Winter, Yoga, Brownies

Although David disagrees, I say this is the worst winter ever in Indiana. I apparently make this proclamation every year - - but every year I believe it! The snow and gloominess is enchanting for about a week...then (like right now), I'm over it!

With the weekend behind us and work cancelled today (at the university and pharmaceutical company...first. time. ever.), David and I are looking at oodles more free time together. I'm popping in a yoga video to calm myself down. Let's be honest: I love hanging out with David, but too many hours of hanging out - especially when we can't leave the house due to an extreme ice situation - can make me stir crazy...or (in David's words) just plain crazy. So yoga is going to be my precaution against WWIII at the Zuschlag/Dunn residence. I think I'll pop in my standby yoga video instructor, Suzanne Deason. I love her!

I have a wonderful recipe for you today as well.

I had some friends over this past weekend and cooked some yummy lasagna. The standout recipe, however, happens to be my friend Emma's amazing brownies. I demanded the recipe immediately after my first bite. They are scrumptious. You can imagine my utter exhilaration when she brought MORE brownies to my house the next day (I guess she realized how much I liked them?). Anyway, give this recipe a try. I'm tucking it away in my "all-time favorites" folder.

Emma's Fudgy Brownies

1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; cool.

2. Meanwhile, grease an 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition just until combined. Stir in the vanilla.

3. In a small bowl stir together the flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir until just combined. If desired, stir in nuts. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

4. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes for 8-inch pan or 25 minutes for 9-inch pan (I actually baked for 25 minutes in an 8-inch pan, so you might want to consider reducing the baking time, but it could just be my oven). Cool on a wire rack.