Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts

Friday, January 4, 2019

Raspberry Jam Oatmeal Bars

These tasty bar cookies have a raspberry jam filling sandwiched between layers of buttery oatmeal and toasted coconut crust.

photo of a plate of Raspberry Oatmeal Coconut bar cookies with a mug of coffee


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When I make an assortment of cookies, such as for a holiday cookie tray, I like to have a variety of tastes. Consider these as the Rules of a Cookie Tray. There should always be something chocolate. There should always be something not chocolate. There should always be a bar cookie. There should always be Peanut Butter Blossoms. And most important--all of these cookies should be easy to make since you're making so many of them at once.


These tasty bar cookies have a raspberry jam filling sandwiched between layers of buttery oatmeal and toasted coconut crust.


I got this recipe from my friend Lasar back when we lived in Hawaii. She called them Tasty Raspberry Treats and that's how I always think of them. Since I try and make my post titles a wee bit more descriptive, however, I've renamed them Raspberry Jam Oatmeal Bars because if you're looking for a way to use your homemade jam, this is a lovely one.

Monday, October 22, 2018

Fresh Fig and Apple Dessert

This autumnal dessert is local eating at its simplest. Fresh figs and apples topped with goat cheese and candied pecans then drizzled with honey.

photo of a bowl of fresh figs and apples, topped with goat cheese and candied pecans, then drizzled with honey

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I like everything about this--the contrasting textures of apples and pecans with the soft bite of the figs and cheese. I like the sweetness of the honey balancing the tartness of the apples. The crunch balancing the creaminess. It's very satisfying to eat because it hits on so many levels, which is pretty awesome for a dessert because you don't end up eating larger amounts simply to be satiated. Yet this dessert is easy to make--and easy to source locally.


I am all for Pumpkin Everything in the Fall. Really! That video of guinea pigs discussing the merits of pumpkin spice? A perennial favorite. [I miss our composting pigs, they were wonderful pets, although having my 3pack of dogs is enough for me now.] That does not mean I don't appreciate the wonders of other fall flavors. Especially apples. My grateful thanks to John Chapman.



This autumnal dessert is local eating at its simplest. Fresh figs and apples topped with goat cheese and candied pecans then drizzled with honey.


When we started eating from a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm share back in 2006, one of my favorite discoveries was the amazing apples grown in the Shenandoah valley--part of the fruit share at Bull Run Mountain Farm CSA. In Ohio I found more local apple varieties to delight my senses in the fruit share of Mile Creek Farm CSA. And now in Minnesota there are yet more varieties being created over at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (I'd like to think my daughter's tuition $ will contribute to the making of the next Honeycrisp). We are having fun exploring our new home via the local produce we find on our expeditions.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Fresh Cherry Blueberry Cobbler

A colorful and comforting dessert combining fresh cherries and blueberries under a sweet dough crust. Serve this with vanilla ice cream for a naturally red, white, and blue treat!

image of a bowl of fresh cherry and blueberry cobbler served with vanilla ice cream


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Introspection. 

According to dictionary.com it means observation or examination of one's own emotional or mental state, mental processes, etc. To me, it's something that everyone should do periodically. Think about who you are, where you are in life, where you want to be, what your values are. Taking time to check in with yourself and think about your next steps means that you're not going to be blindly lurching from one thing/place/gig/person to another. What does this have to do with a dessert made with fresh cherries and blueberries? Simple. As much as I love seeing the fantastic patriotic desserts on Pinterest, I know that artificial colorings are not for me. This type of dessert, using seasonal fruits that are plentiful this time of year, is more my speed. Thinking about myself, what matters to me, how I want to feed my family makes me delighted to share this recipe with you.


A colorful and comforting dessert combining fresh cherries and blueberries under a sweet dough crust. Serve this with vanilla ice cream for a naturally red, white, and blue treat!


For other naturally colored patriotic red white and blue recipes we're talking beets. My Red, White, and Blue Muffins feature cherries, blueberries, beets and white chocolate chips. My Savory Red, White, and Blue Appetizer has roasted beet puree topped with fresh blueberries and goat cheese. It's really yummy.


Are you celebrating Canada Day? May I suggest my Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie? No pesky blue color to mess up the red & white.

preparing to serve fresh cherry and blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream


Monday, December 19, 2016

Sweet Sausage Bread

This quick nut bread combines sweet fruit and savory pork sausage for the ultimate in grab and go breakfast treats, with plenty of protein to get and keep you going.



close up of a loaf of sweet fruit and nut bread powered by a pound of pork sausage


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This post is sponsored by the Ohio Pork Council. They have compensated me for my time and provided the sausage I've used in the recipe below. Please see the link at the bottom of this post for a short survey and a chance to win a KitchenAid mixer with sausage attachment. That's a $350 value!



a slice of sweet sausage, cranberry, and walnut bread terrific with coffee or tea, or as a breakfast on the go


The BLUF (military acronym for Bottom Line Up Front) is this is a quick sweet fruit & nut bread that happens to use a pound of pork sausage. Meat and fruit in bread? It sounds crazy--but recall that mincemeat originally contained meat. Honest--you gotta try it! This recipe comes from Ruth Runyan of Oakview Farms. She and her family have been raising hogs in Urbana, Ohio for going on 4 generations now. You can read about my visit to Oakview Farms here. In this post I share how 3,500 Ohio farms raise enough pork to feed 25 million people. That's more than double Ohio's population, but these good folks share with plenty of other states. When you buy pork at the grocery store or farmers market, you are supporting Ohio farm families! (Hey thanks for eating locally and supporting local businesses. It's kind of a thing of mine.)



I was intrigued by the idea of using savory sausage in a sweet bread. After all, I like maple syrup on my breakfast sausage, bacon in my Maple Peanut Butter Bacon waffles, and I have been known to do "quality control" testing on the honey bacon at work. Sweet and savory just goes together. In addition to a hearty breakfast option, this bread can be served as a side dish (like I first tried it, with Perfect Grilled Pork Chops). I suspect it would make a terrific stuffing or dressing alongside a holiday meal. I bet you could even stuff thick cut pork chops with this bread! No matter what your application, it's an unusual recipe to add to your repertoire. If you enter the survey below, and win the KitchenAid mixer and sausage attachment, you could even customize your own sausage to make this bread!


the ingredients to make sweet sausage bread

Monday, November 21, 2016

Chocolate Pecan Chess Pie {Small Batch Thanksgiving}

Gooey chocolate and chopped pecans in a small serving size pie crust for a dessert that's just enough when you are fewer around the table.

A recipe for chocolate chess pie chock full of pecans. Gooey chocolate in a small serving size pie for a dessert that's just enough when you are fewer around the table.


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For the past few weeks I've been sharing recipes and tips for when you are fewer in number around the table. My Small Batch Thanksgiving series includes a couple of side dishes (Dairy Free Corn Pudding Casserole and Small Batch Sweet Potato Casserole) as well as a list of tips to help you have a successful small holiday meal without resorting to a bunch of frozen single serving side dish bags. [Though if you'd like to have a bunch of frozen single serving side dish bags as your main event I won't knock it. You do you--but save room for dessert!]


close up of chocolate pecan chess pie



To round out my Small Batch Thanksgiving series, I'm ending--as all good meals should end--with dessert. This Small Batch Chocolate Pecan Chess Pie was inspired by Laura of Mother Would Know, coupled with a dash of All Recipes thrown in for good measure. I knew I wanted pie--and Laura's chess pie looked so luscious--but I wanted to use the small graham cracker crust and cocoa powder I had in the pantry so a little bit of creative number crunching and recipe adapting took place. Necessity is the mother of invention after all.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Peach Gooey Butter Cake

A delightful summertime dessert, this gooey butter cake is topped with fresh peaches. It starts with a boxed mix and is ready for the oven in no time!

peach gooey butter cake in the oven, ready to bake


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Half this year is over. I think it's time to set a few goals. One of my goals is to get better at actually using fresh fruits when they are ripe and abundant. Not to toot my own horn, but it is my blog and I do work to pay my hosting fees and all so . . . I'm pretty good at putting up fruit by freezing it.


putting up peaches--peach jam, peach salsa, and frozen peaches
shown here: peach jam, peach salsa, frozen peaches, shrimp gumbo, shrimp cocktail, shrimp salad . . .


