Brownie Bunnies

3/4 C. unsalted butter
4 ounce (113g) semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
2 C. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 C. unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 C. (125g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease your pan. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and 2 ounces of chopped chocolate. Melt in 30 second increments, whisking after each, until completely smooth. Whisk in the sugar until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. The batter will be light brown and a little dull looking. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, remaining 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and the chocolate chips. Fold it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Batter will be very thick. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, in a 9x13 pan. I used the bunnies pan and they took about 14 minutes. After brownies are cooled, pop out of pan. Wash pan. Melt 3 white chocolate candy melts in each pocket (45 seconds in the microwave) and place a bunny back in the mold so as the chocolate cools, it will stick to the shaped brownie bunny.

Bird Seed Cookies

3/4 C. Flour

1/2 C. Water

1 package Knox gelatin

3 TB. Corn syrup

4 C. Bird seed

Heat water, gelatin and corn syrup together over a low heat. No need to boil. Mix flour and seed together in a mixing bow, then slowly add the gelatin mixture. While cooling, put out parchment paper on our counter, and choose your favorite cookie cutters. Spray those cookie cutters with cooking spray. Next, fill the cutters with the gelatin mixture, pressing in the mixture tightly. Use a straw or toothpick to poke a hole through the ornament (for hanging). Then remove from cookie cutters and let dry for several hours. Once dry, you can attach ribbon or string and hang for the birds!

Amethyst Geode

Lithops

Air Plant

I made my plant a new clay shell to live in.

Pork Chops

Sliced pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon, brushed with 1/4 C. brown mustard, 1 Tb. brown sugar, 1 Tb. garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 Tb. oil in cast iron, sear all three outer edges of slices. Bake at 350* until pork reaches 150*.

Coffee Time

Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth. (Oil is number one)
Seventy percent of coffee beans are Arabica. Although less popular, Robusta is slightly more bitter and has twice as much caffeine.
There have been five attempts to ban coffee throughout history. Coffee was first banned in Mecca in 1511 because leaders believed it stimulated radical thinking.
Coffee stays warmer when you add cream. Coffee with added cream cools about 20% slower than plain black coffee. But when you add milk, it weakens the effects of caffeine.
Dark roast coffees have less caffeine than lighter roasts. Even though the flavor is often stronger, roasting actually burns off some of the caffeine.
Coffee has been found to reverse liver damage caused by alcohol.