Easter Blondies

When life hands you 4.4 lbs of incredible dark chocolate, think of every recipe that calls for dark chocolate and make it!  I figured to be festive, I would make these really easy (and super cute) blondies.  Best part about these little treats is you can adapt them for any holiday :)

Easter Blondies

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup (scant) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup good quality dark chocolate, chopped
1 bag of Easter M&Ms (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper (this makes the bars easier to remove)
2. Melt the stick of butter over low heat.  Pour into a medium bowl
3. Add the light brown and granulated sugar.  Stir until combined
4. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring until smooth
5. Add the salt and flour, stirring until just combined
6. Fold in chopped chocolate
7. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.  Arrange the Easter M&Ms on top of your batter.  I did mine like this:

8. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Let cool completely on wire rack before slicing into bars

Cinnamon Roll Oat Muffins

If you want your apartment to smell like Cinnabon straight up spontaneously combusted in your kitchen, this is the way to do it.  These muffins are really easy to make and a great breakfast treat.  I got rave reviews from my coworkers; enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Oat Muffins (adapted from A Spoonful of Sugar)

Ingredients

Topping
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened

Filling
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon  

Muffins
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup soy milk
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cloves

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with liners
2. Make the topping.  Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Using your fingers, combine all the ingredients until crumbly.  Set aside
3. Make the filling.  Stir all ingredients until combined
4. Make the muffins.  In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, soy milk, and eggs.  In a separate large bowl, mix the remaining muffin ingredients and stir until combined
5. Pour the dry mixture into the wet and stir with a rubber spatula.  The batter will be a little sticky
6. Fill the liners halfway with batter.  Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling on top of the batter
7. Place the remaining batter on top of the filling
8. Sprinkle the topping over the muffins and lightly press to set

9. Bake until muffins are set and tester inserted comes out almost clean, about 20 min
10. Cool in pan for about 30 min, then move to a wire rack to cool completely

Blueberry Pie

What do you do when Pi Day leaves you with excessive amounts of blueberries?  Make blueberry pie of course :)  It's quite easy to make and definitely a crowd-pleaser.  My coworkers will be lucky if I don't eat the whole thing tonight so they can get a taste tomorrow!

Blueberry Pie (adapted from Williams-Sonoma) 

Ingredients
1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
Flour and granulated sugar for dusting

Topping
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Filling
3 cups of blueberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons flour

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly dust the bottom of your graham cracker crust with granulated sugar and flour
2. Make the topping.  Stir together the first 4 ingredients
3. Scatter the butter pieces on top.  Using your fingers or a fork, cut the butter into the dry ingredients.  Combine until the mixture forms large pea sized clumps.  Set aside
4. Make the filling.  Stir together all 4 ingredients until the blueberries are coated
5. Pour the filling into the crust and spread evenly
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling.  Press down lightly to set
7. Bake the pie for 30 - 35 minutes or until top is golden and blueberry filling starts to bubble.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely

Bacon Apple Cheddar Pi(e)

Happy Pi Day everyone!  To celebrate I thought it would only be appropriate to make a ridiculous (and hopefully delicious) pi(e).  I was lucky enough to have a sous chef help me out; this pi(e) definitely took a lot of time to put together!

Bacon Apple Cheddar Pi(e) (adapted from Suzanne Winter - Gallery Kitchen)
Note this recipe makes 2 pi(e)s

Ingredients
Crust
2 refrigerated pi(e) crusts
1 8 oz package of grated sharp cheddar cheese
  
Apple Filling
8 apples (I used McIntosh)
1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 1/2 cups water, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Generous pinch of salt

Bacon Topping
13 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 
1/2 cup brown sugar, divided (4 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons)
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick butter, cubed and softened

Directions
1. Prepare the pi(e) crusts according to the package.  Once cooled, put a thin layer of shredded cheese on the bottom of the pi(e) crusts (you might not use all of the cheese and will want to reserve a little for the topping)
2. Make the filling.  Peel, core, and thinly slice your apples (big thanks to the sous-chef for doing this!)

3. Place the apple slices in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.  Set aside
4. In a large dutch oven, heat 1 cup of the water over medium heat.  Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.  Stir well and bring to a boil
5. Boil for 2 or so minutes, stirring constantly.  The mixture will get sticky
6. Add the apple slices to the pan.  Pour the other 1/2 cup of water over the apple slices.  Stir to coat apples in caramel mixture.  Cover and simmer until apples are tender - 7 or 8 minutes
7. Remove the mixture from the pan and let cool to room temperature
8. Make the bacon topping.  Cook the bacon pieces in a large skillet until crisp.  Remove, using a slotted spoon, to a paper towel to dry.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of grease
9. In a clean skillet, place the cooked bacon and 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar over medium heat.  Add grease in 1/4 teaspoons to moisten (I used about 1 teaspoon total)
10. Mix together until sugar is moistened with the grease.  Cook until the bacon is coated and caramelized.  Remove from the pan and set aside
11. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, and remaining brown sugar.  Add the butter pieces and mix together using your finger tips.  The mixture should resemble dough
12. Pour the bacon bits into the dough mixture.  Using a fork, break up the bacon pieces while mixing into the dough (thanks again sous-chef :p)
13. Almost there!  Preheat your oven to 375.  Pour the apple filling into your two pi(e) crusts.  Top with bacon mixture.  I made my topping into a fun shape, just for pi day

14. Wrap your pi(e)s tightly in foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 17 - 20 minutes or until apples are bubbling and topping is golden and set
15. Turn the oven off and remove the pi(e)s.  Sprinkle cheese, if desired, to fill in your shape.  Place back in the oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.  Remove and cool

Here's what you get!

Have suggestions to make this pi(e) more delicious? Let me know!

Ninja Sugar Cookies

So I know it's been quite a while, but I think it's time to get back into my baking groove.  A coworker asked me to make ninja shaped cookies.  Little did he know I have these babies laying around my house:

I think he'll be pleasantly surprised when I show up to work tomorrow, cookies in tow. The finished product is too cute and really delicious. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies (adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients
1 2/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Generous pinch of salt
1 stick of butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used a generous 1/2 tsp of VE because I love the flavor.  You can use 1/4 tsp if you like)
Ninja cookie cutters (or any other cookie cutters you'd like!)
(Optional) Miniature chocolate chips for decoration

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture
4. Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture and stir to combine.  I pushed the mixture around with a rubber spatula first to avoid a flour cloud with my hand mixer
5. Cover and chill the dough for at least an hour.  You can chill overnight if you'd like
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
7. Roll out the dough (I just used my hands to flatten) on a floured surface about 1/4 inch thick
8. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters.  If dough becomes too soft, place in the freezer for 15 minutes.  
9. Place cookies 1 inch or so apart on an un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake 6 minutes or until cookies turn a light golden brown on the edges.  Remove from oven
10. While cookies are still on the sheet, place 2 mini chocolate chips on the cookies for eyes and press lightly
11. Remove cookies from sheet and cool completely on wire rack

I only had a few wounded soldiers - besides that, they came out great!