I'm also pretty good at using that frozen fruit in a wide variety of ways. From Blueberry and Sweet Corn Waffles to Cheater Margarita Smoothies, I figure I've got a handle on the endless pints of blueberries I freeze each year.



a case of peaches from the peach truck and frozen peaches
What I lack in decent photos of the finished product, I make up in messy kitchen photos. My life!


For fresh fruits I make a variety of savory dishes. I've shared Black Raspberry Goat Cheese Crostini, Cherry Peach Salsa, Sweet and Spicy Chicken, Peach, and Chile BBQ Pizza, and Beet, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Appetizers on this website as a few examples.



my messy table with the recipe and base for peach gooey butter cake


No, what I need to work on is using fresh fruit, in season, as dessert. Last night I made (and ate,and didn't photograph) a peach and blueberry cobbler using the last of The Peach Truck peaches and some blueberries from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. [I got a fruit share this year. Score!] Tonight I'm going to make a patriotic Cherry Blueberry Cobbler to eat with the vanilla ice cream my son made this afternoon. I'll try and remember to take pictures so I can share it.


pouring the cream cheese layer for peach gooey butter cake


Today I want to share a tasty dessert that I have lousy photos of. See, along with using more fresh fruits while they are in season, I need to work on making more desserts for my family. Dessert seems to be something I make for other people, not for just us. After I get the entree and any sides going, I just don't have the energy to make a dessert. When I take a page from Alanna's playlist, and cook something every day, I have leftover sides a plenty and can take the time to make a dessert.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie

This Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie takes the flavor of a strawberry sundae and makes it easy to serve a small crowd all at once. Great for graduation parties, Memorial day cookouts, or just because local strawberry season should be celebrated.

This Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie takes the flavor of a strawberry sundae and makes it easy to serve a small crowd all at once. Great for graduation parties, Memorial day cookouts, or just because local strawberry season should be celebrated.


Ice cream pies are a fun way to make a special dessert and still keep the house cool in the summertime. A few shortcuts (I use store bought everything but the local berries, but you could make each component from scratch) and you've got a sweet treat to eat with very little effort.



This Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie takes the flavor of a strawberry sundae and makes it easy to serve a small crowd all at once. Great for graduation parties, Memorial day cookouts, or just because local strawberry season should be celebrated.


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This Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie takes the flavor of a strawberry sundae and makes it easy to serve a small crowd all at once. Great for graduation parties, Memorial day cookouts, or just because local strawberry season should be celebrated.


Strawberry season has arrived here in Ohio, and it's the perfect time to appreciate the sweetness of a locally grown berry. Kick off the summer with this pie--you could serve it for a Memorial day cookout, or a graduation celebration, or just because you deserve a treat.



This Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie takes the flavor of a strawberry sundae and makes it easy to serve a small crowd all at once. Great for graduation parties, Memorial day cookouts, or just because local strawberry season should be celebrated.


If you're new to making ice cream pies, I've shared a photo-rich How To Make An Ice Cream Pie At Home tutorial. I put my years of experience making ice cream desserts at Baskin Robbins to good use, and shared all the tips and tricks I've picked up along the way. You can find that ice cream pie recipe here.


My son walking during his preschool graduation at Hickam Elementary School in Hawaii.

My son is graduating high school today and family has flown/driven in for the occasion, so there's a lot more of us around than usual to commemorate the event. When you're a military family and move often, you tend to be a pretty self-contained nuclear family unit at school functions because you haven't been part of the community for generations.   
It was nice to fill up a pew at baccalaureate last night, even though I didn't have any tissues in my purse. You need an emergency chocolate or dog biscuit? Need to floss, have a cup of decaf tea, or repair a hem? I've got you covered. I have catheters and ear plugs, but do I have a hankie when I need one? No.
What's in my purse? A child's knife, hand lotion, band aids, a catheter, emergency toilet paper, chocolates, gum, ear plugs, a dog biscuit, a sewing kit. No tissues.


