Happy Valentines Day!

I just wanted to write a little post and say Happy Valentines Day! It is stormy and rainy and gloomy but I am still happy because I get to tell all the important people in my life that I love them! Mike is amazing and was pretty sneaky today with his gift and Sydney spent all morning writing her name on all of her valentines for preschool and Andrew is well naughty but he is still my little buddy and makes me laugh! I love my family and I am so grateful for them! I fell loved and that is all that I need! To all of my family and friends that I am not with today I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Valentines Day!

Orange Brownies

Sydney took this picture and it is how I am feeling today!!!

Okay so I made orange brownies today and they turned out so good I am going to post about them! These are Mikes favorite. I got the recipe from Paula Dean. Right now they are cooling and I cannot wait to eat one. I will put the recipe below but I have to warn you they are super good and the whole pan will disappear in one sitting if you are not careful. They are not cholatey so the name is deceiving but they are delicious all the same! I hope yours turn out as good as mine! Happy Brownies!

Orange Brownies
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
I've had the opportunity to make so many new friends in the restaurant. Robin Wilson from Altamonte Springs, Florida, is one of those. Robin recently was one of a hundred finalists in the 39th Pillsbury Bake-off, where she won a side-by-side refrigerator and a trip to San Francisco. As she and her husband were enjoying lunch at The Lady and Sons, she mentioned her Orange Brownies, and she was happy to share the recipe. Thanks, Robin, and good luck to ya in your next bake-off! Get that gold, girl!
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest and beat with a handheld electric mixer until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and pierce top of entire cake with a fork.

Glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Pour glaze over cake. Cool cake and cut into squares.