Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

My blog felt a little empty without the combination of peanut butter + chocolate chip. Thankfully, these bars have remedied that.

I’d wager that the best things in life are the simplest, like feeling cool grass beneath your toes, having a guy hold the door open for you, sitting in silence with the people you love, waking up to the sound of rain. And strangely enough, the things that are worth it are the most difficult, the most heartwrenching, the most frustrating.

Lucky for us, these bars are both simple and worth it. Why? Here’s a list.

• chocolate
• peanut butter
• one bowl
• one bowl
• peanut butter
• one bowl
• chocolate
• one bowl
• peanut butter + chocolate

And here’s a picture, too.

Observe the texture. Observe the chocolate chips. Observe the lovely aroma. (Whoops, you can’t do that, can you?)

The peanut butter and chocolate combination sold me right off the bat. No star-crossed food-lovin’ here – peanut butter and chocolate were clearly made for each other. Food soul mates. Then I saw the tablespoon of vanilla extract and very nearly swooned. Vanilla makes me weak-kneed.

Speaking of weak knees, I’ll be honest: initially, these were made for a boy (what I lack in charm I make up with baked goods) BUT, most unfortunately, my plans were foiled when my parents informed me that, instead, we’d be taking them to my cousin’s birthday party. “What? No, of course I didn’t have plans for these, I was just…baking stuff. Because I actually have time to. All right, we can take them to the party…”

Regardless of how my plans were thwarted, these did not disappoint. After 22 minutes of baking, the toothpick came out clean, and although I freaked out a little because I still thought they were underbaked, they weren’t. The edges puffed up while the middle remained miraculously soft and gooey. Peanut buttery, chocolate chippy, buttery, deliciousy.

Have I mentioned they’re made in one bowl? All the goodness of cookies without the fuss. Perfect if you’re lazy (like me) or in a hurry (like most of humanity). Not too much chocolate (let’s be honest, is that ever possible?), just enough peanut butter (although adding another tablespoon or two wouldn’t hurt too much), and more than enough sweetness. And CRAZY GOOD.

Clearly my cousins thought so, considering all of them were gone within an hour.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (printable recipe here!)
from Averie Cooks

[Note: Honestly, I laughed out loud when I saw you could scramble the egg if you mix it in while the butter is still too hot. But apparently it can really happen – make sure the butter is cooled!
Baking time will also depend on how gooey you want your center. I’d wager they could be baked up to 30 minutes if you want a more-set center. Just keep an eye on them.]

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• heaping 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 6 – 7 ounces (about 3/4 cup) semi-sweet or dark chocolate (chips or chopped)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (about 2 30-second intervals). Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool before adding the egg (to prevent it from scrambling).
3. Stir in egg, sugars, and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in peanut butter.
4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; mix until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate.
5. Scoop batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until center is set and golden (or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean).
6. Allow bars to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Cut into slices and devour.

Incredibly Versatile Granola Bars.

Waiting for a call to schedule a job interview is probably one of the more stressful waiting games I’ve played. Last week, the manager of the bakery (yes, bakery!) I applied to told me he’d call me back yesterday. Yesterday, I missed his call because I was driving and couldn’t call him back until a few hours later. When I finally called him back that evening, he wasn’t there. After waiting all morning and part of the early afternoon to see if he’d return my message, I called him instead, and left another message. Needless to say, I’m a little stressed. Especially because I hate talking on the telephone.

Stressful situations call for stress-baking.

There’s something comforting about nearly upsetting everything in my cupboards as I root around for measuring cups and mixing bowls. The familiar rhythm of pouring and stirring is comparable to giving a fussing child his favorite pacifier. It’s a sort of sedative, which is why I instinctively reach for a cook book in times of anxiety.

Enter the glorious homemade granola bar.

Quaker Chewy granola bars have never been my favorite. I know, I know, I must have malformed tastebuds or something. Honestly, they’re not as flavorful or satisfying as, say, a Kashi bar. Maybe that’s the health freak in me preferring whole almonds over weird crispy things (what ingredients make up a Chewy bar, anyways?), but I honestly think it’s just the fact I prefer my granola bars to be…well, chewy. For real chewy. With identifiable ingredients.

The great thing about homemade granola bars is that you can add basically anything you want – different types of dried fruit, nuts and seeds (pecans, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds…the list goes on, and on, and on), flavorings and spices, nut butter, honey or maple syrup…it goes on forever. If it’s small enough to mix in, go for it.

The cinnamon comes through perfectly, and for once, I can say that I wouldn’t add any more. Unless you prefer to up the cinnamon. The more, the merrier.

