Today I drove through the suburbs
And pictured I was driving home to the double chocolate chip pretzel brownie š„Øš«
Olivia Rodrigo - drivers license
Are you part of the Olivia Rodrigo hype train yet? Iāve probably watched this music video as much as I have watched the To All The Boys Iāve Loved Before: Always and Forever trailer. Iāve been driving my sister crazy by listening to this song non-stop in the house for the past two week. I canāt help myself ā this song fits perfectly to the mood weāve all been probably feeling in the beginning of 2021 (aka sad bc of everything happening in the world). To top it off, thereās some drama behind this song and we all love a good Hollywood entertainment. Lastly, Taylor Swift is a huge fan! If youāre a Gen-Z or a millennial and havenāt listened to this song yet, I am super disappointed in you and suggest you listen to it now!
Todayās newsletter will somehow revolve around driverās license. I tried to avoid making this a depressing newsletter but instead found ways to incorporate bits and pieces of the song! If youāre a fan of the song or generally have been feeling down and need some pick-me-ups, this is the newsletter for you! I hope some of my product recommendations are able to bring you back some energy and happiness while the chocolatey sweet and salty brownie recipe brings you much needed comfort.
I just can't imagine how you could be so okay, knowing that youāve never tried a *brownie dump* before? š±
What is a brownie dump? I may have made this term up or it may mean something entirely different. But in my world, I like to call my brownie a *brownie dump* when I *dump* random ingredients in to my brownie batter. I like to do this when I have stale pretzels sitting in my pantry, an odd amount of chocolate chips, leftover candy, or just crumbs of potato chips. You could even dump in walnuts/peanuts/almonds/pecans, peanut/almond butter, or coconut flakes! Just look through your pantry ā youād be surprised to know a lot of random ingredients oddly go well on brownies. I made this for an outdoor BBQ party before and it didnāt last too long. I kept this brownie dump a bit simple and just added pretzels and dark chocolate chips! I personally feel like this is the perfect and easy comfort dish to bake when youāre feeling down! Let me know what you decide to add in to YOUR brownie dump!
Ingredients:
10 TablespoonsĀ butter
1Ā and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cupĀ + 2 Tablespoons unsweetenedĀ cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoonĀ salt
1 teaspoonĀ pure vanilla extract
2Ā largeĀ eggs
1/2 cupĀ all-purpose flourĀ
1Ā and 1/4 cups choppedĀ pretzels (can use chocolate covered pretzel if you want to make this a triple chocolate brownie)
1/3 cupĀ darkĀ chocolate chips
Dash of sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325Ā°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
Melt the butter, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl in the microwave. Melt in 30 second increments and stir after each time until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will look gritty. Set aside for a few minutes as you get the other ingredients ready.
Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the flour, beating with a whisk until fully combined. Gently fold the pretzels into the batter, leaving a few to sprinkle on top. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Scatter the chocolate chips and leftover pretzel pieces on top. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Bake for 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick inserted in the center. If it comes out with only a few crumbs, the brownies are done. Bake for 3-5 minutes if the brownies look too liquidy. Try not to bake over 30 minutes.
Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting into squares.
You said forever, now I drive alone past your street š
That headline was probably slightly depressing? But ā¦ todayās newsletter is dedicated to *driverās license* (if you couldnāt tell already) and there is no way to make this song feel peppy. I wanted to dedicate this section to Olivia Rodrigoās fashion in the music video because I absolutely LOVED it. How does someone look so gorgeous even after a breakup? I personally probably would look like a hot mess while wearing similar types of clothing like her ā oversized tees, overalls, and mom jeans. According to the Pop Sugar article ā Olivia styled herself which is incredible. The whole music video felt even more personal after I found that out. Here are some similar finds to what Olivia wore in the music video, āfeeling downā starter pack items, and creative fan merch I found on Etsy.
Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo Embroidery (Tweet above): This is running low! If you need a new hobby during quarantine or distraction from whatever may be causing you to feel down ā this is perfect. Brew up a cup of hot chocolate, play ādriverās licenseā in the background, and start stitching!
Lisa Says Gah Denim Shopper Tote, Counting Sheep: Did you know counting sheep can help you fall asleep? Although, one time I had to count up to 200 sheep before I passed out. This tote bag is cute for when you want to go grocery shopping and buy tons of Ben and Jerry pints and hide it as you make your way back home.
Madewell Overalls: I personally love overalls and own way too many to even count. I literally have a drawer dedicated to overalls and itās an unhealthy obsession. Out of all the overalls Iāve purchased, Madewell is the one brand I keep going back to! I own a pair of white, black, and denim ones from them ā long and short! The overalls are made from soft denim material where it feels like youāre wearing leggings. The best part is itās not stiff and Iām able to breathe in them! I tend to wear them when I know Iām going to eat a lot and want to be comfy! Sometimes they even offer petite sizes, which is perfect for short gals like me!
3 x Mini Dried Flower Bunches: Flowers are always lovely to look at but I donāt have a green thumb like my dad so dried flowers are the way to go for me! I also love how I get to re-use my old wine bottles because recycling for the win. Since, weāve all been stuck at home, Iāve been trying to find ways to decorate my room to help me not feel so dull. Etsy has an amazing selection of dried flowers and a lot of them are of great quality so it lasts a while!
Halo Blooming Tea: Although, alcohol can help you momentarily distract your mind. Why not go for a cup of tea that blooms into a flower? This tea is such a visual delight and help provides a calming effect. I know whenever Iām stressed out having a cup of tea instantly relieves me of my anxiety and allows me to take a deep breath.
Rare Beauty Tinted Lip: A very moisturizing and pigmented lip balm! This is perfect for everyday wear. Most of the time, I never show my face in a Zoom meeting but when I have to I prefer to dab this on my lips to make myself look more alive! I love how I can build this lipstick up ā I can go darker if I want or apply a lighter shade for days when I want to look more natural. Plus, this is Selena Gomezās brand and she always looks stunning!
Glossier Moon Mask: Unwind in the evening with this hydrating mask. This is a boost for your skin especially in the winter. The best part you donāt have to even take this off after 20 minutes. If youāre on the lazy side like me you know that cleaning up after a clay mask is such a hassle! Luckily, you can keep this on overnight! Youāll wake up with plump, smooth and glowing skin!
Moonstruck Strawberry & Basil Dark Chocolate Bar: Dark chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, which creates the āfeel goodā hormones. Why not treat yourself to this pretty looking chocolate bar featuring an exotic combination of basil and strawberry?
Driver's License Crewneck: āYou said forever, now I drive alone past your street.ā I feel like this is the saddest line in the song and Iām not going to lie, I low-key teared a little when I first watched the music video and heard her sing those words. This is a cute sweatshirt with a nice graphic designed to look like a driverās license while featuring my favorite line from the song. Cozy yourself up this winter with this warm sweatshirt.
Red lights, stop signs š¦š
Hopefully, youāve made it this far and havenāt deleted the email! Hereās a fun fact about me: I actually got my drivers license at the age of 20, which is a bit late. I failed my first road test at the age of 19 because I hit one of the cones while parallel parking and was traumatized and refused to drive for a whole year ā I was truly a drama queen Leo. Eventually, I realized I needed to drive on my own as a commuter because public transportation in New Jersey is basically non-existent. Luckily, I passed with flying colors my second time and I prefer driving over public transportation now. Oh, how the tables have turned lol.
Since, you already made it this far why not shareĀ this post (click button below) with your friends,Ā likeĀ this post, and/orĀ subscribeĀ to my newsletter! See you all next week (donāt worry itāll be a more uplifting theme)! Until then ā¦ stay sweet and stylish!