S'more Bars

So I have discovered Pinterest and I love it!  It's like access to everybodys recipe & decorating files & style & party ideas all online.  Amazing. Who needs a filing cabinet anymore?  Wish I had it when I was building a house for ideas.  Anyway, I repinned this recipe and made it yesterday for a family party.  Had just enough left for breakfast this morning (after all, I went to spinning so isn't that legal?).


Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 cookie bars.

Chocolate Eclair

This Chocolate Eclair has been a favorite since I was a newlywed almost 20 years ago.  It's latest longer than a lot of other things!  It is my kids absolute favorite, and it doesn't require baking.

Chocolate Eclair
Filling:
2 (3 oz) packages of Vanilla Pudding (or French Vanilla)
3 1/2 Cups Milk
1 8 ounce Container Cool Whip
Whole Graham Crackers

Chocolate Sauce:
4 Tb. Butter, melted
4 Tb. Milk
4 Tb. cocoa
2 Cups Powder Sugar

For filling, stir pudding & milk till smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip.  In a 9 x 13 pan, layer graham crackers, 1/2 pudding, graham crackers, 1/2 pudding, ending with another layer of graham crackers.  For chocolate sauce, mix together all ingredients, blend with hand-held mixer and spread on top.  Refrigerate.  Even better the next day when the graham crackers are soft!

Kate's Meal

 No recipe, but Kate had me to Sunday Dinner and had this beautiful meal.  She made those breadsticks from Best Bites and B-B-Q' the meat.  Those skewers are a lot of work but so delicious.  Thanks Kate!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

$1.99 at Rite Aid. And I am embarrassed to say I could (and did) eat a bag in one day! These are the best snack that we discovered on our JetBlue flight but couldn't find anywhere to buy them. All the flavors are great, but the Kettle corn is my fav. Get yourself to Rite Aid!

homemade playdoh

I know it's blasphemous for a Mom to say she can't stand playdoh, 

but you're hearing it here and now, people:

I can't stand it.

See, it just gets EVERYWHERE!
Inside every crevice of wood, carpet, tile, fingernail.

So, my kids consider themselves really lucky when we pull it out!

But, alas...I saw this recipe here for dough and thought "easy enough"!

And it WAS. So easy that we just kept making it so everyone could have their own.

It doesn't stink, is really squishy, and not so crumbly as regular playdoh.
Oh and when it's warm straight outta the pan, it's therapeutic to roll...like hot bread dough.

So, maybe I can be a "playdoh mom" after all.

Homemade Playdoh

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tbls. vegetable oil 
(I used canola, cuz' that's what I had on hand)

food coloring (I used 4 drops)

Just dump all the ingredients into your pot and give them a good stir.  Enlist some small help if possible – they will think you are magic.

luscious lemonade layer cake

To my luck, my newly 7-year-old kiddo requested a "lemon cake" for his birthday.
Yippee! I love anything lemon...
He probably would have been fine with a boxed or store-bought, decoration-decked-out, crisco-frosting cake, but I wanted to enjoy it, too...;)
So I remembered making this lemon cake last year and loving it.
And it fit the bill again!
It's dense, moist, and the icing seeps into the cake making it even nummier the next day!

From "Keeping Up", 
luscious lemonade layer cake
click for: printable version

1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

place sugar, butter, zest, lemonade and vanilla in a mixer and mix until well blended. add eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. in a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. add dry ingredients to batter, alternating with buttermilk, until all dry ingredients and buttermilk are well blended. pour into two well-greased 9'' round pans. bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes (my oven needed about 30 minutes...just do the toothpick test!). cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.

frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

mix together all ingredients except powdered sugar and blend well. gradually add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until blended. don't over-beat. frost cake.

mint brownies

Of course it's not original to try a recipe and then post about it...

Wahoo. I mean, that's all I do on here!

But, I guess I like a "stamp of approval" from the people I know on things, ya know?

Well, these brownies get the stamps of approval...

Once again, from "Our Best Bites".

They are almost like fudge with a hint of mint frosting. 

SO good. I made them for a block party and a baby shower, and cut them up really small (rich!).

They were gone in a flash!

Enjoy!

Mint Brownies

from Our Best Bites

Mint Brownies


Brownies:
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (4oz)
1 C butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Frosting:
2 C powdered sugar
4 T butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-2 Tbs milk
green food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ,you could also use dark
6 Tbs real butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil making sure the foil extends over the edges by at least one inch.  Lightly spray with non-stick spray and set aside.


Chop both unsweetened chocolate and two sticks of butter into chunks and place together in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.


With an electric mixer or stand mixer beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes.  While egg mixture is beating, measure out flour and combine with baking powder.   While mixer is running, slowly add melted chocolate and beat to combine.  Turn beater speed to low and add in flour by spoonfuls.  Mix just until combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a knife poked in center comes out clean.


Cool completely on a metal rack. When brownies have cooled to room temperature, prepare frosting.  Combine all frosting ingredients, starting with 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk, and beat until light and fluffy.  Add more milk by teaspoonful as needed.  Spread frosting evenly over brownies and then place brownies in fridge to chill.


While brownies are chilling prepare chocolate glaze.  Place chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes and then carefully spread on top of the frosting layer.  Return pan to fridge to cool.  When chocolate has hardened, use edges of foil to remove entire brownie from pan.  Cut into squares and serve.

asian cabbage salad

In the mood for a different kind of salad... 

Not just the regular ole' greens and such. 

So I whipped up this healthy concoction from Best Bites. 

See, I told you I have to try about every recipe when I get a new cookbook?!

The photo (before I mixed in the nuts and seeds) makes me think CRUNCH! HEALTHY! YUM!

I love that this one doesn't include noodles, too. I don't know. It makes me feel better about eating it.
I ran out of rice wine vinegar, and used some red wine vinegar. Whatever.

Try this baby out. With or without the almonds. But I def recommend keeping the toasted sesame seeds.

Oh and unlike most salads, this one holds well the next day cuz' of it's low-oil dressing! Crunch on!

Asian Cabbage Salad Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix 
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 small handful sugar snap peas (about 20 baby ones)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 T toasted sesame seeds*
1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted*
Optional: 1 1/2 C cooked, shredded or diced chicken


Dressing: 2 T canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)
1 t kosher salt
2 t soy sauce
1/4 t garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t sesame oil

* To toast almonds or sesame seeds, place them (not together, do one thing at a time!) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Turn constantly until golden brown. Let cool before using.

Begin by making dressing. Combine all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake shake shake. Store in the fridge until ready to use. You can definitely do this part a few days ahead of time.

Place all salad ingredients in a bowl

You need to pour on the dressing and toss to coat at least 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve. When you pour the dressing on you might think it’s not quite enough, but just wait. When it sits and marinates, it combines with the veggies and draws out liquid and there will be more than plenty of dressing after it sits. After you’ve poured on the dressing, place salad in the fridge to sit for 30-60 minutes.

Right before serving mix in toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

It’s as pretty as it is delicious!

Leave out the chicken and it makes a great vegetarian salad, or a terrific side dish for things like potstickers, Asian BBQ chicken, or Sweet and Sour Pork. Serve it with the chicken for a light meal.

best bite breadsticks

First let's get outta the way that I am in no way, shape or form much of a cook.

But I just try new recipes.

Since my Mom-in-Law gave me this cookbook, 

I feel it my duty to try everything with a drooling-effect photo.

I always do that with new cookbooks.

I'm definitely no photographer, per the phone camera shots below.

See, I was in a rush taking this yummy chowder (husband approved, kids didn't like) 

and breaksticks to a girl who just had a baby. 

I was totally intimidated, as usual by making bread of any sort.

I couldn't shape them the way the recipe called for, so I opted for blobs.

 Plus, I was hurrying to just whip them out in time.

But man, they were

TASTY.

A definite "try again" and "per-fect". 

I could see myself make these often since they were such a hit with the fam.

I used butter, garlic salt and parmesan cheese after the oven, 

but just butter or cinnamon sugar would be splendid as well.

Oh and best tip they suggested? 

Spray your countertop with cooking spray, instead of all the flour.

It makes SO much less of a mess!!

The lovely dough blobs.

My fancy "throw these on a plate and take bursting hot out the door" look.

Breadsticks

from Best Bites

1 1/2 c. warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 c. flour

In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.

 Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.

Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and then drape over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it's okay if they're close; pulling apart hot bread is one of life's greatest pleasures!

Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes. When there's about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks (just put a ziploc bag on your hand, grab some softened butter, and have at it) and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning or the powdery Parmesan cheese in a can and garlic salt. Or you could sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar.