Back to Work

Monday marked the beginning of my first full week back at work. It was a bittersweet event. Obviously I would miss Azra during the day, but I was also longing to get out of the house and be around people again. I missed my coffee breaks with co-workers and actually stepping foot outside to get some fresh air. Late fall is just not a great time to be home with a newborn. There were only a handful of days that weren't too windy, cold, or rainy in which to take Azra outside.

I eased into the transition back to work by going in part time last week. It was so nice to be back, that I actually had to remind myself to miss Azra. That sounds terrible, I know, but it was a much needed break after three months. However, now I'm no longer forgetting to miss her, but rather remembering how great it was to be around her all of the time. I could barely pull myself away from kissing her squishy little cheeks before I dropped her off!

But then again, who couldn't resist those big blue eyes and silky soft cheeks?!

Now that I'm back, the guys were pestering me to bring in treats to mark my return. I had every intention of bringing something delectable into work. So much intention that I actually baked something and boxed it up to bring the next morning. Only problem? It never made it out the front door!

Andes Creamy Mint Brownies

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of Tootsie.com

Brownies:

1 pkg fudge brownie mix (eggs, oil and water, according to package)

1/2 cup Andes Mints, chopped

Topping:

4 squares white baking chocolate, chopped

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup chopped Andes Mints, divided

Directions

Preheat the oven according to brownie box. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan. Prepare the brownie mix as directed; stir in chopped Andes Mints. Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake according to package directions. Cool in baking pan completely.

In a saucepan, combine white chocolate and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Refrigerate 30-40 minutes or until chilled. In a mixing bowl, beat heavy cream, gradually adding the 2 Tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture then add 1/4 cup Andes Mints. Spread over the brownies and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Andes Mints. Refrigerate.

I must warn you that the last part is vital to the taste of the brownies. For some reason, neither Chris nor I were wowed by the brownies when they were complete. However, after letting them sit in the fridge for a few hours definitely did them good. The homemade whipped cream and the fudge with a hint of mint really stood out once it was chilled. Someday I might make these again to take into work, but this batch is staying right here with me.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Des Moines is being hit by a snow storm tonight, and being bundled up all day left me craving hot chocolate. We usually buy the packaged stuff that you mix with water, which is hardly appealing come to think of it. I didn't have any on hand, and I wasn't about to head back out and brave the weather. How about homemade?! It's cheap, easy, and tastes even better than the super-sugary packet stuff. Here's what I came up with:

Peppermint Hot Cocoa
(serves 2)

4 Tbsp water
4 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp peppermint extract
2 cups milk

Whisk the first four ingredients over low heat in a small saucepan until the sugar and cocoa is dissolved. Pour in the milk and heat until hot. Enjoy - it's that easy!


I played around with it a bit, with the above being my favorite version so far. I think I might try melting some chocolate chips in it to make it a little thicker, or even swapping cinnamon for the peppermint. The main goal was to have something simple that is made from ingredients I always have on hand. I'll now be adding hot chocolate to my list of things I'll only make homemade.