Whew!
What a week it was. Can someone tell me what day it is? Oh, Valentine’s Day is this week? Great.
If we’re social media friends (if we aren’t, let’s!), you may have seen that the hubby and I stole away for a quick 36 hour trip down to Miami for the Super Bowl (thank you to my generous parents who offered to watch the littles so we could make game!). The hubs and his family are die hard Chiefs fans. I would bet 80% of the guys’ conversations revolve around the Chiefs season, last season, and next season. So there was little to no question whether or not we would miss the “big game”!
So down to Miami we flew and I must say, Super Bowl weekend was as awesome as I imagined. Although I was only a bandwagon Chiefs fan for a couple of days, it didn’t really matter. The atmosphere around the stadium was infectious. Mini concerts, Hall of Famers, food and drink at every turn. Essentially it was football heaven. Yes, that’s it. And I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!
After witnessing the Chiefs victory firsthand, we (along with my mother-in-law) headed back to Chicago at the butt crack of dawn Monday morning. The hubby needed to be back for work and my MIL eagerly came along for babysitting purposes because…
We kept the trip hush-hush, but the little guy and I were headed back to Minnesota for the Officer of the Year award my unknowing brother was being given. The honor was to be announced at the all staff department meeting and my entire family was able to make it. I’ll keep the gushing to a minimum, but watching my little brother accept his award (AND the Medal of Valor) was such a proud moment. To say that the guy is driven, dedicated, and damn good at what he does, would be an understatement. So it was pretty awesome seeing him recognized for the endless (hard) work he puts in day in and day out. And please know that if he’s reading this he’s absolutely cringing at the praise and I will most likely receive a reprimanding text very soon 😅
As you may imagine, last week was very much a blur. But as I mentioned on Insta, the craziness has me feeling so incredibly thankful for our wonderful families. At the drop of a hat, both grandparents jumped at the chance to be with our littles so the hubby and/or me could steal away. I know that isn’t always the case in some families, so trust me when I say we never take for granted how lucky both we and our kiddos are to have those special relationships. Grandparents are a true blessing. Truly.
Well, now that I’ve gotten the sappy out of the way…let’s keep the ball rollin’ and chat about Valentine’s Day! Like it or not, I’m one of those people who really does enjoy this special day. I don’t know what it is, but I love love. So bring out all the red, pink, and candy hearts for the loveliest day of the year.
And while you’re at it, don’t forget to whip up a batch of Cosmic Brownies. The richest, darkest, and most nostalgic chocolate brownie this side of the Mississippi. Does anyone remember these from back in the day? I would bring a two-pack to snack in elementary like…every day. And pick off the walnuts, because that’s the version my parents bought. But I still remember how much I loved these brownies. So it was so fun to make my own grown up version, a little more homemade, a little more chocolatey, with the same ol’ sprinkles.
I actually made this recipe last year sometime but like most baking ventures that occurred before, during, or after baby #3, the treat never quite made it to the blog. But here it is, in perfect timing for the holiday that is all about flowers and chocolate! Whether you’re single, dating, married, or somewhere in between, I hope you’re able to celebrate love even just a little bit. Or if nothing else, enjoy these brownies.
Cheers to love and chocolate!
Cosmic Brownies
Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking pan
Ingredients
Brownies
- 10 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 c. sugar
- 1/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp. corn syrup
- 2/3 c. flour
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Chocolate Frosting
- 1-1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
- Rainbow chips, mini M&M's, sprinkles, or other candy
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 8×8-inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, melt butter. Whisk in sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Then add in eggs, egg yolk, and corn syrup. Whisk until well combined. Add in flour, cornstarch, and salt, and whisk until combined.
- Pour batter in prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes and let cool completely in pan.
- Meanwhile, for frosting, place whipping cream in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Add in chocolate chips. Let stand for 3 minutes before stirring until smooth. Pour frosting over cooled brownies and smooth evenly. Sprinkle brownies with raindbow chips. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or until frosting is set, before cutting and serving.
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