Sponsor Spotlight: Kayle from The Cooking Actress

October 16, 2012 By 25 Comments

Do y’all know Kayle? Well, you’re about to. She’s the creative genius behind The Cooking Actress, and she happens to be one of my favorite foodie friends. I’ve known Kayle since I started this blog last December, and she welcomed me with open arms. Not only is she a food blogger, but she’s an actress. That’s right, I know a celebrity! How cool is that?

This girl sure knows how to rock a whisk, and she loves her some cookies. I counted 25 recipes with the word “cookie” in it. Twenty five! In honor of Kayle’s love of cookies, I decided to make and feature her Browned Butter Dark Chocolate & Marshmallow cookies. Can you say yum balls!

Kayle resides in New York, where she lives with her boyfriend (lucky guy), running a very delicious cooking blog and pursuing her acting career. I plan on visiting New York after graduation, and you bet I’ll be meeting up with Kayle to gallivant around New York and eat everything in sight.

I had a very difficult time trying to decide what recipe of Kayle’s I wanted to feature. Everything the girl makes had me drooling. How could a girl choose between whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread, brown butter macaroni and cheese (this one is on my to-make list), chocolate chip cookie dough balls (drool), and s’mores creme brûlée (OMG)!

It was hard!

The dough for these cookies is indescribably delicious, and I almost didn’t have any left in order to bake these cookies. The brown butter is the star of this delicious dough, and it’s what makes it irresistible. I sat there with a spoon and shoveled it into my mouth. Heck with the threat of salmonella poisoning; I didn’t care, because this dough was too good to resist, and at that point, contracting salmonella poisoning didn’t scare me.

The baked cookie was just as good as the dough. They were soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside (a perfect cookie, in my opinion) and studded with dark chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. The best part about these cookies, besides the fact that they’re made with brown butter, is the way the mallows caramelize and toast up in the oven, creating a gooey cookie center. Yum!

Kayle knew what she was doing when she created this irresistible cookie.

Want the recipe? You know you do. Visit Kayle over at The Cooking Actress to get this recipe, along with all her other delicious and creative recipes.

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Peanut Butter Snickers Rice Krispie Treats

October 10, 2012 By 26 Comments

I’m gonna get down and dirty and get straight to the point. I’m a snacker!

I like to snack throughout the day. I nibble when I’m at the computer at work, in-between patients, during class, and, yes, when I’m bored. Now, I’m not proud of it, but I do occasionally frequently snack when I’m bored. I try to snack on healthy things, like fruit, yogurt,  nutella almond bars, or these no-bake peanut butter energy bites (which happen to be amazing and famous) by Amy from Fearless Homemaker.

I really do try to snack healthy, but some days require these salted chocolate hazelnut cookies (which are amaze balls good) by Shannon from A Periodic Table or these brown butter chocolate chip cookies (talk about addictive) by Kayle from The Cooking Actress. You know the days; The ones where you stub your newly pedicured toe on a rock and it swells to twice the size and you can’t get it to stop bleeding and you’re forced to wear flip flops in 40 degree weather because you were too busy talking instead of paying attention to where you were going. Yeah, those days. They require more than just a healthy snack. They require a big ol’ fat cookie that says you’re going to make it through the day.

I made peanut butter snickers rice crispy treats to add to the list of feel-better snacks, and they’re doing a mighty fine job coaxing my left middle toe back to health (yup, I was that dummy who ran right into a rock).

Crispy rice cereal gets coated with a generous drizzle of gooey peanut butter marshmallow sauce. If that doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t what will.

I tossed in a heaping handful of chopped snickers bars, chopped peanuts, and mini marshmallows. It took every ounce of will power not to devour the pan before photographing it.

I just took snacking to the next level and, technically, since these bars are made with rice cereal, they can be considered breakfast. Technically.

Well, hello sexy rice crispy treat, with your mini marshmallow studs and chopped snickers bar pieces. I don’t mind if I do.

