Help! (as in the Beatles' song, not an actual cry of physical help, just mental and emotional help needed)

Hello All or None,

This is a whine, as opposed to my normal rant, so you've been forewarned.

Last week, I got a speeding ticket in a speedtrap (guess it was quota time) and today, on lunch, I went to start my car and the battery wouldn't start. So, I had to purchase a new battery. Good thing I just got paid on Friday, but now with all of that, I don't have money to pay any of my bills or buy any groceries.

So, to whatever meta-physical being that's decided I need to learn something, remember you can't get blood from a stone. In other words, I'm tapped out, so nothing else please.

The only solace I have right now are the brownies and cookies I made yesterday since I had the day off. Which, if you're wondering, is the last thing I need to be eating. But hey, it's either that or go home crying. So, I'm voting for fat and sugar (which turns into fat, BTW.)

The recipe for the cookies and brownies is below if you're having my kind of week (month, year, decade...


Turtle Brownies
(makes 16 brownies)

For the batter:
4 Tbl unsalted butter,
plus more for pan
3 oz good-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 C all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 C milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

for the topping:
1 C sugar
1/3 C heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans (4 oz)

Preheat oven to 325. Line a buttered 8" square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2" to hang over sides; butter the lining, excluding overhang; set pan aside.*Make batter: Put butter and chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a a separate bowl; set aside.Put sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture, milk, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl until well incorporated.Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies come out with a few crumbs but is not wet, 27 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
Make topping when brownies are cool. Bring 1/4 C water and the sugar to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. When water comes to a boil, stop stirring, and wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to cook, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is medium amber, 5 to 7 minutes.Remove from heat and immediately add cream, vanilla, and salt.** Gently stir with a clean wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until smooth. Add pecans, stir until caramel begins to cool and thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Pour caramel over brownies; spread with a spatula. Let caramel set for about 1 hour. ***I melted about 6 oz of semi-sweet chocolate from Schaffen-Berger with just a little milk or cream (wisk until smooth and don't burn the chocolate) and poured it over the top after the caramel had set up then put them in the fridge overnight. These may be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.***

Cranberry Hootycreeks (goofy name, I know, but I really good cookie)
makes 32 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.