the goose loves brownie bite surprises

In case you didn't read the post before this one, Sunday was our 1st Wedding Anniversary. We had a great day - went to church, watched UP soccer players play for USA in the World Cup and lose, checked out Volvos, walked around 23rd Ave, and went to dinner! We didn't get dessert at dinner, so I figured I'd make something tasty at home. But by the time we got home again, we were stuffed and sleepy and busy getting ready for the workweek. So no anniversary dessert...

...until Monday! After getting back from work yesterday, our dear friend Jackie brought her dog Dakota over to play with Bentley and I got a-bakin'. I wanted to make something different that Billy would love, and there are few things he loves more than the combo of chocolate and peanut butter. (Yeah, he probably loves beer more, but I'm not about to make beer).
Mmm. I can't blame him. So I found this recipe from an amazing blogger and went to town. Being semi-short on time (Billy was due home soon from teaching drum lessons), I pulled out a handy box-mix for brownies (complete with a FUDGE packet!!) and started mixing.

Whipping the eggs, milk, and oil above, and then adding the fudge packet, below. Mmm fudge. Even though it kinda looks like poop in the bowl. Does not taste like poop, though - let me assure you. Maybe I tried some of it before it went in, okay?

And my very-coordinated mixing bowl-mixing spoon-measuring cup set. :) (Of course it's all purple!!)Here's my brownie batter in my mini-cupcake pan.

And now for the magic part! I may have taken a bite out of that top one.

So here is where I realize I missed one of the most important photos of the process. Or maybe not! I did say they were surprises, right?

Meanwhile, I had some extra brownie batter after filling up the muffin tin so I filled two little Le Creuset au gratins (I'm so french) with the extra batter. And the sprinkles were a must. When looking up close, you can see the heart sprinkles I added. It is our anniversary after all, and anniversaries are about love, and hearts, and chocolate, and stuff.

And now,

SURPRISE!

I'm sure you can guess what happened to those cute little bite-sized Reeses.

Ahh the wonders of ovens - what a beautiful product:

And at another strange angle:

And a whole pile of them, for Billy's enjoyment! (And mine. Don't worry - I enjoyed them too. Maybe overly enjoyed them. That's why the girls are coming over to get rid of them tonight!)

I dare you to whip some up yourself. They're too easy for excuses!

And how could I leave out the mini pan-size ones?

However, as delicious as these little brownie bites are, and as much as we both enjoyed them, the best part of the anniversary of the day-after-our-wedding was my BEE-UTIFUL anniversary gift, which Billy picked up in its final form on his way home from band lessons.

It made me cry. For reals.

But, I guess you'll have to tune in tomorrow to find out what exactly that was..... :)