It’s product review time!

Well, it was product review time two weeks ago, technically, but it has been very chaotic at the Maruska house and so I’m posting this a bit later than intended.  Ginny has been very understanding and has graciously done some extra baking while I’ve gotten caught up.  (Thanks!)

My product review is for the Chocolate Bar Brownie Pan from Williams-Sonoma.

This is a very nice pan – it’s a good weight and made wonderful brownies -

they were just the right blend of crunchy and moist (I especially like the crunchy part!)

But the best part of the pan, was that it came with the recipe for the brownies.

This one’s not for the faint of heart, folks.

That’s 1 & 1/4 sticks of butter with bittersweet chocolate.

Plus cocoa powder….

…in my favorite mixing bowl.

Have I told you about this bowl before?

I went to a potluck dinner back in college and afterwards the host gave me some things to take home and she put them into this plastic bowl, which someone had left behind.  This bowl is beat up.  It’s ugly.  It’s scratched and stained.  But it has the best shape of all the mixing bowls I have.  It’s deep and has straight sides (which cuts down on splattering immensely.)  and I love it.  When it’s in the dishwasher and I need to mix something – I miss it.  It’s scratched and stained because I use it so much.  After all these years,  I pity the gal who left this bowl behind.  Sometimes the best things in life really are free!

But back to the brownies…

Instead of fussing with a double boiler,

the chocolate and butter can be melted in the microwave.

Once the dry ingredients have been mixed with the wet…

…you’ll have to summon all of your willpower not to grab a spoon and go crazy.

This part of the recipe is not easy.

Those spoons are close by…

Gooey batter goes into the pan…

…crusty, moist brownies come out of the oven.

These are drool worthy,

seriously good brownies.

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In conclusion:

Pros:

Delicious recipe for brownies (you may never go back to the boxed kind).

The pan worked great – these were done right at 35 minutes, as promised.

12 perfect serving sizes straight from the pan.

Oh the crusty, moist goodness!

Cons:

Cost of pan.  I think $30 is a bit steep.  But if you don’t treat yourself to special cookware very often and you love chocolate, this would be a nice indulgence.

Clean up.  Even after soaking, I needed a vegetable scrubber to get into the nooks and crannies of the words “Chocolate” in each square.  That really didn’t take that long, though.  Definitely a fair trade off to wow your friends with these yummy goodies!

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Overall, I’m happy that I have this pan and I’ll use it again to share with friends.

Jenn : )

….and where am I now?

Renovation on the upstairs of our house has begun.  Josh and I have spent the last few weeks packing up everything from three bedrooms and a bathroom and carting the boxes downstairs into the basement.

In an effort to save some $$, Josh is demo-ing everything himself (with the occassional help of wonderful friends – thanks, guys!)

My once pretty, cheerful studio space, filled with knick-knacks and crafting supplies, will soon look something like this:

Yeah.  Gone.

Actually, the room will be rebuilt, with new drywall and paint.  But ultimately, my studio space will be moved to what used to be the guest bedroom – which is evolving into a loft.  I’m looking forward to my new digs – it should be very sunny and open.  And we’ve had a bit of good fortune, when we discovered that underneath the filthy carpeting exists beautiful fir floors that (so far) look to be in good shape.

In the meantime, I’m steering clear of all the dust and dirt up there.  I’ve set up temporary sewing space and I’m working hard to complete some custom orders: including four needlebooks for my mom and a ring pillow for friends who’ll be getting married this summer (I’ll be sure to get some photos to show you how that comes out).

I owe you a Two Spoonfuls post.  I’ve got all my ingredients to try out this inviting new baking pan, and I hope to have that finished soon.

‘Cause when all of your worldly goods are boxed up and stacked in a basement,

Girlfriend could sure use some chocolate.

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On another note: A few months ago I purchased the most adorable needle felted tapestry from TheMoonGoat on Etsy.  Unfortunately, I forgot that there is a deadline for leaving feedback on Etsy, and by the time I had this framed, I was too late.

I am so upset with myself for neglecting to publically rave about this wonderful item.  So I’m sharing it with you here.  This photo doesn’t begin to do this piece justice – when I took it to the frame shop, all the employees commented on how adorable it is.  It was wonderfully packaged and shipped quickly, too.  I hope you’ll take a moment to check out TheMoonGoat’s shop – if for no other reason, then to see *THIS* before someone snatches it up! : )

Jenn : )

I recently discovered this bit of delicious chocolate heaven.

Cost at my local grocery store: $2.39.

Worth.

Every.

Penny.

Jenn ; )

Here are a few more photos from our trip back to PA and NY this month.

In NY we celebrated my dad and brother’s birthdays (they are both on the same day!).

Grandma made a cake with half vanilla frosting and half mint.

In the center was this adorable little wooden bird to hold one of the candles.

I don’t recall seeing this little bird before.

She said that her mother decorated her birthday cakes with it when she was a little girl.

She put pretty sheets on our bed.

While we were in PA, we stopped by International Fabrics.

As the name implies: they have fabrics from all around the world.

They have something for everyone….

…even a comfy chair for dad to sleep in while the women shopped.

: )

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I’ve been asked to make another moose needlebook, so I’ll be embroidering this afternoon.

Right after I order one of these,

(despite the snarky review)

for EVERY ROOM OF MY HOUSE!

Jenn : )

Two days ago I stepped away from the computer.

Away from email.

Away from my studio.

I spent part of the day baking,

something I haven’t done in quite some time.

Here, join me in the kitchen for a moment. : )

I have fresh raspberries in new Ikea bowls.

You can hold a real vanilla bean….

…it’s filled with tiny, fragrant seeds.

(You can click on this photo to see them up close!)

There’s bittersweet chocolate for chopping and melting.

White chocolate for melting, too.

Raspberry cream sandwich cookies.

(Can you spot the tiny vanilla seeds?)

Dozens of chocolate crackle cookies all in a row.

Take a little time for yourself now and then.

Do something that you enjoy,

just because you enjoy it.

Have a Sweet Day!

Best,

Jenn : )

Jenn : )

Best – Jenn : )