In high school, I was quite excited to go on a date with a certain boy. Sure, he was smart and attractive. He worked as a volunteer for children and old ladies. He had been a state champion in a number of sports.
None of those were the reasons though. There is one fact that got me more excited than anything else.
He played guitar.
And he told me that he was going to play a special song JUST FOR ME.
Now that was something to send my teenage heart a-fluttering.
I got dropped off at his house (I know, it’s quite the image of sexiness when you can’t get your license until you are nearly 21 years old, and thus you have to depend on the driving skills and vehicles of others to get anywhere) and waited as patiently as I could until he answered.
The acoustic masterpiece was set right by the door, and he picked it up shortly after I walked in (obviously there was a bit of business to be taken care of first). I sat down on the couch, thinking that I was about to be serenaded, or at very minimum whispered to in some attempt at pitch.
Oh boy, was I in for a treat.
He started playing and he was good. And then he started singing. His song of choice?
Christian music. Specifically, a song about how you need to hold our savior holy until marriage.
I have never been so disappointed up until then in my LIFE. It was totally out of left field. Here this guy was putting on a rocker vibe, and apparently nothing was allowed to rock his world except the Holy Spirit. Now, I’m not saying that’s a bad thing- just don’t pretend to be otherwise!
I then had to pretend to nod appreciatively for the next hour during the longest concert of my life.
Worth Singing For Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
you could halve the recipe, but you’d regret it
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
- 2 c plus 1/2 c sugar
- 2 tsp + 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 c cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp gel red food coloring, or 1 tbsp liquid red food coloring
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 4 + 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 c flour
- 16 oz softened Neuchâtel cheese
- Cooking spray
How-to
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat a glass 13×9 in baking dish with cooking spray. (I prefer glass.)
- In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, 2 c sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla.
- Slowly add in the cocoa powder and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Add in the red food coloring, increasing the amount if necessary to obtain your desired redness. Mix in vinegar.
- Slightly beat 4 eggs and add to mixture.
- Add flour until just combined. Reserve 1/2 c batter and pour the rest into the baking dish.
- In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2 eggs until well combined.
- Pour cream cheese mixture over the brownies and then dollop the remaining batter on top of that. Use a knife to swirl layers together.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool and serve.
Warning: these become even more fudgy and delicious if you store them in an airtight container overnight.
domestic diva, M.D. 
Cheese in brownies…now, this sounds good (better than the er…serenade).
That’s okay. On my 18th bday, my boyfriend at the time decided to sing a song dedicated to me in front of all the faculty and students at my highschool. That was fine except it was the Beatles “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road.” Talk about sink into your seat embarrassing.
Great story!
Good story, good recipe. I may even try it. (The recipe, not the song about the Holy Spirit.)
There’s just something about men and guitars..and brownies with cheese!! That seems delish!
Confirms all that we know of books and covers. I’m surprised you stayed as long as you did as it sounds like he and the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have missed you:-)
Remember the part where I said I didn’t have a drivers license? I couldn’t get away!
This is an excellent story, I agree … how many of these gorgeous brownies did you need to eat to get over the disappointment!
Hahahahahaaaaa – I don’t mean to laugh but it was surely funny.
Those brownies look fantastic!
Very funny post DDMD!
Reblogged this on Out of Time Mom and commented:
These brownies look yummy!
Thank you so much!!!
haha, that is totally not where I was expecting that story to go! but I suppose it’s not where you expected the night with him to go, either!
That brownie looks amazing.
All that cream cheese makes me happy! These look divine. 🙂
good stuff!
Ha!
Very amusing indeed 🙂 I have quite a lot of boy-playing-guitar stories – er, too many, some might say, too many – but those stories are going to need to wait for my memoirs ;). Thanks for stopping by Play a Good Knife and Fork! (blog.pknewby.com)! And good luck in the match…
These brownies sound delicious! I will have to try these over the weekend. You may see these on my blog next! Remember, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!” Thanks for checking out my blog. I’ll be back 🙂
Haha, no worries as long as you provide credit. 😉 They’re even more delicious after you store them in an airtight container for a day!
Of course, credit will be noted. Thanks so much and for the tip. I will pack any leftover brownies in an airtight container for my coworkers on Monday!
I’m making these next time I have a hankering for red velvet. They look delish!!
Similar thing happened to me in university!! Would’ve been perfect otherwise. Love your writing style and love the recipes that go along with it. Mmm…brownies. Looking forward to reading more posts. Happy adventures in med school 🙂
These brownies look absolutely perfect 😀
Perfect for dinner, breakfast or a snack 😉
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Marbled Muffintopcookiecake Hybrid
Still laughing here. Still thinking of those brownies, too . . .
Oh dear! Chuckling – bet you wish you had those brownies to help pass the hour back then!
These were awesome and easy to make. Made them for a dinner party over the weekend and they were a huge hit. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the story!
I’m so glad!
Yum! I can’t wait to make these.
These sound great! They would be great to make and take to a family event or even share with your neighbor. Again, your story was great as well. After such a let down, these brownies might be the trick to perk a young girl back up!! 😉
I’m a pretty big fan of them…the last time I made them was for a stressful conference weekend. My friend, who was planning the conference, told me, “If I seem stressed out, have someone shove a brownie in my mouth. I’ll then calm down.”
A brownie might help lower stress levels, what a good idea. Something about chocolate right?? 😉
And red velvet. She is from the South. 😉
These sound awesome! (Roll on Easter!)
Feel free to switch up the food coloring depending on the holiday 🙂