guest post & giveaway: sheena jibson

Am mixing things up a bit this week. Today's Meet the Maker is in the simplified form of a guest post + giveaway with Sheena from The Little Red House. It was love at first sight the day I stumbled upon Sheena's awe-inspiring photography and fabulous foodie blog and have been hooked ever since. She has the cutest style, don't you agree? That's why I'm so thrilled that she has agreed to share a guest post of one of her (and now my!) favorite recipes:

Sheena's Browndies!I made these up one night when I was craving something super chocolaty, but I wanted to mix it up a bit. I LOVE browned butter, (I may have a slight obsession) and if you've never tried it, put it on your to do list right away! The flavor is amazing and it perks up anything you add it to. So I thought.....why not brownies? And this is what I got!

Browned Butter Brownies
10 TBS butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I used Mexican vanilla)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oven to 325°

To brown butter:
Heat pan on medium heat.
Cut butter in to pieces and melt in pan.
Stir continuously. Butter will foam up.
After foam subsides, small brown flecks will start to appear in bottom of pan.
Continue stirring, until butter has reached a nice brown color, and nutty aroma.
When you want to lick the spoon, you know it's ready.
Turn the heat all the way down.

Add sugar to browned butter and stir until well combined.
taste this. it is insane.
Add the cocoa and stir until well combined.
Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit (not cold, not hot, just warm:)
Add the vanilla.
Add the eggs, one at a time.
Continue to stir--the mixture will be thick and shiny.
Add flour and salt and stir until just combined.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in your favorite tart pan until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Top with vanilla bean ice cream and fresh berries!

enjoy!

*****

To sweeten the deal even more, Sheena is treating one lucky reader to any fine art print or postcard set from her etsy shop--your choice my dears!! To enter the shopping spree giveaway:

1. Simply pay her sweet store a visit and leave a comment below saying what you'd choose if you won.
2. Blog, tweet, or facebook a link to this giveaway and help spread the news!

Giveaway ends Friday 10/15.