Giveaway Winner, 2011 Calendar and Awesome Brownies

Happy Thursday everyone! Today I hope that it will be extra happy Thursday for the lucky winner of the CSN sponsored $75 giveaway. The number was chosen using Random.org random number generator and here is the winning number,

The winning number was picked by Green Girl @ A little bit of everything, Congratulations!!! Roxana I will be sending you an email with the details. I can't wait to see what you buy, how exciting. Of course big thanks to CSN and all of their team for sponsoring the giveaway. Everyone please make sure you stop by and take a look at all of their wonderful products like their wide range of briefcases.

The next thing I would like to tell you about is the 2011 Spicie Foodie Calendar. Over the past several months I have been receiving emails from many of you requesting a wall calendar, and about 8 or so of you ask for a wall calendar with recipes. It took me a little while to finish it but here it is and I hope you like.

It is a 12 month full color calendar for 2011 and all 12 months/photos have a recipe to go with them. Some are from my archives, some from my cookbook and some never before published. It is now available for sale to everyone and anyone all over the world. Stop by here to get your copy and get a full preview.

And now for the Awesome Brownies! These brownies are soft, moist, addictive, chocolate heaven awesomeness. For years I've tried to make the perfect brownies trying countless recipes from various sources because let's face it the boxed kind just don't cut it. I've never been quite satisfied with the recipes I tried, I tried all sorts of recipes to no avail. Gross, one time I even tried one made with Baileys that I thought would be delicious and was so disgusting I threw it all out and I loathe throwing out food.

You know how on every episode of House he gets that epiphany look on his face? That was the look I had when I finally realized I should go to the source. The source being Hershey. My dad is an avid and very talented baker that will put many professional bakers to shame. He makes the best Mexican breads and Polish Kolachky among many other great treats. He always had Hershey cocoa and products in the house and I remember the brownie recipes. Here in Prague they don't sell Hershey products but here comes the internet to the rescue again, yay internet! I've been using this recipe for the past year and every time it yields delicious results. Soft, moist and to a chocoholic almost orgasmic. The anticipation is high, the smell in the air can be torturous and I can never wait for them to cool off before taking my first bite. Pure heaven! ( enter happy dance here, hehe)

I follow the recipe as it's stated but only make some changes like I've added 1 tsp. of instant coffee for a different taste. I don't often include the nuts for a more pure chocolate taste. The recipe also has a creamy brownie frosting recipe but again depending on my mood I will or will not make.

These heavenly brownies are ones that must be shared with friends. Though it's hard to hand over the box of freshly baked brownies and watch it disappear as you watch your friend carry it off down the sidewalk. You wipe the tears and hurry back home to bake yourself another batch. Don't worry you can do an extra hour of yoga this week to burn off all the oh so worthy extra calories. Brownies for breakfast, oh yes that's the breakfast of champions. This has been the confessions of a brownie addict and her chocolate vice. Enjoy the recipe and you can find it here, http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/5008/Best%20Brownies.aspx