farms are fun*

*This is true both in real life and, as it turns out, even more so in the form of a game! No manure on my shoes and under my fingernails that way...and no traipsing through the snow on mornings like this! :)

If you're in search of an easy, semi-homemade-but-still-delicious treat to serve to two for a week or twelve for a day, look no further. I, Krusteaz, and a smattering of chocolate chips are coming to your rescue.

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nuts about nuts

I could never pick a favorite nut. I enjoy most kinds, if not all, for varying reasons.

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now's the time for lemon and lime

Whose bright idea was it to put these two too-tart ingredients together in the first place? And who's responsible for propagating it? Because now it's everywhere and in everything.

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a state of bliss

I have a Starbucks card for one reason and one reason only--occasionally, the company will send out an email containing a code for a free drink. I like free things.

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more is more

Yes, I know that sometimes less is more, but other times, it just feels right to border on gluttonous.

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taste of the tropics

While I can't pinpoint exactly when it happened, at some point I began to enjoy blondies much more than brownies.

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hurra! (chinet giveaway nummer vier)

Did I ever mention that I'm trying to teach myself German? It's true. I mean...es ist wahr.

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no wrong way to eat a rhesus

I had to say it. Those critters are some of the eeriest animals I've ever seen.

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nuts for nutella

I've posted some ho-hum stuff lately (hey--they can't all be culinary masterpieces like this or this), but I'm really, really excited to share these brownies.

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an eggsemplary idea

Easter is very nearly upon us, and you know what that means...

Cadbury creme eggs are everywhere!

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rapture

I've never been among the first to buy any piece of technology. CD players, laptops, iPods, smartphones--I'm always late to the game, but I'm fine with that, as I can take advantage of advancements and the feedback of others. Waaaay back in the 90s, one of my best friends copied her BlondieCD onto a cassette tape so my CD player-less self could listen to it whenever I wanted.

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easy sopapeesy

I know you've seen these somewhere over the rainbow internets recently. If not, I'm thrilled to be the one to bring such a delight to your attention!

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my muse?

I feel like whenever I'm searching for a way to give whatever I happen to be baking an inspired twist, I turn to the Almond Joy. That kind of makes her my muse, right? I use the feminine pronoun because I've decided that an appropriate name for this muse must be Joya. Joya d'Almond.

Too silly? Nah. Regardless of what she's called, or if she's ever called anything at all, she does good work. This latest creation began as a simple batch of cream cheese brownies, but ended up as almond brownies with a coconut cream cheese swirl.

That's what I call gooey.

Lots of different textures (I used both shredded coconut and coconut extract to flavor the cream cheese filling) and lots of delicious flavors join forces to create a decadent and relatively easy and quick dessert!

Joya d'Almond Brownies
Brownies:
6 tablespoons butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup almonds, sliced

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick spray or grease lightly.
Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or over low heat, stirring until smooth. Beat in the sugar and eggs. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, then add in the vanilla. Stir in the almonds. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and coconut extract until smooth. Stir in the shredded coconut. Distribute the cream cheese mixture in eight dollops across the top of the brownie mixture, then take a dull knife or spatula and swirl the cream cheese mixture with the chocolate batter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the batter in the center of the pan feels just set. Let cool, then cut the brownies into squares, rectangles, hearts, what-have-you.

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no holds barred

Fact: I prefer bars over cookies (as evidenced by the fact that I have twice as many bar posts as cookie posts). Clearly, this isn't because I make 50 batches or so a week for my job--if anything, that's a deterrent!

No, I like a)their simplicity in making and baking, b)the fact that just about any typical cookie dough can be pressed into a pan and turned into a bar, and c)you can cut each bar as large or as small as you feel you need at that moment.

These beauts are an example of cookie-inspired bars. When one examines the macaroon (my definition of it, anyway--many variations exist), one finds coconut combined with egg whites and sugar and baked in little blobs that often get dipped in chocolate after cooling. Ground nuts are sometimes involved.

The similarities between these bars and coconut macaroons begin and end with the presence of coconut, chocolate, and nuts. I think these are more like short and squashed Mounds or Almond Joy bars, and that's thrilling to me. The filling is something I can see myself using between cake layers or as a slightly sinful snack. My next plan of attack is to double the filling, cut them into long, thin rectangles, and pour chocolate such that it drapes over the sides and the end result is more candy-bar-like. Who would ever want a dinky little cookie after that?

Mounds-ish Macaroon Bars
(from Hershey's)
2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
6 tablespoons (3 oz) butter or margarine, melted
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3-3/4 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup almonds
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup vanilla or white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Combine crumbs, melted butter, and powdered sugar in large bowl. Firmly press crumb mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Stir together sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and almonds in large bowl, mixing well. Carefully drop mixture by spoonfuls over crust; spread evenly.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until coconut edges just begin to brown. Cool.
Place chocolate chips and whipping cream in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool until slightly thickened; spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle top with white chips. Cover; refrigerate several hours or until thoroughly chilled. Cut into bars.

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lovely layers

Undeniable truth #1: Layered creations take more time and effort than more uniform edibles.

Undeniable truth #2: Layered creations are, more often than not, quite a bit more pleasing to both the eye and the palate than more uniform edibles.

Conclusion: Layered creations must be superior to more uniform edibles. Usually.

It's certainly the case here. These bars are yet another tasty treat inspired by one of the gazillion candy bars floating around out there. This time, the confection that caused the light bulb to appear cartoon-style was Reese's Fast Break. [Incidentally, I had no idea it was intended as a breakfast replacement (when I hear 'fast break,' I think of basketball), but hey--I'm all for it!]

What we have here are three separate layers--an oatmeal cookie base, a thin sheet of chocolate filling, and a sweet, smooth peanut butter frosting. Oh. Yeah. One could definitely get away with noshing on a wedge of these bars for breakfast; after all, oatmeal is involved! This is a unique play on the good ol' chocolate-peanut butter combination, which, as far as I'm concerned, is a winner every time.

Triple Threats
Cookie Base:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup oats

Chocolate Layer:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
3-4 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg, 1/3 cup peanut butter, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Finally, mix in the rolled oats. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are firm. 
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips in a single layer over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread to cover. Allow to cool. 
In a small bowl, beat together the powdered sugar and 1/4 cup peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the milk one tablespoon at a time until a spreadable consistency is reached. Spread over the bars when the chocolate has hardened.

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disappearing act

Do you all have a mental image of me? I know that I form a picture of each of you in my head as time goes by, based only on the food you make and your style of writing (and perhaps, say, a photo you've posted of yourself).

I suspect that I'm way off-base with the majority of you and you actually look nothing like the person I see in my mind. I think that's part of the fun--I could pass you on the street (if I did, in fact, ever walk down a street) and not have any idea. Further, as most of us do, I look different than I did three years ago when I started this blog.

Speaking of things that change in appearance (how's that for a segue?!), let's talk about these bars. They're composed of three separate layers, but as they bake, the compositions of those layers change. The shortbread cookie crust stays the same, of course, but what begin as separate chocolate truffle and caramel-oat-pecan layers eventually become a chocolate-caramel truffle layer topped with oats and pecans. Sinking caramel! What fun! Good, clean, wholesome fun!

I make a lot of bar cookies, and I'm very comfortable saying that these are the tastiest ones I've done to date. The buttery base, the smooth and rich chocolate-caramel filling, and the crunchy, nutty topping all play together very nicely, and they really live up to their distinctive (and totally random) name.

So tell me, folks--what do you think I look like? If someone comes really close, I might be inspired to reward her! Those of you who actually know me need not apply. :)

Serendipity Deluxe Bars
(from A Passion for Baking, by Marcy Goldman)
Crust:
1 cup butter, cold and diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Truffle Filling:
1 cup corn syrup
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Caramel:
1/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 cup oats
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely ground
3/4 cup (6 oz) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13x9-inch pan.
To prepare the crust, combine all four ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs are created. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by microwaving together the corn syrup and chocolate chips, stopping to stir occasionally until the chips have melted. Let cool, then add the remaining filling ingredients and beat to combine. Pour over the hot crust and bake for 27 minutes, or until the outer edges are firm and the center is only slightly jiggly.
While the filling bakes, prepare the caramel layer by stirring together all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. When the pan is deemed ready to remove from the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes before dolloping on the caramel layer and spreading it evenly over the chocolate layer. Then return the pan to the oven for another 25-35 minutes, or until the bars are just set. Let cool completely before cutting.

