it's what's in the middle that counts

"You've been silent for a month and you are giving us bars?! Really?" I know that's what you are thinking and yes, I am. "Oat bars? AGAIN?" Yes, but these are different, I promise. I make bars and cookies and individual things a lot because I'm often doling them out for meetings with large groups of people and as much as I love cake and pie and tarts, you have to save all of that manhandling with the serving knife for your family. That and certain people need portion control. Come on, you all have that person in the office (or home, ahem) who thinks that "just one slice" equates to a quarter of the cake and before you know it a cake for sixteen has turned into a cake for six. Then you have people like me who say "oh just a sliver" and ten slivers later you've had two whole pieces. I am not in denial, people, I know my weaknesses. That being said, there is something awe-inspiring about toting in a nice, round confection eight inches across and six inches deep with simple, chic . I will have to tame the pie wrangler sooner or later.

Back to important matters, these squares are fabulous and I didn't do any crazy tweakage from the original recipe...the first time I made them. I am still perfecting a white chocolate pistachio version and if you master it before I, please let me know. I have a feeling it has to do with much more sugar occurring in white "chocolate" than dark and I need to mess around with that a bit. Ignoring the chemistry behind these for now, though, I have to say, these bars have satisfied my longing for Keebler® MAGIC MIDDLES! Do you remember these? Were you actually birthed when these things were in existence? I think I OD'd on these cookies around the same time I did on Cool Ranch Doritos® and Pizzarias Chips (also discontinued) but like all things from the past, they come back and haunt me every so often and I wonder why, oh why did they ever go away? The centers to these bars have the same melty-but-not-gooey consistency when left at room temp. If you put them in the fridge, they firm up nicely and are equally as enjoyable. However, if you want a trip down '90s junk food lane, leave them on your table and nix the nuts.

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars

adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Yield: 32

INGREDIENTS
oatmeal dough
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 stick and 6T unsalted butter, room temperature
2 C brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 C old-fashioned (rolled) oats

chocolate filling
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk, any fat content
2 C (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 t salt
1 t pure vanilla extract
3/4 C salted peanuts, coarsely chopped I think anything goes here. I tried macadamias, almonds and cashews and they all turned out great!

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil or grease thoroughly.
oatmeal dough
1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Still on low speed, or working by hand with a rubber spatula, stir in the oats.
5. Set aside 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the mixture, then evenly press the remaining dough over the bottom of the pan. Set aside while you prepare the chocolate layer.

chocolate filling
1. If you don't have a double-boiler, set a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
2. Put the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt in the bowl and stir occasionally until the milk is warm and the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the vanilla and nuts.
3. Pour the warm chocolate over the oatmeal crust, then drop the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top in clumps.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is matte and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool for about 2 hours before cutting.

Nutrition: 341 cal, 17.5g fat, 190mg sod, 42g carb, 23g sugar, 1g fiber, 4g protein

 

second time's a charm

I love the sections in Cook's Illustrated where they "revisit" a traditional home recipe like chocolate brownies, carrot cake or corn chowder and try to perfect and rejuvenate it.  Sometimes a recipe is just too good to give up on. Such was the case with these bars that Mommy Dearest made for the Christmas cookie plates. She followed the directions perfectly and regardless of what Kraft may say, they did not solidify and ended up leaking over many of our other lovely confections. Caramel Peppermint Crescents? Not a great combination.

The ingredient combo in these bars appealed to most of us but we had a very difficult time prying them off of the plates to actually taste them. I had to come up with a way to remedy the issue because caramel, marshmallow and graham crackers are too high on my list to pass this recipe up. Below is the result. You can view the original recipe for a comparison and you will see in the reviews that several people had the same issue that we did and also felt there was too much chocolate (which I pared down). I am not entirely surprised considering the process and ingredients used in the original recipe would most likely not yield a solid bar unless frozen and then your dentist would be thanking you and your wallet would be crying.

