Snickerdoodle Blondies {Rebake} (★ ★ ★ ★ ★)

Well, my world has officially exploded.

I'm not even exaggerating.

Now, I'm not saying I'm in a deep pile of ruins and I can't see the light ahead.  

...At least, not today anyway.

But the world I knew...I know.  Is over.  

I live with a bunch of dreamers.  

And just to make sure we're on the same page here:

Dreamer - n. person with exceedingly fantastic ideas and goals who is often plagued with "too much 

talk-ie, but no walk-ie" disease.  They change their minds faster than a college freshman gets drunk, but when they are serious - watch out! Because ain't nobody gonna stop that. It's shear awe-inspiring power.

I am a realist. 

Don't worry, I'll be fair:

Realist - n. person who tends to believe things are "just the way they are" and who strives to live in contentment because even if things aren't as they should be, they know how things will be, and that's pretty comforting. They can complain about circumstances, and yet still be resistant to change. However, I'd challenge you to find someone who one gives better sound advice.

Of course, I am not Webster and these definitions were tainted by my own bias, but I still think they are pretty accurate!  (Please use proper citation if referenced in your research paper...I prefer MLA format).

So when there was the usual unrest and murmurings around here a few months ago, my realist self thought, "Chill.  Remember the talk-ie no walk-ie?  Ya, happens all the time."

Only, this wasn't the "diseased rumblings" time.  Oh, no.

This was the full blown.  Dreamer on a rampage.  Gonna-make-it-happen-time.

[Insert World Explosion]

Boooommmppppaaawwwwssshhhhh!!!!

So what is a girl to do when all that she knows is about to get real foreign, real quick?

Well, rebel of course!  

By rebaking my trusty favorite - Snickerdoodle Blondies.

Because no one else gets to control what I bake, but me!  

And today I bake comfort!

I bake cinnamony!  Brown sugary!  Buttery!  Chewy!

I bake amazing 5 star, solve-all-your-problems bars!

Last time I shared these, I didn't have my wonderful camera and I barely wrote about them at all because I was sick.  So this seemed the most opportune time to present them to you again.  

These. are. incredible.  

One of the few things I have actually given five out of five stars.

Think "snickerdoodle cookie meets always chewy, never dried out goodness."  

I've probably baked these at least six times in the last year.  And that's saying something!  

I'm a food blogger!  

I can't waste my time whipping up something I've already made!

They are just that amazing. 

So now when my new world constists of:

-A best friend who lives in Santa Cruz,

-A family who plans to relocate to Texas or Oregon or Anticoch or Texas again (Make up your minds already!),

-And a 'me' who lives on her own,

At least, I'll still have these blondies.

I'm excited for the changes ahead (as much as any analytical, slightly pessimistic young lady could expect to be), but my goodness, I sure am glad some things stay the same!

Snickerdoodle Blondies
Brilliance by Dozen Flours

• 2 2/3 Cups Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup (2 Sticks) of Butter, Room Temperature
• 2 Eggs, Room Temperature
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla 
• 2 Tbsp White Sugar
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees
Needed: Greased 9x13in Pan
Makes Approx: 15 Bars

1) Using a sifter, sift flour and baking powder over a medium sized bowl.  Set aside.
2) In another medium sized bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
    About 2 minutes.

3) Slowly add in the flour mixture.  Beat until well combined.

4) In a greased 9x13in pan, spread batter evenly with a spoon or spatula.  Batter will be pretty thick so 

    just keep working it.  

5) Once batter is spread, prepare white sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Sprinkle across the top.

6) Bake at 350F Degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Surface should be dry to touch and sort of "spring" back 

    when done.  

7) Cool bars on rack.  You can cut these when still slightly warm.  

 Save the butter.

Save the sugar.

 Save the world. 

This post was featured here:

         

Pecan Bars (★ ★ ★ ★ ★)

I think I owe someone an apology.

Yes, it's Martha Stewart.

Did you think this was about my mysterious absence the past two weeks?

Well, it's not.

But I am truly sorry about that too.

I love posting.  And posting on time.  On schedule.

I'm an extremely organized perfectionist.  If I am too busy or too tired or the sun is too beautiful and is calling me to the outdoors, it kills me not to post.  But sometimes you have to live life, and if that means I need an extra nap or to get two shades darker by Sunday then I have to take a deep breath and just let it happen.

Apparently, I haven't had too rough of a time doing that as of late.  So I guess I'm cured there.
Hallelujah!

Back to Martha.

Ah, yes.  Martha.  We've had a rocky past.  I mean, I ripped her up pretty good when I posted about these Chewy Orange Almond Cookies.

