Bass Pro Shops Mesa, AZ

We are pleased to announce the 1^st Annual Bass Pro Shops Lake Havasu Open and Fishing Festival. Taking place at Windsor State Park Lot #4 May 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th, the Open will be a fun and festive weekend full of clinics, demos, test ride & drives, kids’ fishing derby, kids’ activities, and a tournament unlike Havasu has ever seen.

You would never buy a car without a test drive first, right? When you buy a boat, you rarely get an opportunity to test drive it first. Well, that changes now. Visit us at Lake Havasu during our Lake Havasu Open and Fishing Festival for FREE ride and drive demos of our full line of Tracker Marine boats and our Arctic Cat ATVs and UTVs May 4^th and 5^th from 9am-6pm and May 6^th from 9am-3pm.

Bass Pro Shops is all about families and introducing youth to the outdoors and maintaining that connection for life. So we are excited to be holding a Kid’s Fishing Derby just for those 5-15 years old May 6^th from 8am-12noon. This is for every level of young angler- from beginners to those with years of experience. The first 200 participants receive souvenirs. Prizes will be awarded for a variety of categories for different age groups. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must bring their own equipment.

Make sure and walk around the lot to test out and learn about products from vendors, exhibitors, and demonstrations. We aim to make this truly interactive- allowing you to learn through experiencing these products and services first hand.

And don’t forget about the Tournament itself. May 5^th and 6^th, professional anglers and enthusiasts alike will pack the lake full of boats competing for a ton of great prizes and, oh yeah, a boat. That’s right. A fully rigged Nitro Z7 with a Mercury outboard. The Top 10% finishers in the tournament will be eligible to win the Z7.

To receive an entry form for this event please email jmloutdoors@gmail.com. Basic entry is $350 per team with an optional $50 big fish pot that will pay the top 3 biggest bass each day. Contestants paying by check must have their entries turned in no later than April 30, 2012. We are also able to accept credit card entries with a 3% processing fee. Only CASH entries will be accepted at Friday’s registration. Please contact Justin Locatis at 602-791-0023 if you have any questions. You can also sign up and pay online at www.jmloutdoors.com.

Time for some more spring accessories! Jewelry  can give your wardrobe a much needed pop of color from bangles in every shade and jewel tone pendants mixed in with a charm necklace.

Also look for small delicate jewelry made with unique peices- like hourglasses, anchors, or Baltic honey amber.

On Berlin: Necklaces, from top, Bold Bead Slider Necklace, $14.99, Mudpie 32" Charm necklace, $9.97. Bracelets, Emmy Wood bangles, $7.99 each.

On Caela: Necklace, Bass Pro Shops Shot Shell necklace, $19.99. Bracelets, from top, Emmy Wood bangle, $7.99, Wide Green Batik Resin bangle, $14.99

 

 

 

Necklaces, from top: 7 Lucky Hearts necklace, $39.99, Time in a Bottle hourglass necklace, $49.99.

 

Cornbread is wonderful. It's buttery, and soft, and delicious. And when you eat it warm, just out of the oven, it brings back memories of your mom making it on cold winter nights. Or maybe that's just me.

But what happens if we add more delicious things to something that's already delicious? The deliciousness should be compounded, no?

Let's find out.
 

This is Uncle Buck's Cornbread Mix. The recipe calls for milk and a slightly beaten egg. I also added minced garlic, sundried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan cheese, and Kalamata olives.

It was fantastic. The saltiness of the Parmesan was complimented by the tang of the olives and went so well with the fluffy goodness of the cornbread.

Try your own variations; see what you can come up with!

Recipe:

1 1/3 cups Uncle Buck's Cornbread Mix
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
15-20 Kalamata olives, halved

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl until blended well. Do not over mix.
3. Bake in a greases 8x8 pan for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch.
4. Cut into squares. Serves about 6.












 

Appearance: Tan in color with black tipped tail and ears, this cat generally weighs in between 80-180 lbs and measures 6-8 feet from nose to tip of tail. They sport a round head with erect ears and large, powerful hindquarters. Mountain lions are the fourth largest cat species and uses its powerful legs to leap up to 15 feet and run 50 mph in a sprint. It cannot roar, like its relatives in the big cat family, but instead hisses, screams, and purrs much like a domestic cat. Babies are born with blue eyes, black spots, and a ringed tail.



