The Winner!

The Winner!
Originally uploaded by udandi

My Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies were victorious in the brownie bake-off! In the photo, he is pointing to his favorite, which happen to be mine :)

Dazzling D's take on Alton Brown's brownie were pretty tasty! I think it might be this recipe but I'll check with her.

Make It: Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

making Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
Originally uploaded by udandi

It started with the pages posting that Thursday is National Chocolate Day (it's really chocolate chip day) then my coworker, Dazzling D, challenged me to a brownie bake-off and I accepted because these Decadent Peanut Butter Brownies are something to be reckon with! Her competitive nature tried to call foul and say they were layer bars - it is a brownie base so what if it happens to have a layer or two of frosting?! I've been talking up this brownie bake-off like I'm running for President!

Interesting side note: at different times, Dazzling D and I have both been featured in CinWeekly (a local entertainment paper) where I got my brownie recipe!

Recipe Repost:
• 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, divided
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa, divided
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 jar (18 oz) chunky peanut butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 10 large marshmallows
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, melt 1 cup butter; stir in 1/2 cup cocoa until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla; beat for 1 minute.

3. Combine flour and salt. Then, gradually add to the egg mixture. Beat in the cocoa mixture; mix well.

4. Transfer to a greased baking pan (9- by 13-inch rectangular). Bake at 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

5. After removing brownies from oven, place peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, uncovered, at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stirring once.

6. Stir until peanut butter is blended. Spread peanut butter over warm brownies. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or until peanut butter is set.

7. Place the remaining cocoa in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the milk until smooth; add the marshmallows and the remaining butter.

8. Cook and stir over medium heat until the butter and marshmallows are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in confectioner's sugar.

9. Spread mixture over peanut butter layer and refrigerate for at least another 30 minutes.

I changed up the recipe this time and used dark cocoa to win over the dark chocolate lovers in the building and I'm pretty sure the non-dark chocolate lovers will not notice, unless they read this, first.

I love this recipe, but I will say the frosting makes for a little messiness. I plan to cut my brownies before I leave for work and take my own serving spatula.

Make It: recycled cardboard album

I am what I drink - smoothies & water
Originally uploaded by udandi

As I walk through the scrapbook stores I see a lot of chipboard products, including blank albums and I think it is silly to spend that kind of money on something that will get covered in paper, embellishments and do-dads.

I have a pile of cardboard that I have collected at jobs from the back of pads of paper or from when we held a photo contest and people sent their photos in sandwiched between cardboard. I used some at Christmas time to cut letters out, cover them in paper and attach to my nephew and nieces (ages 5 and younger) gifts using a gift tags. I figured they could identify the first letter of each name better than trying to read each name since they would probably be the ones passing out gifts.

Having previously used drink, cake and cereal boxes to make CD booklets, I decided to use my recently emptied Cola-Cola carton as the base for an album of what I like to drink and LOVE Cola-Cola! I already had binder clips from a previous project where we made our own notepads from recycled cardboard so I was ready to go! To see the rest of the album, including my favorite drinks, click the photo!

I like the idea behind The Art is Found in that every other Monday a prompt will be posted to use in project using found art. So far they have used packaging, tickets, board books, shopping tags and bags. Cool stuff!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day card
Originally uploaded by udandi

I'm getting ready to go to gramma's house for Mother's Day to celebrate with her, my mom, PharmaSis, my sister-in-law and the rest of my family.

A couple months back I had Amazon money to use so I bought my mom the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl with a handle and since I was making the order I got the 2-pack of lids (one for her, one for me). She said make it my mother's day gift and I said take now and use them! Not too long after they arrived she used both, I believe for a recipe that needed refrigeration before completing and she said it worked well to have a reusable cover instead of having to use cling wrap - yay!

I liked stamping my envelope the most because I got to use my "truly amazing" word flourish stamp because my mom is truly amazing!

Happy Mother's Day!

Free Stuff: samples & coupons [2008]

A 2008 post for freebies. If you click on a link and the offer is exhausted, please leave me a comment so I can remove it -thanks!

through Costco/StartSampling:
Dove Therapy Shampoo & Conditoner
Dove Go Fresh deorodant

Colgate FreshMax (it has its own myspace page with over 11,000 friends-wow)

True Lemon

Kool-Aid to Go @ Wal-Mart - the offers sell out and change frequently so you never know what is there until you click.

Seattle's Best Coffee

Sunsilk shampoo

Tide with Dawn® StainScrubbersTM

Post-it® Super Sticky Notes

Flat Earth fruit or veggie crisps

Aquafresh Extreme Clean

$2 coupon Dove Cream Oil Body Wash

Related Posts:
Free Stuff: $25 bonus from ING Direct
Free Stuff: samples & coupons [2007]
Free Stuff [2006]
Free Stuff: Babies
Free Stuff: Pets

tour my neighborhood

My coworker asked if I uploaded any new photos on my Flickr account (she must have been looking to zone out), I remembered I never shared the photos I took when I took my camera on my walk one Sunday morning. From my Around Cincinnati photo set on Flickr.

