Jam Crumb Bars

AMAZING! PERFECT! DELICIOUS! 

The crust and jam combination is to live for! 

As she ate these, my mom could no hold back expressing her pleasure (picture When Harry met Sally) and we chuckled at what the neighbor's might think (Especially since they saw my dad leave for work a couple of hours earlier!). My seven year old said "THESE you can take to my swim team friends!" (See Cheesecake Thumbprints for reference). Even our yellow lab snatched a piece straight out of my 2 year old's hand (She was not happy about that. Don't worry, she got another piece ( Recipe made about 20 bars).

I used Arrow Mills ground blanched almonds and 3/4C Raspberry and 1C Strawberry Smucker's Jam (I ran out of Raspberry Jam but this is one of those fortunate turn of events). 

The crust baked for 17 minutes and later with the Jam and topping for an additional 23. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!

165 to Go!

Caramel-Nut Bars

These remind me of Planter's Peanut Brittle bars (My dad always carries one in his car). It takes a lot of nuts (pun intended), Costco size.  I am starting to think Caramel recipes are just not for me (I'm not saying I will avoid them like the plague but maybe like a bad cold).  The crust was easy to make (Though I realized when the timer went off that I had forgotten to turn the oven on.  Admit it has happened to you too!). I used a small fondant roller to flatten it out. 

The caramel never reached the 300F (I felt so professional using my newly bought William and Sonoma Candy thermometer). I was so afraid of burning it (see Coconut-Pecan Caramel cookies for background info) that I might of undercooked it. I baked it for ten minutes and it never hardened (they do harden if you put them in the fridge. A little too hard. Watch out for grandma's' dentures).

Overall, they're salty and gooey (If that's what you're into you'll love them). 

166 to Go!

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

I am filled with both Nostalgia and Relief over moving from cookies on to brownies and bars. It parallels my current experience with my 2 year old outgrowing her highchair and baby stroller.  A phase of life ends and another begins. It made me ponder on all the changes that will occur this year simultaneously with the Baking of the Handbook. By next year, my baby will be turning three and starting preschool. One day my girls will be able to look back and take a peek at what mom was doing during this time in their lives. These memories will forever be intertwined in my Heart with these recipes.

Enough of my Existential Crisis and back to the Brownie. This is SO much easier than cookies!  I'm not a huge brownie fan even though I love chocolate. They are not kidding when they call these "Fudgy". I made them with walnuts (2nd Nut of Choice) as shown in the Nutty Chocolate Variation ( I caught my 7 year old taking the nuts out of her piece).

 I used Guiradelli 60% bittersweet cacao morsels and baked it for 40 minutes. 

167 to Go!

Linzer Hearts

I'm in LOVE! 

These cookies have won my heart. They were well worth the paint fumes I inhaled to bake them (Our house was painted this weekend and we were not allowed in until the paint dried).  A "REAL BAKER" would not let a small thing like hazardous fumes stop her. What's a few brain cells compared to Linzer Hearts,  a small sacrifice for Love. 

The recipe said to "feel free to substitute almonds for the hazelnuts".  Almonds are ALWAYS my NUT of Choice.  I used Arrow Mills blanched ground almonds and Smuckers Raspberry Jam. 

They baked for 14 minutes and made 9 Large and 8 small sandwich hearts. 

168 to Go!

 

Coconut-Pecan-Caramel Sandwich Cookies

I think I burned the caramel filling. The recipe asked for Dark Amber and unless I'm color blind, It looked Dark Amber (But tasted burned). The strong taste overpowered the cookies which were delicious on their own. I was planning on taking them to my 2 years old's last day of Gymboree . I added a teaspoon of condensed milk (What kid does not like condensed milk?)  to balance the caramel. The moms loved them, the kids not so much (good thing it was her last day). 

They baked for 13 minutes and made 30 sandwich cookies. 

169 to Go!

In  Loving Memory of Gymbo the Clown.

Cheesecake Thumbprints

 

 WAY TOO MANY steps for a cookie. Clear your schedule for these ones.

 The end of the wooden spoon worked great to make the indentation for the filling (Only Martha would come up with that. I wonder what else she tried?). It made exactly the stated 30 cookies (all fit on one baking sheet). They baked for 8 minutes, cooled (I had to go to work) then fill  and bake for another 8 minutes.

 The Chocolate variation was not as good. I found out the hard way: My daughter tasted them and said they were delicious so I brought them to give to her swim team friends after practice. As I am handing them out she comes to me with a mortified look and says "What are you doing? The kids are going to hate them!" I say,  "I thought you liked them?" Then she says, "You're my MOM, I HAVE to tell you their good".

170 to Go!

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

 

 "Gourmet Nutter Butters". 

 Love,  Love,  Love these cookies. Easy dough to work with.  Make sure to use Organic Natural Peanut Butter. Made 20 sandwich cookies.  Baked for 18 minutes.  

171 to Go!