Caramel Crunch Bars

adapted from Kraft
Yield: 24

INGREDIENTS
9 Graham cracker sheets
2 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk any fat content will do, I used one can fat free
1/2 C unsalted butter again, you can use light sticks of butter
1/2 C roasted peanuts I prefer the dry roasted
1 C miniature marshmallows
1 C (3-oz) coarsely crushed pretzels
4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T melted peanut butter for drizzling optional

DIRECTIONS
Line 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil or grease regular foil generously.
1. Fit 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets along the base of the pan as tightly as possible. Crush up the remaining graham crackers to distribute crumbs between the cracks. This was a particular complaint among the original recipe- people felt the caramel leaked below the crackers and created a sticky mess.
2. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and turn up heat to medium-high, bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to medium-low to simmer. Stir mixture constantly until it thickens and turns amber in color. Time will vary depending on your stove top but with my gas range it took about 20-25 minutes (a little less if I cooked on medium heat but be careful not to burn and do NOT walk away from the stove).
3. Gently pour and smooth caramel over graham crackers.
4. Press peanuts, marshmallows, pretzels and chocolate over the caramel. To ensure that everything sticks and to give a toasted look to the marshmallows, I will turn on the broiler and put the pan in the oven for 2 min.
5. Drizzle peanut butter over top if desired.

Nutrition: 245 cal, 9g fat, 120mg sod, 38g carb, 32g sugar, 1g fiber, 5g protein

dark treats for dark winter days

In the dead of winter after all of the festivities have passed, a little cloud of sadness sometimes appears as you hope for spring to arrive. This cloud may be a little larger and darker with lake effect snow and blizzard-like winds if you live in the Northeast. Curses on you if you are basking in the glow of Texas sunshine. Or maybe I should say "you are so lucky and beautiful, would you please send me a plane ticket?"

During these long months as the days ever so slowly gain light, we need something to warm our hearts, brains and stomachs. Caramel and chocolate are perfect dead-of-winter flavors and these will most certainly tide you over until the last signs of snow melt away by the end of Mar...{cough}May. I did say that we live in the Northeast.

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 C butter or margarine, softened
1 C sugar
1 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa I love Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa®
1 t baking soda
1 C chopped pecans, optional
9 oz package of chocolate covered caramels Rolo®s and Caramel Kisses® work well

DIRECTIONS
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape one tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely, to form balls.
4. If desired, gently press the top of each ball into the chopped pecans. In my world, kids won't touch anything with nuts on it and my lovely grandmother cannot have them so I skipped this step.
5. Place balls, pecan sides up, 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; cool completely on wire racks.

Nutrition: 114 cal, 5g fat, 37mg sod, 17g carb, 11g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

gobble this up

Happy Turkey Day! We began today, the day after "Hors D'oeuvre Day" with this Pumpkin Pear Strudel recipe from Libby's®. This was awesomely easy to make and I had it sitting in my freezer for the past month (unbaked) so I could whip it out at my parentals' without having to slave away in the kitchen and miss fam time. I am so thankful for an amazing first year of marriage, a healthy and recovering Aunt Potty and a forever wondrous family who is always there for me. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and please go savor some pie. In addition to the five pies I mentioned before, we are having a cheddar apple torte courtesy of my brilliantly talented cousin Em and a chocolate mayonnaise cake from Aunt Potty. Cure the turkey lethargy with a slice of sugar high.

put some egg in your noggin

Discussing Christmas in November practically sacrilege in my family, where Thanksgiving rules all holidays. As most people recognize and comment on, Turkey Day is hardly observed in the stores as consumer wares shift from Halloween to Christmas in less than twenty-four hours after trick-or-treating has ceased. Maybe that is why we laud it as the best celebration of the year- we are forever cheering on the underdog or the weirdo around here, from tearing up over the ugliest dog in the kennel to promoting a public display of wearing nightgowns on our heads as a substitute for real hair (long story).