Habitat:

The mountain lion, also known as a puma, cougar, or mountain screamer, is very adaptable to any environment but prefers dense underbrush and rocky terrain. They are very good climbers and will escape to into trees or high caves when threatened.



Diet/Behavior:

Mountain lions stalk and ambush their prey- in AZ that includes deer, elk, javelina, big horn sheep, and livestock- preferably from above - from rock ledges and steep terrain. Mainly solitary and highly territorial, mountain lions with cover up to 10 miles a day protecting their territory. They will kill large prey every 7-14 days and consume it over a number of days, covering the remains with leaves, brush, and dirt to prevent spoiling and poaching from other animals.



Hunting:

Mountain lion hunting in Arizona lasts from Aug-May. Tags may be purchased over the counter as there is no draw. There is a limit of one lion per hunter per year.

I'm gonna keep this short, because the picture is really distracting. But our Fudge Shop makes homemade fudge daily. Erwin, or Dr. Fudge, makes new and interesting flavors of fudge- and he even takes suggestions. The latest is the Salted Nut Roll- layers of vanilla fudge, caramel, and peanut butter mixed with salted peanuts is then topped with more caramel and salted nuts. It's delicious and you need to come try it!

Meet Chad. He's the manager of the Marine and Tracker Boat departments and a super cool guy. He fishes a lot of tournaments and does a lot with the AZ Nitro Team. He makes amazing custom pens and is obsessed with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

 

Name: Chad Schimmel

Age: 34

Dept: Tracker/Marine Manager

 

Where were you born? Lake Havasu City, AZ

Hobbies/Pastimes? Fishing, spending time with family, dabbling in woodworking

Best part of being a Bass Pro employee? Being close when I need fishing tackle.

Bass Pro reminds me of… a very good reality TV show.

Any upcoming hunting/fishing/camping trips? Roosevelt Mid-week Bass Tournament.

If you were given a $1,000 BPS gift card, what would you buy? 1,000 $1 gift cards and distribute them to my employees for good deeds.

Favorite sports team(s)? Cardinals

My hero growing up was… Dennis Reynolds

Favorite word? Fish On –or- Get the Net.

Star Trek or Star Wars? Neither

What 5 people, living or dead, real or fictional, would you invite to create the ultimate dinner party? Abe Lincoln, Harry Potter, Frank Reynolds, George W Bush, Marilyn Monroe

Ernest Hemingway famously bet his fellow bar patrons that he could write someone’s life story in 6 words. He came up with – and won the bet for- this gem: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.” My two examples: “I was told there’d be cake.” & “Pretty in Pink with cuter dress.” What is your six word memoir?

“I never should have done that.”

Spring is looking a little monochromatic. Bold graphic prints, plaids, and stripes in black and white are popping up everywhere lately. It's an ultra modern look that looks incredibly chic and put together.

Try adding a pop of color- for this spread I chose red, but feel free to use any jewel tone from green to purple to orange.

On Caela: Dress, Columbia Pebble Skipper dress, $50. Bracelets (from top to bottom), Braid Toggle Bracelet, $19.99, Emmy Wood Bangle, $7.99.

On Berlin: Top, Columbia Super Bonehead Long Sleeve Shirt, $55. Pants, Natural Reflections Classic Straight jean, $29.97.

 

 

 

On Berlin: Jacket, Ascend Soft Shell Jacket, $68. Dress, Columbia Armadale dress, $60. Sunglasses, Wiley-X Abby, $146.

On Caela: Shirt, Columbia Super Bonehead LS shirt, $55. Top, Columbia C1966 SS Tee, $17.97. Pants, Natural Reflections Classic Straight jean, $29.97. Bracelet, Seashell Charm bracelet, $179.99.

On Berlin: Shirt, Columbia Saturday Trail LS shirt, $34.97. Top, Lole Zen top, $50. Pants, Bob Timberlake Slimming Pant, $35.97.

On Caela: Shirt, Lole Essential Cardigan, $90. Top, Columbia Reel Beauty SS shirt, $40. Pants, Natural Reflections Classic Straight jean, $29.97.

 

 

There are some things in this world that are just better explained in pictures. The Rednek Wine Glass is one of them. So here you go...



See what I mean?

These babies are selling like hot cakes. And I can see why, it's a humorous way to enjoy wine, or any other beverage and it's also convenient because it has a lid. They make great gifts- especially if you have friends that enjoy boxed or screw cap bottles of wine.



Even though these are sometimes bought for gag gifts, they are not cheaply made. They use Ball mason jars and Libbey candlesticks to make the wine glass.

