BRIGADEIROS!

No birthday is complete without them! They're Brazilian sweets. Say BRI.GA.DEI.ROS, and curl your r's if you can. The bobbles sticking up out of them in the photo above are not traditional but the sprinkles (also called brigadeiros) are. As well as the tiny paper cups they're in. I say all that, but if you're like Adriana and me in 8th or 9th grade ... well ... you can just make them and eat them right out of the pan while sitting on the kitchen counter after school before going out to the club ;) Yes, the ones you see above, I made for my friend Erica's birthday not long ago. A few people asked me for the recipe, as well as 'what?! are they called again?' so here it is for you all with love:

BRIGADEIROS

Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder or Hot Chocolate Powdered mix

Directions:
In a saucepan mix the chocolate powder in with the condensed milk, add the butter. Keep your flame low and be sure to stir constantly until you can see the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir for another few minutes until your wooden spoon parts the gooey river, so to speak, for a couple of seconds. Pour it all onto a plate and let cool completely. If you can, leave them on the counter overnight (covered with a teatowel) as the texture will be better when you form them into the little balls. When you do form the little balls, do butter your hands slightly or you'll be a sticky mess. Roll the balls in brigadeiros (chocolate sprinkles or I think I've heard them called jimmies as well). Place the 'docinhos' (little sweets) in their individual paper cups and Feliz Anniversario! Or Feliz Everything! (Psst! In 11 days it's MY birthday so maybe I'll make them again then :)