Pistachio Brownies
This brownie recipe is rich, fudgy and has a nice flavor kick from the pistachios and cinnamon. Ingredients: Instructions:
Ricky Raymond
Software Engineer · Full-Stack Web Developer · AI/ML Enthusiast
Located in Johnson City, TN.
Hi! I'm Ricky, a software engineer currently employed as a web developer. I have a passion for building scalable, user-friendly software/websites, and solving complex problems. I am a proponent of Free, Open-Source Software and enjoy exploring capabilities and implementations of machine intelligence.
C#, PHP, JavaScript, Python, React, WordPress, Shopify, AI/ML, Node, AWS, GCP, Azure, SQL — plus hands-on PC diagnostics & hardware repair. See full skill-set
Latest Blog Posts
Monkey’s Choice Banana Bread
I will make variations of my banana bread to appease my family, celebrate the season, or rid my kitchen of ingredients. One of my recent favorites that has become a regular in the rotation is what I’ll refer to as the Monkey’s Choice Banana Bread. Ingredients: Instructions:
Banana Bread
This is the recipe for the banana bread that I regularly make as a treat for my family. I like to keep it in the fridge for a few days and we will take slices as breakfast or snacks. It can pair well with butters and jams but is sweet and filling enough to eat […]
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Recent Recipes
View allPistachio Brownies
This brownie recipe is rich, fudgy and has a nice flavor kick from the pistachios and cinnamon. Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1-2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon espresso powder 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped Instructions: Heat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8×8 pan. Melt butter slightly. While still warm, stir in both sugars until glossy and smooth. Whisk in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. The batter should thicken slightly. Sift in cocoa powder, espresso, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. Fold just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pistachios. Spread evenly in the pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely, slice & serve.
Banana Bread
This is the recipe for the banana bread that I regularly make as a treat for my family. I like to keep it in the fridge for a few days and we will take slices as breakfast or snacks. It can pair well with butters and jams but is sweet and filling enough to eat as it is. Ingredients: 3-4 well ripened Bananas 1 large Egg 1/3 cup melted Butter 1/2 cup White Sugar 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda A pinch of Salt 1 1/2 cups Flour 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips 1/2 cup Walnuts 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar 1-2 tablespoons Heavy Cream or Milk Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F & butter/oil loaf pan. Mash bananas until smooth. Melt butter in microwave and mix in. Beat egg and mix in sugar towards end of beating. Mix that into banana along with baking soda, salt, vanilla, and spices. Stir in the flour until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for at least 60 minutes, testing with toothpicks to make sure the batter is fully baked. Remove immediately from pan and cool on wire rack. When banana bread is slightly warm to touch, combine powdered sugar in a bowl with cream, milk, or water to create a glaze. Balance the ingredients so it is pourable but thick like a syrup. Move the bread to a plate and cover the top in glaze, letting it run down and coat the sides.
Experience & Skills
Bachelor of Science in Computing
2016 – 2019East Tennessee State University · Johnson City, TN
Coursework spanned advanced DBMS, software engineering, information security, networking, HCI, and advanced full-stack web development. Capstone: built and deployed an Azure-hosted .NET Core MVC app with image-based D&D campaign management, using Entity Framework and Bitbucket CI/CD.
JavaPHPC#HTML5CSS3.NET CoreAzureEntity FrameworkJavaScriptSQLAWSPL/SQLGitLinuxDockerGithubBootstrapAgileObject-Oriented ProgrammingUnit Testing
Web Developer
2019 – 2022PZ Marketing · Johnson City, TN
Created bespoke WordPress themes, managed cloud servers, and migrated the team from page-builders to custom code—boosting Lighthouse scores ~40 %. Integrated e-commerce, REST APIs, and security hardening while mentoring junior devs and partnering with clients on requirements.
WordPressPHPJavaScriptSCSSMySQLGithubCI/CDGoogle AnalyticsCloudflarePerformance Optimization
Web Applications Developer
2022 – PresentWildfire Ideas · Winston-Salem, NC
Design, build, and maintain accessible web apps & reusable CMS blocks in React, Node, and PHP. Deliver ADA audits to hit WCAG 2.0 AA, integrate Shopify + third-party services via REST, and craft client docs/training that keep sites fast, secure, and search-friendly.
WordPressPHPJavaScriptSCSSPostmanCI/CDMySQLTailwindReactWebpackGulpGithubREST APIsAccessibilityWCAGSEOLiquidShopify
Freelance Web & Software Projects
2019 – PresentIndependent
Developed websites for individuals and small businesses, built custom React web apps, and released personal projects including browser games and desktop utilities. Handled client consultation, design, development, deployment, and PC troubleshooting. Selected projects: React based apps integrated with LLM APIs, WordPress custom development, cross-platform wallpaper app, and more.
ReactTypeScriptShopifyPythonNode.jsWordPressGitHubPuppeteerNetlifyRenderPostgreSQLPrismaRedisFigmaPC RepairClient CommunicationUI/UX