Shakes, Brownies, Photography & More

I never thought I'd like a milkshake with honey, peanut butter, and banana. Whenever I hear a dessert has honey in it, that is usually it for me. I don't make it or I am hesitant to try it. But, when I tried this, my taste buds said get the recipe! And it has what, only 5 ingredients, how easy is that!?! So, thanks to my friend Joss for giving me the recipe. I haven't been able to make it quite as well as she did for me, but hopefully I will be able to with practice.

"Banana & Peanut Butter Milkshake"

1 to 1/4 banana

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon honey

5 to 12 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients in a blender, blend well. One serving.

Now this seriously is not healthy what-so-ever. These are the best looking brownies I have ever made. They were so tall and begging for pictures to be taken. I thought they were a little dry (the rest of the family didn't seem to notice), so will undercook them a little next time. Dry brownies I cannot eat. But, without furthur adoe, here is the recipe:
"Cakey Brownies"

1 cup unsalted butter ( I used salted butter)

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups Dutch process cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

5 large eggs

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) *I didn't put nuts in my batch*

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a medium sized microwave bowl, or in a medium saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Stir in the cocoa, salt , baking powder, and vanilla, Whisk in the eggs one at a time and add the water, stirring until smooth. Add the flour and nuts and chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should feel set both on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before frosting, cutting, & serving.

"Chocolate Ganache Icing"

1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream

1 cup chocolate chips or chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS:

In a microwave safe bowl, or in a small saucepan set over medium heat, heat the cream until it's very hot. You should see wisps of steam beginning to rise from it, and some very tiny bubbles around the edge. Add the chocolate chips to the cream and stir until smooth. Don't panic - at first, the mixture will look disarmingly soupy, but keep on stirring. Eventually it will become a rich brown, thick, shiny spreadable icing.

**I stirred my Ganache for about 15 minutes and it still wasn't thick enough to put on the brownies so I stuck it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. It was then perfect for spreading. Once I frosted them I then refrigerated then for a little while too.**

Me at the beach in Carlsbad hair flying and all - the beach is simply beautiful.
I really enjoy taking pictures of anything, mainly people and food. This is a picture I took of my friend and then used a program to make it like this: