Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I love several things about this biscotti. First, it has pumpkin. "nuff said.

Second, it is not too hard. I hate a super hard, crumbly biscotti.

And third, it has chocolate.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Biscotti
The Perfect Pantry

3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat (silicone liner) or parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices until well mixed. In a small bowl, mix together the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well, adding in the chocolate chips. The dough will be quite firm.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form them into rectangular loaves about 3/4 of an inch in thickness. Mine ended up being about 12'' x 3'' each. Bake in the preheated oven until the loaves are cracked on top and set in the middle, 25-30 minutes.

Let the loaves cool at least one hour, until almost completely cool. Slice crosswise into thin slices, 1/4'' to 1/2'' thick. Lay the slices on the baking sheets (they can be quite close together, as they won't spread) and bake for another 15 minutes.

Let the biscotti cool completely before dunking, or store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Yup, I'm still obsessing over pumpkin. Can't get that little orange vegetable out of my mind! (Is it a vegetable?! I'm not sure...)

These were a great cookie. Very mild pumpkin flavor, but just enough. The cookie was crisp and crumbly like a snickerdoodle but pretty light also. This meant that I could shove 7 in my mouth at one time. (Yes, I did that, and no, I am not marathon training anymore)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Annie's Eats

For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Snack Bars

I'm baaack! Sorry the site was down for so long. Believe me, I missed it as much as some of you did! And hopefully there wont be any more unexpected interruptions! Back to the food!

These were a great bar cookie that I sort of used as an energy bar as well. Obviously, with my sweet tooth extraordinaire, I'm always looking for ways to cut back on sugar! I loved these bars and have made them several times.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Snack Bars
Jenna Laughs

3 tablespoons softened butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons milled flax seed
1 cup whole oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy; 4-5 minutes. Add egg, vanilla and peanut butter. Beat until combined. Add cocoa powder and beat on low speed.

In a separate bowl, combine flours, flax seed, oats, baking soda and salt. Mix together. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until moistened. You may need to use your hands to get it all combined. Add chocolate chips and combine. Pour mixture into an 8-inch baking sheet fitted with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Pumpkin Blondies

I had a dream awhile ago. It was probably September and I was obviously getting really excited about pumpkin season. I dreamt that I was running around the city trying to find canned pumpkin and, yet again, there was another shortage. I went from store to store getting more stressed out with each negative canned pumpkin store I ventured into. By the time I woke up, I was gnawing my teeth and sweating.

The next day, I went out and found canned pumpkin in the city and bought about 10 cans, which I then had to lug to the dance studio, the gym, work and out with friends before I could give them a warm introduction to my pantry. That is dedication, my friends.

I made these pumpkin blondies several weeks ago for a Halloween party. They were VEEERYYY well received by everyone who had one. I was not as smitten, because to me, blondies should have a denser texture and these were like cake. Still delicious and my roommates could not stop asking about them. They were also easy, which is an added bonus. I ended up using butterscotch and chocolate chips and drizzled the top with the little melted chocolate.



Pumpkin Blondies
Annie's Eats

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
Melted chocolate and extra butterscotch chips for drizzle and decoration

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.  Stir together and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.  Mix in the pumpkin puree.  With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Fold in the chocolate and butterscotch chips with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board.  Peel off the foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

Cupcake Pebble Treats

So I've got an issue with sugary cereals. Actually, the issue is all mine because if I buy sugary cereal I just end up eating all of it straight out of the box in one sitting.

That's why, when I discovered Cupcake Pebbles at the grocery store, I knew I would have to make something with them. And what's better on a hot day than giving the oven a rest and making a form of Rice Krispies Treats?

These were just simply awesome. The Cupcake Pebbles are just as delicious as the Cocoa Pebbles and make a wonderful marshmallow treat!



Cupcake Pebbles Treats

1/4 cup butter
1 10.5-oz. package marshmallows
1 11-oz. package Cupcake Pebbles Cereal

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and stir until they are melted. Remove from heat and add cereal.

Press mixture into a 9 by 9 inch pan coated with cooking spray. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

No-Bake Brownies

No bake. In a brownie. What a genius concept! Martha people, you amaze me everyday!

Its been hard this summer to motivate myself to turn on our oven. So I have been searching high and low for no-bake "baking" approaches. Enter the brownie. I wasn't expecting a miracle on these, but I was pleasantly surprised! These were fudgy and very chocolatey. You definitely need to chill them for awhile before biting into one, but they taste just like a regular brownie!

No-Bake Fudge Brownies
Martha Stewart Living August 2010

 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ¼ cups evaporated milk (from one 12-oz can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies (from 2 9-oz packages)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Salt

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with plastic wrap, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides.

