Peanut Butter Oatmeal Squares

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, and Chocolate are all popular foods with the husband. And I am a big fan of anything that is a salty-sweet combo...a major exception to the fact that I have more of a salt-tooth than a sweet-tooth. So, peanut buttery-oatmealy-chocolatey treats are sure not to last too long in our house. Which is probably why I don't make these kinds of things very often. Plus, I am not a baker.

But, I did put these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars together in about ten minutes, with only ingredients I happened to have in the pantry, and had time to wash and put away all the ingredients and baking things while it sat in the oven. They are not too sweet, dense and hearty, and very filling as a snack or dessert, or grab n go breakfast. And, since this recipe does not contain any oil, butter or eggs, the "worst" ingredient in here is brown sugar, or chocolate chips if you choose to add them. So, an overall winner recipe in my mind!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Squares (or Bars)

This recipe makes an 8"x8" pan's worth. I won't bother to list how many servings that is, but if you cut your squares small, probably around nine or twelve total servings. If you have at least two people around and it lasts you more than two days I will have to seriously judge you.

You will need:

3/4 cup peanut butter (I use either Trader Joe's or Skippy Natural chunky)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup flour (whole wheat or unbleached all-purpose flour work fine)
pinch salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk (we use skim)
Optional mix-ins: 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts, or three tablespoons of each!

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream brown sugar and peanut butter together with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes or until well combined. Add vanilla extract, mix for another minute or so. Add remaining listed dry ingredients through milk, and mix again until the dough is crumbly and well combined. Add milk, mix again until the dough gets sticky.  Fold in the mix-ins. Scoop the dough together, and dump it all into an 8"x8" pyrex dish, press down evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut into bars or squares. They will be cookie-like on the outside, and chewy soft in the middle. Store in an airtight container at room temp, or freeze for later. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, all!  Aren't these little owl cupcakes cute? 

Have a safe evening out there!

Fun Thanksgiving Treats

I have some time on my hands this Thanksgiving with it being just the two of us. So, I thought I'd make a few treats to share with coworkers, neighbors and such folks. I mean, why wait until Christmas, right? :) I saw a photo for these pretty edible acorns online a little while ago and thought they were too cute to pass up! And the pilgrim hats, well, what can I say. We just so happened to have the ingredients on hand.

Both of these ended up being so easy and fun to make. Perfect for sharing, and almost too cute to eat. I do hope you enjoy these quick treats:

Edible Acorns

You will need:

Donut holes
Toffee bits
Bits of Pretzels
Some kind of "edible glue" (peanut butter, nutella, or frosting :)

Spread some of the "edible glue" on the top one-third of each doughnut hole. (By the way, is it "doughnut" or "donut"? I can never tell.) Then dip the gluey top in toffee bits. Lastly add a bit of pretzel for the stem. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

You will need:

Nilla wafers
Mini Reese's peanut butter cups
White decorator gel
Yellow decorator gel

Unwrap the mini peanut butter cups and place bottom up on each nilla wafer. (Use some of the decorator gel as glue.) Then, with white decorator gel, pipe a band around the base of each mini peanut butter cup and then make the hat buckles with yellow decorator gel. Enjoy!

Lemon Curd Tartlets

I am only slightly ashamed to say that a television show was the inspiration behind my making this dessert. Actually, one episode of a TV show. We are huge fans of the 90s sitcom "Friends". We have watched every episode multiple times, and the show never ceases to keep us laughing for hours on end. And, of course, this is completely useless information for normal people, but we would probably beat a lot of you at any sort of "Friends" trivia game (anyone challenge? :)  Anyway!  In a particularly classic episode guest starring Jon Lovitz, his character (sky high at the time, mind you) hears the word "tartlets", and repeats it a few times, in wonder, then says "...word has lost all meaning." Of course, this sends us into a tizzy of laughter every single time we watch that episode (or sometimes even by just remembering it). In honor of that episode, I am actually doing something I'm not particularly fond of so don't do that often - baking - "tartlets".

All anecdotes aside, these are pretty darn good. Very easy to make these using a mini muffin pan. My tartlet pastry is a bit sweet, but not too sweet. And the lemon curd has just got that perfectly lovely lemony taste. I only make this about once a year because I really cannot resist eating them all. You should try it too :)

Lemon Curd Tartlets

You will need:

For the tart shells-
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For lemon curd-
3 large lemons, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
4 eggs, room temperature
pinch of salt

Tart shells:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until just combined. Add vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Remove to a floured surface and shape into a ball. Then break off marble-sized pieces of dough, roll between palms, flatten into discs and press each into the cups of a mini muffin pan, just until they come up the sides a bit. You should have enough dough to make about 32-36 tartlets. Press a fork into the base of each tartlet one or two times so steam can escape and they don't puff up. Bake the tartlets in a preheated 350 F oven for 15 minutes. If the edges start to brown too quickly cover the mini muffin pan with a sheet of aluminum foil in the last 2-3 minutes of baking. Cool the pan completely before removing tartlets. Use a finger to push them out, they should come out very easily.

For the lemon curd:
Remove the lemon zest with a vegetable peeler or micro plane grater, remember to avoid the white pith (will give a bitter taste). Then, juice the lemons so you get enough to make 1/2 cup of juice and set this  aside. In a food processor, mix the lemon zest and sugar until combined. The zest should be finely minced. Then, in a bowl, cream together the butter with the sugar-lemon zest mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by reserved the lemon juice and salt. Mix for a minute or two, until well combined.
Then pour this into a saucepan and cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. This may take about 12-15 minutes depending on the heat. Lemon curd normally thickens at a temperature just below a simmer. Remove from heat.

Fill the tartlet shells with the warm lemon curd and leave it alone (if you can resist the urge to try one) until it sets at room temperature. Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. This freezes pretty well too, so it's a good make ahead dessert. Enjoy!

Note: you can alternatively make the tart shell using a regular tart pan with a false bottom. It will take a bit less time, but then you'd have to cut the whole tart into wedges to make servings and that's just so boring, no?  :)

In Season Dessert: Blackberry Pie

There is a trail not far from where we live, that is just teeming with wild blackberry brambles. Plenty of good fruity blackberries, ripe for the picking. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love living in the state of Washington?)  I'm fairly certain we will be heading back to that trail to do a little more picking before they all disappear for the next nine months with the looming onset of "rainy season".

So, finding ourselves with a free morning last weekend, the husband and I set out with tupperware containers and braved the thorny bushes to pick a whole bunch of these beautiful ripe wild blackberries. And then I thoroughly washed and cleaned the berries in order to spend the afternoon experimenting with blackberry pie recipes. This particular recipe is as simple as it gets, with not much more than fresh fruit, sugar, and a hint of lemon. Not too sweet, just sweet enough.  And so easy, you need to try it.

Blackberry Pie

Makes 8 servings.

For the filling you will need: 

5-6 cups blackberries, washed clean, and patted dry

3/4 cup white sugar (or 1/2 cup, varies with how sweet the berries are. For store bought berries 1/2 cup should do it)

3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Pie crust - you can follow my standard sweet pie crust recipe that I have been using for years or use store bought)

For the pie crust you will need:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 sticks butter (1 cup)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or more ice water
Optional - eggwash (1 egg+1 tablespoon water)

Pie crust:

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Then cut the butter in and combine until the mixture is grainy and resembles coarse sand. Then, add ice water one tablespoon at a time and mix well until dough is firm and there is no dry flour remaining. Separate dough into two halves. Flatten each half down into 3-4" discs, cover each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (8 hours or overnight is okay too).

Filling:

Combine sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour, and sprinkle this over the blackberries. Stir well so the berries are slightly crushed and well coated with the sugary mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. 

Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface and line the bottom of your pie pan with the dough. Roll out the second ball of pie dough for the top crust. Spoon the berry mixture into the dough-lined pie dish. Place the second rolled-out pie dough crust on top of the pie. Trim off the edges of the pie crust to fit the pie pan. Score an "X" in the top with a sharp knife to create air vents for the steam to escape. Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven. Put a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any juices that might bubble out of the pie while it's cooking - and this WILL happen, trust me!  Bake the pie at 375 F for 40 minutes or until  crust is golden-brown and filling is bubbly.  If necessary, protect the pie with aluminum foil if it looks like the edges and tops of crust are getting burnt. (Optional - just before putting the pie in the oven, you can brush the top crust with eggwash. The eggwash will give the pie that golden "pie glow". Note that this step is completely unnecessary and will not affect the flavor of the pie, the eggwash just makes the crust look pretty.)
When done baking, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Note:  the recipe I have written above is for a regular crust, but I love the look of the lattice crust. If you've never tried a lattice crust, I would encourage you to try it. It is much easier than it looks, and so pretty! 

In Season Dessert: Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream

An ice-cream experiment of epic proportions. I made this last week and served it for dessert when we had some family over. Loyal readers (by the way, thank you for reading!) know that I have sort of an obsession with homemade ice cream (click on the "Desserts" label on the right to read some of my older ice cream posts). But this one just took it to a whole new level. Fresh fruit, sugar, cream...and a few other ingredients contribute to this sweet-treat nirvana of sorts. Do try it.

Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream



You will need:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Blend blueberries, sugar and lemon juice until pureed. Whisk blueberry puree thoroughly with heavy cream, milk, and evaporated milk, and condensed milk. Pour into shallow airtight freezer safe containers, cover, and freeze for about one and a half hours (until partially set). Remove from freezer, whisk again for at least three or four minutes, then freeze in covered containers again. Repeat this whisking-partial-freezing process at least twice – this action is what allows the ice cream to become creamy and increase in volume. When done, freeze again for at least eight hours or overnight. Enjoy!

In Season Dessert: Blackberry Crème Cups

Can you tell that I'm on a fresh fruit dessert kick this week?

There's no ice cream or chocolate in the house this week (which nearly never happens) so, craving something sweet yet not that unhealthy, I came up with this lovely fresh and light dessert that can easily be made on a weeknight - just like I did tonight! We have plenty of blackberries on hand since they are in season, and available in proper abundance at grocery stores around here.

Blackberry Crème Cups

Serves 4

1 cup blackberries

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream

3-4 drops pure vanilla extract

Blend the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. You will now need to discard the seeds (otherwise it would be really annoying to have them in your dessert) so pour the mixture through a mesh strainer, pushing it through with the back of a spoon, like so:

The resulting blackberry puree should now have a sauce-like consistency and will smell like fruit heaven. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of this puree for the topping. Then combine heavy cream and vanilla and whisk for about 3-4 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold remaining berry puree into cream, then divide into dessert cups. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 1 hour. To serve, drizzle the reserved 2 tablespoons of blackberry puree over the blackberry crème cups. If desired, garnish with fresh blackberries. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberries With Mascarpone Cheese, and Chocolate Sauce

An easy, timeless dessert made with fresh, in season, Strawberries, Mascarpone cheese, and a touch of chocolate sauce. Delicious, and not so sinfully unhealthy...am I right?

Fresh Strawberries With Mascarpone Cheese, and Chocolate Sauce

Serves 4

You will need:
16 fresh Strawberries
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
optional - chocolate sauce

Mix Mascarpone cheese, honey, and orange zest together in a small bowl.  Slice off the green tops of the strawberries, stand them on their heads and make deep slits in a cross pattern.  Fill each with a spoonful of the Mascarpone mixture (use a piping bag for this to make your life easier!  I usually just put the mixture into a ziploc bag and snip the tip off.)  Serve chilled.  If desired, just before serving, drizzle some chocolate syrup over the top. Enjoy!

Pina Colada Ice Cream Sundaes with Rum Raisin Sauce

I've gone tropical. We had dinner with some friends  last night, and my brilliant friend Paula had suggested a Tropical food theme! Duly inspired by sandy beaches, cold beverages, and warm weather, I came up with an appropriately tropical dessert to contribute: Pina Colada Ice Cream with a super easy Rum Raisin sauce to top it off. Oh, and did I mention, all of this can be made AHEAD of time?

Pina Colada Ice Cream with Rum Raisin Sauce

Makes 12 servings

For the Pina Colada Ice Cream Sundaes, you will need:
1 cup heavy cream
1 13oz. can coconut milk
1 20oz. can crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice
1 12oz. can evaporated milk (fat free will do just fine)
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Then add the crushed pineapple, and stir to combine. Add evaporated milk, and thoroughly whisk again. Pour into shallow freezer safe containers, cover, and freeze for about one and a half hours (until partially set). Remove from freezer, whisk again for at least three or four minutes, then freeze in covered containers again. Repeat this whisking-partial-freezing process at least twice – this action is what allows the ice cream to become creamy and increase in volume. When done, freeze again for at least eight hours or overnight. Serve with warm Rum Raisin sauce (recipe below). Enjoy!

For Rum Raisin sauce, you will need:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup water
¼ cup butter
¼ cup dark (spiced) rum
¼ cup raisins (golden or dark)

In a small saucepan, heat up rum until just warm, and add raisins. Cover, remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. In a separate saucepan cook brown sugar and water together on medium-low heat until bubbly and syrupy, and let boil away for about twenty minutes, until thickened. Add butter in and stir until melted. Then add in rum and raisins, and stir to combine. Let cook for another ten or fifteen minutes. Serve warm, drizzled over ice cream.

A Valentine's Day Dessert: Brownie Cherry Bites

Brownie Cherry Bites...a dessert that I made for Valentine's Day. But I bet it will be good on any other day too.

You can make two desserts out of one regular batch of brownie batter. Use half for this recipe, and make a half pan of regular brownies with the rest. Easy as pie. Or I should say, easy as Brownie Cherry Bites!

Brownie Cherry Bites

You will need:

1 half batch of brownie batter (half of a package enough for a 9x13 pan, if you use a mix)

1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and wiped thoroughly dry

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper baking cups and coat with cooking spray (they might stick a little anyway, but licking it off the paper cups is half the fun of eating it - if you ask me!)

Drop brownie batter into the muffin pan using a spoon or small scoop until each cup is about about 1/2 full. Bake at 350 F for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl at 15 second intervals for about one minute, stirring at intervals, until melted and smooth. Remove mini-muffin pan from oven after the 5 minutes are up, but leave oven on - these will be going back in. Dip cherries in melted chocolate and drop them straight on top of the semi-set brownies.

Bake brownies for an additional 10 minutes at 350 F.

Let cool completely and put in covered containers in the refrigerator for about an hour to finish "setting". Then store in airtight containers at room temperature. Just before serving, microwave each brownie bite for about 7 or 8 seconds, just until slightly warmed. Enjoy!

Honey Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

It is Life Group season again! Our group starts tonight, and that means in addition to learning about love and respect in our relationships, we will be enjoying these Honey Ginger Cookies that I whipped up...don't you just love the smell of cookies baking?

This recipe is really simple. If you liked my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, or the Butternut Squash Chocolate Chip Cookies you are sure to love these...

Honey Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

You will need:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place oven racks in top third and lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl just until creamy using an electric mixer. Add brown sugar, mixing on medium until combined. Add egg, honey, fresh ginger, and ground spices just until blended. Gradually add flour mixture to this wet mixture beating on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto wax paper lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 F for 13 to 15 minutes just until cracked and lightly browned. Switch baking sheets between top and lower racks about halfway through baking time. Cool completely, then store in airtight containers at room temperature. Enjoy!

Coconut Ice Cream

This is the easiest homemade ice cream I have ever made. And it is exotic! Do try it.

I have so many fond "ice cream" memories from my childhood (see some of my earlier posts: kulfi, rocky road), and among my most treasured are those involving "natural" ice cream. There was an ice cream shop in Bangalore that had only "natural" ice cream, with fresh fruit flavors like guava, watermelon, apple, and coconut. We visited this shop at least once whenever I was there during my school holidays. The ice cream was fresh and tasty, it never failed to please!

I was taken down this ice cream memory lane when I stumbled onto a recipe for Coconut Ice Cream in one of my Asian cookbooks. I tried it, varied it a little, and am now enjoying it! It is creamy yet light, tastes fresh, and so delicious. Here is the recipe:

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

You will need:

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 14oz can "lite" coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Chill both cans in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours (until well chilled). Whisk contents of both cans together in a large bowl, adding in salt. Whisk at least 2 to 3 minutes by hand, until well combined. Pour into shallow containers with tight fitting lids and freeze covered about one hour, just until ice crystals have started forming around the edges. Remove from freezer, empty into a large bowl and whisk again. Pour back into shallow pans and freeze for another hour. Repeat this whisking process at least once more. This is what creates that oh-so-light ice-cream texture. When you've whisked twice, freeze in covered containers overnight, or at least six hours. Serve with toasted coconut chips, or flakes. Enjoy!

Creme Brulee

My husband gave me a brulee torch for Christmas this year. So, I am making Creme Brulee :)

While scouring recipes for Creme Brulee, I learned a few things:
1) You don't have to have a blow torch to make this, you can simply use the broiler in your kitchen oven. (But don't tell my husband that!) It takes some extra planning ahead on your part, but it's definitely doable. I will outline both methods in the below recipe.
2) This is a great make-ahead type of dessert. Of course, if you have a blow torch, you can leave the fun of caramelizing for later, do it in front of your dinner guests :)

This is the easiest recipe for Creme Brulee that I found. Here you go:

Vanilla Creme Brulee

You will need:

6 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp good vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whipping cream

6  teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar together. Add vanilla. Whisk cream into the sugar, a little at a time. Pour mixture into six ramekins. Arrange in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Bake approximately 35-40 minutes until the custard is set.  Do not overbake or your custard will be rubbery.  Remove the pan from the oven and remove ramekins from the water.  Allow to cool before placing in refrigerator. Chill overnight.
If you have a kitchen torch: evenly sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar atop each custard, and caramelize on medium-low for about 20 seconds, or until evenly browned.

If you do not have a kitchen torch: Two hours before serving, preheat broiler. Evenly sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar atop each custard. Place dishes on small baking sheet. Broil until sugar just starts to caramelize, rotating sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Chill until caramelized sugar  hardens, about 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Wontons

Happy New Year everyone!

In the flurry and frenzy of  Holiday get-togethers and parties, where sugary treats flow like water, I have been trying to put extra thought into bringing something unusual to the table (pardon the pun). In the meantime, my husband and I are enjoying the experiments! I settled on Chocolate Wontons for New Year's Eve.

This truly decadent dessert has every component necessary to stop one's heart. Fudge sauce, and walnuts, tucked nicely in a wonton wrapper, then deep fried to crispy perfection and dusted with icing sugar. Can you say, heart-attack on a plate? Oh, so delicious. But best eaten sparingly :)

Chocolate Wontons

There is no real "recipe", because it is just that simple. You can use anything you like. A hershey kiss filling, is just as yummy as putting half of a lindt truffle in there :) Or you can make it like I did:

Fill each wonton wrapper with - 1 tsp fudge sauce, a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. Seal edges with a bit of water, fry to golden brown, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Chocolate Layer Cake

Chocolaty, creamy, smooth, and crunchy, all in one bite...in a Chocolate Layer Cake.

There are so many different ways one can put it together, but here is my version. We had it for dessert after our Christmas Day lunch...after all, who deserves a cake more than baby Jesus :)

Chocolate Layer Cake

It is simple to assemble. Make 9" rounds of any chocolate cake, and divide into three layers. I filled the bottom layer with thick chocolate pudding (use about 1/3 less milk than called for to get desired thickness). To make the filling for the top layer, I crushed 6 oreos, and mixed it into one cup of whipped topping. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours before serving. I made my cake the day before Christmas, so I didn't have to think about dessert! All that I had to do before serving, was to make the chocolate ganache glaze, and spoon it over the cake enough to let it drip off the sides. (The glaze recipe is simple - 1/4 cup of dark chocolate, 1 tbsp butter, and 2 tbsp milk, melted in the microwave for 1 minute at 15 second intervals, then whisked until smooth.) The cake is best served while the glaze is still warm, but you can eat it cold as well. Enjoy!

Playing With Pretzel Rods!

Classic procrastinator that I am, I spent some time this week making Christmas treats....four days away from Christmas. The good news, is that very little about these treats say "Christmas", so they can really be enjoyed any time of the year. So...this year, we have Pretzel Rods, Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Toffee Pecan Bites. Once all of these are done, I get to wrap them up to distribute!

I did the Pretzel Rods and Toffee Pecan Bites over the past couple of evenings. Two kinds of pretzel rods - and both are SO EASY to make, perfect to get kids to help with! The first is Kitchen Sink Pretzel Rods - you really could say that they have everything but the kitchen sink in them - and is my token "salt" element in this dessert. Those who know me well, know that my taste preference is salty over sweet ten times over, so pretzels work really well here :)
The second kind is Cranberry Pistachio Pretzel Rods - the red and green color are perfect for Christmas.

So here you go:

Kitchen Sink Pretzel Rods

You will need:
2 cups caramels
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup mini butterscotch chips
1 cup toffee bits
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
14 pretzel rods, cut in half with a very sharp knife

Mix the mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, and chopped walnuts in a large shallow dish and set aside. Melt caramels over very low heat. Dip the cut end of the pretzel rods into the caramel, and coat about two-thirds of the way down. Then, roll them in the nut mixture and set on baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Stick the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until set. Enjoy!

Cranberry Pistachio Pretzel Rods

You will need:

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pistachios

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

10 pretzel rods, cut in half with a very sharp knife

Mix the chopped pistachios and cranberries in a large shallow dish and set aside. Melt white chocolate chips over very low heat. Dip the cut end of the pretzel rods into the white chocolate, and coat about two-thirds of the way down. Then, roll them in the cranberry mixture and set on baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Stick the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until set. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed these two. You can look for the Mocha Almond Biscotti and Toffee Pecan Bites recipes later this week.

Macaroons

Macaroons have always held a special place in my heart. When I was a kid, every once in a while, I would get treated to scrumptious little white macaroons from the local grocery store. They were always the same, and always very good. And, like every person who grows used to something but eventually leaves home and then misses that very thing, I took those little macaroons for granted. Those tiny white pieces of heaven were the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth cookies, slightly larger in size than Hershey's Kisses, always with pistachios in them, and a distinct floral flavor - I can't quite put my finger on it - rose essence, perhaps? Anyway, they were delicious.

But until I can replicate what is in my head, exactly, the two recipes below have more than sufficiently appeased the craving from the memories that came flooding back. I hope you enjoy them. The first recipe is courtesy of my friend Ashley K, Snow Capped Coconut Macaroons (coconut almond macaroons with a chocolate glaze, essentially) and I came up with the second one, Chocolate Walnut Macaroons. I found them both to be entirely delicious. I made several batches of both last Saturday and served them to friends (with kids) and all were thoroughly pleased with them.

Just out of curiosity, do any of you have crazy macaroon memories like I do?

Snow Capped Coconut Macaroons

(recipe courtesy: Ashley K)

You will need:

For the Cookies:
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

For the Glaze: (Use glaze only if you want to, these macaroons are entirely delicious plain too!)
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Coarse sugar crystals, for decorating

Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy, then stir in the granulated sugar, almonds, vanilla and salt. Fold in the coconut. Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Dampen your hands and form into tall pointed mounds. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the macaroons look dry, 16 to 20 minute. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze: Put the chocolate, corn syrup, butter and 3 tablespoons hot water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
Dip the tip of each macaroon about halfway into the glaze, then place on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, then refrigerate until the glaze sets, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Chocolate-Walnut Macaroons

You will need:

2 large egg whites, beaten until stiff peaks form

1 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tablespoons good cocoa powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Optional - Chocolate glaze, as outlined above (Use glaze only if you want to, these macaroons are entirely delicious plain too!)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Beat egg whites, then fold in sugar, salt, cocoa powder and walnuts. Drop by spoonful one inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, or 25 minutes, until crisp. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to rack to cool completely.  

If desired, spread a little bit of the chocolate glaze on each cookie and let set in the refrigerator for one hour. Store in airtight container for up to one week.

Enjoy!

Rocky Road...From Memories To Cake

I needed to make a dessert to contribute to a luncheon this Sunday. So I sought inspiration, for this Rocky Road cake, from one of my favorite childhood memories.

My first experience, and memory, of the Rocky Road ice-cream flavor was when I was about eleven years old. A curious, bright-eyed kid growing up in India. My grandparents and I were visiting my uncle and aunt in Bangalore over my September holidays from school. A Baskin Robbins had newly opened its doors in Bangalore and we all went there one afternoon for ice-cream. I had never even heard of Baskin Robbins before, let alone have the choice of 31 different flavors of ice cream! It was like a dream. I remember thinking 'this could definitely take a while'...but I also remember eventually picking a single scoop of Rocky Road in a sugar cone. It looked so good through the glass...mounds of rich chocolate ice cream, flecked with tiny marshmallows, and roasted almonds. It was heavenly! Who would have guessed that something called "Rocky Road" could taste so divine?

Filled with new inspiration, I wanted to figure out a way to translate the memories into a scrumptious dessert. Obviously, I could not serve ice cream at the luncheon (or could I?)...so I decided to make a cake.

To my delight, it was not difficult, and it ended up being really fun to put together! I started with two round layers of German Chocolate cake, then frosted it with a coconut-almond frosting, then pressed marshmallows, almonds and chocolate chips all the way around it. The fun part was doing the almond "road" on top. Granted, the craftsmanship is a bit shoddy (try to ignore the "bald spots"), but I can't wait to dish it up. Hope it goes over okay at the luncheon.

Pumpkin Desserts

In our house, I am the only one who likes pumpkin pie. Ryan won't eat it. And this is sad for me because I love pumpkin pie during the holidays. When I ask him why he doesn't like pumpkin pie, he says "it's the combination of texture and flavor" or something vague like that. I say vague because he likes the flavor of pumpkin, just not in pie form. Okay. Rather than argue with him (which is often a temptation but often completely pointless), and rather than make a pumpkin pie just for me, I have been experimenting with new pumpkin desserts. A few years ago I started making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, and they have quickly become a house favorite. Pumpkin Pudding is new this season...this batch was delicious, but only time will tell whether or not it becomes a favorite. Here are the recipes for both.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup pure pumpkin

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup veg. oil

1 egg

2 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix pumpkin, sugar, veg oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Dissolve baking soda with milk and stir into flour mixture. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir well. Add vanilla, and chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and firm. Cool completely, and store in airtight container. Cookies will be soft and chewy. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pudding

6 tbsp white sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 3/4 cup skim milk

1 egg

1/2 cup pure pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine 6 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine milk and egg, whisking together well, add gradually add to the sugar mixture. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Let it boil for one minute, stirring well, and remove from heat. Combine pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg, and add to the milk mixture, whisking constantly. Put pan over low heat, whisking constantly, and cook for three or four minutes, until heated through but do not boil. Pour pudding into dessert bowls, cover surface with plastic wrap and let chill for several hours. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream and candied pecans or candied walnuts. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy these recipes. I think my next pumpkin adventure will be Pumpkin Creme Brûlée! I think that will be really fun.

Colorful Cupcakes!

This week I will be doing a lot of the thing that I normally dread most...baking! I dread it because a) I am not very good at it, b) I usually don't do a lot of it and, c) one cannot bake "by heart" because ingredients and things have to be measured precisely. But it has been a personal challenge of mine this year to bake more and conquer the dread...a bit. In keeping with that, I decided to bring chocolate cupcakes to our life group this week, since it is my turn to bring dessert. So I made these last night and appropriately decorated them for Autumn, or Halloween, take your pick.

The point at which the usual dread turned to glee was when I discovered the joys of using food coloring to turn my cream cheese frosting orange! I didn't have any orange food coloring, so I mixed red and yellow and the frosting turned a lovely shade of orange. The brown frosting is chocolate ganache, and the white is just regular cream cheese frosting. As you can tell I had fun decorating these too. The candy are all Reese's pieces, but I also threw in some candy corn for the fun of it! I also discovered that strange things happen to Reese's pieces when you put them in the fridge...can you see them "melting" onto the frosting? Anyway, I can't wait to share these at group tonight!