lavender hot chocolate pudding

I created, made, and photographed this recipe about a year ago.  This post has been sitting in my drafts since then.  I can't remember the recipe.  All I can tell you is that it is a rich, dark chocolate pudding infused with lavender.  Think it'll taste like soap?  I was skeptical, too, but this is so good.  I prefer lavender desserts that include chocolate.  Anything vanilla-lavender, lavender-honey, etc. - does taste a bit like soap to me.

Want to try your chocolate pudding infused with lavender?  It's easy.  Use your favorite chocolate pudding recipe (or even a box mix) and infuse the milk it calls for with lavender.  Add about a tablespoon of lavender to the milk and heat it just to scalding, strain through fine mesh to remove the lavender, then use the milk as directed in your recipe.

Voila!  Enjoy this spin on chocolate pudding.

orange-scented russian teacakes + foodiecrush

There's a new magazine in town!  Have you seen it?  It's published by the lovely Heidi of foodiecrush.  She publishes regular blog posts in addition to this scrumptious online magazine.

I'd recommend taking a peek when you have plenty of time and a full stomach.

Once you get to page 46, you might see a familiar face.

Yep, that's me!  I'm sharing my family's traditional holiday cookie.

My grandmother found the original recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook circa 1950.  The recipe is notorious for being loved by men, and it was actually created by one - an executive from New York City that made them for Christmas one year and submitted the recipe to the magazine.

My mother made them last summer, on request, to send to my father and brother while they were thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail (all 2,178 miles!), and my bother gave himself a stomachache from eating too many at once.

I made these back in August to meet the submission deadline, and it made me wonder why I don't just make these year-round!  It was so fun to evoke the memories and emotions of the holidays during the summer months.


I threw in some orange to give these bad boys some extra zest - perfection.


Make these this holiday season, and feel free to call them snowballs.  Makes more sense to me, too.


Orange-Scented Russian Teacakes
Makes 16-20
Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Zest of one orange, plus more for garnish if desired
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans 
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
1.  Beat butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
2.  Reduce speed to low, add salt, then gradually add flour and pecans until the dough comes together.
3.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
4.  Preheat oven to 400ºF.
5.  Shape dough into smooth 2-inch balls and place on an un-greased cookie sheet, or one lined with parchment.  Dough balls can be placed as close as 2 inches apart as the cookies will not change much in size during the baking process.
6.  Bake the cookies 8-12 minutes.  Cookies are done once they turn golden on the bottom, but are not yet brown on the tops or sides.
7.  Immediately remove to a cooling rack and roll in powdered sugar to coat, then return to cooling rack.
8.  Let the cookies cool completely, then roll in powdered sugar once more.


Note:  orange zest may be added to the powdered sugar the cookies are rolled in as an addition to, or in replacement of the zest garnish.  These cookies ship well to out-of-town relatives - our family counts on my mother sending them every year.

Kate Spade + MACARONS

photo by eric linebarger

A few weeks ago, I attended the Kate Spade Kansas City grand opening party.  Hosted by Meg Biram of mimi+meg, it was a vibrant, swanky affair.

Meg Biram, Jessie Artigue | photo by eric linebarger

One of my dear friends Alison came with me, and we had so much fun sipping pomegranate champagne cocktails and perusing the bold-colored items in the striped store.

photo by eric linebarger

Oddly enough, one of my favorite features of the new store was the area that held the boxes and bags for purchased merchandise.  Form meets function perfectly in this design feature.

I really thought it was a fun piece of art until I got a closer look.

Here I am with Jessie of Concrete Catwalk.  She's moving to Hoboken, NJ any day now.  We barely met this summer, and I'm sad to see her go so soon.

Hand-lettering artists were on-hand from Hallmark (headquartered in KC) to personalize the party favors - Kate Spade tote bags!  I'm in love with Tobe of Because It's Awesome 's nail polish.

photo by eric linebarger

Here's the stylin' feet of the design duo Carrie & Morgan from Ampersand Design Studio.  [I MUST get some fuchsia suede pumps.]  I love their work, and it was so nice to finally meet Morgan!

I walked away with this lovely little guy in a bright fuchsia color.


NOW.  For my favorite and most memorable part of the evening.