Although, I have to admit.
She kinda deserved it.
They were grah-oh-sssss (gross :).

But then something happened.
Something too wonderful for words.

These pecan bars came my way.  And oh. ah my. ah goodness.  They are absolutely divine!!

Five stars guys.
I gave these 5 Stars.
That's how serious I am about them.

Kinda gooey, slightly crispy, crumbly, pecan-buttery goodness.  These are the kind of cookie bars you have to pawn off to your friends.

Because they are so good, you will eat the whole pan.
And then you'll get fat...
Because of all the butter,
Duh!
So pawn them off to your friends so you can all get the same amount of fat together and still enjoy this incredible life-altering gift from Martha.

My once-enemy.

I'm usually a pretty good judge of character.

I feel like it's one of my stronger attributes.  But I guess I'm going to have to humbly eat my words here.

Hey, I said was was "pretty good" - not perfect!

I stumbled upon this recipe when my mom baked these around Thanksgiving.  She had gotten the recipe from a friend and was ranting and raving about how good they were.  Okay, mom.  Exaggerate much?

But one bite.  One bite.
That's all it took.
Twitterpation - to the nth degree.

So what a, small - yet effective, slap in the face when I realized where these had originally come from -Martha Stewart herself.  The Queen.  The Legend.

WhaAaAa?!
*Choke*...
This can't be?!

Oh, but it was.  It. Was. 

And you know what? I'm okay with that now.
Because becoming friends with your once-enemy, creates stronger bonds than any other friendships I know of.

So how do you make up for a past public-bash of your new found friend?
With a now present-love letter, of course!

Dear Martha,

Rants are so much easier to write.  I get to be witty and funny.  And at someone else's expense.

Love letters are usually so cheesy and not funny at all.  Plus the only person who stands to be exposed is the lover not the lovee.

See the more I think about it, the more I realize I'm not going to be too good at this whole blog-love-letter thing, so I'll just cut to the chase.

Your Almond Cookies were terrible,
Seriously they were bad.
But your Pecan Bars incomparable,
I mean there was is drool.

So let's just make amends,
And resign to be great friends.

Even though you were the one who first put us in this mess,
I am not above forgiveness.

Love Your BFF,

Nat

Pecan Bars
from Martha Stewart

For Cookie Crust

• 18 Tbsp of Butter (2 sticks, plus 2 Tbsp)
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
• 3 Cups of Flour

For Caramel Pecan Layer

• 8 Tbsp of Butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar, Packed
• 6 Tbsp of Honey
• 2 Tbsp of Granulated Sugar
• 2 Tbsp of Heavy Cream
• 2 Cups of Pecan Halves
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Makes about 24 pieces

Need one 9x13in Pan

**Cooling Time Required Between Some Steps 

1) In a medium sized bowl, mix together 18 Tbsp of butter and 3/4 cup of brown sugar.  Beat on 

    medium speed for 2 minutes, until fluffy. 

2) Add flour to the mixture, 1 cup at a time.  Combine well after each addition. 

3) Dough is done when all ingredients are dissolved together and large clumps form. 

4) Press dough into the bottom of a 9x13in pan.  Make sure no clumps are remaining. 

5) Prick the crust with a fork so there are indentations all across the top.  Chill pan and dough in the 

    fridge until firm, approx 20 minutes. 

6) Place pan in preheated oven at 375F degrees for 18-20 minutes.  Cookie crust should be golden. 

7) Cool crust completely before completing next steps.
8) Reduce oven temperature to 325F degrees.  In a medium saucepan, melt 8 Tbsp of butter, 1/2 Cup
    brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, and heavy cream over high heat.  While stirring constantly,
    bring to a boil. Cook for another minute or so until mixture coats the back of the spoon.
9) Remove pan from heat.  Stir in pecans and vanilla.
10) Pour caramelized layer on to the cooled cookie crust.  Bake in oven until caramel top begins to
      bubble, approx. 15-20 minutes.  Cool completely before cutting.

This is definitely the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

Behind the Blog: Happy Easter and Lots of Rabbit

Happy Easter Everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful day with your family and friends yesterday 

...going to church 

...enjoying the weather

...eating

My house was a feasting ground yesterday.

We ate...and ate..and ate to our hearts content. 

I know it's been awhile since I've written anything.  

I swear I haven't fallen off the edge of the planet!

So to help make amends, I decided to do a special post. 

One that's a little different than my normal postings, but that's okay because it's Monday and it's not my normal day!

Easter food, to me, is more than candy filled eggs.

I feel like it's the one holiday where there isn't a "designated" food.  Like the Turkey for Thanksgiving

or Watermelon for July 4th.  Each year can have a fresh focus.

