Cafe Patron Chocoholic Brownies

This A.M. you will need to go and by a bottle of Cafe Patron if you do not have this coffee liqueur with tequila already. I kid you not, this is one of the most delicious treats I have ever rested on my palette. Especially if you love chocolate.  If you aren't a peanut butter fan, you can omit this ingredient and I assure you the results will be equally satisfying.  I recommend making this when you are entertaining.  You can bake the brownies the night before (you may have to hide them!). In my house, they don't last long.

This recipe will make enough for 3 or 4 chocoholics, plus it is super easy!  

Cafe Patron Chocoholic Brownies

Pre-bake the brownies the night before for an easy dessert that will wow your company

The Recipe:

Cafe Patron Tequila
Chocolate Ice cream (Haagen Dazs)
Peanut Butter
7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, in small pieces
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Grease  9X13 pan, line bottom with parchment paper.
Combine chocolate and butter in a microwaveable bowl.  Heat for 45 seconds at a time stirring occasionally until the mixture is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs slightly just to blend the yolks and the whites.  Whisk in the sugar and beat until the mixture is thickened and pale(about 2 minutes) Stir in the vanilla, sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.
When the chocolate is just warm but not hot pour it into the egg and sugar mixture, and blend well.
Sift the flour mixture over the batter in three additions, gently folding with a spoon or spatula.
Scrape batter into a the pan and bake in the middle of the oven for approx 35 min.

:

The 3 main ingredients!

Once your brownies are baked, its time to make individual servings.

Serve in small dishes with a teaspoon of peanut butter, two three tablespoons of chocolate ice-cream and one shot of XO Cafe Patron.

Bamboozle

My good friend Conchi works Downtown and whenever I can, on a day off, I meet Conchi for her lunch break. There are several great lunch spots in Downtown Tampa, but we can't seem to go anywhere besides Bamboozle Cafe.

Bamboozle Cafe serves modern Vietnamese food, specializing in fresh spring rolls. You pick your meat, they add noodles and shredded greens then you pick four veggies to finish it off. They hand roll your lunch right in front of you. They also serve noodle salads, Pho, sandwiches with a Vietnamese twist and other fresh, delicious and healthy fare. And for 75¢ you can have a yummy homemade mini carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting for desert. Those carrot cupcakes are extremely hard for me to pass up.

Probably my favorite thing at Bamboozle Cafe is their homemade peanut sauce, which I was told is Vegan. I am not by any means a healthy eater, but I could eat Bamboozles spring rolls every day and the peanut sauce by the bucket full!

After lunch I got Conchi to partake in a little 'This A.M. style' fashion shoot. She looked so cute and professional in her grey suit, red pumps, Micheal Kors bag and Tory Burch shades!

Shrimp and Grits

This A.M. I wasn't sure what to name this post. 'Shrimp Poached in Bacon Grease Gravy Over Grits with a Pound of Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese' didn't really have a ring to it. Neither did 'A Heart Attack Waiting to Happen/Shrimp and Grits'. I did almost go with 'Southern Fat-Ass Shrimp and Grits' but at the last minute decided on keeping the post title simple, calling it simply 'Shrimp and Grits'.

Cheesy, a Southern favorite and turned gourmet at many eateries, Shrimp and Grits is good ole fashion comfort food. The keys to a perfect Shrimp and Grits is good applewood smoked bacon, fresh large sized shrimp and extra sharp cheddar. My personal gourmet twist is a hint of rosemary!

 

Shrimp and Grits

Grits
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
teaspoon salt
2 cups grits
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar

Sauce
5 slices of applewood smoked bacon
2 tablespoons buter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
3 minced garlic cloves
juice from a lemon
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon worstshire sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
pinch of sea sat, fresh cracked pepper
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Shrimp
2 lbs extra large shrimp
Cajun seasoning, garlic salt, pepper

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add butter, salt and grits. Stirring reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for about 6-7 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and cheese. Cover and set aside. Fry bacon until crispy. Remove form pan. Add butter and flour to bacon grease. Stirring, cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Season shrimp with cajun seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Poach shrimp for 5 minutes in the sauce. Chop up bacon, add to sauce. To serve, dish out grits and top with shrimp and bacon sauce mixture. Add extra parsley as a garnish and have hot sauce on hand for those that wish to add some heat.

Serves 4 with extra for seconds.

DIY Denim Shorts

This A.M. summer arrived.  It went from being -2 to the 20's.  In Canada we had a hard stop on our winter this year and after 7 months of fighting the cold we are now only enjoying double digit weather. We don't hesitate to get out our summer clothes and outfits here.  If you were taking a stroll along Queen St. today I am sure to you would't have enough fingers to count the denim short shorts girls are happily clad in.  These less than half a full pair of jeans are retailed anywhere from $49 to $200.  But why pay that money when you have jeans in your closet that you aren't wearing.  You can take those jeans you have been hanging on to but can't seem to wear and transform them into a new cute little number.

Old Jeans can like these can transform your summer wardrobe with one of a kind re-made designs and put pennies in your pockets

Jeans

     Denim shorts are so easy to make.

STEPS

Step One:  Try on your jeans and mark the length.  

Step Two:  Cut 1 inch below your desired length to accommodate for the fringe or fray

Step Three: Use scissors or a sharp object to create holes, use your hands to remove any fabric particles and create that natural worn look.  You can also use sandpaper, wire brushes etc.

Tips:

• Use a bleach pen to create a pattern like hearts or stars.
• Cut shorts a bit longer if you want to roll them up. 
• Add patches or appliques to make em funky
• If your pockets are showing it's even trendier!
• Relax and have fun!

Amy is wearing a 'Drop' tee in white burnout and gold with Club Monaco (DIY cut off jeans) in grey,  Tory Burch Medallion flip flops in orange and navy.