Deliciousness in bar form

OMG.


These are the only words to describe the bars that I made on Sunday afternoon.

I had spotted this recipe over on How Sweet It is months ago and had been meaning to make them.  I finally got around to it and boy am I glad that I did.  They literally have everything you could want in a bar, brownies, chocolate, peanut butter, peanuts, and of course reese's peanut butter cups.  I modified the original recipe because that's just what I do.  I try not to eat high fructose corn syrup, which is unfortunately found in Rice Krispies, so I used puffed millet instead.  This probably changes the texture a little but it was still GREAT.  I could have also used brown rice krispies, but I was not about to spend $4 on a box of cereal.  I also used dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, because seriously it's WAY better!

I urge you to make these the first chance you get.  You will be happy, your waistline may not.  But hey spring is right around the corner so you'll get outside for that run soon enough ;)

Better-than-crack-Brownies
adapted from HowSweetItIts

1 recipe brownies (I used No Pudge Fudge...it's fat free!)
1/2 cup peanuts
1 cup Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups, chopped (I choose to use dark chocolate ones)
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Puffed Millet

Prepare brownies as directed on box in a 9x13 inch pan.  Once baked sprinkle with peanuts and peanut butter cups, return to over for approximately 4-6 minutes to melt the pb cups slightly.  While that is in the oven melt the butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan.  Once melted stir in the puffed millet.  Don't forget the pan of brownies in the OVEN!!!  Pour the puffed millet mixture over the brownies, being careful not to move the peanuts and pb cups around too much.  Spread evenly in pan.  Refrigerate for 2 hours, or if you're impatient like myself freeze until solid and then EAT!

Just for fun here's a pic of my barley oats that were my breakfast this morning:

For those of you who have not had barley you MUST!  It becomes really creamy, and I only cooked it in water!  Check this site out for recipes and also to learn all of the health benefits from it:
http://www.barleyfoods.org/

SPRING

Reasons you know it's spring in MN

1.  You wake up in the morning to hear birds chirping.

2. You slip, fall and bruise your rear at night, because all of the melted snow has now turned to ice on the sidewalks.

3. People are walking around in shorts at 40 degrees.

4. The path around Lake Calhoun is so packed with people it is simply un-walkable.

5. You have to give your dog a bath after every walk.

6. People start ordering "iced" coffee drinks as soon as the thermometer reaches 30 degrees

I could go on and on, but those are my top favs!!!!

What are some of yours?

Bad Bad Bad

I've been bad bad bad, which equals busy busy busy.  School and life are getting the best of me lately...  since my last post it was my father, Sam's and good friends birthdays, school is going GREAT and I've been interviewing for some jobs/internships.  Pretty much this equals not posting :(  But I am going to change.  I just need to realize it's ok to not have LONG posts every time!

Since my last post I've made a birthday cake, cupcakes, cookies, chili and lots of other goodies.... however I forgot to snap photos of many of them.  Here is a little taste of what I've been up to though:

Went to Boston; BC vs. BU

Sam's Cake that looked beautiful before I forgot to put it in the fridge.  Whoops!

Out with Jacqui celebrating Sam's Bday

Birthday boy and friends on his bday

Hope that gives you all a little taste of what I've been up to :)  

Yesterday I decided that I had been so busy and needed to do something nice for myself.  Since I love food and had a groupon that was about to expire I decided to treat myself to some Tiger Sushi for lunch.

So YUMMY!

This weekend is going to be spent with lots of quality time with Sammy.  He's having a hard week, ie 4 exams, and we have yet to celebrate love day!  Going out, making dinner and making care packages are on the agenda.  Well and of course some homework is going to be thrown in there as well :)  I will take photos!!  Much love to all!

Cranberry Banana Bread

Still attempting to use up my banana's and cranberry's that are taking up home in my fridge/freezer, I decided the other day to make Cranberry Banana Bread.  Again I searched foodgawker.com for a recipe, and again I adjusted the found recipe to my liking :)  I'm still on a super health kick, using butter/oils sparingly, using only whole wheat flour, and uping my fruit/vegetable intake.  This bread goes along with this strategy perfectly!  Hope you enjoy :)

Cranberry Banana Bread
adapted from TwoPeasKitchen

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 ground flax seeds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup fat free vanilla greek yogurt, I used Chobani Blueberry
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 large egg
about 1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh/frozen cranberries, halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a loaf pan, I used an 8x5x3 inch pan.  Mash the bananas in a large bowl.  Add the yogurt, agave nectar, egg and milk.  Stir until combine.  (I did not feel like doing dishes this day so I made this a one bowl recipe, the dry ingredients can be combine in a separate bowl before mixing the wet.  This will result in a less chewy bread.)  To the wet ingredients add the dry ingredients.  If the dough is too thick add a touch more milk, I did not measure exactly but I am pretty sure that I used about a half cup of almond milk.  Add cranberries and stir just until combined.  Place dough in the pan and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until crust is browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This bread is delicious!!!  The only things I would do differently next time would be to add some walnuts, as the original recipe calls for.  I was fresh out of walnuts :(  I would also increase the amount of sugar in this recipe, perhaps up it by another tbsp of agave nectar.  I was fine with the taste of the bread, however I have a slight feeling that it may not be sweet enough for others.  This also could be because I used fresh instead of dried cranberries, which tend to be much sweeter.  I really enjoy the texture that comes from using so much oatmeal in the recipe!