And this year was different. for. sure. 

Guys, have you ever had rabbit?!

It's surprisingly sweet.

But we didn't just eat it, oh no.  

This Easter we made the meal a family experience.

Now I'm not big on cooking, in general, let alone starting with an animal, fully intact.  

I mean if you give it to me, I'll eat it.  

But I'm not too interested in dealing with eyeballs.

Eyeballs or not, though, I couldn't believe how much fun I ended up having after my initial apprehension.

So much, in fact, that I think it deserves a post. 

And it's super useful information. 

DISCLAIMER:  The following may be disturbing to some children.  

How To Prepare Rabbit

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-12

 Step 13

Step 14 (not pictured)
Eat!!

Oh, don't look at me like that. 

Happy April Fools Day!!

Deep Dark Chocolate Cupcakes {Rebake} w/Whipped Mascarpone Frosting (★ ★ ★ ★ ☆)

Some things are just not meant to be brought back.

Like...
Dinner, Circa 1950.

Sure, it was the golden age of domesticity, but what the heck were those housewives making?!

Vegetable and meat jello?

I'll be taking a rain check, thank you.
Stick me in a cryogenic freezer and ship me back to the land of deep fried oreos!

Or...
Village People's Y.M.C.A.

I know it's your wedding, but please, let's keep this macho-cheeseball of a song where it belongs. 
In 1978.

And...

Overalls!

Guys, overalls are coming back!  They're coming back???????!

This. is. a. travesty.

Of course, I'm guilty of wearing a pair or two everyday in the 90's.

But I was a kid!

I didn't know any better.

What I thought was the perfect solution to hiding my awkward teenage body was actually a fashion conspiracy to keep me looking like a large, lumpy sack of denim.

Why?

Because Junior High is about pain, people.



The truth of the matter is:
Everything comes around.

Everything.

Whether it looks exactly like it did before, is not the question.
The fact is...it's back.

Thankfully, for every terrible idea there is an equally wonderful one begging to be rediscovered.

Like jean jackets,

All forms of hair braids,

even "Sexy."


Oh, and these cupcakes.



I made these way back in the dark ages of this blog when I had no idea what I was doing.

I still don't really know what I'm doing, but at least now I'm organized about it.

Progress, people!

But even then, when everything was a complete mess, I still stumbled upon an amazing chocolate cake recipe.

We're talking I'm lookin' no further.  I'm plantin' my roots.  And unless someone asks me to try out their recipe because they guarantee that it is better, this is the chocolate cake I will be serving from here to kingdom come.

It's my chocolate cake "go-to."

The only problem was I hadn't made it since then.

That's the food blogger dilemma.  You find something amazing, but you can't ever make it again because you are supposed to be making "new" recipes, trying "new" things.

Well, you know what?

I'm breaking the rules.

Because this cake is too good to be forgotten.

...and mascarpone cheese is so absolutely divine, I needed it again too.

But in true blogger fashion, I've tweaked it.  (Don't shut me down, Google!)

Today, it's whipped!

See?  I'm still fit to be in the kitchen.

----------
I can't really explain this cake to you, other than it has the perfect balance of moist and denseness.
It's not too heavy, not too dry.  It's amazing.

Also, this frosting is very "whipped creamy."  Light and fluffy.  If you want something more solid, cut the cream in half.  Next time, I am going to do this.
----------

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
copied from A Bloggable Life

• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 1 3/4 Cups of Flour
• 3/4 Cup of Cocoa (Hershey's Special Dark, if you want this coloring)
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 Cup Boiling Water

Whipped Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart

• 8oz Mascarpone Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla Paste (or Extract)
• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar (more or less to taste)
• 2 Cups of Heavy Cream
• Stabilizer: Unflavored Gelatin/Cornstarch (I did not do this and my frosting did not hold for longer than 30 minutes)

Makes 24 Frosted Cupcakes
Preheat Oven to 375F Degrees then lower to 350F Degrees
Bake for 15-20 minutes
Needed Muffin Tin & Cupcake Liners



Cupcakes:

1) In a large bowl, add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until combined.

2) Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. 

3) Mix in boiling water until combined.  Batter will be very thin and runny.  (See bottom righthand

    picture.  The batter doesn't even stick to the beaters).

4) Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
5) Carefully pour batter into cups about 3/4 full.  I used a measuring cup to do this since the batter
    was so runny and I still managed to make a mess. 
6) Place pan into 375F Degree oven.  After 7 minutes lower oven temperature to 350F for the
    remaining 8-13 minutes.  Cupcakes are done when toothpick inserted into the center comes out
    clean.
7) Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the muffin tin before removing.