The obsession over making this holiday fully appreciated has turned Thanksgiving into a three day affair at my parentals' house. It began six years ago when they moved away from our extended family and went from hosting a celebration of at least twenty people to five or six. It was inconceivable to them to cut back on any of our usual foods (from hors d'oeuvres through dessert) and they even managed to add more to menu. There was no way that we could stomach eating three rounds in one day (well, we probably could but you would have to roll us out the door on a stretcher) so we made three. The day before Thanksgiving is now dubbed "Hors D'oeuvres Day" (my personal fave) where we are pretty creative and lenient with the options. The day of Thanksgiving is a traditional dinner with all of the usual players: turkey, sweet and mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (blech), five kinds of pie, etc. Day three is "Turkey Sandwich Day" where we consume massive amounts of white bread mayo sandwiches (Mommy Dearest claims that wheat would ruin the effect, can't have an ounce of health, here!) with little slivers of the pie we could barely eat the day before. Thanksgiving is not a holiday, it is an event.

That is why consuming and now baking something with eggnog before the "event of the year" takes place could likely get me ousted from the turkey table. Torren had to have the nog when it hit the shelves, however, and I just couldn't handle having is presence around without giving it a little try. That is where these little nutmegalicious cookies come into play. Hopefully they won't get me banned from the lemon meringue pie (my annual offbeat request) that is calling to me.

Nutmeg Nibbles: Eggnog Cookies

Yield: 18 large cookies or 3 dozen small

INGREDIENTS
1 C brown sugar
3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 t vanilla extract
1 T bourbon, optional
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 C plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1 t ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
3/4 C white chocolate chips
3/4 C of Hershey's© Cinnamon Chips
1/2 C pecan halves, optional

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
1. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla and bourbon; beat at medium speed until smooth.
3. Alternate adding flour mixture and eggnog until just combined.
4. Stir in chips and nuts with a wooden spoon.
5. For large cookies, drop three rounded tablespoons per cookie. Space three inches apart (I fit about eight cookies per sheet) on parchment-lined cookie sheet. For smaller cookies, drop one heaping tablespoon and leave two inches between each cookie. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg and cinnamon. Bake 12-14 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown.

Nutrition (large cookies): 298 cal, 17g fat, 90mg sod, 33g carb, 18g sugar, 2g fiber, 4g protein

choc full o' nuts

I'm going to get right to the food here on this one because my random summer escapades have kept me from my oven and it sure needed some lovin'. I am hoping these are going to be a hit with my BFF's betrothed because these have similar add-ins to the Pineapple and Macadamia Islands that I sent their way a few months back since he is crowned the b-day boy in less than a week.

I love catering to other people's tastes. It makes me feel like I'm being let in on a piece of their inner workings. I also feel that if you take the time to ask and learn what they like and then spend some more time on the prep, it's kind of the adult route to an arts and crafts project. Remember all of those macaroni necklaces? Well instead of me making you wear this, you get to actually ingest it without inducing an avian attack every time you go outside. Happy your very welcome.

Butterscotch Choconut Crunch Bars

Yield: 48 bars

INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 C unsalted butter
4 C firmly packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 T vanilla extract
2 T dark rum
4 C all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t baking powder
1 C almonds, lightly salted
1 C cashews, lightly salted
1 C macadamia nuts, lightly salted
1 package Almond Joy Pieces or 10 oz. Almond Joy Bars, chopped
11 oz. KitKat bars, chopped I used the milk, dark and white chocolate mini mix because I am a sucker for variety

DIRECTIONS
Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line it with foil.
1. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and rum.
2. Melt and lightly brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat then stir it into the sugar mixture to create a smooth, caramel-like batter.
3. Whisk in the flour and baking powder to form a loose batter. (Make sure the batter is cool before stirring in the remaining ingredients, otherwise the chocolate will start to melt before the bars are baked.)
4. Stir the nuts, coconut bars, and Kit Kats into the cooled batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread smooth.
5. Bake until the top is shiny and feels firm to the touch, 35-40 minutes.  A toothpick inserted into the batter should come out with a bit of the batter still on it.  The center will not seem fully baked. Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature, then refrigerate for a couple of hours before cutting and serving.  These are a very dense buttery bar with a "fudgy" texture rather than a cake-like bar.

