How To Hunt for Your First Apartment Together 101.
1. When you walk in the door... does it feel like home? Can you imagine living here and making memories together? Hint: If you're already planning date nights of making dinner in the tiny kitchen, shutting out the world, and catching up on Once Upon a Time, with a couch against the wall here and the TV right there... the answer is yes.
2. Start a Pinterest board. Obviously.
2. Start a Pinterest board. Obviously.
3. Check out the closet situation. Preemptively claim 3/4 of it.
4. The kitchen: can you bake cookies in this kitchen? Does it feel like home too? Is it bright and full of natural light? Does it make you want to bake banana bread, late-night s'mores, Christmas dinner, and pumpkin pies?
5. Remind your boyfriend that this is a model apartment. The flatscreen is just for show. Also not sure what you're looking in the refrigerator for.
6. Decide where will the Christmas tree will go. No, seriously.
7. This deck is cute... but can I photograph stacks of brownies out here without the neighbors noticing?
9. Allow yourself a full minute to panic over lease lengths, deposits, rent, square footage, and the fact that you no longer have an excuse to avoid the gym.
10. Let's be honest: how close are we to a Starbucks?
Can I be honest with you for a tiny moment? Looking for an apartment can be completely overwhelming.
There. I said it.
You know what's not overwhelming?
Making chocolate chunk brownies on a lazy summer day.
Except, at the last minute, like the total adult you are, you swirl in marshmallow fluff and a handful of crushed graham crackers.
Just because.
I think we can agree... s'mores need no reason. Especially s'mores in the form of thick, fudgy brownies full of chocolate chunks, dark chocolate chips, swirls of marshmallow dreams, subtle, crunchy bits of graham crackers... and a crackly graham cracker top.
Impulsive baking. It's now a thing.
This is summer. This is easy-living. This is not an accent wall. I can handle this.
Can I be honest with you for a tiny moment? Looking for an apartment can be completely overwhelming.
There. I said it.
You know what's not overwhelming?
Making chocolate chunk brownies on a lazy summer day.
Just because.
Impulsive baking. It's now a thing.
This is summer. This is easy-living. This is not an accent wall. I can handle this.
Printable Recipe
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup chocolate chunks (I used a mixture of chocolate chunks & dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
1 cup marshmallow fluff
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease or line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until well-combined. Fold in chocolate chunks and crushed graham crackers using a wooden spoon.
Microwave marshmallow fluff for about 10-20 seconds, give it a quick stir, then add to brownie batter. Fold in a few times until just combined. You want there to be visible ribbons of marshmallow cream throughout the brownies.
Pour into baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until done and a toothpick inserted into the center of brownies comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before serving.