Today is going to be filled with some errands, a test for a new job, class and then dinner with the boy :)  I head to Boston bright and early tomorrow morning to chaperone a Lakers player.  Super excited as I've never been there before, unfortunately I will only be in the city for 24 hours and Saturday morning will be spent watching the BU lacrosse clinic.  At least I'll get some drills out of that :)

If you could go to one city for 24 hours where would you choose?

Banana Oat Bars

In an attempt to use up more of the banana's I have in my freezer I searched foodgawker this morning for some healthy recipes.  I came across this one, from All Day I Dream About Food.  I changed a few things here and there to make it a little healthier and I am certainly glad I did because I do not really think the changes take away from the overall flavor.  Avocado replaced the butter and some almonds got thrown into the mix, results = delicious and guilt free :)


Banana Oat Bars

1/3 Cup mashed Avocado
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup coconut
1/4 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.  "Cream" the avocado and brown sugar together until well combined.  Add egg and mix thoroughly.  Add mashed banana,salt and cocoa powder.

Creamed avocado and brown sugar

Once combined add remaining ingredients.  Spread evenly in the prepared pan.  Bake in the preheated over for 30 mins.

I added cocoa powder to counter the green color of the avocado.  It did not affect the taste much and I think it would be interesting to see what would happen if I did not include this, I do not know how green it would really look... next time!  I also decided to line the pan with parchment paper since I used avocado in place of the butter/coconut oil.  I think that the bars would have been just as easily removed with a greased pan if you do not have parchment paper.  I just did not want to take chances the first time, I've had too many catastrophies!  There's nothing worse than delicousness you just can't get out of the pan.  A few changes I may make next time is to play around with the mix-ins.  Perhaps some chocolate and peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips?  Raisins, craisins and nuts for a trail mix bar?  The possibilities are endless!  I also want to try it with no sugar, or perhaps exchanging the brown sugar for maple syrup, agave nectar or honey.  I'll let you know if any of these work :)

I'm enjoying my Sunday fun-day watching football at Bunny's with some friends and then having 'bar' night with Sam.  We tend to not be able to both drink together, as one of us usually has to drive home, so tonight is our night to hit the town and walk/cab home :)  Enjoy your Sunday!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Winter break as left me with a lot of unoccupied time.  Thankfully this has allowed me to do some baking! I attempted to make homemade pretzels on Saturday, the did not turn out picture worthy... ie HORRIBLE! Needless to say I have a new goal of perfecting pretzels this year.  I've really been in the mood to bake a cake, however I have 3 birthdays to celebrate/bake for in the coming weeks so I've held off on this front.  This has lead to me using up leftovers in my fridge/freezer.  Doolittle's over ordered banana's a while ago so I got the leftovers which ended up being over 30 banana's.  Half of them have been used thus far, and about 5 of them went into Banana Chocolate Chip muffins last week.  Unfortunately I forgot to snap a photo, I promise I'll get better at this.

Last night the cranberries that have been sitting in my fruit drawer went into some Cranberry Orange Muffins.  I modified a recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook making some healthier additions and changes.

Cranberry Orange Muffins
adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook

1 egg
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup All-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Orange zest
1 cup Cranberries, halved

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Beat the egg, then add milk, agave nectar and oil.  Once combine add dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined, should be slightly lumpy.  Add in orange zest and cranberries.  Using a 12 muffin tin, fill 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 mins.

These muffins are best eaten warm!  Though I'm sure they'll taste just as good tomorrow morning for breakfast :)

On a different note, it's garbage day today but both of our garbage cans are frozen to the ground!  Literally I could not get either of them to budge!  Hopefully it'll warm up and I'll be able to move them before garbage day next week, otherwise we may have an overflow.

Old Photos

While updating somethings on my computer I came across these lovely little photos!  Take a look at the progress of Kalyn's wedding cake that I made!

Bottom layer topped with Chocolate Mousse

The Crumb Coat, there's one big layer of Chocolate cake sandwiched between the chocolate mousse and vanilla cake

The almost finished product

Hope you enjoyed!  My goal this year is to take more pictures.  I used to be great at it but over the past few years I've forgotten to document a lot of fun events!