Serving Up {Cake}: Spiced Oat Pear Blondies

Man on man!  I can't believe that October is nearly a memory and I have not yet posted the recipe for these Spiced Oat Pear Blondies!  Major oversight on my part and one that I am glad that I caught before the demand for fall flavors has completely diminished.

Despite the fact that these really do taste like a little piece of autumn, I have made them throughout the year and enjoy them just as much in April as I do in October.  Because I have made them year round, I can vouch for the fact that you can substitute canned (or in my case, bottled) pears in place of the fresh pear with complete success - just make sure to drain the pears really well before using them so that excess juices don't change the outcome of the dessert.

One Year Ago: Apple Cake with Butter Sauce
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Bread

SPICED OAT PEAR BLONDIES     
(recipe from Amandeleine)
printable version

Topping:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Blondie:
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/2" slices
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups 1/4-inch cubes of cored, peeled, firm pear (about 2-3 large pears)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Set aside.
Combine the topping ingredients of flour, oats, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Add butter and crumble the butter and dry ingredients together until moist crumbs form and no flour remains.  Cover and chill.
For blondie; brown the butter in a medium saucepan by heating over medium heat until melted.  Allow to continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the color deepens and dark brown bits form at the bottom of the pan.  Be careful not to allow the butter to burn.  Pour the browned butter into a medium bowl and all to cool slightly.
Whisk the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl; set aside.  Whisk brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in another large bowl until the mixture is smooth.  Slowly add the browned butter to the brown sugar mixture, whisking constantly and until well blended.
Add pears to the dry ingredients; toss to coat well.  Stir into the brown sugar mixture, carefully combining (batter will be thick).
Smooth batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the chilled topping over the top.
Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and tester inserted into the center comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs attached.  Allow to cool.
Cut blondies into squares and dust with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.

Serving Up {Cookies}: Evil Oatmeal Fudge Bars

I have stumbled across this recipe a number of times, and each time I think, "how yummy!" only to realize, "I have this recipe!" (and it IS yummy!)  Most recently the recipe was showcased on a morning news show and I chuckled that they referred to them as Evil Oatmeal Fudge Bars.  Of course by "evil" it translates to I-can't-stop-at-just-one-insanely-delicious...so I feel the name is a good one and I have chosen to use that name as I share this recipe.

One Year Ago: Easy Salsa
Two Years Ago: Zucchini Bread

EVIL OATMEAL FUDGE BARS     
(recipe adapted from aunt Holly, Good Things Utah & Becky Higgins)
printable version

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 c. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar, adding eggs and vanilla until well combined. Combine the oats, flour, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl and stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Press 2/3 of oat mixture into a greased 9" x 13" baking pan.

In a saucepan combine sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate sauce over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top of the chocolate.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely prior to cutting into squares.

Serving Up {Cake}: Pumpkin Cake Bars

We are in the midst of pumpkin season and I am taking full advantage!  We have been enjoying a lot of pumpkin at our house as of late - in both savory meals as well as sweet treats - and yet I don't find myself tiring of it at all.  I just really love the flavor of pumpkin...especially when paired with spices and a cream cheese frosting...which brings me to this recipe.

This recipe is the perfect pumpkin cake recipe that holds nothing back when it comes to my favorite fall spices - please note the full teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  YUM!  In the end you end up with a delicious baked treat and a house that smells good enough for the kids to sniff the air as they come in from school and ask what you've been baking.  Just be careful to hide the evidence that you have already eaten three pieces before they even arrived home.  Sit down and enjoy a piece with the kids and pretend it's your first.  I mean, what they don't know won't hurt them.

And speaking of pumpkin, here is a list of some of my favorite pumpkin recipes that I have posted in the past.  There are some real goodies in there.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

                          Pumpkin Knot Rolls       

PUMPKIN CAKE BARS     
(recipe from Louanne S.)

printable version

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil 

4 eggs

15-ounce can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan.  In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin and mix.  Add dry ingredients and blend on low until all ingredients are moist.  Then beat the batter on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:

1/3 cup butter

3-ounce cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbs. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine butter and cream cheese and blend until well combined.  Add powdered sugar and milk and vanilla and blend until desired consistency, adding additional milk if needed.

Frost cooled bars and then cut into bars.

Serving Up {Cake}: Apple Cake with Butter Sauce

I mentioned last week that I had purchased 120 pounds of apples from a local farmer...and boy oh boy are we enjoying our apples!

Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy all kinds of baked apple goodies and this cake is one of my favorite!  It comes from my aunt and my mom used to make it when I was growing up and I continue to enjoy it all these years later.  The cake itself is packed with shredded apples and yummy spices, but then as you serve the cake you top it with a butter sauce that is to die for!  I will admit that I kind of like to drench my cake in sauce, so feel free to follow suit.  I won't judge.

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Bread

APPLE CAKE WITH BUTTER SAUCE     
(recipe from aunt June)
printable version

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
4 cups shredded apples
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
dash salt
1 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 13x9 pan by greasing and flouring it.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add apples and continue to blend.  Gradually add dry ingredients.  Smooth batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick tests clean.
Serve cake warm with warmed butter sauce.

Butter Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, butter and milk in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a soft boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Serve warmed over warm apple cake.

Serving Up {Dessert}: Caramel Apple Crisp

Apples are on!!!  I currently have 120 pounds of apples in my entry way...40 pounds each of red delicious, Jonathans and primes.  Thanks to access to a local farmer, I picked up my delicious jems for less than 50 cents a pound.  We are huge apple eaters around here so we are kind of loving it!

Most of our apples are eaten straight but we do have a few favorite apple recipes that we enjoy when the apples are plentiful.  This particular recipe is at the top of the list.  Apple crisp is a favorite regardless, but add a jar of caramel sauce and an old favorite is taken to an all new level!  Served warm or cold, with or without ice cream, it's a winner!

One Year Ago: Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage

CARAMEL APPLE CRISP     

printable version

8 granny smith apples, peeled/cored/sliced
2 tbs. lemon juice
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cloves
¾ tsp. salt

1 12-ounce jar caramel ice cream topping

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 cup butter, melted

Prepare by buttering a 13x9 glass baking dish and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place apples and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir until the apples are coated with the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt and stir until combined. Pour dry ingredients over the apples and stir until the apples are well coated. Spread the apples evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Pour caramel sauce over the top of the apples.
In a medium bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, nuts and melted butter and stir until it forms course crumbs. Spread the topping over the caramel layer.
Place in oven and cook 40-50 minutes, until the topping is browned and the apples are tender.

Serving Up {Cake}: Darn Good Chocolate Cake

I had a birthday 10 days ago and my daughter made my birthday cake!  A moist, delicious, rich chocolate cake with a chocolate glaze....how spoiled am I?

This cake recipe is all over the internet but I want to lay claim to it before it was an internet success.  My mom had this recipe clipped from a newspaper article printed at least 12 years ago, maybe longer (long before food blogs either way).  I know it's age because she used this very cake recipe to make a dessert cake for the luncheon at my brother's wedding.  I have also taken it to two weddings myself now as the wedding cake for two of my sister-in-laws.  I can't claim that I know how to decorate a cake (and just for the record, I am retired from wedding cakes) but I can claim that the cake, at both weddings, was a hit on the flavor-meter.

But don't save this cake for some fancy occasion.  It is super quick to whip together and delicious enough to fool anyone who doesn't know better into thinking you slaved over it.

Wedding Cake #1: recipe for cake as written, topped with chocolate ganache and fresh berries

Wedding Cake #2: recipe for cake as written, topped with a white chocolate cream and then caramel drizzle

(photo from the amazing Kate Maxwell Photography)

One Year Ago: Coconut Chex Mix

DARN GOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE     
printable version

1 18-ounce chocolate fudge cake mix
1 4-serving size box instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare baking pan by  greasing and dusting with flour - can use a 12-cup bundt pan, a 13x9 baking pan or two 9-inch round baking pans.

Combine all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a large mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix for 1 minutes.  Stop the beaters and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Increase mixer speed to medium and mix for 2-3 minutes.  The batter will be thick but should be well combined.  Fold in chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.

Baking time varies based on the size of pan you are using.  Test for doneness with a toothpick.
Bundt pan; bake for 50-60 minutes.
13x9 pan; bake for 35 mintues.
Two 9" round pans; bake for 25 minutes.

Serving Up {Brownies}: Caramel Brownies

These brownies are not a new recipe - in fact, they have been around for a while because I remember making them back in college when I needed a really decent chocolate fix!  The recipe has kind of gone viral thanks to blogs and pinterest so my guess is that you have seen it before.  But should you have ignored it (for what reason I cannot imagine) by all means trust me that these are worth making.  Thanks to the use of a cake mix as the base, they come together super quick and they are worth it!  You will thank me on this one!

One Year Ago: Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

CARAMEL BROWNIES     
printable version

50 caramels
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pkg. german chocolate cake mix
¾ cup butter, melted
1/3 cup evaporated milk
6 oz. chocolate chips

Place caramels and 1/3 cup milk in a small saucepan; melt over low heat and set aside.