I had my first macaron.  At Kate Spade.  Serendipitously enough, they were made by Morgan's mom!

photo by eric linebarger

I've probably never tried one of these just due to the mere fact that I don't believe I've ever had the chance.  And I've never sought them out, nor understood the craze, because they look like meringue cookies.  Who wants to eat a dry, airy cookie, let alone two at the same time?


And then I saw this photo.  Just. before. this. party.

I'm sure she has no idea, but Amanda from Kevin and Amanda totally changed my world with this one photo.  How many people actually show you what's on the inside of a macaron after biting into it??

That is DEFINITELY NOT a meringue cookie.  Look at how soft and moist it is!  Look at that thin shell!

The universe aligned, and a mere few days after seeing the photo that spiked my desire to get my paws on a macaron, I was presented with a plate full of various flavor profiles to try.

I ate two.  Both plain vanilla bean.  I wanted to eat every last one.

photo courtesy of au bon macaron

I've listed some links to recipes below, but if you don't want the stress of creating your own at home (these babies are the epitome of pastry precision), check out Au Bon Macaron, and place an order for the holidays.

Or for your afternoon snack.

She has all colors of the rainbow and flavors like eggnog, cranberry, peppermint, pumpkin, and - the one that sounds the best to me - lavender honey.  Wouldn't those be just perfect with afternoon tea?

Keep your eyes peeled for my own experience making these - I plan to tackle them in the next week.  You know, just another way to keep myself entertained while The Stallion's away.

If you're ready to tackle macarons, the two posts below are the ones I'd trust the most (it's what I'm going to reference).  Hélène was going to teach us how to make macarons while she was in town for her photography seminar, but, we were tired.

Macaron Tutorials/Recipes:
Halloween French Macarons - Kevin and Amanda (great step-by-step photo tutorial)
Macaron Recipe Index - Tartelette (scroll down to find the macaron section; Helen has tons of recipes, and she's French! She really knows what she's doing)

Our Weekend {Recipe: Peach Cobbler}

This stuff was devoured at our annual Laner Labor Day Block Party (you know - LLDBP) this weekend.

LLDBP is a pretty good time.  I think this year was the best turnout yet.  Perhaps the best weather yet, too.  Saturday ushered in a rain system after a stifling, humid Friday with temps in the triple digits.

 

That left The Stallion and the rest of the boys of The Lane reaching for their jackets at 6am on Sunday when they were out setting up the smokers for the ribs and pork butt.

Smoking meat is a big commitment, man.  Especially with our makeshift smoker.  This guy needs constant, undivided attention to keep a steady temp.

Luckily we were able to convince the rest of the jokers just standing around to keep an eye on things while The Stallion and I went on a run.  We'd been cooped up on Saturday and were ready to hit the pavement.

Exercise is usually a good idea when you're about to imbibe on copious amounts of meat, sides, and alcohol.

And particularly when you're show-offs like us.

The Laners were waiting for us upon our return (I don't think they'd done so much as open the smoker box while we were gone) and cheered us on to the finish line.

I beat The Stallion.

I don't think anyone was surprised.

The boys had a bloody waiting for The Stallion at the finish line.

Of course.

(So there was one thing they did while we were gone.)

These jokers really are getting smarter and smarter every year.

For example.

They threw on a few racks of ribs with the pork butts first thing in the morning so they'd have something yummy to eat for lunch.

...and to ensure they got some of said phenomenal ribs before they were attacked at dinner time by every man, woman, and child.  There have been years where the smokers miss out.  Devastation ensues.

When all this meat came off the smoker and had to be cut and pulled, my itty bitty kitchen was quite the sight.

I can still picture them all crammed in there, standing over the trash can, the sink, a pan, the back door, a plate, each one putting back one rib in 5 seconds flat, barely allowing themselves time to breathe.

After they were done getting their fill for the moment, they whizzed through the prep assembly line in order to get the goods out to the masses.

I think there's still BBQ splatters on my ceiling.  And my cabinets.  My shoes still stick to the floor in there a little bit, too.

Boys.

It was entertaining watching them [try to] orchestrate the Washers Tournament.  (Washers = bonafide, official sport of The Lane.)

All the funny guys kept saying, 'S'gonna be dark by the time they get this thing started.'

Who's laughing now?

But it's no big deal.  We have lights for this kind of thing.

Of course.

Bonafide, I tell you.

