No Bake Granola Bars

This is such a great recipe and changing things ups to make all flavors of granola bars is so fun! I've tried it with a few different kinds cereal. I especially like crushed Crispix. The PB and J version is pf course yummy. There are some ideas for add ins below, but really this is like a choose your own adventure recipe. You could even make a healthy option with some flax meal or wheat germ. Keep the add ins to 1 cup or less, but other than that go crazy. 

No Bake Granola Bars

adapted from biggerbolderbaking.com
1 1/2 cups oats, quick or rolled
1 cup rice crispy cereal or any other cereal crushed up a little bit
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add in suggestions:
Raisin Nut Granola Bar
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup chopped raisins
1/3 cup chopped nuts (toasted nuts are also great)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola Bar (see note at bottom)
1/3 cup peanut butter (stirred in with sugar mixture)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
6 TBSPs your favorite jam

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (stirred in with sugar mixture)
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Monster Granola Bars
1/3 cup peanut butter (stirred in with sugar mixture)
1/3 cup mini m&ms
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, mix together the oats and cereal.
2. In a medium microwavable bowl add in butter, honey and brown sugar. Microwave this mixture for 2 minutes. It will bubble up so make sure your bowl is big enough so it doesn’t overflow. You can also do this step in a saucepan if you don’t have a microwave.
3. Add the vanilla and salt to the sugar mixture and stir. This will bubble a little bit. (If you are adding peanut butter or cocoa powder this is where you put it in. Stir the PB or cocoa into the sugar mixture) 4. Pour the sugar mixture over the oats and cereal, and thoroughly stir using a rubber spatula. Mix the ingredients together until the oats and cereal are completely coated.
5. Add in your desired mix-in. If you are adding chocolate chips or m&ms and don't want them to melt, wait a few minutes before stirring them in.
6. Press the bars very firmly into a parchment lined 9″x 9” pan. If you like your bars thicker, you can use a smaller pan. If you do not press firmly enough, the bars will fall apart when you eat them. You can also sprinkle on some of your add ins on top like mini chocolate chips or m&ms and press those down so they stick to the top.
7. Place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes then cut to size.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter. If you keep them in the fridge they will be a little hard and chewy. At room temp they will be soft.

PB and J Note: It's best to layer these bars. I have stirred the jam in and they are a little too soft this way. So press half the mixture into the bottom of your pan, then spread on your jam, and press the other half on top.

Cheese Popovers

I've been doing a lot of live bake alongs while at home with ZERO plans. I LOVE IT! I watch two on Instagram almost everyday, Christina Tosi at 1pm central, creator/owner of Milkbar in NYC and Masterchef judge, and Bread Ahead at 8am central, an awesome bakery in London. I actually have to set my alarm to wake up for Bread Ahead, heehee. I put my earbuds in, watch, and take notes all from the comfort of my bed. It's great. Christina Tosi is posting all her recipes on her website, so I'm sharing her popover recipe. I made these yesterday and they were awesome! So easy and kinda fun to watch in the oven. I sprinkled a Colby jack cheese mix on the top of mine, but you can do any type of cheese you like. We ate them with Easter dinner leftovers. They are kinda like an eggy German pancake texture.

Cheese Popovers

adapted from Christina Tosi
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 3⁄4 cups whole milk
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps sugar
2 tsps kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups any kind of cheese you have, shredded

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Measure all of the ingredients except the cheese into the pitcher of a blender. Blend on medium-low until smooth and well combined. The batter will be thin.
2. Pour 1⁄3 cup batter into each cup. Each cup should be about 3/4 full. Scatter 2 TBSPs of shredded cheese evenly over the center of each of the filled cups.
3. Put the popovers in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until tripled in size, hollow in the center, and a healthy golden brown on the outside. DO NOT open the oven while baking.
4. Pop out of the pan and dig in immediately. Popovers are best warm out of the oven, or the same day at the very latest.

Potato Casserole

I have graduated from my old potato casserole. This new recipe is a little faster with frozen potatoes, and more gooey because you mix all the good stuff in with the potatoes. It's my new favorite. Perfect with your Easter or Christmas ham.

Potato Casserole

Potatoes
1/4 cup melted butter
1 10.5oz can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 tsp salt
2 tsps dried minced onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 30 package of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
Topping
4 cups cornflakes
5 TBSPs melted butter
2 TBSPs grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add 1/4 cup melted butter, soup, sour cream, salt, onion and stir to combine. Add cheese and stir. Add thawed potatoes and mix them in until everything is well combined.
3. Pour potato mixture into a 9x13 inch pan.
4. Crush cornflakes into crumbs in a ziplock bag. You should get about 2-2.5 cups crushed. In a small bowl, mix the 5 TBSPs melted butter, crushed cornflakes, and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on top of the potatoes.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until bubbly.