Perfect for breakfast (I’ve been crumbling mine up like cereal & eating it with milk), snack, post-workout, whatever. The world is your…granola bar.

Homemade Granola Bars
Based off this recipe
Makes 12-16, depending on the size you cut them

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup dried fruit of your choosing (I used golden raisins and mixed berries)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, optional
• 3/4 cup nuts and seeds (I used pecans and almonds)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish with parchment paper or grease it. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Add egg and beat well. Stir in flax and honey.
3. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture until just blended.
4. Stir in fruit, nuts, and other add-ins.
5. Press firmly into the baking dish. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until middle is set and edges are lightly browned.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Devour.

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake: A Mother’s Day Treat.

[Yes, yes, I’m a week late, I know. Job hunting has been excruciating, not to mention the massive amount of house cleaning, preparations for a garage sale, and less-than-stellar internet connection.]

Every mother has a favorite dessert – blueberry pie, lemon cake, walnut brownies, strawberry mousse. My mother’s just happens to be cheesecake.

Even though she is a self-professed chocoholic, one bite of chocolate cake will cause her to sit back in her chair, smack her lips, and proclaim, “Too rich!” Usually, she can’t make it through a whole brownie because it overwhelms her.

But all that is put aside when she is given cheesecake.

Since my childhood, I’ve witnessed my mom crushing graham cracker crumbs, beating sugar and cream cheese, carefully scraping the batter into a fancy pan, and bake for hours. The waiting was always agony and I was usually sentenced to tip-toeing around the house in case I accidentally managed to upset the baking cheesecake. Oftentimes I wouldn’t even get to try the finished product because she’d take it to a get-together with her friends or some grown-up party.

Then again, she usually didn’t get to try it, either.

Being away from my mom all year was difficult, so I wanted to make sure I did something extra special for Mother’s Day. What do you get for the mom who already has everything, whose taste in jewelry is far beyond your price range, whose husband groans whenever she receives another sentimental “knick-knack”, and who insists she wants nothing for Mother’s Day except the presence of you and your father?

Cheesecake.

I’ll spare you from the boring details and enthusiasm received when this was set on the table. All you need to know is that this recipe is delicious. You make the curd, you make the cheesecake, let it cool and refrigerate. It’s important, though, to refrigerate it overnight!

Don’t be intimidated by the curd, either. It’s basically a thick jam. You could even double the curd recipe if you want your cheesecake extra strawberry-y…which is what I’ll do next time. I tweaked the original recipe a little bit, using fewer graham cracker crumbs because the crust ended up being higher than the actual cheesecake and far too crumbly. Fortunately, my family cares more about taste than presentation and the crumbs were generously sprinkled over the slices.

Best when topped with fresh strawberries.

And love.

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
from Chocolate Moosey

Ingredients
For the strawberry curd

• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1-2 tsp sugar (to taste)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/4 tsp corn starch

For the cheesecake

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 8 oz. packages of Neufchatel, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1/2 cup strawberry curd

Directions

1. To make the strawberry curd: Combine strawberries and sugar into a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.
   
2. In a small bowl, whick together lemon juice and corn starch; add to strawberry mixture and puree until as smooth as possible.
3. Strain the mixture into a small sauce pan; discard the seeds.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to boil. Cook a few more minutes until the mixture thickens.
5. Strain again into a heatproof container. Let cool to room temperature.
6. To make the cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
7. In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and sides of the greased pan; place on a cookie sheet and set aside.
8. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
9. Beat in lemon juice and extracts. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
10. Pour the batter into the pan. Add spoonfuls of the strawberry curd to the top and swirl with a knife. Bake for 60 minutes or until center is mostly set.
11. Cool for ten minutes on a wire rack; run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it. Let cool completely on the wire rack, then refrigerate overnight. Devour.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

Hello. It’s been far too long. Life is so crazy. Can you ever forgive me?

Here, I brought you some incredibly delicious banana bread to make it better.

Or banana mush. Or banana muffins. Or banana cookies.

Or whatever form fits your fancy.

I must first add a brief disclaimer: the oatmeal must first be ground in some sort of food-processing device before adding the rest of the ingredients. If your kitchen just happens to be lacking in a food processor, place the oatmeal in a large plastic bag and use a meat mallet (or some other utensil to that effect) to grind it up to a meal-like consistency.

Second disclaimer: your batter may not make it into the pan. Really, there would have been more of the final product had I possessed enough self-control to keep my fingers out of the mixing bowl.

Whoops.