Heat chocolate and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until chocolate melts and is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Set aside 1/3 cup.

Combine cookies, 2 cups coconut, the sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Pour in chocolate mixture; stir until combined.

Spread mixture evenly into dish. Spread reserved 1/3 cup chocolate over top. Finely chop remaining 2 tablespoons coconut and sprinkle evenly over chocolate.

Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Remove brownies from pan by lifting plastic wrap. Remove plastic, and cut into 24 brownies.

Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

It has been such a hot, humid summer so far in New York. I can't even tell you how gross this city gets when it is humid. Unbearable. And, you know its bad when you'd rather stay at work where there is air conditioning than go home to the sauna that has become your apartment.

Needless to say, baking has been the furthest thing from my mind for the past week. Thankfully, I asked our roommate to do a weather dance, which she must have done because the humidity finally went away!

And on goes the oven!

I thought something fruit-like and light would be appropriate for summer. And these White Chocolate Blondies from Picky Palate delivered big time! These are very sweet and almost melt in your mouth! The raspberries give a great tang to them. I bet they'd be perfect for a 4th of July BBQ if you used raspberries and blueberries together!



Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies
From Picky Palate

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch baking dish and spray with cooking spray.

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in ¾ Cup white chips until melted and smooth. In a large bowl combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and ½ Cup white chips. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and sour cream. Pour into the dry ingredient bowl along with the melted white chip mixture. Mix until just combined.

Spread evenly in the baking dish and top evenly with 1 Cup raspberries. Sprinkle sanding sugar over blondies. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean from center (I ended up having to bake mine for about 45 minutes).

Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies

Before I get to the ridiculousness of both Oreos and cream cheese in a brownie...

I have several dancer friends who I get together with to watch old dancing movies. I'm not talking Center Stage here. I'm talking Singin' in the Rain, Guys and Dolls and White Christmas. We get together and eat, drink and enjoy the oldies!

For our latest get-together, I made these Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies. And, boy-oh-boy, were they a hit! Now, whoever doesn't like Oreos, cream cheese and brownies needs their head examined. And together, this makes for one outrageous brownie! I was able to schlep off several brownies to each of my friends so I only had a few to return home with =)



Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies
From Annie's Eats

8 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
1½ cups coarsely chopped Oreo cookies
6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line an 8×8″ baking pan with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and sugar.  Bring to a boil, whisking frequently.  Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; whisk together to combine.  Add the eggs to the pan with the butter-sugar mixture and whisk until well blended.  Whisk in the milk.  Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Fold in the Oreo cookie pieces.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

To make the cream cheese mixture, combine the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well-blended and smooth.   Drop the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter in dollops.  Use the blade of a knife to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture together with the brownie batter, creating a marble effect.

Bake for about 22-24 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Snickerdoodle Blondies with Cinnamon Penuche Frosting

These are one of my favorite cookie bars. I've made them before and they were gobbled up before you could say "Bob's your uncle" (name that movie)!

Bananie asked me to make something for her to take to class and all I got from her about what she wanted was:

"Something snickerdoodle-like. With cinnamon and sugar. And some kind of frosting. Snickerdoodle frosting. And easy to carry."

Hmm.

After I got that out of her, I immediately thought of the Snickerdoodle bars and figured I could add some cinnamon to a frosting recipe and just make it a Snickerdoodle party.

These were every bit as good as I remembered them! The bars have such a unique texture, and are literally like an actual snickerdoodle cookie. The penuche frosting was great as well, but EXTREMELY sweet. It hardened over the bars, causing it to flake off as you ate it, where it proceeded to melt in your mouth. Yum.  I've posted the Snickerdoodle bar recipe before here and below you will find the Cinnamon Penuche Frosting.



Cinnamon Penuche Frosting
From Cupcake Project

1/2 C butter

1 C brown sugar, packed

1/4 C milk

1 T ground cinnamon

1 1/2 C sifted confectioners' sugar

In a saucepan, melt 1/2 C butter. Add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low and continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk and cinnamon and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Cool to lukewarm.

Gradually add sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat until thick enough to spread. If too thick, add a little hot water. Let cool completely before frosting bars.

Mocha Brownies

These brownies are saving my life right now. Allow me to explain: I had surgery on my foot last week. Wait! Don't freak out (I think I did enough of that for everyone)! But it was planned and hopefully I will be dancing again soon. I made these brownies before the surgery and now that I am recovering on the couch, with my "toes above my nose", I look forward every day to eating one of these splendid morsels of awesome-ness after I eat dinner.

