Friday, November 20, 2009

A Cookie Break Between Packing, Exams and New Moon T-Shirts

Life has been crazy. Not that my life isn't always crazy- because it is. It just feels like things have been extra crazy lately. Taking exams early, packing for Vegas, skipping class to pack, making Twilight T-shirts. Ya Know. Crazy.

But no matter how crazy my life gets there will always be a few constants and baking is one of those. I was sick all week- the dreary I need to pee but the effort required to walk the 10 feet to the bathroom is to much so i'll hold in kind of sickness. Although there was some Gilmore Girls incorporated in which is why I don't mind getting sick, weird- i know. But by Thursday I saw the light at the end of tunnel and I actually left my house for the first time in like 3 days- which with the craziness my life involves is amazing that i didn't go anywhere. Truly, it was.

So by Thursday there was class, more sleeping and of course Gilmore Girls. Oh and orders not to go to class- The Vegetarian maintained that I needed to save my strength for New Moon. Valid point, besides that's what friends are for- get better cuz I'm dragging your ass to see this movie. :) Love it. But a miraculous thing occurred- I got my energy back and after throwing myself a fiesta for dinner I decided to bake.

Lets be honest and say at that point I wasn't up for much but I did manage to whip up a batch of No-Bake Cookie. And let me say these cookies were delic! They reminded me of the ones my Aunt Karen used to make. I would go down to visit her with my grandma and me and my sister would have burping contest with my cousins and she would make us cookies and play video games with us when the boys weren't there. Having typed that- Wow. What a woman to put up with all that- I sounded like tom-boy terror. haha. I was.

But Aunt Karen's cookies were always the best. I never did get the recipe, at that point i was to preoccupied playing with the boys but these cookies are incredible. Much thanks to the Brown Eyed Baker for posting these! These come together super quick and are very easy. But lack of work does not result in lack of taste. If you have 10-15 minutes to spare and a choclate craving these are the cookies for you! I halves the recipe when I made it and it yielded a dozen large cookies but this recipe doubles or even triples easily.

No-Bake Cookies

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

Add the butter, sugar, milk and cocoa powder to a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a roling boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and add the peanut butter and vanilla, stiring until smooth. Then stir in the oats. Form into cookie shapes on a cookie sheet and let set. Then enjoy!

Monday, November 9, 2009

S'mores Bars- Yum Yum!

S'mores Bars. Amazing. Right now as I type this I am eating the very last one and thinking to myself that I should stop by the store on my way home tonight and make another batch. They're that good. And I mean good. Plus they are super quick to put together- always a plus in my book. Easy and delicious- I dare you to say no.

I originally found the recipe on JoytheBaker's blog but her recipe called for 3 sticks of butter and corn syrup!!! I wouldn't call my self super healthy but in an effort to keep my pants fitting and to look good while in Vegas I decided to change the recipe up. No offense Joy but you must have a metabolism like my friend Eric- the kid is like 6'2, 160 pounds and you can see every stinkin rib- he kinda reminds me of a Holocaust survivor except this kid is constantly eating. Needless to say I'm extremely jealous but i digress.

Any ways- I decided to make a chocolate ganache and add a little bit extra butter to get in to a runny consistency to coat the graham crackers, but i must say I that I love, love, LOVE a good ganache so i prolly made this adaptation out of pure selfishness and maybe out of lack of corn syrup. haha. Did I mention how much I love a good ganache?

But seriously- make these- according to the small group they are the second best thing i've ever made, and trust me that says alot.

S'mores Bars

adapted from Joythebaker.com


1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 c heavy cream
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped pieces)
12 oz graham crackers
2 handfulls of mini marshmellows, plus a few

Liberally grease a 13x9 pan and set aside. Combine butter and cream in sauce pan and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Once butter and cream are combined and being to boil pour the mixture directly over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes and then whip until smooth.

Break graham crackers into pieces into large bowl. Add marshmellows and pour chocolate mixture over top, mixing until chocolate has saturated graham crackers and marshmellows. Scrape into 13x9 pan and sprinkle few extra marshmellows on top. Press down with spatula (like you do with rice crispies). Refrigerate 2 hours or until solid and enjoy!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Oreo Pudding and The Travesty of Being With Out Butter

Today I had to take a stats exam which was très mauvais. Upon finishing and rushing home I decided I need to bake. Running was out of the question as I hadn't stretched very well after my run last night and was très sore. But upon opening the fridge and waiting for a moment of divine inspiration- which was chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies, I realized I had one insurmountable obstacle- I was out of butter.

I know what you're thinking- out of butter- that's your travesty and yes it is. I had planned some lovely cookies for you with lots of colorful pictures and enough left over to wrap up and take to work with you. It would have been grand.

So in an effort to inundate you with more post and provide you with a euphoric concoction to make this weekend I open up my recipe binder and stumbles upon one of my favorite desserts- Oreo Pudding. I came across the recipe years ago in the most awkward way. I was at a cookout with some friends of my parents friends down in Tennessee. I don't really remember much about what we ate or how the evening went (other than that i ran through a screen door- it was dark okay?) but I do remember the pudding. It was delightful. It was like a symphony of flavor in mouth the Oreo's the smoothness of the pudding. I was hooked and I asked for the recipe right then.

So without further ado-

Oreo Pudding

1 box Oreo Cookies
1 small box vanilla pudding
1 large container of cool whip
1 8oz cream cheese

Mix pudding according to directions on box. Mix in cool whip and cream cheese. Crumble 3/4 of Oreo's and fold into pudding mixture. Place remaining cookies on top. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve.