Peanut Butter Sea Salt Brownies
I had been lusting over these brownies for some time before I finally made them in my own kitchen. The peanut butter and chocolate combination is so classic, but sometimes it seems a bit overdone, so I try to keep away from making too many recipes with peanut butter and chocolate as the star ingredients. But every once in a while a recipe comes along that I just can’t resist, and these brownies were one of those – an absolute necessity. Take one of the best flavor combinations in the book, put them into fudgy bar form, add some flaky sea salt on top, and you’ve just elevated your dessert to a whole new level. (more…)
Port Ganache-Glazed Brownies with Dried Cherries
I’m one of those people who needs to eat dessert after every meal. At lunch time, I try to make it either a piece of fruit or a healthy granola bar, something that’s not packed with calories but that’ll take the edge off after a salty meal. I work hard to be healthy during the day, but when I get home at night, I often let myself indulge in a real dessert after dinner. Usually I’ve got something lying around that I recently baked, and I’ve always got stuff stocked in the freezer if I’m in a pinch. But there are often nights when I just want a big, fat, chewy chocolate brownie. They are one of the only desserts that I get specific cravings for – something about the heft of a good brownie, the tender chewiness and the overwhelming chocolate flavor – it just makes them the perfect dessert to me. When I came across this recipe, I knew immediately I had to make it, because chocolate brownies covered in chocolate ganache, studded with tawny port-soaked cherries just sounded like the best way I could imagine to indulge a craving.
M&M Blondies with Chocolate Caramel Swirl
Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! I decided to share a nice and easy, yet very festive recipe with you today before it’s no longer time for red and green cookies, and these would just seem out of place. Truth be told, this recipe would work with any old M&M’s, but I had some extra dark chocolate Christmas M&M’s hanging around that needed using, and this seemed the perfect occasion. (more…)
Cranberry Bliss Bars
A couple of weeks ago I attended my very first baby shower for one of my coworkers at the office. It seems that at my age, I should’ve attended at least one or two baby showers in my time, but somehow I’ve missed out until now, so going to my first one was exciting. What would happen? Would we play games? Did I need to get her a gift or would we get an office gift? What’s even an appropriate gift for a coworker’s unborn baby?! All I really know how to do is bake things for people that make them happy, so for this occasion that’s exactly what I did. And these bars came out great!
Sopapilla Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Welcome to my first pumpkin post of the fall! I know I’m a bit behind the times, but it seems I’m always playing catch-up with the current season or holiday, and that’s okay with me for now. I am a serious pumpkin lover (as long as that pumpkin is mixed with lots of sugar and spices), but admittedly I get kind of bored with traditional pumpkin recipes – pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, even sometimes pumpkin spice lattes (sad, but true). I still indulge in plenty of PSL’s and bake plenty of pumpkin things every fall, but I am constantly on the lookout for creative and unique pumpkin recipes. That’s where these simple and delicious bars came in!