Monday, March 21, 2016

Whole Wheat Banana Peanut Butter Cake

Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


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It is rare in my house that a bunch of bananas get consumed, one at a time, each at their peak (which, for me, is without a tinge of green or a speck of brown to mar that pretty yellow peel). Sometimes I feel like the bunch stays bright green for days, and then a matter of the few hours I'm asleep and out of the kitchen each night, they magically turn a mottled brown.


Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


Don't misunderstand, I love the flavor of an actual ripe banana, and if I want to bake or smoothify when I hit the store I'll look first for marked down "ripe" [NOT OVERRIPE, THEY ARE PERFECTLY RIPE sorry to shout] bananas. But eating out of hand, public banana style, I like my bananas a pure yellow.


I am nattering on about bananas so I can tuck some photos here and there because I've got 2 different photo sessions with this cake. Last summer, at the conclusion of marching band camp, we had probably close to half a case of nicely ripe bananas left. They were too far gone for me to eat. Too far gone on a Friday afternoon to make it to the Foodbank Monday morning for subsequent distribution. Too far gone to act on when the kid needed to be hauled to the next activity. [As an aside, my son had 4 things going on last summer between sports camps and school camps and life forums and college visits, and all 4 of them happened in less than a 3 week stretch. Oy.]


Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


These bananas needed to be used or put up right away, so the other volunteers and I divvied them up and I took home an armful. Did you know you can freeze bananas by opening the freezer door/drawer and chucking the banana inside? Simple as that. No need to wrap or peel or dice or any of that. Nature made the perfect freezer wrap for bananas and I don't mess with nature too much. If you have an organized freezer you may wish to place the banana, but my freezer is usually so full that I open it a tad, hope nothing cascades out, chuck in the bananas and close it up quick.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Chocolate Cherry Beet Brownies

These fudgy brownies are topped with dried cherries and white chocolate chips, stuffed with beets, and a divinely sweet way to enjoy beets from the farm share.


These fudgy brownies are topped with dried cherries and white chocolate chips, stuffed with beets, and a divinely sweet way to enjoy beets from the farm share.



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These fudgy brownies are topped with dried cherries and white chocolate chips, stuffed with beets, and a divinely sweet way to enjoy beets from the farm share.


My son had a school project--to make a recipe utilizing a vegetable, document it, and write it up for submission.  Sounds like a blog post, no? Especially fitting for a blog that provides ideas and inspiration for feeding family-friendly recipes using seasonal ingredients from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share, the farmer's market, and the garden.


I had plenty of beets from the farm share (and had not discovered this amazing Beet, Orange and Cranberry Smoothie) so I asked him to find a recipe using beets.  He found this Fudgy Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies recipe from Pinch and Swirl. I gave my thumbs up and then sat back and filmed him for his project. Leaving my kid to figure it out on his own (to be clear, the instructions in the recipe were excellent and my son followed them easily) helps create independence in the kitchen. This in turn creates independence in life, which is what I want in a kid I'm raising. I wanted to make these brownies a wee bit seasonally festive, so I had him add a topping of dried cherries and white chocolate chips before baking.


I originally was going to share this recipe for #ChristmasWeek but got distracted with My Scottish Grandma's Shortbread and decided that they'd be an excellent Valentine's day treat. Perhaps as the finish for a kid-made meal of Baked Ravioli Valentines? Just a suggestion. I'm all about the suggestions here.


These fudgy brownies are topped with dried cherries and white chocolate chips, stuffed with beets, and a divinely sweet way to enjoy beets from the farm share.


Want more suggestions for beets? Try my Beet Recipes Collection, part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient. This is a resource for folks like me trying to feed them family from the farm share without getting bogged down in the same old same old. Want more recipe ideas? I've got 'em on my Pinterest boards. I'm sharing them on my FB page. I'm finding them on Instagram. Want to know How to Use this Blog?


These fudgy brownies are topped with dried cherries and white chocolate chips, stuffed with beets, and a divinely sweet way to enjoy beets from the farm share.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Fresh Cranberry Mini Scones

Tiny tender scones stuffed with chopped fresh cranberries and brightened with orange zest. Make these scones bite size to serve at holiday brunches or coffees.

