Grasshoppers for Desert

Chocolate and mint are two of the most popular holiday flavor combinations, and this recipe is the perfect example of why the two pair so well together. Though these delectable brownies take a bit of planning and preparation, we guarantee you that they're worth it.

Ingredients

Bottom Layer:
1/2 cup hard margarine (or butter), softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted if lumpy
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

Middle Layer:
2/3 cup hard margarine (or butter), softened
2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon peppermint flavouring
5-6 drops of green food colouring

Top Layer:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons hard margarine (or butter)

Directions:
1. Bottom Layer: Cream margarine and brown sugar together in medium bowl. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Mix.
2. Add next 4 ingredients. Beat until moistened. Turn into greased 9 x 9 inch pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Do not overcook. Cool thoroughly.
3. Middle Layer: Beat all 5 ingredients together in separate medium bowl. Spread over bottom layer.
4. Top Layer: Heat and stir chocolate chips and margarine in small heavy saucepan on low until melted and smooth. Spread over mint layer. Chill overnight until set. Cuts into 36 squares.

1 square: 153 Calories; 9.1 g Total Fat; 109 mg Sodium; 1 g Protein; 18 g Carbohydrate; 1 g Dietary Fiber

Reprinted from Home for the Holidays, Company's Coming Publishing Limited. www.companyscoming.com

Don't those look absolutely delicious!? I think so! I SO want to make these, if only I had time. These would look great on the desert table at Christmas and I think everyone would enjoy them muchly! Unfortunately the only day I have off between now and Christmas is Sunday which is supposed to be the Mother of all Snowstorms and I haven't even STARTED Christmas shopping. Not to mention I have been so down in the dumps lately I barely have the energy to function (more on that later). Oh well, I guess these delicious treats will have to wait until next time.

Itchin' for a Shindig!

Maybe it has something to do with the Holiday season, or maybe I just like to feed people but either way I LOVE hosting a party! Unfortunately my work schedule isn't conducive to making dinner never mind planning an entire party. Not to mention most of the people I would invite either live really far away (cough, KAYLA, cough) or are so busy themselves they probably couldn't make it.

Then of course, there is always that horrible fear that if I DID plan a party and people DID come I would somehow mess it up. Then instead of people talking about the party of the year they would be talking about the catastrophe of the year! And I certainly don't want that.

Maybe I'll play it safe and wait until next year for a party. I'll make sure to REALLY plan for it too, then maybe it will work out. Maybe I won't be at this horrible job working awful hours and I'll actually have TIME to plan a party.....Maybe.

Until next time.

See ya!

Baby on the Brain

So let me break it down for you. I'm 22 years old, I have been married for 2 months to my lovely husband and before that we were together for NINE years! I have wanted to have a child since I was about 17 years old. NO I DID NOT want a child because babies were the latest accessory to a teen girls wardrobe. I wanted a child because I have dreamed of being a mother since I can remember. For those of you (which I assume is MOST of you) that don't know; I was raised by my wonderful mother and her alone. She is my hero, my strength, and my best friend. She was the example I had to look to for raising a family. And she was a FINE example but it was her ALONE

Well now that I'm older and my career is starting to take shape I have had SERIOUS BOTB! I long for that unconditional love that you can only have for a child. I want someone to depend on me and love me just because! I want to change poopy diapers and wake up at the crack of dawn for 3am feedings and have PILES of laundry just covered in spit up waiting for me! I want all that and more. I want to know what my children will look like, what their interests are, who they take to prom etc.. I know I'm getting ahead of myself considering I'm not even a little bit pregnant but I can't help myself!

Zac and I have decided to wait until I am done with school before we start trying. Which is VERY smart. Thank God for Zac otherwise my life would be full of rash decisions. He's the planner and I'm the "Lets do it right now!"-er. But until then I will be lurking on various baby websites (such as thebump.com) and daydreaming about motherhood.

Also I will be trying to get myself ready for being pregnant. I have a short list of very DIFFICULT things I need to do before I can conceive. What are they you ask?

1. Quit smoking, for good!
2. Lose weight
3. Get the monstrosity that is my menstrual cycle under control
4. And finally, make sure my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is under control/ won't effect getting pregnant!

See short list of mucho hard stuff! Anyways that ends my looooong baby rant. THE END.