I am working on a couple of projects, but they are long-involved and I haven't had much time to dedicate to them since the weather has brought on serious allergy attacks!

When I am not posting here, there is probably slight activity on my Flickr account, like my new set: what I'm into

Free Stuff: $25 Bonus from ING Direct

Fresh new self-serve referral links for both the Saving and Checking accounts at ING Direct. Not having a checkbook has not been an issue for me and I enjoy the ability for ING to mail my rent check for me!
------

Use the self-serve referral, below, and score some bonus bucks! Details below.

Orange Saving Account has 3.00% ARP:
Orange Saving Account self-serve referral
Orange Saving Account self-serve referral
Orange Saving Account self-serve referral

Electric Orange Checking Account
1.75% APY on balances up to $50,000
3.20% APY on the entire balance if it's between $50,000 and $100,000
3.40% APY on the entire balance if it’s $100,000 or more:
Electric Orange Checking Account self-serve referral
Electric Orange Checking Account self-serve referral
Electric Orange Checking Account self-serve referral

Referral details:

1) An opening deposit of $250 is required for you to receive your $25 bonus deposit. Initial deposit does not include bonus.
2) You are comfortable with me earning $10 referral bonus based on you receiving your $25 bonus (I scratch your back, you scratch mine, right?!)
3) Use the self-serve links or email me at UDANDI at GMAIL dot COM with your name and email address and I can send you a referral (privacy reasons, ING is not able to disclose the friends who have opened an account or the initial deposit amount)
4) Verify that there isn't a note on page two of the referral link stating, "the link you've used to open a new Account has either expired or has already been used. This is no longer a valid referral link." If so, come back and try another link!
ING Direct self-serve referral (click for an example of a USED referral)

The Orange Savings Account...

• Great rate - no minimum balance required. Everyone earns the same high yield.
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Direct link to ING for those looking for the the web site, but not planning to meet the requirements of the referral.

Free Stuff: Cone Day @ Ben & Jerry's

It is April 19th so it is time for Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's! Find a participating Scoop Shop near you.

Make it: dry erase board

dry erase board
Originally uploaded by udandi

I saw this dry erase board but didn't have the plastic envelope she had to make her board. I dug through my stash and came up with a thick and sturdy piece of cardboard kept from my job where people would mail in photography for a contest and and a transparency sheet. I liked the idea of a dry erase board for playing BINGO!

After stamping the cardboard so it wouldn't be plain when I do not have a BINGO sheet in it, I laid the transparency on top. Then, I ran a ribbon through my Xyron 150 and used it seal the edges. I punched a half circle at the top so I can easily slip the paper in and out. I added a piece of leftover ribbon at the top because I did not want to waste it.

The dry erase marker is leftover from a board I no longer have and my stamp cleaner proves to be great for cleaning the transparency sheet.

Make it: A Good Day!

Smoothie Thursday
Originally uploaded by udandi

Thursday, I went to work with my strawberry smoothie in a plastic Hawaiian flower cup (from Target's summer collection a few years back) and instead of my usual plain straw, I used a festive umbrella straw that my friend, MG, got for me before I went to grad school. I only use them on special days, like when I have company over or days when I just *know* it is going to be a good day and I want to add a little flair!

It is the little things that perk me up!

Make It: Rock Star birthday card

Rock Star birthday card
Originally uploaded by udandi

I don't have many 6 year old boy craft-making supplies so I went with a rock star-theme for my nephew's birthday card. I recall my brother sharing a cute story that my nephew was very taken with the disco ball at the roller skating rink so I hope he likes the silver guitars. Inside I wrote: wishing you a rocking 6th birthday!

I did not make additional cards like this so I need to go back and make more to keep on hand for any rockin' occasion!

Target Clipless Coupons!

Target stamping blocks
Originally uploaded by udandi

Guess who loves me again? TARGET! Last time I got their coupons was 2006 and the flip book of savings (which my niece still loves to play with) but the other week I got the clipless coupon so I bet I'm on an every other year rotation or at least what I am telling myself. I had the Target Team Member scan it before he rang up my items so I could watch the discounted price ring up - it's just my little thing. I picked up laundry supplies for my parents since they let me use their facilities :)

Also, I wanted to check out the $15 Merona cargo jean skirt to see if it would be a worthy addition to my summer skirts collection. The goal for the last couple of years is a jean skirt with front AND back pockets (even if they're small), not a skort, not a mini and without a frayed hem - pretty much something that looked like jeans, but a skirt with a decent length and hemmed edge. You wouldn't think it would be so hard, but the last time I found it, was over five years ago at Old Navy and I wear that skirt non-stop in the summer (just ask my family and friends)! They only had the denim and print skirts at my store, but online they have an orange-ish, khaki and olive.

Also, I got some clear stamping blocks from the Dollar Spot (PharmaSis if you need one let me know since I bought the three I could find).

I try to remember to post photos of my Target finds in my Target set on Flickr, but I forgot to post the $4.24 work cardigans and tops I recently got. I kid my coworkers saying, "This entire ensemble could be yours, if you shop the price is right at Target!" because often I am wearing head to shoe Target finds.