And the Oscar Goes to....Nutella Brownies

What a weekend! We had a lovely dinner at Madeo with friends on Friday night - and it was star studded. We arrived at the same time as Helena Christiansen, ate across from Brooke Burke and her husband, and saw McSteamy. Not to mention, their pizza covered with proscuitto and rigatoni with eggplant and mozzarella were divine. So was the chocolate mousse. We'll be back!

Yesterday was nice and lazy. I had my Junior League project in the morning, then had lunch with Mr. Icing and watched Definitely Maybe (watch it - you'll like it - it's a little bittersweet but very cute. After yoga, we ordered Chinese for dinner, and watched Pineapple Express. (I should clarify, I do yoga- Mr. Icing plays basketball and is not really a yoga sort of person). :)

Today was more fun at Prepared Childbirth. Next week is the good week where we take the nursery tour and learn about the epidural. This week was a very non-gory video (really, it was 10 minutes and not graphic at all - thank God), and learning about positions that can be comfortable. (Emphasis on "can")! After fighting the pre-Oscar hordes at the grocery store, we're home with a roasting chicken, sleeping kitties and good t.v.

But, I did make Nutella brownies yesterday. And, I want to share them with you, because if you like Nutella, you will LOVE these brownies. Unlike the spread, you can make these and freeze individual portions - to ensure that you ALWAYS have some. (I'm fanatical about always having some sort of brownie frozen for easy desserts at the last minute). Plus, that way, I don't eat as many of them!

So, promise me you'll consider making these? They are so easy and delicious!

Gianduia Brownies (from Gourmet Magazine)

1/1/4 c. hazelnuts toasted, skinned and ground (I toast by putting in oven safe pan in 350 degree oven until they smell toasty and delicious. To skin, I put them in a clean tea towel and rub them - the skins mostly come off in the towel - then pulse a couple times in the food processor).
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
3 oz. semi sweet chocolate (I think you can use chocolate bits)
1 stick butter (the recipe suggested unsalted, but I used salted)
1/4 c. Nutella
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter/flour 9" square pan.
2. Toast and skin hazelnuts then pulse in processor or chop with knife until coarsley ground.
3. Melt chocolate, Nutella and butter in double boiler or microwave until smooth. You may need to stir this a little bit.
4. While melting chocolate, sift together flour and baking powder (if you used unsalted butter, I would think a pinch of salt would be good here too).
5. Whisk sugar into chocolate/Nutella mixture until combined well. Add eggs, whisking again till mixture is smooth. Stir in flour and hazelnuts until just combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven. Gourmet says 35-45 minutes, but I baked mine for 30 and actually checked them at 25 - I really prefer brownies that aren't too dried out. I think 45 minutes would be too much, but it might depend on your oven. Let the brownies cool in the pan.

Here's what the final product looked like - and I can't tell you how good they were! I enjoyed mine warm - but I had another bite today cold - and even frozen, these are really delicious.

I hope your weekends were lovely, and if you're watching the Oscars, whose dress do you like best so far? I'm taking a 30 minute break for "Flight of the Conchords," but will be back to the Oscars soon.