Nutrition: 283 cal, 16g fat, 77mg sod, 33g carb, 22g sugar, 1g fiber, 4g protein

HAZelnuttY days of summer

I know Nutella has a cult following; there is even a World Nutella Day where people from various blogs post recipes and celebrate its existence. Even still, I had tried the concoction only once several years ago to my Grandma Sue's prodding and I don't think I was impressed. What was I thinking?! Actually, I know what I was thinking. Every time I passed the stuff in the grocery store, I thought "this stuff actually looks delicious and will probably have to go on my 'too dangerous to buy' list." Knowing this, I still had to buy some to attempt to make something for the Nutella loving grandmother above.

Below are two recipes. The first is adapted from a recipe that is labeled as a "dense cupcake" with complaints of being on the dry side. I really like the concept of a self-frosting cupcake so I tweaked some things that I feel made it a bit more moist. The other recipe is something I concocted to please my grandma's taste buds. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the latter because I brought them to NY while we were crashing there for the beer weekend and the equation of food + my family = instantaneous evaporation. A 9 x 13-inch pan was eaten in two days. Basically, if you have a nice layer of Nutella sandwiched between brown sugary shortbread, you're in the clear.

Self-Frosting Hazelnut Muffcakes

adapted from Baking Bites
Yield: 12

INGREDIENTS
10 T unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C white sugar
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 t vanilla
2 T milk
1 1/4 C all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 C hazelnuts, toasted
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2-3/4 C Nutella

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line standard 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
1. Process or blend hazelnuts to a nut flour. Do not over process or it will become a paste.
2. Distribute a teaspoon of the nut flour evenly among the paper liners for a crumbly bottom to the cupcakes. This will total 1/4 C of the nut flour.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs, milk and vanilla.
5. Stir in flour, remaining 1/2 C hazelnut flour, salt and baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains. Keep in mind that the batter will be more thick than usual cake batter.
6. Fill each muffin liner 3/4 full with the batter.
7. Top each cake with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of Nutella. Swirl Nutella in with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the Nutella. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition:337cal, 20g fat,146mg sod, 34g carb, 23g sugar, 1g fiber, 5g protein

Hazelnut Layer Bars

Yield: 24 bars

INGREDIENTS
1 C hazelnuts
1 jar Nutella
1/2 t vanilla
1 C unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 C brown sugar
2 C flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil.
1. Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla.
2. Grind hazelnuts to a nut flour in a food processor or blender.  Mix flour with hazelnuts and add to butter mixture.
3. Spread half of the mixture on the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 15-20 min.
4. Remove from oven and spread Nutella over the base layer.
5. Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter over Nutella, trying to cover as much as possible without pulling up the dough.  Bake for another 15 min. at 350 degrees F.

Nutrition: 237cal, 14g fat, 6mg sod, 56g carb, 26g sugar, 1g fiber, 2.5g protein

bring the island vaca to you

Keeping with the tropical inspiration of the last post, I am going to grace you with a cake that I have been wanting to make for a while now. {Gasp} it is not slathered in frosting, as you might expect from me. It does not involve various tiers and cutesy decorating, also something you may expect to come from me. This is not chocolate (believe it or not, I am not a huge chocolate fan, I just know several people that are) nor is it marshmallow filled. It is another lovely answer to the ripe banana quandary (or blessing). It's the very adult and flavorful Bahama Mama Banana Rum Cake from my personal bible of Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey. Listen, I'm sorry if you're sick of hearing about it but I am dying to tackle many if not most of the recipes in this cookbook and it's layout is just too damn cute for me to pass it up. Of course, you'll probably need a coronary bypass after trying much of what is in there but I'll try to sprinkle some anecdotes about lettuce and stuff, too.

Anyway, this is great if you are hoping to serve many (or few for an extended period). It definitely suits the "adult" palate of those who may not love to smother themselves with frosting (I can't believe you people exist but I will take one for the team) and prefer the ease of having their cake and drinking their drink, too.

