is this real life?

today, topher and i traipsed on down to our local "modern gas" store (complete with 20 varieties of rice cookers and gas stove tops) and forked over thirty seven bucks for an amazing little item that has just increased my happiness scale to near tipping point.

a toaster oven.

i didn't believe topher when he a said a little toaster oven could be used to bake.  how is this possible, i said?  and now, i have to admit to the whole world:

i was wrong.

you CAN bake with a toaster oven.

and bake i did.

for my birthday, topher bought me some goodies from a local western grocery store in phnom penh.  in that sack of goodies, he included an amazing package of fudge brownie mix and chocolate frosting.

oh i put that to good use.

even using duck egg instead of chicken egg, it still turned out well.

did you know you could MISS batter? because i sure did!

i first made brownie cookies.  they were delicious.

then i went for broke and tried to make a pan of brownies.  because the pan provided was convex, the batter didn't distribute evenly and they got a little toasty in the middle.

BUT.

they were still delicious.

i frosted them...

and covered them in m&ms from my dear mom...

and cut a few for our host family.

and now i'm digging in with topher, jill and dexter morgan.

happy friday, all!