FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

A Just Good 30th Birthday Giveaway

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Just Good Chocolate Giveaway

I am not at all certain how my thirtieth birthday could possibly be next week.  I mean, nothing about me feels thirty.  Nothing at all, not one bit.  But here it is, thirty, peeking at me from around the corner.  And regardless of how I feel or don’t feel, thirty is just gonna happen.  So what am I going to do about it?

Brownie Batter

Well, I’m going to run away to LA for nine days at the end of the week (see, I’m not much of a thirty year old).

But first, I’m going to host a giveaway for lots and lots of Just Good Chocolate goodies.  Fifty dollars worth of top notch cocoa powder, brownie mix, hot cocoa, and chocolate nib/fruit/nut snack mixes could be yours.  And the winner, the winner will be announced on my thirtieth birthday.

Just Good Brownies

And just to give you an idea of how good Just Good brownies are…  I made an entire batch this afternoon.  I ate two.  I left one out for Hansell, only because he’s moving to Austin today.  And I froze the rest so that I can have a Just Good brownie whenever I darn well please.  There’s minimal sharing going on here, folks, because Just Good brownies are just that good.

To enter, simply leave a comment below letting me know your favorite chocolate dessert between now and 8PM CST on Wednesday, May 8th.  I’ll announce and contact the winner first thing on my birthday, May 9th!

Just Good Chocolate Frosting

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This past weekend was one for the books.  I took an unintentional vacation from FoodFash and spent almost every waking moment with my best buds.  Eating fancy food, watching bands from backstage, playing putt putt, discovering $8 bottles of champagne at Uncle Billy’s, listening to Kalu James play live from the back of a VW van, eating more fancy food, spending quality time at the lake house – total Austin, total jam packed.

I even attempted to bake a cake before putt putt, but didn’t quite plan the baking/pictures/cooling/pictures/frosting/pictures thing correctly.  I rushed out the door leaving the unfrosted cake behind, but excited nonetheless about my first experience with Just Good Chocolate’s Just Cocoa.

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FoodFash Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting (yields frosting for 2 – 9 inch cakes)

1 cup buttermilk

5 tablespoons flour

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (Just Cocoa!)

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk buttermilk and flour constantly until very thick.  Pour thickened milk into a bowl and allow to cool completely (this step can be expedited by putting the bowl in the fridge).  Add room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment at medium speed to cream the mixture together.  It is very important to let the butter soften at room temperature for frosting as heat-softened butter (i.e. microwaved butter) will make for a runny, unspreadable frosting.  Add cooled, thickened milk to the butter and mix at a medium-high speed until all of the ingredients are combined and the frosting is fluffy.  Add the cocoa and mix one last time.  Spread on a cooled cake and serve!