Snickers Brownies

These are the type of evil culminations I seem to come up with during all my free time now at work. Shameless, I know. I've pretty much come to terms with the lost cause of my vanity versus my necessity for baking. How could I not try though? So tempting! I have to admit I wasn't completely disappointed to discover that there were 6 extra fun size Snickers in the bag after the 12 necessary for this recipe. Damn.

Snickers Brownies via My Baking Addiction:

http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/snickers-brownies/

Brown Butter Brownies

The process of browning butter is one that can seem daunting to some... but once you do it a couple times, you will have it down pat. Don't be intimidated! Once you try it, you will be so glad you did. Brown butter adds a depth to anything that you could never imagine afterwards without it. I actually have a confession in making this recipe, (something that I still have no explanation for)... I had no vanilla in my pantry! This NEVER happens to me. My only thought is that this whole move has just really put me out of my element. So I had to make a substitution... and an unconventional one at that: almond extract. But I have to say it worked out well. I'm used to a brownie/almond combination anyway... but the extract in the brownie itself was a stretch even for me. Live & learn. 

Brown Butter Brownies via The Parsley Thief:

http://www.theparsleythief.com/2011/02/brown-butter-brownies.html

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

I whipped up a batch of these, along with a ton of other things, for Mr. Smith's birthday in October this year. They didn't turn out appearance-wise like I expected (I wanted to see more prominent swirling), but they were tasty. And FAT! So fat in fact, you could use a 13x9 pan and easily still be fine. (The recipe asks for a 9x9 pan.)

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies via Smitten Kitchen:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/10/pumpkin-swirl-brownies/