Chewy Triple Chocolate Brownies (Weekend Brownies)

I dub these weekend brownies. Or Friday brownies. Same diff. These are not your every day brownies though. They're way too awesome for that. They're a treat. A delight. A special thing. Deserving of their own tiny plate. Of being individually wrapped.

These brownies are soft and chewy and moist. (The only way brownies should be, I say.) They have a thin, crisp, shiny top crust. They're damn near perfect.

Not to mention they're chocolate thrice! Incredible.

Over the past couple of years, it feels like I've been on a never-ending search for these brownies. I've had hard edges, dry crumbs, grainy texture, unpleasantly thick and dense. I've tried adding marshmallows, pretzels, cream cheese, peanut butter, all to no avail. These were trying times indeed.

Mock Mother's Circus Animal Cookies

The other day I subjected my loving boyfriend to my high school cheerleading scrapbook video. I'm not entirely certain what I thought I was going to accomplish by showing it to him, but, that's what I did.

I'm pretty sure he loved it.

He did.

Anyway, I then spent an hour or so looking at old pictures, remarking about how "skinny I was in high school" and how "I still look like a little kid" (I do), and texting a friend from home about the "good old days." Oh nostalgia, how I love and loathe thee.

(I, er, accidentally dropped the cookie that was formerly in the right bottom corner. Yeah. I dropped it.)

Speaking of nostalgia, can we talk about Mother's Circus Animal Cookies? You know, those pink and white frosted, rainbow sprinkled, animal-shaped delights. I went on a mad hunt for them around Atlanta soon after the aforementioned reminiscence. Much to my dismay, I could not find them anywhere. This seemed suspect, so I took my hunt online.

Cardamom Peach Pie Filling

Dear Georgia,

I came to you two years(-ish) ago. You truly are a delight. So lush and green. Such delicious food. Such lovely shops and farmers markets. Perfectly cold in the winter. Perfectly warm in the summer. But just recently, Georgia, you were 106 degrees. Recently, you've reminded me of a moister Texas summer. Sort of like a sauna. I don't like saunas. Please return to normal. I'll love you forever.

Love,
Natasha

PS: Thanks for the peaches. I'll always love you for that.

If you are a cardamom lover, this is hands down the best peach pie filling there is. It tastes like summer. I rolled it up in yeast dough and made some killer breakfast rolls with it. Then I made some individual crisps with it (not the prettiest desserts, but still delicious). Then I finished off the last of the jar by shamefully tilting it back and tapping it into my mouth...