wendy's brownies

Generally, I am a homemade, start from scratch, baked goods person. Especially when it comes to pies and cookies, nothing comes close. Brownies were a different story. I never could find a good recipe and preferred pre-made mixes that seemed richer and more moist. But last year, my sister-in-law Mallory challenged my boxed brownies with her favorite recipe. It is perfect, convenient ingredients and yummy. Again, I was hooked on homemade.

So back in November, I went to my friend's baby shower where I tried a ridiculous, basically melt-in-your-mouth, velvety brownie. Once you look at this recipe, it's easy to see why. It's basically chocolate mixed with chocolate. I still love Mallory's recipe, but if I have the ingredients, I will definitely bust out this recipe.

homemade whip cream

First, never read cookbooks late at night. It's bad news.

While sifting through borrowed Donna Hay cookbooks, my stomach quickly  decided dinner wasn't enough. Rather than committing to cookies or a larger dessert project, I cut up a banana, topped it with peanut butter and homemade whip cream, pretty simple. And seriously, really good. I'm not sure why we sell whip cream in stores. I mean, I do, but it's definitely better homemade.

Whip cream is really easy to make with an immersion blender (must-have registry item, I think). I use this little guy for everything: soups, salsa, whip cream, guacamole. I have friends who use it to make baby food. Whatever they're eating, they just blend it and serve. It's an investment, and easier to store than a food processor.

Homemade Whip Cream
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon of sugar (more or less to your preference)

Mix until cream makes stiff peaks.

For dessert, it isn't that unhealthy other than the fat in the heavy cream and two teaspoons of sugar, but still filled with potassium and protein. What's your go-to quick dessert?