TWD: Espresso Cheesecake Brownies

Five years ago, we hosted a party for a group of people who worked with my husband. With 30 or so coming, we asked for everyone to bring a contribution. Fateful night, that was, as it has since been referred to as "the party where everyone brought chips." I'm not so much a chip person, although I am fond of TJ's salt and pepper potato chips and the tortilla chips from the Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory, so it took us months to munch our way through a half dozen or more leftover bags of Doritos.

Fast forward a few years, and I was more specific in my potluck recommendations -- another 30 coworkers, and one group brought apps, another sides, and the third dessert. Worked like a charm, but a seemingly forgotten one by last weekend. I'm a pretty organized person, but I try not to be too demanding, and for the smaller gathering, A. simply said that we'd do the grilling, and feel free to bring something to go alongside. Fearing his colleagues would run, not walk, to Meijer in search of chips, I planned cole slaw, potato salad, baba ghanoush and other CSA box inspired munchies. I made brownies and Dorie's Cheesecake Espresso Brownies for dessert.

So my brownies were made, and chilling in the fridge when the guests arrive. Our guests have unknowingly turned this party into "the party where everyone brought desserts" -- cupcakes, cookies, brownies... So my brownies sat in the fridge until Tuesday, when they travelled to the park for a loosely planned picnic. They were a bit dry on the bottom, in my opinion. And the more discriminating eaters actually asked for the cheesecake topping to be removed. I'm going to stick with the Katherine Hepburn brownies.