Bahama Mama Banana Rum Cake

from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey
Yield: 24 servings
I am telling you, the book says 10 servings. That's just mad. It would be almost 1,000 calories per serving! Go ahead and eat that much but I warned you about the impending cardiac surgery.

INGREDIENTS
cake
1 1/2 C chopped pecans, toasted other nuts like walnuts would be delish, too
1 1/2 C (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 C granulated sugar
1 C firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temp
1 C mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 T dark rum (or a t of rum extract)
3 C bleached all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
3/4 C sour cream I use low fat or fat free without an issue

dark rum glaze
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 C water
1/2 C firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C quality dark rum

DIRECTIONS
cake
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F Spray a 10-cup tube or bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, then flour, tapping out the excess flour. The pan needs to be well-greased, or the cake will stick to it.  Sprinkle the nuts in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Beat in the mashed bananas, vanilla, and rum (or rum extract).
4. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt over the batter and fold in using a rubber spatula, just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the sour cream.
5. Spoon the batter over the nuts in the pan and spread to the edge of the pan using the back of a rubber spatula.
6. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 60 to 80 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.

dark rum glaze and cake assembly
1. While the cake is baking combine the butter, water, and sugars in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Immediately reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and keep warm.
4. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cake and pour 1/4 C of the warm glaze over the cake. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes more.
5. Place a serving platter over the pan and invert to release the cake onto the platter. Spoon the remaining glaze over the cake, a little at a time, and let stand until the glaze is completely absorbed into the cake. If the glaze starts to pool at the base of the cake, use a small metal spatula to spread it up and around the sides of the cake. It will look like you have too much glaze, but don’t worry, within a few hours the cake will absorb all of it.
6. Let the cake cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving. This cake will last 2 to 3 days if covered well.

Nutrition: 340cal, 16g fat, 217mg sod, 44g carb, 30g sugar, 0g fiber, 3g protein

tropical weather yields tropical treats

Fruit = healthy, right? Yeah, well, I know dried fruit, let alone sweetened dried fruit, is not ideal but who can resist the pineapple/coconut combo? Summer weather is beginning to blossom up here in New England and I have been wanting to make this recipe since I received this book a couple of years ago. I found it very apropos for the season and I really do try to bake seasonally. I just find it weird to eat this combo in the dead of winter. Of course, if you want to conjure up some far off island while you're trapped under three feet of snow, I can sympathize.

Now, after waxing poetic about the perfect pairing of pineapple and coconut, I will say that the original version of this recipe did not call for coconut at all. Hmmm, why the heck not? Maybe they felt that three recipes with coconut were enough for one book. Elinor, after you wrote a cupcake cookbook where every third recipe had lemon something in it, this is really not overkill. Just in case you wanted my opinion. So I made some adjustments to the recipe which are italicized below. Also, I just couldn't pass up some chocolate-covered macadamia nuts that were on sale but it wasn't until I brought the bag home and discovered that there were only fifteen of the suckers in there that I realized it wasn't the best idea. Maybe macadamia nuts and chocolate chunks will do, I'll let you decide. For now, the cookies look like they have giant eyeballs. Maybe no one would have noticed if I hadn't said that. I just broke a major rule of critique: don't list your major shortcomings. Well, to make up for that, I will say that these are incredibly moist and I plan on making them again with some tweaks. Grab one of these and go swing on a hammock in the shade.