So it's fun, funny, convenient, and well made? Count me in.

(Yes, I do own one. I love it and I don't care what anybody thinks.)

And we just got in a whole new collection of Rednek glasses!

 

Aren't they pretty?

We have a Margarita glass.

A Champagne glass.

And the cutest Martini glass you ever did see.

 

 

I have this love/ hate relationship with soup. I want to love it, because it's easy to make, really healthy, and I can store it in the fridge and eat it over the course of a few days. But here's the thing- I have a problem eating things I can't chew. It's the same way with yogurt; I love it but I have to put granola or M&Ms in it to enjoy it.

So here's what I like about this tortilla soup.

Tortilla strips.

Crunchy, salty tortilla strips that I can break up or dip into this soup.
 

I used Uncle Buck's Two Step Tortilla Soup, found here. Pictured with it are the tomato sauce and chicken broth that the recipe calls for. Not pictured is the ground turkey, because I'm a spaz sometimes.



Brown the meat. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef simply because it's healthier. Feel free to use any ground meat you wish, from beef to pork to venison. It would all taste great.



This picture is very deceiving. The recipe makes 6-8 servings, and could make more if you add more broth and tomato sauce. So there's a significant amount of soup in the pot. The pot is just REALLY big.

Combine all the ingredients except the meat and simmer. The once the meat is ready, add it to the pot and let it do its magic for 30 minutes.


 

This tortilla soup came out very thick, almost like a stew. I didn't mind it and it was very tasty, but if you would like something soupier, then use 1.5x the tomato sauce and broth. The spices from the mix were just about perfect. It added bite without being too spicy or peppery- just enough to offset the tang of the tomato sauce.

Recipe:

1 bottle Uncle Buck's Two Step Tortilla Soup mix
1/2 lb ground turkey
29 oz (2 14.5 oz cans) chicken broth
15 oz tomato sauce
corn tortillas or tortilla strips
1/2 cup grated cheddar + more for garnish

1. Brown turkey and set aside
2. Pour contents of bottle into kettle.
3. Fill bottle with water once and add to mix.
4. Add chicken broth and tomato sauce to kettle.
5. Add meat and boil slowly for 30 minutes
6. Tear up 3 tortillas or crush handful of tortilla chips and add to mix along with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
7. Simmer for 10-15 minutes
8. Serve with some cheese on top and a few tortilla strips for garnish.

 

If you've ever been in our store while they're cooking nuts, then you have smelled probably the most delicious smell ever to have existed. And the nuts are exactly as delicious as the smell would lead you to believe. They are made fresh in our Fudge Shop everyday. I could keep writing words, but I prefer to let the pictures do the talking. So without further comment....

Ok, one more comment. Why are you not eating these right now?

 

A great piece of jewelry can make an outfit.

A great statement piece of jewelry can make an entire wardrobe.

When shopping for statement jewelry, look for something that you make a special connection with. For example, I adore the pinecone necklace in the first shot because, being from Indiana, they grew in the pine trees and smelled so good in the winter. This necklace would remind me of that memory every time I saw it.

From turquoise to knotted charm bracelets to pendants made from real butterfly wings, everyone needs that one special statement piece that draws the eye and makes everyone stare.

Top, Columbia Rocky Ridge Hoodie, $39.95. Necklaces from top to bottom, Big Sky Silver Pinceone Whispers Collection Turquoise and Wood Necklace, $59.99, 36" Silver Link necklace w/ Matching earrings, $29.99. Bracelets, from top to bottom, Energy Muse Fire bracelet w/ Chinese Coin, $59.99, Energy Muse Luck bracelet w/ Chinese Coin, $64.99.

Right, Corded Charm Chunky bracelet, $79.99.

On Berlin: Small Elephant Pendant, $49.99. Butterfly Wing Jewelry Collection Urania Ripheus Reversible Pendant necklace, $159.99. Bracelets, from top, Hammered Starfish bracelet, $19.99. Silver Hammered bangles (set of 3), $19.99. Silver Starfish bracelet, $24.99.

 

 

On Caela: Top, Columbia Heather Honey II Hoodie, $65. Necklace, Bronze Basic Grad necklace, $17.99. Bracelets, Emmy Wood bangles, $7.99 each.

You've all met Terry before, here, when we introduced personal shoppers. Two things about Terry -

1) Even though he is not smiling in this picture, he does smile..

