Mommy Wishes (Caramel Chocolate Chip Blondies)

I stare at my kiddo a lot.  He's adorable; how could you not?  This morning I was staring at him and wondering what he's going to be like when he grows up, what kind of character he will develop.  I know all parents want things for their children.  They want them to be smart, happy, successful, better off than they are.  This morning I thought about what I want for my son.  

 I want my child to be curious.  Curiosity leads to questions and questions lead to problem solving and creativity and knowing things.  All those eventually lead to intelligence and understanding.  All of the smartest people I know are also very curious (with maybe the exception of George, who was a good little monkey, haha).  I hope that my child will to want to know everything, to be interested in the world around him, and to constantly ask questions:  why is the sky blue, how much water will the bath tub hold, who invented the refrigerator, what is the difference between baking soda and baking powder, where do butterflies come from, when do the red crabs make their migration across Christmas Island...everything.  Wanting to know everything is the first step toward actually knowing everything.  Or at least enough to make you happy.

Old Friends and New Beginnings (Caramel Apple Skillet Cake)

A few weeks ago, some dear friends of ours bought their first home.  In the time between then and now, our area experienced an earthquake, a hurricane, and some massive flooding.  Luckily, their new house has withstood all that nature could throw at it, and they're safely back home to settle in. 

As we were going to visit for the first time and give them a little housewarming, I knew that they had already been through a lot. I'm of the opinion that it's bad luck to visit someone's new house and not bring food.  Something about good luck and best wishes and prosperity and happiness and who knows what else.  Either way, this seemed like a good opportunity for cake.

I don't usually make cakes, as any casual reader of this blog can tell you.  To make an entire cake for hubby and me seems like overkill, so I really need a special occasion that involved a lot of people to even get up the excitement to try.  Also, cake itself just isn't terribly exciting to me.  My entire life I've viewed cake as a mere vehicle for icing.  Even the best, most moist homemade cake seems a little blah.  And don't even get me started on all the birthday parties where I've had to suffer through dry, crumbly store bought cake with hydrogenated oil "icing".  For my birthdays, I always request pie or cheesecake or brownies or something else with some character.  Cake just doesn't trip my trigger like other desserts.

Oooey gooey goodness...

Sharing is Caring (Salted Caramel Shortbread)

As a brand spanking new nurse, I have a preceptor for several weeks who's there to make sure that I'm comfortable taking care of all my patients and to answer the 1001 questions that I have every day.  My preceptor, Kelly, is pretty awesome, and I'm very lucky to have her to learn from.  Plus, we eat lunch together and get coffee in the afternoons.

Last week she had a handful of salted caramels from the gift shop.  Since she's a nice person, she shared one with me.  Since I'm pregnant and love caramel, it's all that I've thought about all week.

Soooooo, to satisfy my salted caramel craving, I decided to make some shortbread cookies topped with caramel and sea salt.  And since I had a few toffee bars in my cabinets, I figured that I would throw those in the cookie dough, too.  

Good things happen when we share.

Red, White and Blue (Blueberry-Raspberry Crisp)

Happy Independence Day!!  Today we had a little barbecue with the in-laws today.  Knowing that they would supply enough meat to feed the troops, I stopped at the farmer's market on my way home today for some produce.  Red tomatoes, blueberries and raspberries beckoned to me patriotically from the stands.  I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try out a new recipe I found on one of my favorite blogs, Erza Pound Cake - for Southern Tomato Pie.  I'm not going to recreate the recipe here, because she's done it perfectly on her blog already, so head over and check it out.  Even my somewhat veggie-phobic husband told me it should be one of those things I "definitely make again".  Score!!

For dessert, I wanted something quick and easy, something light and simple.  I wanted a crisp.  Remembering the success we had with Apple Cranberry Crisp from my Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook, I opened it up again and on the opposite page found a recipe for Blueberry Crisp.  I subbed out 1/3 of the blueberries for raspberries and - voila - perfection! 