The next day when I woke up to go to bootcamp, it was around 50 degrees.  I basked in the calm following the storm, and really loved the warmth from my coffee.

Jade and Cooper really loved all the surprise tidbits of food they kept coming across.




Oh, yes.  That scrumptious peach cobbler.

Here 'tis.


Peach Cobbler
Makes 10-15 servings
Adapted from Paula Deen.  And yes, I did take out copious amounts of butter, believe it or not.

• 4 c. peeled, sliced peaches
• 2 c. sugar, divided
• 1/2 c. water
• 4 T butter
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/4 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• 1 T ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. 
3. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt (the shallower, the better, in my opinion - I like a higher crispy:soft ratio). 
4. Stir together remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt with a fork until combined.
5. Gradually add milk while whisking; continue whisking until no lumps remain. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Carefully spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until top is golden brown and crisp. 
6. To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Yes, the cobbler will look like a weird, soupy mess when you put it in the oven.

But during baking, the pancake-like batter rises to the top! (just do better than I did the first time I made this and don't just plop all the fruit into the center. And use a shallower baking dish. 9x13 would be perfection!)

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

My neighbors are cool.  Tonight I was out on my back deck shooting these mac daddies and they still don't think I'm weird.

Allow me to rephrase:  they still like me.

Despite the fact that they couldn't see what I was doing, other than sitting around with a camera glued to my face.  They knocked on their back door and waved, so I know they saw me.

Maybe they knocked because they were hoping I needed taste-testers.  I should probably take them over a second round of peanut butter pie.

Peanut Butter Pie + A Renewed Zest for Life

Last Friday, the seemingly endless food blog community collectively made Jennifer Perillo's recipe for peanut butter pie.  Nobody told us to do it.  Well, Jennifer suggested it, but we all acted of our own accord.  A few days after her husband, Mikey, passed unexpectedly, Jennie told us what we could do to help her.  Make Mikey's favorite pie in honor and remembrance of him.

So, as she and her nearest and dearest honored and remembered Mikey during his memorial service, we, her 'internet-friends' began to fill our kitchens and the world wide web with thousands of Mikey's favorite peanut butter pies.

Gooey Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is one of the most difficult posts I've had to write here on carlyklock, for 2 reasons:

1. Looking at these pictures right now and thinking about this dessert again is excruciating without having one to blissfully enjoy at the same time.
2. This is one of the first times I've been rendered speechless; it was that good.  The French Toast and Bacon Cupcakes are the only other dish that comes to mind right now that was just about as mind-blowing and difficult to put into words.

PB&J Cupcakes

These little guys accompanied the homemade oatmeal creme pies at an office baby shower that a group of us hosted for dear Mama M a few weeks ago.  It just so happens that Mama M has eaten a PB&J sandwich virtually every day of her pregnancy (and maybe just a few before that) and the concept of PB&J tied in well with our school/library theme.

I love me some PB&J as well, and had been hoping for an excuse to present itself that would allow me to dabble with this creation.  I already knew the cake from my Lemon Creme Cupcakes (try not to be blown away by my 2009 photography) would be the perfect texture to mimic white bread (sans lemon, of course).  And peanut buttercream frosting would be no sweat, so it's no surprise that these turned out to be a hit.

Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies

I made these last week as favors for a baby shower.  It was an office baby shower for my sweet friend, M.  M is one of the happiest people I know, and I love it.  Always smiling, she is so excited to meet her baby in the next few weeks, and I can't wait, either! 

Strawberry Shortcake Sliders

Simple.  Fresh.

My favorite combination.

Doesn't hurt that I love strawberries, too.

And cream.

And butter.

Strawberry shortcake is my favorite dessert in all the land.  If you don't like it, there is something wrong with you.

I'm serious.

How could you not love fresh berries, fresh cream, all smothering a sweet biscuit?

Margarita Cheesecake

It's almost Cinqo de Mayo!  I made this cheesecake tonight to take with me to book club tomorrow, where we'll be celebrating the holiday a day early.  The book we read this month?  Skipping A Beat by Sarah Pekkanen.

Our hostess this month started the evite with:
Let's maybe read this book unless anyone has any objections. 

Irish Carbomb Cupcakes

I know, I know - I'm such a phenomenal blogger that I'm posting this great St. Patrick's Day recipe a whole three weeks after the holiday.  You know, so you can make them to celebrate the Irish just like I did!