2) He hates having his picture taken. Which is why we're using the same picture as the last post.

 

Name: Terrence (Terry) Coughlin

Age: 37

Dept: General Manager

 

Where were you born? Oswego, New York – on the shores of Lake Ontario

Hobbies/Pastimes? Hunting & Fishing

Best part of being a Bass Pro employee? The People – Associates & Customers

Bass Pro reminds me of… HOME & Family

Any upcoming hunting/fishing/camping trips? OuterBanks, NC – Fishing w/my Family

If you were given a $1,000 BPS gift card, what would you buy? New Redhead Blackout Bow Package & all new archery accessories

Favorite sports team(s)? Buffalo Bills & Buffalo Sabres

My hero growing up was… my Father (Dad)

Favorite word? EXCELLENT [ed. note: he does say this a lot, and he says it like Mr. Burns.]

Star Trek or Star Wars? STARWARS w/STAR TREK a close 2nd

What 5 people, living or dead, real or fictional, would you invite to create the ultimate dinner party? Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ted Williams, Peyton Manning, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods

Ernest Hemingway famously bet his fellow bar patrons that he could write someone’s life story in 6 words. He came up with – and won the bet for- this gem: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.” My two examples: “I was told there’d be cake.” & “Pretty in Pink with cuter dress.” What is your six word memoir? “Where is the TV Remote Control?”

It's finally here!

The off-road industry has been talking about it for months. Arctic Cat has been testing it for even longer. And let me tell you, it's been worth the wait. This thing is WICKED.

Best in it's class all around and a thrilling heart-pounding ride make this  UTV an obvious choice for your next side by side.

Not convinced?

With the most horsepower and biggest engine in it's class, the Wildcat offers a ride like no other.

It's rear suspension has an unheard of 18 inches of travel- 4 inches more than it's next closest competitor. Along with it's comfortable seats, it offers a smooth ride even over the deepest of holes.

The engine is mid mounted as is the radiator to bias the weight to the back for superior traction.

“The Wildcat has no equal. Period,” said Claude Jordan, President and CEO. “Our customers asked for a high-performance side-by-side, and we happily responded with a no-compromise, pure-sport hot rod that redefines what’s possible with a production off-road vehicle.”

It never seems like summer without a little nautical flair. Lots of Breton stripes, plaids, anchors, bright reds, and navys set the tone for a chic, relaxed wardrobe and summer.

Look for transitional, lightweight  jackets and sweaters that can keep you warm on cool summer nights and some plaid shorts for the preppy vibe. Don't be afraid to mix prints, like a plaid shirt with pinstripe denim! Top it off with a cool pair of shades and a anchor or rope necklace or bracelet, and you're set!

 

On Berlin: Jacket, Natural Reflections Twill Hoodie, $49.99. Top, Bass Pro Shops Camo Logo Tee, $12.95. Pants, Bob Timberlake Slim Leg Cargo Pant w/ Belt, $48.

On Caela: Jacket, Natural Reflections Twill Hoodie, $49.99. Top, Natural Reflections Plaid Woven, $32.99. Pants, Natural Reflections Denim Pants, $39.99. Sunglasses, Maui Jim Aloha Friday, $309. Necklace, Heart on Your Sleeve Boat'n Chic Charm Necklace, $12.99.

 

On Caela: Top, Natural Reflections 3/4 Sleeve Stripe Sweater, $39.99. Skirt, Natural Reflections, $34.99.

On Berlin: Sweater, Bob Timberlake Cotton Sweater, $58. Top, Natural Reflections Striped L/S Tee, $29.99. Pants, Natural Reflections Classic Straight Leg Jeans, $29.97. Sunglasses, Costa Hammock 580, $169.

 

 

On Berlin: Top, Natural Reflections Striped L/S Tee, $29.99. Shorts, Natural Reflections Canvas Cargo Shorts, $19.99.

On Caela: Top, Natural Reflections Anchor Graphic V Neck Tee, $24.99 . Shorts, Natural Reflections Bermuda Shorts, $24.99. Sunglasses, Costa Islamorada 580 PC, $169.

This is Becky. And her crown. Without her, we would all be lost. Her official title is Administrative Assistant, but she is so much more than that. She's kind of like Chuck Norris. Bass Pro Mesa operates because she allows it to. If you ever need to book one of our conference rooms, Becky is the one to talk to.

