Me Likey

Today is Lauren's birthday so I had to face my fears and step foot in our kitchen to make her a birthday treat. I was all set to make a chocolate cake but I didn't know (or forgot) that she's not a huge cake fan. This brings the list up to four reasons why she's a weirdo: 1) she only thinks I'm funny sometimes; 2) she's ridiculously loud and often shrill and usually boh at the same time; 3) mice don't really bother her; and 4) she doesn't really like cake.

So I had to come up with Plan B and I remembered that I've been dying to make a brownie pudding I saw Ina Garten make on her show. Ina Garten and I are kindred spirits. I feel like she gets me. I think things like "Brownies = good. Pudding = good. Someone should combine them." Then she makes it happen. It's like she's the patron saint of things Christina thinks are tasty. And if anything can get me to brave the kitchen again after yesterday's horrifying events, it is BROWNIE PUDDING. Honestly, have two words in the English language ever been more beautiful together? It's right up there with "foot massage," "sleeping in," and perhaps "buttercream."

So I made it and it was as rich and delicious and brownie pudding-y as it sounds. I piped Happy Birthday in pink frosting across the top, stuck in a couple candles and made her blow them out ASAP so I could dig in. I may have forgotten momentarily that this was her day and her dessert but quite frankly, let's get real honest, and just admit that brownie pudding was really for me. A point that should be quite clear when she finds me in the morning face down drooling in the empty pan.

Should you want to try it yourself, you can find the recipe here. The only thing I might change is the amount of sugar. It's a bit too sweet and I think cutting back on the sugar by about 1/2 cup might be better.