The brownies themselves are super chocolatey and definitely on the fudge end of the spectrum. I am usually not a "frosting on my brownies" type of person, but I listened to The Pioneer Woman (as I always try to) and smothered a healthy layer of mocha frosting on top. 



One bite was pure heaven! I have kept them in the refrigerator to keep the frosting a little bit harder. The coffee flavor of the frosting with the fudge brownie....WOO! Out of control! Thanks, Pioneer Woman, for giving me 5 extra brownie-pounds since I can't work out right now. Love, Sugar.



Mocha Brownies from The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook

Four 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

11/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened

5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 to 3/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 inch square pan. 

To make the brownie batter, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, being careful not to let it burn. Set it aside to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs.

With the mixer on low speed, drizzle in the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

Add the flour to the bowl and mix just until combined; do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the baking pan. Spread it to even out the surface. Bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center is no longer soft. Set the brownies aside to cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, in a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Mix until slightly combined, then add 1/2 cup of the coffee.

Whip until the icing is the desired consistency. If the icing is overly thick, add 1/4 cup more coffee. It should be very light and fluffy.

Ice the cooled brownies, spreading the icing on thick. Refrigerate until the icing is firm, then slice the brownies into squares.

Lemon Bars

When the weather turns warm, I find my taste-buds adapt accordingly. Gone are the cravings for carbs, warm soup and creamy pasta. I find myself gravitating towards fruity dishes, lots of fish and especially citrus! 

When the weather began warming up last week. And by "warming up" I mean to say that New York had record-breaking highs for most of the week. For some people, that meant time spent playing frisbee in the park and enjoying margaritas at outdoor restaurants. To me, that meant a 90+ degree office because the building won't turn on the air conditioning before Memorial Day and we can't open any of our windows. I sat melting away in a stuffy office for most of the week. 

In retaliation, I made lemon bars.

These are great, gooey lemon bars that pack a pucker-worthy citrus punch! I doubled the lemon filling and baked for a few extra minutes, which I showed below. The crust is a great building block for the filling and compliments it without being too much like shortbread (which I think sometimes overtakes lemon bars). 

Lemon Bars from Eating, Etc.

Crust:
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Filling:
8 eggs 
4 cups sugar
12 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 tablespoons flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
Zest from 1 lemon 

Crust:
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, butter and powdered sugar. Spread in a 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. While crust is baking, work on the filling to be immediately poured over hot crust.

Filling:
In a large bowl, mix all filling ingredients together with a spoon (do not use a mixer). Pour filling over hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes. While still hot, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let cool for 15 minutes and then cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Double Chocolate Brownies

Martha Stewart failed me this weekend.

I didn't think I would ever say that. Martha has always been my baking constant.

But don't worry, there's a happy ending!

I am voraciously making my way through her Cookie book and this weekend I decided on these Pistachio Lemon Drop Cookies. The first time I started laughing was when the mixer wouldn't mix just one egg white. Then I started doing it myself with a whisk and it wasn't so funny anymore. Then I ended up with about 1 cup of "cookie dough", which translated into 8 cookies. And by the time I took them out of the oven, they had completely flattened into eachother and were rocks on my cookie sheet. I burst out laughing and decided to go to the gym.

Immediately upon my return, I decided brownies would more than make up for the epic failure of the morning. And boy, did they restore my faith in Martha! These brownies are super duper fudgy and have a shiny, crumbly crust on the top.

Double Chocolate Brownies from Martha Sewart's Cookie Book

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan

6 ounces coarsely chopped good-quality semisweet chocolate

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside.

Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate are melted. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.

Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until well incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out brownies; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

I made these for a New Years party I went to. I thought anything with rice krispies, peanut butter, brownies and marshmallow would be awesome! I was correct. A plus for the day!

The different textures in just one bite of this can be overwhelming, so definitely cut them in small pieces!

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars
Brown Eyed Baker

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 bag miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups rice krispies cereal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter and 3/4 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the eggs thoroughly. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Stir the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Remove the brownies from the oven and immediately sprinkle marshmallows over them. Return the pan to the oven for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the milk chocolate chips, peanut butter and tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted. Remove from heat, add rice krispies and mix well. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.

Spread the mixture over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

First things first: I had three of the weirdest dreams last night. I used to be the queen of strange dreams, but I haven't had too many weird ones since I graduated from college. I thought I had grown out of it. Apparently not. I'm telling you this in case you have an idea as to what any of these mean. The first one was at my parents' house and a Native American outside who was strategically trying to get in and kill us, although my dad didn't seem to think so until the very end of the dream. The second one involved a missing coffee maker and our downstairs neighbor standing in our bathroom. The third one I was in a lab of some kind looking for my brother. We were both teethless and sat down to play cards.

Stop looking at me like that! I told you, they were WEIRD! Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Onward to the food! I am obsessed with rice crispy treats. In high school, my friend's mother would make us a batch of them and literally cut it in half for us to eat. Ah, good times. What's so special about these, you may ask? Butter. Both in quantity and preparedness. These are literally just rice crispy treats with an extra punch of browned butter. Awesome!

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
Smitten Kitchen

1 stick unsalted butter
1 10-oz bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden, then start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently.

As soon as the butter turns a nutty color, turn off the heat and add the marshmallows. If the butter does not melt them, turn the heat on low.

Remove from stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Spread into prepared pan and let cool.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

I'm home for Christmas now! So my days consist of sleeping for an inordinate amount of time, going for super long runs in the forest, and eating. Oh! The eating! My Stepmom, LadyJayPee, doesn't need an introduction. Needless to say, we kind of sit in the kitchen for most of the day baking and cooking. And, of course, we have to taste everything we make and critique it. Two foodies in the house definitely makes for lots of fun, thats for sure.  

I took over the kitchen yesterday afternoon to make Cranberry Bliss Bars yesterday under the watchful eye of LadyJayPee. The bars turned out great! My Dad definitely had more that one bite and kept saying "yup, that's good". They are supposed to be a clone of the Cranberry Bars from Starbucks. I think the Starbucks bars have a more cookie base then these cakey-ier ones have. I think the frosting and the drizzle are pretty spot on, though! Nonetheless, these are great and I think our guests will surely enjoy =)

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Good Things Catered

1 c. butter, softened 
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed 
3 large eggs 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange extract 
1 tsp ground ginger 
1/4 tsp salt 
1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour 
3/4 c. diced dried cranberries 
3/4 c. white chocolate chunks 

6 oz cream cheese, softened 
3 c. powdered sugar 
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1/4 c. diced dried cranberries 

1 c. powdered sugar 
1 Tbsp milk, plus a bit more if needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare (well grease) 9x13 baking pan (I used two square pans). 

In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt; beat well.  Gradually mix in flour just until combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in cranberries and white chocolate.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Place in oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake is barely light brown on the edges.  Remove from oven and let cool. 

Meanwhile make the frosting. In stand mixer bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla and beat on low until smooth. When the cake has cooled invert onto cutting board and spread frosting over top, evenly. Sprinkle top with diced cranberries. 

Prepare icing by whisking powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp of milk, adding more if needed to come to a thick consistency icing. Place icing in a pastry bag, snip the end and drizzle over cranberries in a sweeping motion. 

Slice into 16 triangular bars. Serve immediately or place in refrigerator to serve later.

*All photos taken by LadyJayPee (cause let's be serious, my camera and photography skills would never compare to these photos!)

Applesauce Spice Bars

I made this recipe awhile ago to use up applesauce. Of course I have seen these bars around before, they are a Dorie recipe and been through Tuesdays with Dorie and all that jazz. I liked these bars a lot. They were very moist and had a lot of apple flavor. The glaze balanced it all out too. I left out the raisins and pecans and liked it just peachily. I sent these away to a Thanksgiving party I was supposed to attend, but had a performance instead. They were welcomed. =)

Applesauce Spice Bars
Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 baking apple, cored and finely diced

2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and dust the inside with flour.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir with a whisk until it is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Still working in the saucepan, whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing until they are well blended. Add the applesauce and vanilla, and whisk until the incorporated and the mixture is smooth again. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear, then mix in the apple. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the bars just start to pull away form the sides of the pan and a knife in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to the let the cake cool.

In a small saucepan, whisk together the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup. Put the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Adjust the heat so that the glaze simmers, and cook, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot glaze over the bars, spreading with a spatula to smooth evenly. Let them cool to room temperature before cutting.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies with Ganache Frosting

A friend challenged me to recreate this "amazing" brownie she ate at a farmer's market in the city. Challenge accepted (obviously). She sent me an email with a good two paragraphs describing the brownie and the frosting, peppered with specificity. It was nice to hear another foodie describe the tastes and textures she experienced. I got super excited and after Thanksgiving craziness subsided, I got right to work.

These were fudgy brownies (cause I am NOT a cakey brownie person, then its just cake. Duh!). These were not just brownies with a little pumpkin in them. The pumpkin and chocolate batters are even and complement each other perfectly. Usually when there is a "swirl" in brownies, be it pumpkin or cheesecake, I find that the swirl part is lacking and not very good. Not the case with these! The pumpkin batter is every bit as good as the brownie. Are you excited now?

And I haven't even gotten to the frosting...which was excellent! It was very creamy and rich, just perfect. I couldn't resist the sprinkles.

PS: Forgive the picture. I took it at work with my camera phone because I forgot before I left the house!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Martha Stewart

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan (original recipe calls for a 9 inch square pan, but mine turned out plenty thick).

Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring until smooth.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of an electric miser fitter with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.

Divide batter between two medium bowls. Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In another bowl, stir pumpkin, oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters wont set.

With a small spatula, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Bake until set, mine took about 30 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Ganache
Martha Stewart

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil. Remove from heat; add 1 pound bittersweet chocolate and let stand, without stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk just until combined. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until spreadable, about 1 hour. Top cooled brownies with ganache.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

I'm not going to lie. I love pumpkin. I think that's pretty obvious here. Strangely enough, however, I am not a huge fan of pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong. There's sugar in it, I'll eat it. I'd just rather something else.

I found this recipe for pumpkin pie bars and thought they would be a welcome change. I really liked the bars. The filling was like a pumpkin pie filling, but a little creamier. The crust was great! I liked the oatmeal in it. And the butterscotch chips on top really made did it for me! 

I wolfed down about half the pan of these, but Annie Bananie, my only other tester, didn't really care for them. She REALLY didn't like the butterscotch chips. Decide for yourself:

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Joy the Baker

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup cold butter

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats, uncooked

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 15-oz can pumpkin

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13 by 9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; grease foil. Mix flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats.

Reserve 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and spice with mixer until well blended. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and butterscotch chips.

Bake 25 minutes; cool 10 minutes. Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Peanut Butter Blondies

I had high hopes for these guys...I mean, seriously, how can you go bad with peanut butter (unless you don't like peanut butter and then your just an oddball!)?! I was expecting some delicious bar cookie with a brownie-like texture and a subtle shade of chocolate.

I don't really think I got that. I was not overly impressed with these blondies. I suppose they came out well, because I got lots of compliments at work about them. I found them to be a little dry and not fudgy enough, not at all like a brownie should be.

I really wanted some gooey, peanut-buttery, lick your fingers good bar here. Not so much. I think they were better the second day, but still not all I hoped they would be. They were a very good cookie bar, don't get me wrong. Still delicious, but don't bake these thinking you will have a brownie. Not gonna happen.

Peanut Butter Blondies
Smitten Kitchen

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, then line bottom of pan with parchment paper and butter parchment.

Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, then add peanut butter and beat until incorporated. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low, then mix in flour until just combined.

Mix in chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) then spread batter in baking pan, smoothing top.

Bake until brownies are deep golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

Make ganache: Put chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) in a heatproof bowl.

Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate chips and let mixture stand for one minute.

Gently whisk in butter until it is incorporated, chocolate is melted, and a smooth mixture forms.

Spread ganache on cooled brownies and let stand until set, about 15 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

It's opening night of Candide! Finally. It has definitely been a grueling rehearsal process. If you know the show at all, you are probably wondering what a dancer is doing in the show. I am here to tell you that our show should be re-titled "Allison Acts Like an Idiot". I don't do much dancing in the show, but I do run around on stage with a toy boat, dress in a pirate outfit and hold a gondola and don a boa, feather mask and 80's prom dress. Yes, every time I come offstage, I say "there was 'Allison Acts Like an Idiot, Part 533' for the night."

I still don't really understand Candide. Apparently it began as an opera. One of the other dancers turns to me in every scene and says "What's this show about again?!" We can't help but get the giggles every time. Very professional.

So, what am I most excited for about this show? The cast party! Duh!

We have been in rehearsals every night this week and I have been getting home between midnight and 1 am. And then getting up for Nutcracker rehearsals pretty darn early. In pure Sugar fashion, however, I got home around 12:30 am and immediately started work on some peanut butter cup brownies for the party tonight. Now, that is dedication! Plus I made it to ballet this morning, too! *Pat on the back for me.

These brownies were great! Very fudgy and peanut buttery. Good thing they are not staying in the apartment, or I would definitely eat them all up!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
My Baking Addiction

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 bag mini peanut butter cups, cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Microwave chocolate chips and butter in microwave for about 45 seconds. If not mostly melted, microwave for 20 more seconds. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder and espresso powder. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, peanut butter and salt until combined.

Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in the flour until just combined. Fold chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups into batter.

Pour mixture into prepared pan, spread evenly and level the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.