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Enjoy!!!!!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •