7-Layer Bars

I'd like to send out my sincerest apologies for being absent from the blogosphere (are people still using that word?) for so long. But, I am making it up to you with these drool-worthy bars.

Since I have come home for my summer break, I weirdly have hardly baked at all. What you think would be greatly appreciated by my friends and family who tend to get upset when I destroy all their dieting-hardwork with endless cookies has actually led them to more confusion than ever. "Why aren't you baking? Are you sick?"--No, I am fine. I just was out of the game for so long. But I am back! Don't you people forget about me!

A lot of people make 7-Layer Bars that only have like two or three layers. To be honest, I have never had a bar with 7-Layers until I made these. I don't know what the seventh layer is supposed to be? So I made it Oreos... because why not. They are possibly the easiest thing to make in the entire world. I wouldn't stress over these coming out right or wrong because when you combine this many sugary ingredients into a pan there is really no chance of it not tasting incredible. It requires zero expertise, I promise. But they are the perfect treat to bring to a party... perhaps a Father's Day party? 

Hope you all enjoy, and if you're a father have a wonderful day honoring you!

(oh my god)

7-Layer Bars

Yields 24 Medium-Sized Bars 

• 1 Cup Salted Butter, melted in microwave (30 second intervals)
• 2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips
• 1 1/2 Cups Butterscotch Chips
• 1 Cup Pecans, chopped
• 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Sweetened Coconut
• 10 Oreos, chopped in to 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.

Combine the butter and graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Spread evenly over pan and press down to form the crust. You can use a piece of parchment paper so you can really pack down the crust with your hand.

Sprinkle the chips, nuts, coconut, and Oreos evenly over the crust. With a spoon, drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over everything. Be generous. Don't hold back because sweetened condensed milk is excellent.

Bake for a half hour, turning the pan halfway through. If the coconut starts to brown, pull the bars out. It should be a nice golden on top. Let cool completely before cutting in to them.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Whiskey Caramel Frosting

Top of the mornin' foodies!

It's spring break! Which means...

I am going to bake non-stop for seven days!

In honor of St. Patrick's day I made these boozy treats.

These cupcakes are filled with Guinness and Jameson, making the chocolate and caramel flavors a million times richer. 

The stout and chocolate combination is just the best thing ever. These cupcakes are unbelievably fudge-y without being too dense or brownie-like. All chocolate cupcakes should be made with stout. It's just science?

The Jameson caramel frosting is piled on top. It's the kind of frosting that isn't crazy creamy or heavy. It's perfectly smooth and whipped up so that it is delicate and light. 

And like, these are just chocolate and caramel perfection.

Drink up!

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields 24 Cupcakes

• 1 cup Salted Butter
• 1 cup Guinness (or another stout you prefer)
• 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon Baking Soda
• 2 Large Eggs
• 3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners or spray with non-stick spray. You could also make this into a bundt cake, so you could spray a bundt pan if you prefer.

Place the butter and the Guinness in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let come to a soft boil and add the cocoa powder. Stir until smooth and remove from heat. 

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs, greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk by and until completely incorporated. Gently whisk in the flour mixture. Scoop the batter into the muffin tins (or bundt pan) until they are about 3/4 full.

Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Bundt cake will take about 50-55 minutes) Let cool before frosting.

Whiskey Caramel Frosting

Prepare while cupcakes cool.

• 1/2 cup Salted Butter
• 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Irish Whiskey, I used Jameson
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2-3 cups Powdered Sugar

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and whiskey and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Once it is entirely cooled, whisk in the heavy cream. In a medium-sized bowl, blend the caramel-mixture with the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Once you get a consistency you would like to work with you can begin frosting your cupcakes. I recommend using less powdered sugar for a bundt cake so you can drizzle the frosting over the cake. 

Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

Ah, the joys of being back at school.

It actually is kind of nice to be back at good old Denison. Although I had the most amazing time abroad it's nice to get back to somewhat of a schedule. More than that I am ecstatic to see all my friends, many of whom I had not seen since last May.

Coming back to school in the Spring means getting thrown into the recruitment process. I happily took on the role of baking for the whole thang.
We made cake pops, canapes, and lots of other treats.

Soooooo so cute! 

There is not too much to report school wise. I am in an astronomy class and it is seriously making me consider dropping this whole baking thing and becoming an astronomer/astronaut.

Could be a promising career...

Anyway, I am here to tell you about these little guys

These cookies require three ingredients: Peanut Butter, Sugar, and Eggs. (Hershey Kisses can be added if you like)

Seriously like when I say these are the easiest peanut butter cookies, I am not joking.

The ratios are simple, and the baking is quick. You can whip them up in less than an hour.

They also taste amazing. They stay chewy once they've cooled and it is not one of those recipes that makes four million cookies that you do not know what to do with. You need to go make them right now. I am positive you have the ingredients in your kitchen right now.

Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

Yields 2 Dozen

• 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (Crunchy works too and tastes delicious!)
• 1 Cup Sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 1 Egg
• 1 Package Hershey Kisses, wrappers removed (if you desire)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Blend peanut butter, sugar, and the egg in a bowl until smooth. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in a bowl of extra sugar. Place on baking sheet 1 inch apart. Here you can either leave them be or press them down with a fork making a criss-cross. If you are planning on putting Hershey Kisses on them, do not press them down with a fork.

Bake for about 10 minutes until tops have cracked and are lightly brown. When you remove them from the oven press the Hershey Kisses into their centers immediately. Let cool before serving/eating!

Nutella Marbled Banana Bread

I have an allergy to bananas.

It is seriously a travesty. 

It has been progressively getting worse and I do not know how to really cope with the situation. 

Somehow I thought making this would help. But no, it is torture.

I recently returned from a trip with some friends from college in Jupiter, Florida. We were getting together for my future roomie's 21st birthday. One would expect we were partying like crazy for this milestone in her life, however we ended up mostly just eating. How unlike me us.

Our last night we went to this restaurant called, 'The Food Shack.'

It looked just as sketchy from the outside as it sounds. However, inside held the most delicious and fresh fish I have had in my life thus far. Each night a different band plays but you should try and make it for the duet on Wednesday nights. Apparently they were close to making it on X-factor, or on X-factor... maybe it was American Idol. I have no idea. BUT. I know that they are incredible and will play any 'oldie' you desire.

I also recommend going there for the s'mores pie.

That's all.

Let's talk about banana bread! You do not have to add the Nutella swirl to this concoction, you could add a cup of chocolate chips, toasted nuts, or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top. But why would you not add Nutella to everything?

I strongly advise you use over ripe bananas. Although with a little work you can mash up regular bananas just fine, the riper they are the more the sugars in them develops. This means sweeter, stronger flavors that will certainly be apparent in your final product!

Bon appetit!

Nutella Marbled Banana Bread

Yields 12-14 Slices

• 3-4 Over Ripe Bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup Salted Butter, melted
• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Large Egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• Pinch of Cloves
• 1 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 cup Nutella

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 4"x8" loaf pan.

In a large bowl stir together the mashed bananas and butter until combined. Add the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until all is mixed.

Sprinkle the baking soda and spices over the top and stir until combined. Then fold in the flour just until no flour streaks remain. 

Pour half of the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Drop little balls of Nutella over the batter using a small ice cream scoop or melon baller. Pour the rest of the batter over the top of the Nutella. Gently swirl with a sharp knife. 

Place in oven for 50-60 minutes. Let cool before eating!

Asparagus Pancetta Gruyere Breakfast Strata

Christmas breakfast is the most amazing meal of the year!

I decided to make a breakfast strata similar to one some family friends make. Ended up buying some of the ingredients and just throwing them together, hoping it would turn out as good as theirs. 

It was delicious!! We always have cinnamon rolls at Christmas. But I was not feeling the sugary treats. I wanted the magnificence of this savory delight to last forever. I might make one tomorrow. And for New Years Day. And every Sunday for the rest of my life. 

If you know me at all, you will probably know that I have an incredible affection for the Christmas season. However, I am not one of those people that gets sad when it's over. It basically just means that we are that much closer to the next Christmas! I do not really understand why people are not as joyful as they are at Christmas all the time! I know I am!

So I am going to continue to make holiday treats and spread the spirit.  Enjoy this recipe foodies!

Asparagus Pancetta Gruyere Breakfast Strata

Yields 20 Servings

• 8 oz. Pancetta, chopped
• 1 cup Onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon Butter
• 8 Large Eggs
• 2 1/2 cups Nonfat Milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 1/2 cup Gruyere Cheese, shredded
• 3/4 pound Whole Grain Loaf of Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 15 Asparagus Spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup Asiago Cheese, shredded

Butter a 9x13" baking dish.

In a small pan cook the pancetta on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook until the onion has become soft and translucent. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, blend together the eggs, milk, mustard, and gruyere with a handheld mixer. Stir the asparagus and pancetta into the egg mixture. Scatter the bread chunks evenly in your greased baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the bread till it is evenly coated, try to make sure the asparagus and pancetta is spread about evenly as well! Cover in plastic wrap and let chill in fridge for at least 12 hours, or overnight. 

When you are ready to bake, remove from the strata from the fridge and let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the strata with the asiago cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the strata no longer jiggles in the middle. It should be firm when touched and the edges should be golden. Enjoy!

Russian Tea Cakes

Buttery, flakey, nutty, sweet mounds of heaven...

For me, this used to be one of those reject Christmas cookies. You go to a holiday party and if you are me, you head straight for the dessert table. You see gingerbread men, sugar cookies, peppermint fudge... all the celebrated regulars. Then as you continue perusing the sweets, you come across the rejects: fruit cake, cherry cordials, almond logs, all those other weird cookies and then, the russian tea cakes. 

It wasn't until high school that I ventured down to this end of the table. I was learning the set backs to being a picky eater. I decided to give these cookies a try. I was obviously pleasantly surprised. These are the best cookies maybe in the whole world? They are the perfect texture, they have a cinnamon and nutty flavor and then are coated in the most delicious layer of buttery powdered sugar. I never looked back after entering this end of the table. Just give it a chance!

Fresh warm out of the oven they are seriously better than anything. Maybe make two batches, one to eat warm and one to eat the next day. 

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

Russian Tea Cakes

Yields 3 Dozen Cookies

• 1 cup Pecans or Walnuts, toasted
• 1 cup Salted Butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
• Sprinkle of Cloves
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor, blend your nuts until they are finely diced, set aside.

In a large bowl, blend your butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the flour about a half cup at a time until just mixed. Add your chopped nuts and blend until combined.

Roll 1-inch sized balls and place on the cookie sheet an inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. While they are baking, pour your remaining 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar into a small bowl. The tops should just begin to crack and the cookies should be golden on the bottom. Right when you take them out of the oven, roll the cookies in the powdered sugar until heavily coated (I like lots of powdered sugar!). Let cool for a little so you do not burn yourself, but have a few of them warm, they are SO good warm!

If you have extra powdered sugar at the end you can use a fine sieve to dust the rest over the cookies.

Cranberry White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Holiday baking is my favoriteeeee!

There are just so many flavors to use. I guess you could use them at any time of the year, but people definitely appreciate them more in December.

Actually, people just appreciate baked goods more in general in December. Like, I am genuinely curious why I am the only one craving gingerbread cookies in July and fudgesicles in January?

These delicious treats always taste good.

I clearly do not adhere to the whole 'getting old of things' phenomenon.

These cookies are perfect because they have red, white, and green ingredients.

They are also perfect because they take less than two hours to make.

And!

They are perfect because of white chocolate...

Hope you nutcrackers enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Cranberry White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Yields about 4 Dozen Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Cloves
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Large Egg and 1 Egg Yolk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup White Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Salted Pistachios, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

In a large bowl, blend together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes on high. Reduce speed and add the egg and egg yolk. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and slowly add the flour mixture with the mixer on low. When there is still a bit of flour remaining add the chips, cranberries, and nuts. Stir with a spatula until just combined. 

Drop about 1 tablespoon sized balls onto a cookie sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden. Let cool before eating!