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butter(scotch) me up

Brownies. Butterscotch. Buns in My Oven.

If you're interested in any of those things, check out my guest post on Karly's colorful, enchanting, and delectable blog!

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turtles? really?

I'm not sure which schmo first dubbed the combination of rich chocolate, soft caramel, and toasted pecans, but I am sure that he could've come up with a much better name than 'turtles.'

Yes, I know certain regions of the world find actual turtles to be a yummy soup meat, but I have zero interest in consuming the critters. Why? I think it's because I feel sorry for them--anything that moves that slowly deserves at least a little bit of sympathy. Am I the only one who's tempted to stop the car and help a turtle cross the road when I drive up to one? Eh, maybe I am.

Moving on. These bars do not contain real turtle, and they are delicious. I'm pretty sure a layer of thick, chocolate-shmeared and pecan-studded caramel atop a shortbread crust is the definition of decadence. The name 'divinity' must've already been taken by those meringue-y candies at that point. Too bad.

Turtle-free Turtle Bars
(based on these)

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup pecans

Caramel Layer:
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
touch o' salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the crust ingredients in food processor or mixer and whirr until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.
Combine butter, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the entire surface of the mixture begins to boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour evenly over crust.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until entire caramel layer is bubbly, being careful not to overbake. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips; allow to melt slightly (2 to 3 minutes). Swirl the chips leaving some whole for a marbled effect. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the chocolate and press in slightly. Cool completely; cut into bars.

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as pure as the (un)driven snow

Driven snow is gross, right? So where did that saying come from? I like my snow untouched and pristine. (In related news, I don't like my snow in ball-form on its way to my face or in any shade of yellow...)

Okay, so by driven, the writer means wind-blown into fluffy drifts, but all I can envision when I hear that phrase is the nasty, sullied, dirty snow along the side of the roads.

Whatever. I'm digressing, as usual.

In honor of our first real snowfall here in southwestern Virginia, I topped these moist, tender pumpkin bars with a thick, white chocolate glaze. I guess I could've done powdered sugar for a more realistic effect, but that just wasn't going to cut it on this occasion. The crunchy, super-sweet, frozen snow-like topping (combined with my space heater) made me very happy about the snow indeed.

Congratulations to Ally, the winner of my Tate's Bake Shop giveaway! Ally, I certainly hope you get that ring. :)

Snow-Covered Pumpkin Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in 1 cup white chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup of chips and oil and microwave in 15-second intervals until the chips have melted. Drizzle decoratively over bars. Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

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pee-can, pee-cahn, pah-cahn

Confession: I'm one of those people who snicker or smirk when certain words are pronounced differently from how I've been raised to say them.

Examples: Coupon. Caramel. Mayonnaise. Pajamas. Scallops. Worcestershire. And a common one--pecan*.

*For the record, I personally say pah-cahn, with the emphasis on the second syllable. For the record, all three are correct.

It's taken me awhile to fully appreciate the pecan and all its many applications. While you still won't see me reaching for a handful of plain ol' pecans, all you have to do is salt 'em and toast 'em or toss them with caramel (that's with three syllables, if you please) and I'm excited.

My most recent use for the lovely nuts was a unique case. I often bookmark recipes that I see on other blogs, but rarely do I make them the next day. When I saw Karly's post featuring her twist on the gooey butter cake, I didn't waste a second.

All I had on hand was a lemon cake mix, but it worked out quite nicely. For obvious reasons, a butter cake mix would be better. Regardless, if you like both pecans and the traditional version of gooey butter cake (and honestly, how could you not?), this dessert is for you. The nuts in the bottom layer make it blissfully crunchy and rich. Yes, even more rich than the original. Paula Deen would be proud.

Say, what other words get pronounced differently depending on the region?

Gooey Butter Pecan Bars
(motivated by Karly's post)

1 box (18.25 oz) lemon cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, melted butter, and pecans. Mix well and press into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
Cream together the cream cheese, 2 remaining eggs, and powdered sugar until well combined. Pour over the crust.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. It should be gooey, but not runny. Cool completely before cutting, 1-2 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

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