Odds 'n' Ends

I think I may have A.D.D.  Maybe even A.D.H.D.  I really can't sit still so I instead flit all over the house constantly puttering, straightening, and reorganizing.  Crooked picture...not in my house.  Junk drawer...not in my house.  Disorganized photos...definitely not in my house.  So far this morning, I've purchased a couple of things online, downloaded a book from the library, have done two loads of laundry, visited Pinterest, and have downloaded some photos from the camera.  One of the pictures on the camera is of a cheesecake I made over the weekend.  If you're dieting or are trying to live life on a low-fat diet (or are concerned about a heart attack looming in your future), then you probably won't want to make this.  Ever.  But, I believe that life is short and everything should be tried once...within moderation.  Except for skydiving. 

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
(Recipe from my dad...who is a whiz in the kitchen!)

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix
3 pkg. cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat cream cheese because I just couldn't bring myself to use up my weekly (maybe even monthly?) fat allowance on regular cream cheese.)
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (Again, this recipe is not for the faint of heart.)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 bag mini chocolate chips


Mix brownie mix according to directions on package and pour into a spring-form pan.  (My pan is 10" and must be a good size because nothing leaked out.)  Bake at 350 for about 35 min. or until set.  Allow to cool and beat together:  cream cheese, milk, eggs, and vanilla.  (I also added a little confectioners sugar because I thought it needed a little extra sweetness with three whole packages of cream cheese.  Plus, this recipe already shoots your diet to hell, so it won't hurt anything to add some extra sugar.  I probably added about a cup...maybe a little more.  I just stopped adding it when I tasted it and it was pretty yummy.)  Stir in chocolate chips and pour over cooled brownies.  Bake at 350 for another 50 min. and chill in fridge.  (I think if you eat this with a salad and bean sprouts, then you can enjoy a piece without too much guilt.  Maybe not, but you can always worry about it the next day.)



This picture of the cheesecake isn't as good as it tastes.  Notice one of the edges is missing.  I took the edge of the pan away while the cheesecake was still too warm.  Definitely don't be impatient like me.  Or, if you like to eat the edges of things that fall off when you take the pan away too early, then by all means...go ahead and indulge in your impatience.  We had some last night and this is what was left.  It's really rich and decadent, but gives The Cheesecake Factory a run for its money! 

I didn't have mini chocolate chips because I never buy them.  Seriously, why eat something so small when you can eat something bigger and better?  I just chopped them up in a blender and sprinkled them into the mixture.  Of course, because I'm always in such a hurry, I totally forgot to add them BEFORE I poured them into the mixture BEFORE they went onto the brownies.  I just added them to the mixture on top of the brownies, stirred them in, and life was good again.  I do tend to add stuff after I'm supposed to because I usually don't read the recipe all the way through because I'm in too much of a hurry to just start making the recipe.  And, before you wonder, yes...this method definitely backfires on me.  A LOT!  I think it has to do with my attention span.  I'm ready to move onto another project halfway through making the recipe.  One that usually involves me straightening or reorganizing something.