The End, Finally (Homemade Samoas)

Well, folks, we did it.  My classmates and I are officially nurses!!  Last Saturday was our exit exam, and I passed with flying colors (not to brag, haha).  It was a crazy, wild ride, and while I can't honestly say that I enjoyed every second of it, I'm definitely grateful for the experience.  

So now that insanity is over, I'm recovering from a year of no sleep and mucho stress.  This past week has been blissfully relaxing.  I should start working in May, once I take the boards and get my license, but until then I have a few things going on that I'll share over the next few weeks.  I have some new ideas on where to take the blog, and I hope that my readers (all three of you, haha) will be excited.  More about that later.  On to the main event!

Goodness (Good Caramel Apple Goodness)

Things that are good:

Layla.

Husband.

 

Friends.

Family.

Pretty flowers.

 

Dessert.

And this dessert is good.  Gooey, like a candied apple.  Handy, like a bar cookie.  Sweet and cinnamony, like any good fall treat.  Gooey Caramel Apple Goodness. 

Gooey Caramel Apple Goodness

(from Taste of Home Halloween)

Crust:

5 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons sugar

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1-1/4 cups butter, cold

3 eggs

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons + 1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt.  Cut or rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water and vinegar.  Gradually add to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.  Divide the dough into two portions, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Filling:

10-1/2 cups sliced, peeled tart apples (about 12)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1-3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup butter, cubed

1 cup chopped walnuts

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugars, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cream.  In a dutch oven, melt the butter, than add the apple mixture.  Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until the apples are tender.  Stir in walnuts and vanilla.  Roll out one ball of crust gently and press into the bottom of  a 15"x10" pan.  Spread the apple mixture into the crust.  Roll out the remaining dough ball and press gently over the apples.  Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm with ice cream.

This one goes out to... (Stovetop Lasagna)

...the person in our circle of friends who doesn't eat dessert.  I was all set to post some amazing pumpkin cinnamon cookies that I made for the Phillies game last night.  This person, who shall be called He Who Hates Sweetness, was complaining that I had too many baked goods on my baking blog.  Keep in mind, this is the same person who once said that anyone who eats dessert cannot be taken seriously.  

We don't listen to him too much.  But in this case, I figured that I had a recipe that would make him happy.

Plus, that just means more cookies for the rest of us.

Diana's Famous Stovetop Lasagna

20 mini Italiain style meatballs, quartered

1 green pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

3 cups uncooked mafalda or campanelle pasta

1-1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 jar chunky tomato pasta sauce

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (or both, if you prefer)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

(Note:  This recipe is kind of fun, you can definitely add or subtract whatever your unique tastes are.  I use mini meatballs because that's usually what I have in the freezer, but you can use 1 pound of Italian sausage or 10-12 regular sized meatballs.  Get creative!)

Cook meatballs, onion and peppers with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, in a 12 inch skillet or 4 quart dutch oven over medium high heat until the meatballs are brown and the veggies are soft.  Add the pasta, water, seasoning and sauce, stir and allow to come to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes (pasta should be tender).  Stir in the parmesan or ricotta, then remove from heat.  Top with mozzarella cheese, allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted.  

Follow with dessert.  :o)

Compromise (Forever Krispie Treats)

They say the key to every marriage is compromise.   When Hubby and I were getting ready to tie the knot, a big piece of me was afraid we would become those people with a "marriage".  Marriage sounded like something you had on your mantle that needed weeded and watered and dusted and sacrificed for.  That sounded like work.  I didn't want that kind of work. I just wanted to stand up in front of everyone I cared about and declare that I loved this man, that he was the one for me, and then get on living our lives together.  We had been together for several years and had worked past the newlywed "living together" things - his socks on the floor, my neurotic issues about eating together.  What more could there be to learn?  Getting married just makes it official, right?

Yeah, sure, because I know everything.

