Bring out your dead!

Hey there, universe, did you miss me?

I have neglected this little blog quite shamefully, and have been generally hard to reach, on- or off-line, the past month or so. But thankfully SDR (affectionately known as The Module from Hell) is finally over, and I can come up for air again.

So I'm not dead, I feel fine. In fact, I feel happy!

If you aren't already familiar with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, please note that your life will not be complete until you have watched this movie. You're welcome.



Well, okay, to be completely truthful, I felt happy while I was on spring break. Williamstown was wonderful despite the weather, as it always is, and Madison was lovely because of the weather. Now that I'm back in DC, I shall miss the unpolluted air and the stars.

Since spring break was only a week long, I spent most of it catching up on sleep, watching movies, reading, and running/walking about. Oh, and baking for my mom and brother, of course.



You know you're jealous.

The first week of my brother's two-week spring break overlapped with my break, so ironically I couldn't see him during my visit to Williamstown, but I did see him for a few days in Madison.



My feelings about being back in Georgetown are as yet undecided, independent of the unmistakable feel of spring about the air. It should be easier to be optimistic, though, I think, with just two modules and a term paper left in the program. Plus it's spring now, with more daylight hours, and budding greenery and flowers everywhere. Huzzah for spring!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies
Adapted from Evil Shenanigans.

I had meant to make these for a care package for my brother, but then SDR happened, so the package had to wait. I made these and a zebra cake while I was home. My family was properly impressed. ^^



Brownies.
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan.

In a double-boiler, melt and combined the butter and chocolate. Let cool. Mix in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cocoa powder.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt, then add to chocolate mixture and stir until no lumps remain.

Pour and spread evenly into prepared pan. Set aside.

Cookies.
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
a pinch of salt
3/4 c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Blend in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into wet mixture until mostly incorporated. Mix in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Scoop the cookie dough into the brownie batter, then bake until the edges are just set and the center does not wobble, 25-30 min. Cool before slicing.