Name: Becky Johnson

Dept: Admin

 

Where were you born? Morris, MN

Hobbies/Pastimes? Camping, fixing up (redecorating house)

Best part of being a Bass Pro employee? The family atmosphere

Bass Pro reminds me of… you don’t have to be a redneck to shop here.

Any upcoming hunting/fishing/camping trips? Hopefully camping, but most likely not until next year sometime.

If you were given a $1,000 BPS gift card, what would you buy? More camping gear and clothes for me!

Favorite sports team(s)? Diamondback, NASCAR racing, Indy Car racing

My hero growing up was…my mom- I could always talk to her. Dad only if it was about farming or flying

Favorite word? Sh*t. My oldest daughter’s first word because I said it so much! Hahaha.

Star Trek or Star Wars? Both

What 5 people, living or dead, real or fictional, would you invite to create the ultimate dinner party? Oprah Winfrey, author Patricia Cornwall, Walt Disney, my great grandfather- paternal, great grandfather- maternal

Ernest Hemingway famously bet his fellow bar patrons that he could write someone’s life story in 6 words. He came up with – and won the bet for- this gem: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.” My two examples: “I was told there’d be cake.” & “Pretty in Pink with cuter dress.” What is your six word memoir? “Grey way, way, way too early.”

This is Danielle. She is the Merchandising Manager. She handles all the merchandising in the store. Obviously, right? Basically what that means is she controls where products go on the floor, how they’re displayed, all the signage for sales and specials, and the flow of merchandise into and out of the store.

 

Where were you born? Denver, CO

Hobbies/Pastimes? Love, love dance, yoga and wine.

Best part of being a Bass Pro employee? The great family atmosphere and laughter

Bass Pro reminds me of… my cabin with friends in Dillon, CO

Any upcoming hunting/fishing/camping trips? Nope. Living, eating, breathing Bass Pro!

If you were given a $1,000 BPS gift card, what would you buy? A bow so my 9 year old son can teach me all about archery. Of course, clothes and candles as well!

Favorite sports team(s)? AZ Diamondbacks, Colorado Avalanche

My hero growing up was… my grandmother, Mary Ellen Karbo

Favorite word? Ummmm…favorite word isn’t “G” [rated] so we’ll go with “amazing!”

Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Wars

What 5 people, living or dead, real or fictional, would you invite to create the ultimate dinner party? Wyatt Earp….Hilary Clinton, Ellen Degeneres, Eminem, Robin Williams.

Ernest Hemingway famously bet his fellow bar patrons that he could write someone’s life story in 6 words. He came up with- and won the bet for- this gem: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.” What is your six word memoir?

Forgive, Forget, have fun, always smile!

I'm a sucker for a good salad. There's something about the crispy lettuce and fresh veggies that I just really enjoy eating. But it's so hard to find a good salad dressing. I swear I've tried almost all of them, and there are very few I like. So when I saw 2 shelves full of salad dressing, I figured, why not? On my first try, I chose the Roasted Garlic, but there a bunch more options that sound tasty.



See?

So I thought that a nice Greek salad would go well with the Roasted Garlic dressing. Something about garlic and feta appealed to me.



This is a super quick salad to make. Grab a head of romaine lettuce and give it a rinse.



Cut off the bottom and discard.



Give it a rough chop. I always chop it into big strips, then go back through and chop it diagonally both ways. And then throw it into a big bowl.



Chop a cucumber into large chunks and add to bowl.



Along with 4 tomatoes cut into chunks.



Slice 20-30 Kalamata olives length-wise and add to bowl.



Throw some feta on top. I used a garlic and herb feta, but plain feta works well too.



And some roughly chopped parsley on top.



Give it a quick toss with the dressing.



Et voila. Your salad is done and super tasty. The dressing wasn't heavy, nor did it taste like chemicals, like so many dressings do. It was just light, and the perfect addition to a fresh salad.



Recipe:

Please feel free to add whatever you wish or omit the things that you don't like.

Here's what I used...

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
4 whole ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 whole cucumber, cut into fourths lengthwise, and diced into large chunks
30 whole pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
6 oz feta cheese
fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Bob Timberlake Roasted Garlic salad dressing

You can add 1/2 of a red onion, if you like onions and if your feta wasn't seasoned like mine was, you might want to add a clove of garlic that you have minced.