Pineapple and Macadamia Islands

adapted from Big Fat Cookies by Elinor Klivans
Yield: 15 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4C all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (this was originally 1 tsp of baking soda which I felt was not necessary for the chemical reaction needed.  My adaptations yielded a soft, chewy cookie.  If you try the other way, let me know!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C unsalted butter, melted
1 C sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp dark rum I used 1 1/2 T kick the flavor up a bit
3/4 C macadamia nuts, salted or unsalted, coarsely chopped this is where I added the chocolate covered ones
1 C sweetened dried pineapple cut into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces
1/2 C sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 C milk or white chocolate chunks (if not doing the chocolate covered nuts)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or be lazy like me and do one sheet, two rounds of baking).
1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir the melted butter and sugar to blend.
3. Stir egg, vanilla and rum into the mixture until it appears smooth and shiny.
4. Stir in flour mixture until fully incorporated.
5. Add nuts, coconut, pineapple and chocolate if necessary.
6. Scoop 1/4 C mounds of the dough ont baking sheets, spacing the cookies 3 inches apart.
7. Bake cookies until the edges are slightly golden, about 14 minutes.   Cool slightly before removing from sheet to cool on wire rack completely.

Nutrition: 221cal, 8g fat, 90mg sod, 32g carb, 22g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g protein

getting harder...moving from stout to whiskey

I hope you were able to enjoy a glorious gluttony of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes smothered in a horseradish sauce as we did thanks to Mommy Dearest's culinary prowess and love of the Irish.  Seriously, the table was even decorated like a scene out of Better Homes and Gardens with a fancy tablecloth, candles, favors and little cordials filled with Bailey's (thank you, Father figure).  I told you, there is no slackage on this holiday.

Although we were stuffed after the feast, some were able to indulge in the dessert I brought along as a very small "thank you" to the beautiful evening.  Believe it or not, it is rare that I eat what I make because I have a bit of a tasting-while-making issue and am virtually sick of the confection by the time it comes out of the oven.  In the end, I am a batter lover through and through.  I can't pass up ice cream though (I could be sitting in an igloo in my underwear and still yearn for a scoop of the stuff) so I just grabbed some of that caramel and plopped a bit on top of the vanilla bean ice cream.

Now, before we get to the food, I must wax poetic for a minute.  I slightly adapted the recipe from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Connor.  The recipes in this book are purely indulgent and amazingly creative.  Equally as wonderful is the book design.  It's covered in cute borders and polka dots- a perfect complement to the extreme sugar factor of its contents.  I am wholly endorsing buying this book just because it is so fun to look at.  Even better, O'Connor offers great advice on techniques, ingredients and the why's and how's.  It definitely brings out my inner baking nerd.

Sugar-Crusted Brownie Sundaes with Whiskey-Walnut Caramel Sauce

slightly altered from Sticky, Chewy, Messy Gooey by Jill O'Connor
Yield: 22 sundaes

INGREDIENTS
sugar-crusted brownie
3 sticks unsalted butter
2 C sugar plus extra for muffin tins
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
6 large eggs
2 T pure vanilla extract
1/2 C Irish whiskey (optional)
1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

whiskey-walnut caramel sauce
2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C Irish whiskey (this can be altered, Irish for St. Pat's)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 C cream (light or heavy)
1/2 tsp salt
1 T pure vanilla extract
1 C walnuts (pecans would be a good sub, too)

vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream for the side

DIRECTIONS
brownies
1. Brush all but two of the cups of two standard 12-cup muffin tins with melted butter. Spoon about 1 TBSP of sugar into greased cups and shake and tap around to cover the bottom and the sides of the cups completely with a thick coat of sugar. Tap out any excess sugar.
2. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F.
3. Combine the butter and chocolates in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes or heat over stove top and stir until completely melted.
4. Remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted. If the chocolate is not completely melted, continue to microwave for 30 second intervals and stir smooth.
5. In a large bowl, gently whisk together the eggs, 2 cups sugar, and vanilla just until combined. Stir in the chocolate mixture just until combined.
6. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the chocolate mixture and fold in just until combined.
7. Spoon about ¼ cup of the batter into each of the prepared cups. (If you run out of batter before you fill all the cups, make sure to wipe out the butter and sugar of any empty cups before baking the brownies, as otherwise they will melt and burn and, in general, make a huge mess.)
8. Bake until the tops of the brownies are firm and a toothpick inserted in the center of a brownie cup comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 20-25 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
9. When pans are cool enough to handle, run a thing, sharp knife around the edge of the one brownie, then carefully tip it out and catch in your hand. Place the brownie on the wire rack to finish cooling. Continue releasing the brownies, on at a time, form the pans.
Serve slightly warm with ice cream and Whiskey-Walnut Caramel Sauce.

