I Have No Brain Cells Left

This why you haven’t had a post in a handful of days (not counting the guest post as that was written quite a while ago). I’ve been cooking, I’ve been eating… just have been in one of those blogger moods of not knowing what to write. Yes, every once in a while, my extreme creativity and ginormous  writing skills go on hiatus *cough cough… gets hip boots*.

I like to think that right about now, my writing “skills”, such as they are,  are lying on a beach on Tahiti with a Mai Tai and a trashy novel. I just hope they haven’t forgotten sunscreen cause I burn easily.

I have however been spending way more time than usual reading cooking blogs. It never fails to amaze me how many of them there are out there now. Some totally suck donkey toes, others are outstanding and make me feel like I need to give up blogging because in comparison to them, my blog sucks donkey toes.

One of my recent favorites is this ladies wonderful blog . I am currently in the process of working my way backwards through it (does anyone else do that btw?). I have about 59 other tabs open with blogs I want to get to after I finish going through hers. I now need more copy paper. Sigh. Too many recipes, too little time.

But… what I have today didn’t come from her blog. Oh don’t worry though, I have a stack of recipes (thus the I need more paper thing) from there to try. Today though, I made something form Taste Of Home. Well, actually I made it yesterday but I’m just getting to posting now. I’m lazy.

I made Cheesecake Brownies. I know I know, how common can I get? What can I say? I’m a peasant at heart.

So g’wan, go soften some cream cheese. I’ve found that beating ones husband over the head with it for a few minutes softens it up quite nicely. You’ll need two though, so go ask to borrow a friends husband.

These are called chewy brownies. In truth, when I made them yesterday, even after sitting until they were room temp, they weren’t particularly chewy. So I wrapped them and put them in the fridge until today. They were suitably chewy though not as fudgy as I like personally. I think next time I will add a tablespoon of corn syrup to it and see if that lends something to the chewiness factor. I’ve tried that before with good results.  As well, I will probably add another block (ounce) of chocolate as these could have used a bit more. All in all, good brownies that I think could be outstanding with the above changes.

Chewy Cream Cheese Brownies

  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (next time I’m trying 5)
  • 1/2 cup butter, sliced into chunks
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional and I didn’t use them)
  • Cream cheese filling-
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (my addition. I love the flavor almond extract adds to a cheesecake filling)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inch pan. Better yet, line it with foil and then grease it. It makes brownies so much easier to get out of the pan and cut if you do this. I use the non stick foil.
  2. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate. Stir until smooth and cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl,  beat together the eggs and sugar. Add in the vanilla and the chocolate/butter mixture.
  4. Gradually add the flour. Then add the nuts if you’re using them.
  5. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. This is a really thick batter so no, you didn’t do it wrong.
  6. In another bowl, beat together the filling ingredients. Carefully pour and spread it over the batter.
  7. After this the recipe says to spread the rest of the batter over. But there was NO way it was spreading. I dolloped it over and then attempted to and it was just pulling the cream cheese filling because the brownie batter is so thick. So I just took the dollops and swirled them in using a butter knife. Same flavor, prettier effect and nowhere near the hassle.
  8. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. I left mine in about 38 minutes. Don’t overcook or you’ll end up with crumbly brownies. You want to get a few loose crumbs on a toothpick inserted into the center.
  9. Let cool, preferably overnight.. I promise the texture is MUCH better.
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29 thoughts on “I Have No Brain Cells Left

  1. I get writer’s blog all of the time. Or I should say I have my best ideas when no computer, phone, or notepad is handy. The time one is available the ideas have gone bye bye. I love the picture of them on a beach.

  2. Chocolate and cream cheese-yes please. I will take two of these for now! Delicious photo.
    Also, comparing your blog to others ends you up with the final verdict-yours is better than some and some are better than yours-which really means very little. If you do not ponder on comparison, it will help you get your mojo back from vacation!

  3. Ugh, hate writers block – sometimes it flows and sometimes not!
    But I am sure these delicious cream cheese brownies will help you out 😀
    Wonderful recipe and keep your chin up!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru
    Latest: 3 Layer Brownie Cheesecake

  4. I think we all fall prey to comparisons now and then. I know I sure do – but then I have to remind myself of how far I’ve come since I started blogging – my style, my photography, my organization, and especially my blog design. Then I’m inspired to keep going! And for what it’s worth I think you definitely DON’T suck donkey toes!

  5. I think we all definitely get writer’s block. In fact, if you don’t get writer’s block from time to time I think it means you suck “donkey toes” at writing. And that my friend you do not. I love reading your blog, its always entertaining. Keep it up!
    And great delicious recipe!

  6. I don’t know if it’s writer’s block. But I think that sometimes I just fall out of the mood for all that it takes to make one successful blog post! It’s so hard to keep up sometimes. And yes….stumble upon and pinterest, etc are opening my eyes to some new and wonderful blogs, too! But none of them have cheesecake brownies as beautiful as these! Just what I need to get me going again! : )

  7. Oh, that brownie looks amazing! On their own, brownies are a little too one dimensional for me and my taste buds want a break. But cream cheese/cheesecake brownies are amazing. I’ve bought one here and there from a local bakery when I was having a craving but never tried making them so I’m bookmarking this recipe. I also tend to work my way from back to front when I find blogs I like. Writing comes pretty easily (I work in advertising) but the computer isn’t always there which is why there are little notes all over my house as if a mini hurricane came through. There are also doggie toys on every conceivable surface but that’s a separate problem 🙂

  8. Nope, you do not suck donkey toes…you are one of the few blogs that make me laugh…and that puts you high in my ranking! And anyone who posts cream cheese brownies gets bonus points, too!

  9. I know what you mean about other blogs! There are some really amazing ones out there that I can only dream about ever having the same! But, let’s talk about another amazing blog, THIS ONE! I have a real weakness for brownies and for cheesecake, I would eat the entire pan of these!

  10. Where do you think you will add the corn syrup? The chocolate batter or the cream cheese filling? or both? Do you think chilling the cream cheese filling would thicken it up enough to allow the chocolate batter to be spread over it? Chilling might change the cooking time. I’m ready to add chocolate to anything. I even read about chocolate covered pringles recently. (Do it yourself not provided by pringles) Haven’t tried it….yet.

  11. Where do you think you will add the corn syrup? The chocolate batter or the cream cheese filling? or both? Do you think chilling the cream cheese filling would thicken it up enough to allow the chocolate batter to be spread over it? Chilling might change the cooking time. I’m ready to add chocolate to anything. I even read about chocolate covered pringles recently. (Do it yourself not provided by pringles) Haven’t tried it….yet.
    Oh dear. Have I pressed the Post Comment Button? If I press it now will I have posted my comment twice?

  12. These look fantastic no matter where the inspiration came from. No keeping up with the jones’/bloggers/divas necessary, just do you. Congrats on Today’s Top 9!

  13. I fear my writing skills have joined yours on the beach in Tahiti–in which case they’re a lot warmer than I am! The brownies look divine–I’m such a sucker for a good cakey, cream-cheesy brownie.

  14. These look delicious! Congrats on the Top 9!
    I am a sucker for any brownie, and unfortunately I have yet to master them with the altitude out here 🙁

  15. Pingback: Burning Down The Kitchen with From Cupcakes to Caviar while making her Coconut Caramel Cookie Bars | Cravings of a Lunatic

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