Enjoy snacking on these!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Print
Peanut Butter Snickers Rice Krispie Treats
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 14
 

Ingredients
  • Marshmallow Sauce
  • 6 tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1-10.5 oz bag marshmallows
  • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
  • Crispy Treats
  • 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
  • 5 Snickers bars, chopped
  • 1½ cups mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)
  • Chocolate Drizzle
  • ½ cup peanut butter chips
  • ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 tbs. butter
  • 1 tbs. half & half

Instructions
  1. Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan.
  2. Add Rice Krispies to a large bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Add the peanut butter halfway through the melting process and stir until smooth.
  4. Fold the marshmallow mixture into the cereal, then fold in mini marshmallows, chopped Snickers, and chopped peanuts.
  5. Press the mixture into the prepared pan.
  6. Over a double boiler, melt peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, butter, and half & half until smooth. Drizzle over the Krispie treats.
  7. Allow the treats to set before cutting into squares.

 

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Birthday Lemon Bars

August 17, 2012 By 26 Comments

I’m busting out the cone hats, the party horns, the goodie bags, the party streamers, and the birthday balloons on the blog today. Why such a festive celebration? Well, today is one of my very best foodie friend’s (BFF) birthday.

Happy birthday, Jen from Juanita’s Cocina! *Horn blowing*

Jen may be in Texas, but that’s not stopping me from celebrating her special day. I’ve got my cone hat on, and I’m ready to paaartay!

If you know Jen, then you know that she’s bonkers for anything lemon. Lemon cake, lemon pie, lemon, lemon, and more lemon. The girl loves her some lemon! So, in honor of Jen’s very special day and love of all things lemon, I made her birthday lemon bars with a pecan crust. Stick a candle in it and make a wish, Jen!

These lemon bars pack a huge punch of tart lemon flavor. Pow, right in your kisser tart!

The buttery pecan crust melts in your mouth and pairs perfectly with the sweet, tart, gooey lemon custard that tops it. And if that weren’t enough, the baked bars get drizzled with a sweet lemon icing.

They’re a lemon lovers dream come true.

Happy Birthday, Jen! Enjoy your special day and eat cake… lots of cake!

 

Lemon Bars

Crust

1 cup flour
1 cup ground pecans
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. lemon zest

Filling

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. lemon zest

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbs. fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: In a large bowl, beat flour, ground pecans, powdered sugar, butter, and lemon zest until combined. Press into the bottom of a greased 9-by-13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.

For the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk eggs to break the yolks. Add sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice, and lemon zest, whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over crust, immediately after removing from oven. Return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. Let cool for at least one hour before topping with glaze.

For the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Adapted from Baking Serendipity

 

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Nutella & Almond Bars

July 27, 2012 By 22 Comments

As promised, I made y’all nutella and almond bars. They happen to be healthy, but you’d never know it. They taste like you’re biting into a chocolate candy bar, only better because this bar is made with my current obsession… Nutella. I. Love. It!

I happened to find it in a twofer pack at my local Costco.

Gotta love buying in bulk.

I came across it as I was walking down the peanut butter and jam isle. At first I passed it, and then recognition kicked it. I did the old swirlaroo and ran back down the isle. You see, I didn’t exactly believe what I just saw, but there it was shining in its glorious plastic wrap before me. I stood there for a brief second with my jaw to the floor taking in the beautiful sight before me.

After the initial shock, I ran up to it, hugged it, and raised it over my head in triumph. This was a really exciting moment for me, people! Two large jars of Nutella in one pack! I felt like a winner. I felt like the universe was on my side for once. Thanks for coming to Costco. Here’s your twofer pack of Nutella. People, life doesn’t get any better than this. No. Wait. It does. I totally took that twofer pack home, made myself some Nutella and almond bars, and ate them. Bam! Life just got better.

I found this recipe on The Healthy Foodie. Sonia sure knows how to make healthy look and taste delicious. I adapted the recipe slightly to fit my taste preferences.

Aren’t these the cutest bars ever? And, they’re down right tasty to boot.

The bars get stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them.

These bars are ridiculously easy to make. All you have to do is place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. No baking required.

This is healthy snackin’ made tasty.

I’m also announcing the winner of the PB Crave giveaway! Drum roll, please.

Congrats, Judy Gardner! You’re the lucky winner.

Nutella & Almond Bars

1 cup Nutella
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Line a square 8-by-8 pan (or smaller) with parchment paper.

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until the mixture comes together and the almonds become small chunks, about 2 minutes. Make sure you stop the processor to scrap down the sides.

Transfer the mixture to the parchment lined pan. Press the mixture into the pan, forming it into a square.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container, separating each layer with wax paper, for up to 1 week. Enjoy!

adapted from The Healthy Foodie

 

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Chocolate Cookies Two Ways

March 27, 2012 By 33 Comments

Today was a rough day- and I mean rough! It was also my first day back to school after a week off for spring break. It’s tough going back after a week of freedom, relaxation, and baking. I really had to force myself to get out of bed and trudge off to school. What was waiting for me at school was not my definition of fun. My eight o’ clock class provided me with a cranky professor who yelled at me for smiling- yes, smiling! Since when did smiling become a punishable crime? I was then taken to his office and reprimanded for interrupting the class with my smiling. I’m 27, I don’t need reprimanding. I have a million projects, papers, and homework assignments piled on my desk (which at the moment is my bed since we’re renovating the upstairs) waiting to be attended to. Then, to top the day off, I came home to the trash can knocked over with trash spilling out onto the floor and littered throughout the house. Thank you, dog! like I don’t have enough to deal with already without you creating a mess for me to clean up.

Needless to say, I needed comfort- fast! I can’t think of a better way to get comfort than through food. On that note, I whipped up a batch of cookies pronto. This day called for some heavy artillery, so I pulled out the strong stuff. Chocolate! Nothing else would do. Thanks to my new Joy the Baker cookbook, I found the perfect cookie recipe. Chocolate brownie cookies. Yum!

I wrapped the cookies as if I were giving myself a present to cheer me up. Lame. I know. Hey, whatever works. I’d like to thank Jessica from A Kitchen Addiction and Shelley from Piggy In Polka Dots for lifting my wounded spirit today. Both of them gave me the gift of The Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you so much, Jessica and Shelley. Go check out Jessica’s site; she has a lot of lovin’ from the oven happening over there. I’d really like to dig into her carrot cake cupcakes and chewy banana mini-chip cookies. Go check out Shelley’s site for some creative gift ideas. Shelley’s dipped and sprinkled easter egg cookies look amazing and would be the perfect gift to give for Easter. She also has some amazing chocolate dipped pretzel rods that look down right delicious.

 I’m not going to lie, I ate a few, okay six, cookies as I was photographing them. Like I said, rough day. These cookies are everything a cookie should be. And by that I mean crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies are the whole shebang! The crackly crust is just beautiful, not to mention delicious. These cookies are packed with some good stuff, too. Toasted almonds and white chocolate are peppered throughout the chocolatey goodness. Soul soothing.

Here’s one of the cookies I proceeded to eat after photographing. You can’t just put a broken cookie back in the container. Actually, it’s against the rules. Really, it is. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better. Boom! I surprise you with an ice cream filled chocolate brownie cookie. Now, I’m not telling you what to do, but the ice cream takes these cookies over the top. Totally do it. Add the ice cream. Trust me, you won’t regret it. I added mint chocolate chip, but you can add whatever flavor you like. Ahh, this day just took a turn for the better. It’s smooth sailing from here because I’m in cookie heaven, and nothing can bother you when your sittin’ pretty in cookie heaven.

Just in case you’re unfamiliar, this is what cookie heaven looks like. Enjoy!

Recipe:

adapted from Joy the Baker

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tbs. unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. instant espresso powder (this enhances the chocolatey goodness without making the cookies taste like coffee)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degress F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Simmer 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan. Place semisweet chocolate and butter in a medium  heatproof bowl and place the bowl over, but not touching, the simmering water. Melt the chocolate and butter together until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, espresso powder, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the sugar mixture and whisk until combined. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, folding until the flour disappears into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the white chocolate chips and toasted almonds. Refrigerate mixture for at least an hour before baking. This helps the mixture set up so the cookies don’t become too flat when baked.

Using a cookie scoop or a teaspoon, dollop the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 11 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before placing them on a cooling rack. Eat cookies by the fist full, or fill completely cooled cookies with your favorite ice cream for ice cream sandwiches. Enjoy!

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Strawberry Peanut Butter Oat Bars

February 7, 2012 By 7 Comments

After indulging in several delicious desserts these past couple of weeks, I decided it was time to make something on the healthier side. A dessert that is good for your heart, body, and health, but tastes yummy, too. It has to taste good. Period. There’s no sense in eating something that doesn’t taste good. Healthy doesn’t have to equate to flavorless. I created a strawberry peanut butter oat bar that will satisfy your sweet tooth, but won’t have you regretting it later. Nope, you won’t have to spend extra time on the treadmill after treating yourself to one of these bars.

These bars remind me of a cross between granola and shortbread. They’re delicate, crunchy, sweet, and wholesome. They literally melt in your mouth as you eat them. Absolutely delicious and satisfying. And, there will be no worries or lingering thoughts of treadmills after eating them.

The ingredient round-up. You’ll need whole wheat and all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, almonds, butter, peanut butter, oats, and a jam of your choice. I had strawberry jam, so I went with that. Look at all those healthy ingredients just waiting to fuel your body.

You’ll need to muster up some strength for this recipe in order to cut the butter into the flour and oat mixture. You’ll bulk up your arm muscles while making this recipe.

Mmmm, jam. It adds a nice sweetness to the bars, and I love how it gets sticky and concentrated after the bars cook.

Enjoy!

Love and sweet treats,

The Messy Baker

Recipe:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup almonds, ground to a coarse crumb

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

10 tbs butter, cold and cut into cubes

3/4 cup peanut butter

1-18oz jar of your favorite jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan.

In a large bowl, mix together both flours, oats, ground almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter. Next, cut in the peanut butter. Press half the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the jam onto the oat mixture. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly. Bake until light brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely, and then cut into squares.

 

 

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Turtle Brownies

January 22, 2012 By 3 Comments

Oh, my, turtle brownies! Does life get any better? These brownies are everything a brownie should be:  fudgy, moist, chocolately, and absolutely delicious. I took an average brownie and made it amazing by adding toasted pecans and topping them with homemade caramel sauce and a drizzle of melted bitter sweet chocolate. Yum!

Look at these beauties. Who could resist the lure of this ooey, gooey brownie?

Start by melting the bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter over a double boiler until smooth.

Mmm, chocolate. I had to control myself and not lick the bowl clean. I’ll admit, it was a challenge.

Add the slightly cooled chocolate mixture to a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment and beat in the sugar. Like my new hot pink Kitchen-aid? Isn’t she a gem?

Next, whisk in the eggs.

Then whisk in the vanilla.

Add some instant espresso. Don’t worry, the coffee flavor is undetectable. It’s used to give the chocolate flavor a boost. Basically, it makes them extra chocolatey. And, who doesn’t like that?

Last, add the salt and the flour and whisk until just combined.

Pour your batter into a prepared 8-inch square pan and top with toasted pecans. I forgot to mention the pecans at the beginning of the post. You’ll want to toast them before you make the brownie mixture. Bake the brownies at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

After the brownies have cooled, top with homemade caramel sauce and melted bittersweet chocolate. Slice and enjoy!

Love and sweet treats,

The Messy Baker

Recipe:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted

Before making the brownies, you’ll need to make this recipe for homemade caramel sauce. Feel free to use the store bought sauce, if you like.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Place the pecan halves on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5-6 minutes.

Place a heat proof bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water. Place the butter, bittersweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Add the chocolate mixture to mixing bowl with a whisk attachment and whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time. Then, add the vanilla and whisk. Add the instant espresso powder, salt, and flour. Whisk until just combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and pour the mixture into a greased 8-inch square pan. Top the mixture with the toasted pecan halves.

Bake the brownies for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.

While the brownies are cooling, melt a half cup of bittersweet chocolate chips in the microwave in 3o second increments, stirring after each increment until the mixture is smooth. When the brownies are finished cooling, top with homemade caramel sauce and melted bittersweet chocolate. Slice and enjoy!

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