PMS Brownies

Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate!

The inside scoop behind this recipe. From Debbie:  My husband Ken was drying his hands with a whole paper towel when I gasped, "why did you use a whole one instead of tearing it in half?" Ken, realizing how paper towels can suddenly become a big deal, (at least once a month,) jumped into action. He whipped up a pan of brownies full of chocolate, peanut butter, more chocolate, cinnamon, and more chocolate. Ahh!

 INGREDIENTS

1 Barefoot Contessa Brownie Mix from Sweet Gourmet or your favorite brownie mix.

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 cup of water

1/2 cup of oil

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 cup of chocolate chips or bark (a combination of milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate is recommended)

8 oz's cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 mini peanut butter cups cut into fourths 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x9 or 13x9 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, whisk cinnamon into brownie mix. In a small bowl, beat eggs with 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Add egg mixture to brownie mix along with oil and water. Stir until blended; (about 30 seconds.) Pour half of the brownie batter into the pan, reserve the other half. Sprinkle chocolate chips or bark over the batter in the pan. In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, egg, sugar and vanilla. Add quartered peanut butter cups. Dollup the cream cheese mixture onto the brownie batter. Spread to cover the batter. Top with remaining batter. Spread to cover. (The cream cheese will swirl into the batter slightly.) Bake approximately 5-7 minutes longer than the cook time recommended for the size pan you have used so that the cream cheese cooks thoroughly. May be very lightly golden when done.

A special thank you to Sweet Gourmet of Tyler, Texas for the incredible gift basket filled with Barefoot Contessa brownie mix and other goodies to be awarded on May 5th!