Friday, January 23, 2009

National Blonde Brownie Day

I just found a great new blog. It's called Zany Holidays. It's the perfect site for card makers who enjoy sending cards for 'different' reasons. Yesterday was National Blonde Brownie Day. I love those! So in honor of this awesome occasion, here is a yummy recipe for you. (It's from recipezaar.com - a favorite site. I love that you can read the reviews for the recipes.)



Applebee's Blonde Brownies
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon maple extract or maple flavoring

Directions
1. Brownies: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add nuts, mix well, and set aside.
3. Melt butter, add brown sugar, and mix well.
4. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
5. Gradually combine with flour mixture, mixing well.
6. Stir in white chocolate chips.
7. Pour into a 9-inch square pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
8. Sauce: Combine syrup and butter, cook over low heat until butter is melted.
9. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved and remove from heat.
10. Beat in cream cheese and maple extract until smooth.
11. Heat again in the microwave until it reaches desired consistency.

So, onto something a little less calorie dense. Here is the layout I did for the 'I Believe' portion of my MMM entry. It was published in the Januray/February issue, which is kind of ironic because it was my LEAST favorite page of the entry. But, I still like it. Everything on here is either a scrap or repurposed(cardboard, plastic packaging, paper bag.) To make the leaves, I cut them from the packaging and dyed them green with alcohol inks. The little rolled up things are pieces of paper bags.




I played along with Kristina Werner's Color Challenge this week. It's really fun! Here are the colors we had to use:


And here is my card. I used Doodlebug papers, Cosmo Cricket and EK Success chipboard and a Melissa Frances rubon. I love the mix of colors.It's hard to see, but there is a white strip on the left side. I based it on CPS Sketch 53. Love killing two birds (or challenges) with one stone!




Well, thanks for reading my novel today. Hope you all have a great day!

33 comments:

Kimberly said...

I love the torn corrugated behind your journaling!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous work Anabelle! I love your card for Kristina's color challenge, and those blonde brownies?!... very tempting :)
Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Very gorgeous work, all of it! Love the page and the card! And I miss Appleby's . . . !!

Amy, Ottawa, Canada said...

Wow, Anabelle, firstly your card, LOVELY, secondly scrappage again WOW (would love to see the ones that you liked better, cause this one is unbelievably gorgeous, and thirdly mmmm will have to try that Applebee's recipe (so much for resolutions). TFS.

Jolene said...

Beautiful work. As usual. You are amazing. Thanks for the heads up about the color challenge. I have loved both your interpretations and have been working on a few of my own.

Yankee in England said...

I love the black swag, great card.

danni reid. said...

brownie enabler.....giggle!

your work is pure perfection my friend, i love your card for Kristina's challenge, oh so beautiful & THAT layout is BEYOND!

hugs & love my friend!
danni

Chrys said...

That layout is really great!! Super cute card too boot! :) :)

Eveline said...

I always like to watch what color challenges Kristina comes up with. I liked the colors this week but I haven't got the right color paper over here. But your card is great. Really like the black flower swirl.
Eveline.

Heather said...

Thank you for the recipe! Applebee's Blondie is my favorite dessert!

Dan said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous projects! That color challenge cards is stunning!

Thanks for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

My apologies...the above post by Dan was actually me. I forgot to sign in. Oops!

(-: Heidi

Anonymous said...

I love that LO and how creative you were with the leaves and everything else!!

Unknown said...

Great card & layout! YUMMY recipe!

Anonymous said...

okay...so these brownies are SO going to be made this week! :)

gorgeous layout - love those colors and all your fun techniques.

thanks for the link to the color challenge - awesome site!

Create It Simply said...

It ALL looks yummy :)

Emily said...

How fun is that I love random holidays. I have been toying with the corrugated paper for a LO as well. Thanks for the inspiration.

Leslie Ashe said...

ANABELLE!!
Your layout is absolutely the prettiest thing I've seen! WOW!
Oh man..I have to have those brownies!! Thanks for that recipe!

Thank you for sharing your gorgeous work with us girl!

Hugs!
Have a happy weekend!

Lea L. said...

Gorgeous projects Annabelle! Loving your card!

~Lea

Elizabeth said...

what a yummy color combo! I am going to have to try that myself it's so fun and fresh!

Have a great weekend!

Deanna said...

Gorgeous! I love your work!

Laura Davis said...

Yummy recipe, and stunning LO!
TFS
Laura

Linda Beeson said...

That recipe is torture, Anabelle!! What a great idea on celebrating unusual days though. SOOOO love that layout - really cute details and that color scheme just might be my favorite that she has done - LOVE your card.

Winter said...

Great card and I love your page layout, all the different patterns. Love it!

Leigh Penner said...

Those blond brownies look wonderful!!
We have a kid's devotional book that we read together and they have will put in there the interesting holidays like that, too. Very fun!
Love the layout (very creative with the repurposing!) and the card-- great colour combo!
Hope you're having a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

`Gorgeous` creations Annabelle..`Yum` Yummie:)~X~

Staci Taylor said...

Oooh, very cool LO and cool topic! Your card is gorgeous! I keep hearing about the color challenge, i'd like to try that myself. Thx for the recipe - you've officially kicked my late-night hunger up a notch, lol.

Katie said...

Mmm, those blondies look soo good!

Gorgeous LO and card!

Hugs,
Katie

Sherry Wright said...

You know how much I love that lo and all the recycling, the card is awesome as are all your creations I've missed the past week. Did I tell you today? You rock ;)

Michele Kovack said...

WOW!!!! Your LO and card are both gorgeous!!!!

Danielle Flanders said...

Gorgeous card and layout~ I had such fun reading about you in MM! You are famous now! =) I'd love to see all the ones you submitted!
hugs~
Dani

Melanie said...

Now, see - this was one of my fav. of your entries. The theme and how you actually incorporated the recycling INTO the page was sheer brilliant - and of course - beautiful! :)

everything here is yummy!

Dazy said...

The cream cheese added to this enhances its glamor. My brothers are crazy about cheese. I think they will like it for summer time treat, would make for the family and give them a surprise.