Unknown Name, Emoticons, Mermaids,

I wish something could be done about these unknown name callers, we have been getting so many lately. Thursday afternoon I had been feeling under the weather, (bowled really badly too but being unwell was my excuse) came home and decided to take a nap. Had trouble dropping off and finally did so only to get a bloody phone call from Unknown Name. Grrrr. Once in a while I answer them if they are from the local calling area because our cleaning lady comes through as an unknown name, but usually I don’t. This morning I did and it was a call from our Prime Minister. Recorded of course!! No, I didn’t listen.

A friend used this emoticon on an email message yesterday, I thought it was so cute I simply had to copy it.  You’ll gather we were talking fencing or was it pistols at Dawn? I rarely use emoticons as I can never remember how to do so, or what you type for what and I keep losing the list I have.


I heard an ad on the radio for a Christmas performance of The Little Mermaid at a local theatre. How on earth do you do mermaids on a stage?

My blog has the title “A scent of Chocolate” so it’s about time we had a chocolate recipe. This one certainly fills the bill. Makes me drool.

HERSHEY'S Ultimate Chocolate Brownies Recipe

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (recipe follows)
• Additional HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan or two 8-inch square baking pans.
2. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan, 30 to 35 minutes for square pans or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired. Cut into squares. Makes about 24 brownies.
ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk,
beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla.
About 2 cups frosting.

Have a great day