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A recipe for tiny tender scones stuffed with chopped fresh cranberries and brightened with orange zest. Make these scones bite size to serve at holiday brunches or coffees.


This recipe wraps up #ChristmasWeek, a event started in 2012 and hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Kiss My Smoke. She gathered a bunch of us bloggers together to share holiday sweets for 6 days straight. We also chipped in for $800 worth of Amazon Gift Cards for a Giveaway. 

A recipe for tiny tender scones stuffed with chopped fresh cranberries and brightened with orange zest. Make these scones bite size to serve at holiday brunches or coffees.




I'm sharing the recipe first because I've got a story that is only tangentially related to the recipe. Reading my story will not affect your ability to make the scones, so skip it if you'd like. If you're just here to try and win $500 or use some fresh cranberries up go on about your business, don't mind my ramblings after the recipe. This is the blah-ggy part of blogging. Sometimes life ain't sunshine and rainbows.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Magic Cookie Bar Truffles and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for #ChristmasWeek!


An easy recipe for no bake dessert version of the classic Magic Cookie Bar: coconut, chocolate chips, and graham cracker crumbs. Just stir, chill, and roll into truffle balls--and you're ready to eat!


Have you tried those decadent squares of chocolate, coconut and nuts on a graham cracker base covered in sweetened condensed milk? I grew up knowing them as Hello Dolly Bars, but the Eagle Brand website calls them Magic Cookie Bars. By either name they are a tooth-cracking sweet treat that snazzes up a holiday cookie tray. I didn't make those for my 5th recipe for #ChristmasWeek. You can find that one on the manufacturer's website anyway, you know?  

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An easy recipe for no bake dessert version of the classic Magic Cookie Bar: coconut, chocolate chips, and graham cracker crumbs. Just stir, chill, and roll into truffle balls--and you're ready to eat!


Last time we made a pan of Hello Dolly Bars, for some 'shop the pantry first'-induced dessert craving, I wondered aloud about trying a no bake truffle version. Surely, I thought, the sweetened condensed milk folks have made one.


An easy recipe for no bake dessert version of the classic Magic Cookie Bar: coconut, chocolate chips, and graham cracker crumbs. Just stir, chill, and roll into truffle balls--and you're ready to eat!


I stopped calling myself Shirley and searched several large recipe sites and chocolate cook books using various combinations of names and never found the Magic Cookie Bar turned Truffle. I think I may know the reason.  This batter looks like suet.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Cranberry Chai Tea Cookies with an Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for #ChristmasWeek

Cranberry chai blended into a lightly sweet buttery cookie dough. This delectable cookie is tasty with afternoon tea or morning coffee. The Holiday Embrace tea I used in this cookie was given to me by Plum Deluxe without obligation. 

A recipe for cranberry chai blended into a lightly sweet buttery cookie dough. This delectable cookie is tasty with afternoon tea or morning coffee.

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This is my 4th recipe for #ChristmasWeek. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Kiss My Smoke gathered a bunch of us together to share a week's worth of holiday sweets and treats. We all chipped in for a massive Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. 


A recipe for cranberry chai blended into a lightly sweet buttery cookie dough. This delectable cookie is tasty with afternoon tea or morning coffee.


Dare to be different. You do you. I've realized that I aim for non-conformity in my life. I do not like to be 'one of the herd'. I strive to be just a little different, a little outside of the norm. If "everyone" is running to the Next Big Thing you can bet I'll be standing off to the side, watching and evaluating. When the brunch waitress wants to fill my cup with coffee--no thanks, I prefer tea.


A recipe for cranberry chai blended into a lightly sweet buttery cookie dough. This delectable cookie is tasty with afternoon tea or morning coffee.