Appearance:

Latin for 'quill pig', this large rodent surely earns its name. The porcupine has a coat of sharp barbed spines- adults can have up to 30,000- that are used both in defense and as camouflage from predators. In North America, the beaver is the only rodent that is larger than the porcupine. They weigh in between 12-35 lbs and are 25-36" long with a 8-10" tail. In Arizona they are generally brown in color, but can also be black with white highlights. They have a small round body and short strong legs with 5 sharp claws at the end of each paw.



Habitat:

In Arizona, porcupines make their dens in holes in the ground, in fallen logs, or in rocky areas. They are very good climbers, so they like to inhabit areas with trees or scrubby areas.

Diet/Behavior:

The North American porcupine is a herbivore eating fruits, leaves, herbs, and bark (and corn according to a very cute YouTube video). They are not aggressive and do not shoot their quills like previously thought. When they perceive a threat, they will puff up, making their quills stand straight out. The slightest touch to the quills will cause them to dislodge into the attacker. The skin of a porcupine holds an antibiotic to prevent infection for when they get stuck with their own quills. They are mainly active at night and are solitary creatures. 



Hunting:

Porcupines are not usually hunted, but have been in the past. If they are hunted or trapped, it is generally because they have become a nuisance or pest for the nearby population. They can wreak havoc on farming crops, and will wander into neighborhoods or other populated areas to nibble on canoe oars, plywood, and leather because they are continually on a search for salt and it is often added to treated woods and varnishes.

 

This is Dusty, the manager of our hunting department. He has hunted extensively across the world including Scaled Quail in Arizona and Dall Sheep in Alaska, from Kalij Pheasant in Hawaii to Cape Buffalo in Zimbabwe. His two favorite firearms are a vintage 404 Jeffery single-shot and a John Wilkes of London 12 bore side x side, purchased from our own Bass Pro Shop Fine Gun Room. I’m thinking about starting a new feature called the “Mustache Minute” because he may be in the running for the Most Interesting Man in the World.

 

Name: Dusty Erickson

Age: Real Old

Dept: Hunting GSM

 

Where were you born? Nebraska sandhills

Hobbies/Pastimes? Restoring antique engines & machinery

Best part of being a Bass Pro employee? My employees

Bass Pro reminds me of… growing up as a kid in Nebraska.

Any upcoming hunting/fishing/camping trips? Future mountain goat hunt back to Alaska.

If you were given a $1,000 BPS gift card, what would you buy? Spend it all on my employees.

Favorite sports team(s)? Indy Car Racing

My hero growing up was… my grandfather.

Star Trek or Star Wars? Neither

What 5 people, living or dead, real or fictional, would you invite to create the ultimate dinner party? Nickalaus Otto, Henry Ford, Teddy Roosevelt, Rankin Kennedy, Winston Churchill.

Ernest Hemingway famously bet his fellow bar patrons that he could write someone’s life story in 6 words. He came up with – and won the bet for- this gem: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.” My two examples: “I was told there’d be cake.” & “Pretty in Pink with cuter dress.” What is your six fourteen word memoir?

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you lose track of your goals.” Henry Ford

Ok, here's a secret. I'm obsessed with hot chocolate. Mint hot chocolate, white hot chocolate, orange hot chocolate, regular hot chocolate, all of it. But my absolute favorite is the Abuelita hot chocolate that Nestle makes. So here's my (mostly successful) attempt at making hot chocolate brownies the way that Abuelita would.



You'll have to forgive the lack of pictures. I actually took a ton, but in my hast to bake them and shove them into my face, they all came out blurry. I used Sister's Gourmet's Billion Dollar Brownies and then added some cinnamon and a bit of cayenne pepper. Not pictured above is a stick of butter, because I'm forgetful sometimes.



So this is the final product. I added a semisweet chocolate ganache on top, and then some white chocolate drizzle for effect. I suggest that you actually let yours cool before cutting and plating, but I am weak and couldn't help myself. I baked these at work and they were so good, they didn't last 5 minutes in the break room.

If I were to make this recipe again, I would add more cinnamon, omit the cayenne pepper (not because it was bad or spicy, but because I couldn't taste it at all and the extra cinnamon should give it plenty of bite) and remove about a tablespoon of the cocoa powder from the mix to make up for the extra cinnamon.

Recipe:

1 jar dry ingredients
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
For ganache
6 oz semisweet chocolate
1/3 whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Beat 4 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Add in one stick of softened butter.
4. Add entire jar of dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Add in 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.
6. Spread into greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
7. Heat milk in saucepan until boiling, then pour over chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Pour over brownies once they have cooled. Let cool completely before cutting.