I know, I know.
I should be talking about low fat, low calorie, low carb food. It is the New Year, after all. Time to make changes, get healthy, exercise more, drink less, take vitamins, and eat more fiber.
I have PLENTY of time to do that this year, but right now, I’m still reveling in the very last indulgence of the holiday season.
Last night, I rang in the New Year at a Mexican-themed party with good friends. We had Mexican food, lots of guacamole (a delicacy to this locavore) and Margaritas. I believe some hot sauce made its way into a bottle of Corona at one point (it was deemed “drinkable”).
We had props
Family Photo – Gangnam Style
To end the meal, I brought the perfect New Year’s Eve finger food–brownies. But not just any old brownies. Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies, complete with cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and a whipped cream topper.
Do yourself a favor and start 2013 off the right way: make these brownies. (And then go for a run. If you must.)
Perfect Platter
Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies
(Recipe adapted from MY favorite Mexican, Aaron Sanchez)
Ingredients
For the brownies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing (I used local butter, of course)
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs (local, pasture-fed eggs for me!)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (mine was heaping)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
Make the brownies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with butter. Be generous.
Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Don’t boil. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and baking powder. Add this to the wet ingredients in the saucepan and mix until smooth.
Wonder Twin powers activiate! Form of : The best fudging brownies in the world
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chocolate plus more chocolate is always the best idea
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 25 minutes. Cool in the pan before slicing.
Make the whipped cream:
Yes, this whipped delight is local!
Pour the whipping cream into a chilled bowl. Using a whisk and some elbow grease, whisk the cream until peaks are just about to form. Add the confectioners sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. Serve as a dip with the brownies.
You’re welcome
Feliz Ano Nuevo!
Rachel's Table 
All right, all you gorgeous women could afford a brownie or ten. Man, these sound amazing. As amazing as THOSE ‘STACHES OH MY! I should have known you were doing something fun and cool for NYE.
And Peppermeister made guacamole, too! It seems to be kind of a New Year’s tradition for us, actually. Then again, there’s never a bad time for guac. And I made blondies. I think we were on the same food wavelength yesterday.
Happy New Year!!!
I thought that photo of us at the end was appropriately silly, but now I just think it’s inappropriate. Oh well, that’s what Patrone will do to a girl.
I swear I thought of you when I donned that ‘stache.
Next year: you, me, ‘staches, guac, blondies AND brownies. It’s happening.
I had em for breakfast. Don’t judge me, por favor.
Never, mi amiga. I had a few leftover so that was first breakfast, followed by bacon for second breakfast.
Julie sent me here. No wonder she loves you. You are all mustache-ishy! Nice to meet you. ANd happy new year. I recently wrote a post about favorite small bloggers and asked people to tell me who their favorite bloggers are. You know, not people who get cars for blogging or have 10,000 followers, etc. Jules said you were someone to look at. So here I am. You are are muchas adorable.
And that is as far as I can go with my espanol, amiga.
Nice to meet you.
xoRASJ
I am very familiar with your work – in the form of entertaining comments on the blogs of Jules, B-Man, and Darla. I’m so glad you made your way over here. And at the suggestion of Jules no less. Wow. I feel like I’m kind of a big deal now.
I can’t believe I haven’t followed you yet…doing that now.
Love new bloggy friends! So lovely to meet YOU.
What super fun party idea. Those brownies would rock my world. I am digging the staches! Happy New Year, Rachel!
Happy New Year, Angie! May the ‘stache be with you in 2013.
I need to jus go ahead and make those to get it out of my system. Healthy eating can wait another day.
That’s the spirit, Emily!!
Do it.
Lunch with my mom and aunt and watching kids roller skate in the garage. Rainy and cold today — colder tommorow. *sigh*. Getting back to work this week. Party’s officially over. Cheers!
So what’s rainy and cold like in TX? Like 57 degrees??? 😉
The party’s so over now. And I’m having the January blues. I better go make more brownies…
Well, early this AM it was low 30’s, but by the evening, my kids were running around outside with crocs and no socks. We get such a non-winter.
Come over here. I will totally break you of those January blues. I’m still partying!! *clink*
I just popped the cork on some champagne, Shannon! So clink right back at ya! 🙂
That’s my girl!!
I need to bring in the new year with you next year. Y’all seriously look like you know how to have a good time. No brownies for me at the moment. Not just the whole trying to be healthy thing, but I also have the flu. So far 2013 has really come in with a bang!
Oh no! Not a great way to start the year. Especially when there’s brownies to eat and wine to drink!
Feel better, Misty! (And when you do, make these brownies.)
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