Actually, as it turns out, being married does change things.  It means that what used to be two people, half me and half him, is now 100% me and him.  It means that everything I do is now for us - becoming a nurse, changing the sheets on the bed, learning to cook, even shaving my legs.  It means that my new last name on my driver's license announces to the world that I'm part of something bigger than just myself.  It means that my mantle now holds this thing that needs weeded and watered and dusted and sacrificed for.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Marriage also means that when we're walking through the grocery store deciding what yummy treat we want that week, and he wants rice krispie treats and I want chocolate cookies, we have learned to compromise.

Forever Krispie Treats

7 cups rice krispie cereal

1 bag (10 oz) large marshmallows

3 tablespoons butter

8 oz chocolate chips

4 oz peanut butter chips

25 Werther's Original chewy caramels

8 mini-Twix bars,

In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter.  Add in the marshmallows and melt, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the cereal.  (Note:  I know the original recipe calls for 6 cups, but I like my treats crispy, as opposed to mallowy.  I always hated it when the room mother brought in the mallowy treats, with the marshmallows barely melted and studded with five little pieces of krispie.  You can adjust the ratio however you like.)   Pour the mixture into two 8x8 glass pans and pat down flat.  

While they settle, melt the caramels (I did this in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir, then 30 seconds, etc) until completely melted.  Pour over one of the pans. Coarsely chop 7 of the Twix bars.  Eat the remaining one. Spread the candy over the caramel.  On the other pan, spread 1/3 of the peanut butter chips over the treats.  Melt the chocolate chips (over a double boiler or in the microwave) and pour over both pans (half and half).  Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter chips over the peanut butter treats.  Allow to set, about 2-3 hours.  Store covered.  Share with someone you adore.

Butterscotch Ganache, oh my gosh! (Pierogis & Blondies)

OK, so hubby came up with the title for this one.

Today I made blondies with butterscotch ganache and pierogies for dessert. Or, maybe it was supposed to be the other way around. Anyway, whichever way you eat it, they were both delicious!

This recipe I adapted from Real Simple. I can't find the original on their website, and I changed it up a bit anyway. Next time I would use ground beef instead of the meatballs (the original called for chorizo or Italian sausage).

Meatie Potato Pierogi

1 package potato & onion pierogi

3/4 pound meatballs, sausage or ground beef/turkey

8 oz marinara sauce

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 red onion

shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the ground beef, meatballs or sausage in a skillet. Drain the fat off, add the onion and the sauce. Cook until sauce is bubbly, then add tomato. Prepare the pierogi (I boiled them, but you could also saute them with some garlic). Plate the pierogi, top with the meat sauce, sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Butterscotch Blondies

This recipe I adapted from one of my favorite food blogs, smitten kitchen, which is fabulous site for newbie foodies like me. The link should take you to her recipe, but check out everything on the blog, it all looks amazing!

I added mini chocolate chips to the blondie base and topped the entire thing with butterscotch ganache. I doubled the amount of ganache I thought I would need, but it turned out that I could have made do with the usual amount, so that's what I'm going to post. Double or halve however you want.

Blondies

8 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

pinch salt

1 cup flour

3/4 ish cup mini chocolate chips

Beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth, then add egg, vanilla and salt (I made these by hand, since it didn't seem to warrant dirtying the stand mixer). Mix in flour until completely combined (batter will be a little soupy). Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 25-27 minutes in a lightly buttered 8x8 glass pan.

Ganache

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chips in a glass or stainless bowl. Heat cream on the stove just until it boils, stirring constantly. Quickly pour the boiling cream over the chips, stirring until melted and combined. Let stand until cool before drizzling over the blondies. Ganache will run off the sides, giving it a decadent dripping effect.

Let stand until cool. Eat! (As if you could resist all that...)

The Not So Humble Pie Pie Contest has officially come to a close, and Ms. Humble is going to name the winner this week. Cross your fingers for me! If I win, I'll post the recipe for my famous Cinnamon Yum Yums. If I don't win, I'll be sad and dejected, then post the recipe for the Yum Yums. Oh please please please please!! :-)