When I was thinking about what kinds of recipes to share for #ChristmasWeek I knew I wanted an old family recipe [my Grandma's Scottish Shortbread], a recipe celebrating locally-sourced ingredients [the Maple Doodles], a recipe celebrating seasonal produce [the Fresh Cranberry Mini Scones coming up soon], a no bake treat, and a treat that would be an unusual addition to a cookie plate.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Grandma's Scottish Shortbread with Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for #ChristmasWeek

Scottish shortbread made the way my Scottish grandma made it--3 to 4 simple ingredients, small pieces, and plenty of time to ripen before serving. This is the ultimate make ahead Christmas cookie.

A recipe for Scottish shortbread made the way my Scottish grandma made it--4 simple ingredients, small pieces, and plenty of time to ripen before serving. This is the ultimate make ahead Christmas cookie.

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Are you wondering what happened to the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share-centric recipes you've come to expect when stopping by the blog? I've been taken over by pod people in the form of joined with Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Kiss My Smoke, who is hosting #ChristmasWeek. Head on over to the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient for veggie-centric recipes, and scroll down for holiday sweets!



A recipe for Scottish shortbread made the way my Scottish grandma made it--4 simple ingredients, small pieces, and plenty of time to ripen before serving. This is the ultimate make ahead Christmas cookie.



Many folks get their ethnic on especially during the holidays, and I am in this crowd. No matter if it's a new tradition or an old one, this time of year is the time to celebrate my heritage through food. Most of the holiday-specific recipes I've shared on the blog are Scandinavian [I even have a Scandinavian Holiday Pinterest board--follow me!] because 75% of my grandparents trace their lineage back to Scandinavian countries. The other 25% is my mom's mom. Alison Brown Grant emigrated from Scotland to Canada when she was 13, and from her I have my tradition of shortbread at Christmas time.


A recipe for Scottish shortbread made the way my Scottish grandma made it--4 simple ingredients, small pieces, and plenty of time to ripen before serving. This is the ultimate make ahead Christmas cookie.



Shortbread is a pretty simple cookie--it's just flour, sugar, and butter. My aunt Ruth (mom's sister) added in the cornstarch, but My Mom's Sister's Version of her Scottish Mom's Shortbread is just not really an SEO friendly title. The key with shortbread is that it needs to ripen. Do not bake it and plan to serve right away. It will taste utterly boring and bland and is probably why so many people are in a rush to doctor it up with chocolate or nuts or something, which is silly. Appreciate shortbread for what it is, and be patient. If you put that plain cookie in an airtight tin and stick it in a cool dry place for a while . . . well, when you bring the tin back out a magical alchemy will have occurred and those 3-4 ingredients will have aged into a lovely little bite.


A recipe for Scottish shortbread made the way my Scottish grandma made it--4 simple ingredients, small pieces, and plenty of time to ripen before serving. This is the ultimate make ahead Christmas cookie.


Growing up, my mom would bake shortbread around Thanksgiving weekend and store it, wrapped in plastic wrap, in coffee cans in the coat closet. She'd bring it out for the Christmas Eve smorgasbord and we'd enjoy it on the cookie tray alongside a bowl of Scandinavian Fruit Soup. One year she forgot about a tin, and she swears those 13 month old shortbread cookies were the best ever. Any cookie that gets better with age, that I can make in the early stage of the holiday rush, is a win in my book.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Caramel Pumpkin Butter Cheesecake


Caramel pumpkin butter swirled in a cheesecake, baked in an Oreo cookie crust covered with caramel. A deliciously festive Fall or holiday dessert.

Recipe for caramel pumpkin butter swirled in a cheesecake, baked in an Oreo cookie crust covered with caramel. A deliciously festive Fall dessert.


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Do you want something different for your holiday dessert spread? [Want a holiday dessert spread? Hmmm . . . just thinking about a plate of sides followed by a plate of desserts . . .] Well hold onto your forks, because next month I'll be participating in a week long HashtagChristmasWeekPalooza and I'm working on my cookies as we speak. [Kidding. I'm sitting typing and doing the mental prep of cookie baking--and I've stocked up on flour (KAF is on sale!), butter and eggs.]

Recipe for caramel pumpkin butter swirled in a cheesecake, baked in an Oreo cookie crust covered with caramel. A deliciously festive Fall dessert.


While I like the occasional trip to the Cheesecake Factory to pick up a slice in celebration, I'm not much on making cheesecakes. A springform pan-full is too much for our family. I opted to make a cheesecake in an Oreo cookie crust [no sponsorship implied, just labeling the specific brand so you can have success in your recipe like I did] since it's smaller, giving me less servings we need to eat.


Recipe for caramel pumpkin butter swirled in a cheesecake, baked in an Oreo cookie crust covered with caramel. A deliciously festive Fall dessert.


I figured my Easy Spiced Caramel Pumpkin Butter would be wonderful in a cheesecake, and I was not disappointed. Caramel on the bottom, swirls of caramel pumpkin butter along the top--this cheesecake rocked. If you haven't made your own Caramel Pumpkin Butter you have my blessing to buy a jar of pumpkin butter and give that a try.


Recipe for caramel pumpkin butter swirled in a cheesecake, baked in an Oreo cookie crust covered with caramel. A deliciously festive Fall dessert.


I'm not reinventing the wheel here--the basic cheesecake ingredients came from the Oreo website and I just removed the cookies and added caramel, and my caramel pumpkin butter.

For more recipes using pumpkins, please see my Pumpkin Recipes Collection. It's part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me whose compost overrunneth with pumpkins . . . or maybe that's just me. Maybe other folks just feel like getting pumpkins in the farm share or stocking up on cans of puree. 

Friday, October 16, 2015

How to Make Easy Spiced Caramel Pumpkin Butter

Roasted pumpkin puree baked slowly and simply with caramels, spices, and butter. This sweet treat is easy to make and can even be frozen for winter giving.


Roasted pumpkin puree baked slowly and simply with caramels, spices, and butter. This sweet treat is easy to make and can even be frozen for winter giving.



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Right now pie pumpkins are $1.49 each at the grocery store. Cans of pumpkin puree are 3 for $5 ($1.67). Considering that a pie pumpkin makes more pumpkin puree than is in a can, it would be frugal to make your own. As much as I crow ramble babble about how my compost grows volunteer squash, if yours does not--NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY PIE PUMPKINS. Here's how I process a pile of them, and Bobbi has an even easier way in the slow cooker. Do you need to make pumpkin pie with your pie pumpkin? Heck no! I've got 12 pumpkin pie free recipe ideas in my Pumpkin Recipe Collection. Here's another one.

Roasted pumpkin puree baked slowly and simply with caramels, spices, and butter. This sweet treat is easy to make and can even be frozen for winter giving.

I've got nothing against a can of pumpkin. In fact, canned pumpkin is a more consistent product than what my garden produces. If it's been a rainy season my pumpkin flesh will be more moist after roasting, and I need to adjust my baking to account for it. My pumpkins are volunteer, which means there may have been some chromosomal shenanigans going on in the compost bins. Could my pumpkins be GMO? Sure could--naturally and spontaneously genetically modified, though, by the whims of whatever lurks in the compost, not deliberately altered by me or anyone else.
Roasted pumpkin puree baked slowly and simply with caramels, spices, and butter. This sweet treat is easy to make and can even be frozen for winter giving.


The thing is, as much as I've been putting up endless farm share produce as salsa after this year, last year I was getting creative with the pumpkin. I made a large batch of Easy Spiced Caramel Pumpkin Butter just for grins and giggles. I froze some for a test (shown above) and stored the rest in the fridge.


Roasted pumpkin puree baked slowly and simply with caramels, spices, and butter. This sweet treat is easy to make and can even be frozen for winter giving.


Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Chocolate Beet Crinkle Cookies #Choctoberfest


We are all just stardust on a tiny speck in an unimaginable multiverse. The following chocolate beet crinkle cookie is pretty pointless if you consider it in light of the reality, but I'm sharing it anyway. That's what happens when you come home from a wonderful talk by Neil DeGrasse Tyson knowing that you're going to be putting up a cookie recipe later. Like a food blog is important in the grand scheme of life. Might as well eat a cookie. NDT gives an excellent show if you're able to go.


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THIS IMAGE IS FROM NASA'S CASSINI MISSION. I ADDED THE ARROW. YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN ECLIPSE WITH THE SUN BEHIND SATURN. WE'RE A LITTLE SPECK NEAR THE ARROW.