whiskey-walnut caramel sauce
1.  Combine the sugar, whiskey, and lemon juice in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and start to turn color. Increase the heat to high and boil until the syrup turns a deep amber color, 4 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly.
3. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and CAREFULLY pour in the cream and salt.  As mentioned before, the mixture bubbles up and you should wear oven mitts and use a long wooden spoon.  Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the caramel thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. The mixture should be the consistency of very thick cream. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and walnuts.
4. Let boiling sauce cool until it is just warm before serving. To store, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. To reheat the sauce, microwave, uncovered, for about 1 minute on high. Stir until smooth.

assembly
1. Place the brownies on individual servings plates and top with ice cream.
2. Drizzle 1/4 C of warm caramel sauce over the top.
3. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition with caramel: 513 cal, 32g fat, 81mg sod, 54g carb, 42g sugar, 3g fiber, 5g protein
without caramel: 341 cal, 24g fat, 63mg sod, 33g carb, 25g sugar, 2g fiber, 4g protein 

the power of persuasion (and some dark chocolate)

 

Is it just me or do women love sweets more than men?  I don't even need a full hand to count the number of guys in my life who will devour a dessert like I (or my sister or my best friend or my grandmothers, etc.) do: my father (genetic sweet tooth of aforementioned grandmother) and my beloved new uncle-in-law.  The latter will literally float down from his third story perch in the multi-family we own together and inquire "got any of those yummy cookies for me?"  The cookie fairy has been known to leave sweets outside his door to which he hilariously exclaimed to his girlfriend "when I think about them, they just appear...like magic."

This lack of sweet tooth boggles my mind and makes it difficult for me to pawn off my goods due to the fact that I am usually surrounded by dudes.  My husband Torren is one of those people who will try something new but in the end will ask for the same thing (Reese's Pieces cookies).  Our friends would prefer something alcoholic (I have managed to incorporate that into baking, stay tuned).  Lastly, my brother-in-law Rylan is also a willing taster but would ultimately prefer to eat a can of almonds with a side of unsweetened baking chocolate and dried fruit.  Blech.  So I decided that Rylan was my challenge of the month and I wanted to persuade him to the sweet side with a combo of his loves when he came over for Torren's Superbowl chili the night of the big game. 

Hooray!  I could finally make something "Almond Joy" associated!  Plus, I had spent the previous weekend roasting all of my leftover nuts from Christmas cookies and had plenty of almonds to go around.

These were easy and fun to make and in the end, I managed to make a sweet treat convert out of Ry by appealing to his dark (chocolate) side.  Score one for diabetes!

Almond Joy Brownies

Yield: 24-36 brownies (depending on your appetite)

INGREDIENTS
Your favorite brownies (scratch, mix, smix, whatever). 
My go-to brownie recipe is always Baker's One Bowl Brownie recipe because as much as I love my KitchenAid, I don't always like to clean the damn thing and a bowl and spoon are EASY.  If I am making them for the dieting bunch, I will buy the No Pudge mix (remarkably non-mix tasting, not a fan of fakey) or make it from scratch.
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (I use Fat Free, doesn't taste any different)
1 1/2 C shredded coconut
1 C slivered almonds (toasted is extra yum)
1 C (8oz.) dark chocolate (around 60% cacao is ideal but everyone has a different palette, hence the baking chocolate lover above)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line 9"x13" pan with that lovely nonstick foil.  Prepare your choice brownies accordingly and spread in pan.  Sprinkle coconut, almonds and chocolate over batter.  Pour condensed milk over top.  Bake for 35 min. and lure that dessert ditcher to the land of sugar.

Nutrition (based on 24 servings): 350 cal, 19 g fat, 78mg sodium, 42g carb, 36g sugar, 8g protein