However, there is no worry of potential acquisition of salmonella; this is an eggless recipe! Which means no stray eggshells will end up in your bread (also, I originally typed “beard” instead of “bread”. Probably a sign I should drink something caffeinated).

How many times have I already raved about peanut butter? Or peanut butter and chocolate? Or peanut butter and banana? Or…peanut butter? Probably enough for you to remember that I really, really love peanut butter.

And this recipe combines many of my favorite things: bananas, chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal. Oatmeal is one of my favorite baking ingredients; not only does it add a beautifully chewy texture and substance, but it also adds a distinct, nutty flavor. Oats are intrinsically satisfying.

Aren’t they cute?

Despite the simple ingredients, the taste is sublime. With nothing added in excess, the flavors are complementary: just enough brown sugar to subtly emphasize the cinnamon, enough peanut butter to notice but not overpower, and a perfect amount of oats to lend their chewiness but not dominate.

Why can’t people work together so harmoniously like that?

No matter. Maybe this bread will bring about world peace.

The active time of this recipe is not consuming. After you have measured out the oats and blended them, simply add the rest of the ingredients, mix, and bake. Or, if you prefer, omit the baking powder and simply eat the batter straight. Yes, it’s that good.

If you prefer muffins, mini or standard or enormous, or a cake-pan sized loaf, or some other manifestation, I’m sure those will work just as well. Just be aware of the potential time adjustment.

Oh, and feel free to add more chocolate chips.

Easy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Egg-free!…and with no-bake option!)
Slightly adapted from Baker Bettie
Makes 1 loaf pan or about 6 mini loaves Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned)
• 3-4 medium mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the loaf pan(s) and set aside.
2. Measure oatmeal into blender or food processor and pulse until powder or meal consistency, or little less fine if desired.
3. Combine oatmeal and remaining ingredients, except for chocolate chips, to a mixing bowl. Stir until combined.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into prepare pan(s). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are browned and toothpick in center comes out clean. Devour.

No-bake option: Omit the baking powder and add up to an extra cup of oatmeal (not ground). Spoon mixture onto yogurt/etc., or eat straight from the bowl.

New Starlight Cake.

Question: who had the brilliant idea of using a toothpick to check for a cake’s doneness? I really want to meet them.

Speaking of cake…

Caaaaaaaaaaake.

With chocolate frosting. And chocolate curls.

I was luckily able to go home for a long weekend for Easter. But, since I unluckily wasn’t home for my birthday, my mom decided she wanted to celebrate while I was home. Thus, we decided to tag-team the making of my birthday cake and broke out the Betty Crocker cookbook.

My grandmother was, apparently, quite a good baker, and we ended up with some of her cookbooks. She specialized in delicious summer pies (endeavors which I am not quite ready to contend with yet) but also made wonderful cakes. But the reason they were so good was because they were made from the bottom of her heart – because she cared for whoever she was making the dessert for. Even though I never really knew my grandmother, I feel she’d be proud of me for taking after her and loving people through the food I make for them.

Hunting for a good yellow cake recipe turned out to be more difficult than expected. There are a gazillion recipes for a good chocolate birthday cake…what about a yellow birthday cake? Are yellow cakes too boring? Are they not festive enough? Are they not flavorful enough? (If you were wondering, the answers to the latter three questions are no, no, and no)

No offense to chocolate cake, or you chocolate cake lovers. I just love me some fluffy, wonderful yellow cake.

Oh, from scratch.

Of course.

I tweaked the recipe a bit to my own personal taste and from what I had researched online. Using buttermilk in baked goods has become my standard procedure, and just a little bit of almond extract makes a big difference. What I was particularly surprised about, though, was one of Betty Crocker’s instructions: “Combine all ingredients in bowl.” All at once? Just like that? All right, I can handle that.

So I floured the pans, combined and mixed the ingredients, placed them in the over, and waited.

And then…cake.

Glorious, glorious, yellow cake.

Well, technically, “New Starlight Cake”. Whatever that means.

Of course I had to add sprinkles.

New Starlight Cake
adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, 15th Printing (1972)
makes 2 round 9-inch cakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• a few drops of almond extract
• 4 eggs, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 round 9-inch cake pans.
2. Measure all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
3. Using a hand-mixer, blend for about 1/2 a minute on low speed, constantly scraping down the sides of the bowl.
4. Beat for about 3 minutes on high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally.
5. Pour into pan(s). Gently shake to ensure cake batter is equally distributed.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes if using round pans or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.

(By the way, I made chocolate cream cheese frosting – unfortunately, it was not everything I hoped for. Substitute your own favorite frosting.)