Frosting:
1) Place a medium sized bowl in the freezer to chill.
2) In another bowl, mix mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.

3) Take bowl out of the freezer and beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This will take a few
    minutes so be patient (make sure you start with clean beaters for this!) {Here is where you would
    add your stabilizer...otherwise use immediately}
4) Fold cheese mixture into whipped cream.  I found this very difficult and ended up mixing with the
    beater very carefully and quickly.  Keep chilled.
5) Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Blog police, you'll never get my pearls!

Baking Basics: Storing Cookie Dough

So, I'm freaking out right now!  The good kind of freaking out.

Like a kid in a candy store.

But not the lame store in the mall with stale, three-plus year old candy.

No.

The type of candy store you find at historic landmarks, at state capitals...we're talking barrels of candy lining the walls, aisles, windows. 

That's the kind of candy store I'm in.  

I'll admit it's pretty lame because what I have to announce really isn't that big of a deal.

I mean, I didn't win the lottery.

I didn't get to put my handprints into a slab of cement in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

And I didn't get asked out by Jason Segel to be his date to an awards show or even just for a drink.

Sure, what I have to tell you is pretty cool...

....but I just don't want you to be misled by my over-exuberant display of excitement. 

Nat's Adventures in Baking was featured in the "Back For Seconds" Link Social yesterday!

Click to see.

See?! How totally rad is that?!

Somebody actually read (er.....looked at pictures) on my blog!! 

(It's you obvi)

I really shouldn't reveal that I'm so utterly shocked that another human being would take notice of my work.  

It comes off as annoyingly self-depreciating or as a sneak-attack, undercover ego trip.  

"Ah, you guys read my blog, ah, I'm so shocked...yada yada.  of course you read my blog, duh!"

But I can't help it.  I'm so stunned.  

I've been linking my posts to blog socials (basically, an arena to share your posts with other bloggers) for months, but I've never been the most viewed post for the week!  

I knew sprinkles were the key to success!

Sprinkled Pies.   Check.

Sprinkled Puff Pastries.  Check.

Sprinkled Popcorn?  Sure, why not.  Check.

Oh, it's on. 

----------

Do you ever wish you could have freshly baked cookies all the time?

Of course you do!

I never have dough leftover from a cookie batch. This is mostly because if you make it...they will come. "They" meaning your family, friend, significant other, cat, dog, mouse...doesn't matter. If cookies are made, they WILL get eaten...that very day...that v-e-r-y moment.

So today's baking lesson is on how you can easily store the cookie dough you slaved over, help stave off the rabid beasts at home, and have ready-to-bake cookies right at your fingertips. 

There are two ways to do this:
1) "Log" - Refrigerator Method
2) "Individual" - Freezer Method

"Log" Cookie Dough Storage (Refrigerator Method).  Lasts 7-10 Days
1) This method is extremely simple.  All you'll need is some plactic wrap.
2) Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface.
3) Scoop all of the cookie dough on top, and fashion into a log shape the best you can. 
4) Wrap dough in plastic.  Make sure all areas are covered completely as you don't want them to dry out.
5) Once wrapped up tight, roll the log against the counter to smooth any "lumpy" ends.
6) Store dough in the fridge.  Can be stored for up to a week or so.
7) When you want cookies just slice and bake! 
8) This method only works in the fridge because a frozen log is quite hard to cut!

So obviously, I didn't take any pictures of that method.

Mostly because I'm so lazy that I don't want to have to slice cookies later.  I want to just plop pre-portioned bits on a baking sheet and eat away!

This next method is my preferred choice.  For when you want to have cookies available for a long time. 

Pre-formed Individual Sized Cookie Dough Storage (Freezer Method).  Lasts 1-2 Months

1) This method is just as easy, only it takes a little more time because you need to "flash freeze" the 

     individual portions first or the pieces will stick together.

2) With a spoon, fashion small balls of dough and place on a non-stick cookie/baking pan.  

3) Place pan in freezer for about an hour.

4) Once pieces are firm and mostly solid, place in a heavy duty ziploc bag.

5) Squeeze out all the air...all of it...or at least as much as you possibly can.  The less it is exposed to air 

    the longer it will last and you'll avoid freezer burn.  

6) Write date on bag and store in the freezer.  Can be stored for up to two months.  The more you take 

    care to always seal the bag and remove air, the longer you can keep having ready-to-bake cookies on 

    hand.

7) When you are ready to bake, take out desired pieces and let defrost on a baking sheet.  *Tip: If you 

    have a Silpat you can bake them frozen.  The mat helps conduct the heat evenly. 

If you'll excuse me, I have some cookie dough to eat bake.