Like Levain Bakery - Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip

If you want some big gooey chocolate cookies then this is the recipe for you. It's like the previous Levain Bakery recipe I posted that I found on modernhoney.com. They are sooo good! The recipe calls for dark chocolate baking cocoa and I bought Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder for these cookies, which was great. It's harder to tell when these are done because you can't see if they are starting to turn brown, but I make 5oz cookies and bake them for 12 minutes and they turn out perfect. Give them a try and don't be afraid to put that HUGE blob of dough on the cookie sheet.

Like Levain Bakery - Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip
modernhoney.com
1 cup cold butter cut into small cubes
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark baking cocoa
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

 1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 4 minutes or until creamy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
4. Stir in cocoa, flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined to avoid over mixing. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Separate dough into large balls (about 1/2 cup of dough or 5-6 oz) and place on prepared cookie sheet. You will fit 4 cookies on one large cookie sheet. The dough makes 8-10 extra large cookies.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes (I bake mine closer to 12) or until golden brown on the top. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes to set.

Sugar Cookies

It's about time I get this recipe on here! This is my favorite recipe for roll out sugar cookies. I just used it this week to make stained glass cookies and it worked great! It's very easy dough to work with. Top with your favorite frosting or not at all. 

Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and vanilla and beat until well combined.
3. Add the flour mixture and mix until dough comes together.
4. Divide the dough in 1/2 and wrap each ball in a piece of plastic wrap. Press down to form a disk. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
6. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured flat work surface to about ¼-inch thickness, using extra flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes, and transfer to parchment covered baking sheet
8. Bake at 375°F until puffy but not visibly browned, about 7-8 minutes (depending on thickness). Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Repeat with remaining dough.

Frost when cooled. Makes about 24-36 cookies.

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie at Kneaders last week. When I got home I decided to look up a copycat recipe, and what did I find??? THE ACTUAL RECIPE from the KNEADERS WEBSITE! So here it is straight from the source. They are soft and cake-like. You're welcome.

Kneaders Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

kneaders.com 
1¾ cups butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs, slightly whisked
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until butter starts to lighten and mixture becomes fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin puree. Mix for one minute on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients to evenly distribute the leavener. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed for one minute. Fold the chocolate chips in by hand.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll into 2-inch balls, or use a cookie scoop. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze up to 3 months. Makes about 40 cookies

English Fruit Scones

I love scones! Especially scones slathered with clotted cream and jam. These are the perfect traditional fruit scone. This recipe is like the scones served in the Highclere castle tearoom (according to Lady Carnarvon). I had one of those scones 2 years ago when I visited Highclere Castle. I followed the recipe as written and ended needing to make a few changes. I changed the medium egg to a large, used regular sugar instead of caster sugar, and added a little milk (original recipe in link above). You want a slightly sticky dough, so add the milk/egg a little at a time until the dough comes together and doesn't fall apart, but don't make it too sticky (you need to be able to work with it). You might use all the milk and you might need a little more. The leftover milk/egg mixture is brushed on the tops of the scones before baking. Milk helps the scones to brown. If you use all the milk mixture just brush some milk on the tops. Now lets talk a little out how to eat it. There are 2 traditional ways, the Cornish way and the Devon way. The Cornish way (originated in Cornwall) is jam on the bottom, clotted cream on the top. The Devonshire way (eaten in the county of Devon) is to spread cream first and then the  jam. I have had it both ways, and I'm not sure which I prefer. I like to be able to spread the cream kind of like butter and then add jam on the top, but there's something about a big dollop of clotted cream that I love! Apparently the Queen prefers the Cornish way. Which way do you prefer your scone?

English Fruit Scones
adapted from Highclere Chef Paul Brooke-Taylor's recipe
7 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup sugar
5 1/4 TBSPs baking powder
1 large egg
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup golden raisins, currants, or sultanas (aka raisins)

1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F
2. Dust two baking trays with flour and place in the fridge.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour and baking powder with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar.
4. Add the egg to the milk and pour just enough of it into the flour mixture to form a sticky, soft dough (see my notes at the top). Stir until dough comes together. Add the golden raisins to the dough and mix in to evenly distribute.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured board or worktop and quickly and gently shape it into a round about 3/4 inches thick. Handle the dough as little as possible. Using a 2 1/2 inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Place rounds on the chilled, floured baking tray and brush each scone lightly with some of the remaining milk/egg mixture (if none remains brush with milk). Reshape dough and cut again, repeating until all dough has been used.
6. Bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes until golden brown and well risen. Put a clean tea towel on a wire rack. Lift the scones off the baking tray with a palette knife, transfer to the tea towel and wrap the towel around the scones. These scones are best eaten warm, soon after baking, and are fabulous with clotted cream, jam. They also freeze well. Makes about 25 scones.