I apologize.  It is truly unfair of me to taunt you with these glorious cupcakes when there's a whole year between now and St. Patrick's Day.  But don't wait to make them!  Please, don't wait.  You don't need a formal excuse to make these boozy little guys!

French Toast and Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream Frosting

After posting so many healthful, New Year's Resolution-friendly recipes, it's about time for something naughty, right?  I think so.  This past week we celebrated The Stallion's 30th birthday.  Every year for his birthday, I make a treat for him to take to 'school'.  Last year, it was slider cupcakes.  They were chocolate and vanilla cupcakes from a box - the inventiveness came in the decoration.  They really looked like little cheeseburgers.

This year's ask from the birthday boy?  Red velvet cupcakes with bacon as a garnish.  Someone else had brought them into work a few months before, and he still had them on the brain.  Now, to be honest, I couldn't send something inventive yet not original.  So I had to come up with my own baking randition involving bacon.  One of The Stallion's favorite combinations is french toast and bacon.  And those two flavors come together in one glorious cupcake. 

My Holiday Baking Contribution

I'm limiting myself to one baked good this year.  I've been dying to try this recipe that I found on Karly Campbell's blog, Buns In My Oven.

Enter, Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites:

Gorgeous photo courtesy bunsinmyoven.

I haven't tried it yet, but I wanted to share with you all before the last minute.  Make these for your next holiday party or take them to family Christmas.  I'm sure they'll fly off the plate!

Let me know if you have any suggestions after making them. xoxo

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
recipe from Foodaphilia by way of bunsinmyoven

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 1/2 – 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 – 1 cup brown sugar
• Pretzels
• 1 bag  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine the peanut butter, butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a mixer. Beat until well combined. Add more sugar as needed to get the mixture to a consistency where you can easily roll it without it sticking to your hands. If the mixture gets too sweet, add 1/4 tsp of salt to cut the sweetness.

Roll the mixture into small balls (about 1 tsp of the mixture for each ball). Sandwich the balls between two pretzels and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or carefully in a microwave. Dip one half of each sandwich into the chocolate mixture to coat and then set aside. Repeat with all the sandwiches and then place them back in the freezer until the chocolate has hardened back up. Store in the fridge.

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Tiramisu cupcakes turned out to be the inaugral dish made in my new Kitchenaid mixer, courtesy of P-dub.  It arrived just a few days after I had provided my mailing address to Lindy, The Prize Wrangler.  I was surprised and thrilled that it came so quickly.

It's amazing, and, with just one dish, my life has been changed forever.

The same is true for my coworkers who were blessed with Tiramisu Cupcakes last Friday.

These little beauties tasted just like the real thing, and come in a wonderful individual package.  Could you imagine these in minis?  Oh my - tiramisu in just one little bite!

Chocolate Chunk Snickerdoodles

A few Saturday evenings ago, The Stallion and I had a low-key evening.  One of his friends and his sister came over to grill out.  The Stallion made smoked ribs.  They were phenomenal.  He cheated a little bit and boiled them until they were cooked, then put them on the charcoal grill with woodchips for an hour or so.  They were amazing!

They were especially amazing because I hadn't eaten anything yet that day and I had just finished mowing the lawn.  While The Stallion and his friend drank beer and stood around The Stallion's honkin' man grill.

I was fine with that, and it was my own doing.  I really like mowing the lawn, and I ain't got nothin' on The Stallion's grill skills.  Plus, I wanted to get the grass clippings out with that week's trash.  So I sucked it up and mowed the back and front yard.  And when I was done, dinner was ready!

Now I know what it's like to be a man.

Kinda.

Not really.

But it was a glimpse.  Up next - getting ready without doing hair and makeup.

After dinner, we all sat on the deck to relax, sip on our cocktails of choice, and talk about, well, you know - life.  And stuff.  Which these days consists mostly of friends getting married, friends having babies (it's a BIG year for babies), friends buying houses, etc. etc. etc.

Then, (gasp) I had a hankering for something sweet.  Of which, I had nothing.  I don't keep that stuff in my house.  It's dangerous.  And you all probably think I'm a liar.  But it's true.  Kinda.  Because I did manage to scrounge up the ingredients for Snickerdoodles.

But anybody can do that.  Even you, I bet.  It's the most basic of basic.  But they were so, so, so good.  I mean, why don't I make these more often?  They were so good, I even knocked on our neighbors' door (the ones with the 10 month old) at 9:30 at night in order to rid myself of the leftovers.  Because with these cookies I knew there would be no self-control.

They probably thought I was crazy and a little bit weird, but they loved the cookies I delivered!  And I think they're accepting of who I am.  Even if it is crazy and a little bit weird that your neighbor comes over at 9:30 at night with some cookies.  Your neighbor who's not married and doesn't have children.  And it's a Saturday night.  There she is, with freshly baked cookies, not out having a great time, doing what people in their twenties with no responsibilities do?  What a true 'Laner' would be doing?  WEIRD.

-insert your own great transition here-

Also, I like chocolate and cinnamon.  So I decided to use the chocolate chips I had leftover from making Skinnygirl Cookies in half the batch.  Which was actually a quarter of a batch because I had halved the recipe.  Because it would have been even weirder had I knocked on my neighbors' door with a dozen cookies.

The chocolate chip factor was phenomenal.  Although, if you do it - please use dark chocolate.  You will like it even better, I just know.

The Stallion went straight for a chocolate chip one and devoured it.  Obviously my food photo shoot is now over.  The cookies are disappearing.

Also, regarding the cookies with chocolate chips - the second pan out of the oven had a perfect crust.  It didn't break apart like the ones in the pictures.  The reason?  I had refrigerated the dough.  (I think) So, if you add chocolate, exercise some patience and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes.  You'll be rewarded!

I think the saying is 'You want a cookie?'  Yes, yes I do!  And you shall get one!

Chocolate Chunk Snickerdoodles

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
• 8 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (optional, or do half with, half without!)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the flour, baking soda, and salt into your sifter.  Set aside.  (Note:  This is where typical recipes would tell you to sift your dry ingredients into a separate bowl.  Waste of time, waste of bowl.  Just get it all in your sifter, and when it's time to incorporate your dry ingredients, just sift them directly in!  DUH, great recipe writers of the world.)

With a handheld or standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour mixture and blend until smooth.  Using a wooden spoon, incorporate the chocolate chunks.  Put dough in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the dough, by hand, into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar. Flatten the balls into 1/2-inch thick disks, spacing them evenly on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake until light brown, but still moist in the center, about 12 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Who says you can't have chocolate in your Snickerdoodles?  WHO SAYS!

xoxo
ck

Lemon Crème Cupcakes

First of all - YOU GUYS.  I posted a recipe yesterday for Crispy Peanut Butter Cup Bars.  I told you that it was chosen to make because it was uber caloric.  And yet you all want to make them!  I've gotten probably the biggest positive response having posted that recipe.  I told you how naughty they are, and you are chomping at the bit to make them at home.  Tisk, tisk.

Well, guess what?  You're probably gonna want to make these cupcakes - they're naughty, too.  Don't worry - I'm not putting out a double standard here.  No, nothing crazy like that.  I mean, I make these things just so I can share them with you!  But tomorrow - they are all leaving my house.  So, if you work with me or The Stallion, be on the lookout for some Lemon Creme Cupcakes.  First come, first serve!

So, on to the cupcakes at hand.  I've decided to take myself out of my comfort zone.  I'm going to push myself to learn how to make new things.  Especially things I've never attempted before - or maybe even eaten before.  And you get to come along for the ride!

Enter Lemon Crème Cupcakes.  I've never had one before.  I cannot remember the last time I baked cake from scratch.  This marks the first time I've ever used a pastry bag.  (So be gentle.)

They are awesome!  And really not very difficult at all.  They're a great spring/summertime dessert.  Light and fresh.

And naughty.

But also like a little ray of sunshine.  And everyone needs a little sunshine in their life.

Lemon Crème Cupcakes
Adapted from my baking addiction
Makes 24 cupcakes

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place flour, baking powder and salt into sifter and rest on a plate.
3. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
4. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.  Or until it looks like yellow snow.  Whatever makes sense to you.
5. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. 
6. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. 
7. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. 
8. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
9. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife or toothpick inserted into the centers should come out clean.
10. Cool on wire rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 2 lb. bag confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
juice of one lemon

1. Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. 
2. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. 
3. Finally, mix in vanilla and lemon juice.

I didn't want to use that much sugar, but the sugar is integral in getting the right consistency in the frosting - less sugar equates to 'soupier' icing.

Crispy Peanut Butter Cup Bars

The boys are hungry, the boys are hungry!  My mother and I spent Saturday baking because Dad thinks he might be losing weight a bit too quickly.  So, we set out to make the most calorie- and protein-packed snacks we could come up with.  We had some help from a book about meal planning for hiking the Appalachian Trail.

When you're not walking 15-20 miles per day, these babies are naughty.  I mean, really naughty.  They are also absolutely wonderful.  The texture created by the rice cereal is absolute perfection.

I often wonder about the sick world we live in - where the things we naturally enjoy and prefer are the things that do a body bad.  It probably has to do with the way we humans have deviated from our natural state.  And how we've taken our environment with us.  I laughed to myself this weekend as we were working on our landscaping (progress pics to come!).  I mean, only the human race would put so much time, energy, and currency into grooming dirt.

Guilty.

So, um, back to the naughty peanut butter and chocolate goodness.  I know the boys are going to love these.  I doubt they make it out of the post office before they're all gone.  Hopefully my brother shares.  He's been gaining weight.  Interesting...

After all this talk about how naughty these treats are - I'm gonna go ahead and share the recipe with you!  You can bake them and take them away.  Or you can cut them into very, very, very small bars.  And invite over 50 people to share them with you.  But let's be honest - you're going to cut them into big squares and eat just a few bites of one each night, in the dark.  Because when you eat them in that situation, there are no witnesses, and therefore, it didn't happen.

Crazy thing is - you'll probably do a few extra sit-ups the next day.  Why?  No reason.  Just great ambition!

Crispy Peanut Butter Cup Bars

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
• 2 cups natural peanut butter
• 3 cups Rice Krispies
• 16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl.  Lightly butter a 9x13 baking dish, then spoon in the peanut butter mixture.  Use a spatula to spread evenly.  Melt the chocolate, then layer evenly on top.  Refrigerate for an hour or two, then cut into bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Note:  If using processed peanut butter (Jif, Peter Pan, etc.), decrease sugar by at least 1/2 cup.  Also - use whatever chocolate you like best - anything from milk to bittersweet to something in between!

Skinnygirl Cookies

Do you all know who the 'Skinnygirl' is?  Because this is her recipe.  She's one of the stars of the Real Housewives of New York City - Bethenny Frankel.  I like her.  I like watching Real Housewives (although for whatever reason I don't watch Atlanta or New Jersey).  The Stallion hates the show.  I mean, HATES it.  He absolutely cannot stand to watch it.  He'll be a good sport for pretty much any other girly show but the Real Housewives.  So I DVR it and watch usually on the at least one night a week that he's working late.  Sometimes we'll even (gasp) split up and he'll go watch TV or read upstairs.

Bethenny's a natural food chef and has made her claim to fame on reinventing the way one goes about dieting.  Her books 'Naturally Thin' and 'Skinnygirl Dish' document this new way of thinking.  I have yet to purchase either, but really want to hear what she has to say.  'Skinnygirl Dish' is mainly recipes for comfort-type foods that use smart replacements.  So you satisfy the craving without undoing everything you've worked so hard for.  The recipe for these cookies is in the book, I believe.  She posted the recipe to her facebook page, which is how I got my grubby little paws on them.

They're oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  Even The Stallion enjoys them.  I'm sure both of us would love a 'real' cookie even more, but these cookies definitely do their job.  They're low in sugar and fat, and high in protein.  (That's my own nutritional evaluation based on what's in them, so don't believe everything you read.)

It's important you use natural peanut butter.  As in, 'Ingredients:  Peanuts' peanut butter.  You know - real peanut butter.  It's made up of ground up peanuts.  And that is all.  No sugar.  No preservatives.  If you don't want to mess with natural peanut butter, I'd hesitate to use as much sugar as the recipe calls for, if any sugar at all.

 I can't mix natural peanut butter without making a mess.  It's the way it is.  I should have stored the jar upside down.  I'm sure I still would have run out of room and made a mess none-the-less.

Skinnygirl Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• ¾ cup oats
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ¼ cup soymilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix together ingredients. Stir well until all ingredients are combined. Use a 3 oz. ice cream scoop to drop batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press cookies to flatten slightly.  Bake for 23 minutes, rotating the cookies at around 12 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.