Roasted beets in a tender and chocolatey crinkle cookie.

Roasted beets in a tender and chocolatey crinkle cookie.


Now that I'm settling into a routine of posting dessert recipes (a very brief routine), I felt it would be prudent to reveal more of my veggie-loving self and bring some beets to the party.  It's our 4th date, I think it's about time. After all, the purpose of my blog is to provide practical support for local eating and where I've eaten locally that means beets. Lots and lots of beets.


Roasted beets in a tender and chocolatey crinkle cookie.


I'm still waiting to find the recipe that makes me crave the beets I get in my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share (found it!) so I enlisted the help of my fellow food bloggers for recipe ideas. I've got 59 recipes in my Beet Recipes Collection. This recipe will make an even 60! That collection is part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, and random beets that show up in the mail.


Roasted beets in a tender and chocolatey crinkle cookie.


The first time I made this recipe I was using beets sent to me without obligation from Melissa's Produce. They are shown in the ingredient photo below, roasted and ready-to-go in a clever shrink-wrapped package. After I got a vacuum sealer for Christmas, I duplicated their idea since I frequently have beets lolliping around in the crisper looking for something to do.


Roasted beets in a tender and chocolatey crinkle cookie.


If you've got beets, roast them drizzled with a bit of olive or cooking oil and wrapped in foil at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for as long as it takes to make them 'give' when you squeeze them. It ranges anywhere from 20 minutes to 80 minutes for me, depending on the size of the beet.


Roasted beets in a tender and chocolatey crinkle cookie.

Monday, October 5, 2015

S'mores-filled Peanut Butter Oatmeal Blondies

Layers of thick whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and mini marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.


Layers of whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.


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Hey ho! No, your calendar is not off. I've got a rogue Tuesday post because it's #Choctoberfest week! Raise your glass/fork/a little hell/spoon/hand and join in!


Layers of whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.


Let's talk about pans. Over the weekend I incinerated a pan of green beans that I'd merely meant to roast. I posted the photo of my epic fail over on my FB page, where I share all my epic fails. A friend asked if the pan was OK, and I replied 'you can't keep a good pan down'.

Do you have any well-loved kitchen items that you've received?


Layers of whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.


A good pan can last generations. The pan these blondies were baked in was handed down from my mom. [I baked Jujube Butter Oatmeal Bars in it last week, and she emailed 'is that my old pan?'.] Well, mom, here's your old pan again. I like to bake bar cookies in it for a few reasons--first, it's metal so the bars get a nice crisp bottom. Second, the bottom of the pan lifts out--leaving a clean edge to the bar. Third, it's an 8 inch square pan which means I've got less dessert staring me in the face.


Layers of whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.

My kids made a 9x13 pan of Sunny Hello Dolly Bars over the weekend because I am being a Good Mom and teaching them how to pull a dessert out of the pantry when you're craving something sweet and don't want to think too much or head to the store. Except no one wanted to pulverize graham crackers in the food processor, so I did it, and I didn't measure out the amount before transferring it to a bowl. When my son dumped the entire amount onto the melted butter . . . well, like I said, I'm teaching them. Life is a learning process.

Layers of whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.


I've got plenty of hand me down kitchen items. The stainless steel bowls from my mom and my late Grandma-in-law are used near daily, and the baking pans are used several times a month. It makes my heart smile to use a pan that's been loved by someone before me. I don't even have to know them--I get great stuff at thrift stores as well!


Layers of whole grain oatmeal peanut butter cookie surround plenty of dark chocolate and marshmallows in this thick, gooey, and chewy treat.


I'm damn lucky to live within walking distance of an awesome grocery store. They serve Killer Brownies® and we get them--and give them--for special occasions. Salted Caramel flavor is the best!
I decided to try my hand at making my own version of a filled bar cookie--but with s'mores flavors, since I haven't gotten enough s'mores this year. After a couple of attempts [like when testing the recipe for Cheater Margarita Smoothies, repeated testing is necessary] I'm happy to say this recipe is a keeper. Along with the pan.