simple brownies a la mode

Brownies a la mode have been on my mind for the past week and by Saturday night I had finally amassed all the key players for this classic treat.  After a morning packed full of chores and an epic rainy afternoon outing at the playground swings with Violet, I was not in the mood to bake the brownies.  Fortunately Betty and Martha saved the day with convenience and cleverness.  I used just half of a Betty Crocker mix and divided it among two greased ramekins a la Martha Stewart's recipe.  A 20 minute stint in the oven and they were the perfect foundation for the rest of the goodies.  A little lot of vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and walnuts piled on top of the warm, freshly baked brownies nestled in their bowls made for the perfect ending to a long day.  And, the best (well, second best) part was there wasn't a caked on/baked on pan to scrub to break my post-brownie a la mode bliss.

I would love to try Martha's "from scratch" brownies recipe sometime.  It looks delicious!


image via marthastewart.com and slashfood.com