Beat the cake mix, 1/3 cup milk and melted butter until well blended. It will be thick. Spread ½ of the batter into a greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Pour melted caramel over the chocolate chips. Top with the remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for an additional 18 minutes or until done – DO NOT overbake. Refrigerate to be able to cut.

Serving Up {Cake}: Blueberry Buckle

My youngest is fascinated with the Disney movie "Cars" and watches (parts of) it a lot.  In one scene Lightening McQueen calls his #1 rival, Chick Hick, "Thunder" and then says, "you know, because thunder always comes after LIGHTENING" (referring to himself) which leaves Chick Hick saying, "who knew that about thunder?"

I promise I really do have a point!

I have a friend who is quite nearly the perfect homemaker - seriously!  And I have been the recipient of her perfection so many times that I will never be able to pay her back even a fraction.  She was coming over to my house one morning for a meeting with two other people and this near perfect friend told me that she would be bringing a Blueberry Buckle.  I had no idea what that was, but didn't worry because I knew if it came from her kitchen then it would be amazing.  So the morning that she shows up with this delectable goody, the other two women say, "oh did you make a blueberry buckle" and they all begin talking about it and I felt like Chick Hick, looking around saying, "who knew that about blueberry buckle?".  I know, I need to get out more, but you would be amazed at how many parallels I can find between my life and Disney.

Moving on...just as I knew that a Blueberry Buckle, whatever it was, would be to die for if it was made by my friend, it did not disappoint.  It turns out that a buckle actually falls under the category of "cobbler" but, in truth, is much more like a cake than what I consider to be a cobbler.  That's good because I think that by categorizing it as a coffee cake also means that it is allowable to eat it for breakfast, which is fine by me! 

One Year Ago: Morning Egg Casserole

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE     
(recipe from Heidi C.)
printable version

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups blueberries, fresh (if using frozen, thaw first)

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, melted butter, milk and egg.  Mix well and add when combined, add the blueberries carefully and quickly folding them in.  The dough gets a little firm quickly so it's easier to get the berries in the dough soon after it's mixed.   If using thawed, fold them in gently to prevent them from breaking and turning the dough blue.

Spread the batter into a buttered 8 X 8 pan.  Prepare topping.

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter in a bowl using a pastry blender.  Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 - 50 mins.  Check it at about 30 minutes - if the top is browning too much, lightly place a piece of foil over the top for the remaining cooking time.  Test with a toothpick to make sure it's cooked all the way through before removing from oven.

Serving Up {Ice Cream}: Ice Cream Sundae Cake

Our family has been enjoying some summer travel recently...living in the Northwest, it is pretty much a guarantee that wherever we visit, it is hotter than what we are used to in Portland!  I will admit that I have only turned my a/c unit on twice this entire summer.  Yes, you can totally hate me! 

Regardless of whether you are enjoying the mild summer that we have been enjoying, or whether you are melting in the sweltering heat that the rest of the nation seems to be dealing with, this is a great summer time dessert.  It's an ice cream sundae in a pan.  Vary the flavor of ice cream for different flavor combinations and enjoy. 

One Year Ago: Savory Wild Rice Chicken Salad

ICE CREAM SUNDAE CAKE     

printable version

2 Tbs. butter

2 cups coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups rice krispie cereal (crush slightly)

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (could use chocolate or peppermint)

fudge sauce (recipe to follow)

Melt the butter in a large pan and add coconut; cooking until coconut is browned.  Remove from heat and add the nuts and cereal, mixing well.  Allow to cool.

Place 1/2 of crumb mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 pan.  Spread 1/2 of the container of ice cream (allow ice cream to soften slightly) over the crumb layer.  Cover with 1/2 of the fudge sauce.  Layer the remaining ice cream.  Top with remaining fudge sauce and the remaining crumbs. 

Place in freezer until ready to serve.

Fudge Sauce:

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

2 Tbs. butter

14-ounce sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

dash salt

Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add sweetened condensed milk and continue to stir over low heat for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.                   

Serving Up {Brownies}: White Chocolate Brownie Decadence

I interrupt the scheduled post to bring you something that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!  Seriously!  This may only be slightly exaggerated, but don't risk it.

I generally try to stay ahead of my posts by 2-3 weeks (I admit that the word "try" is key) so I really am in here typing away, BUMPING ANOTHER RECIPE that was already scheduled, because these brownies are simply worth it.  And you are worth it.  It is 2:00 p.m. and I have had nothing substantial to eat yet and yet I have already eaten two of these brownies - and I am worth it :)

I earmarked this recipe a year ago and had high hopes that they would taste as good as they looked.  Leigh Anne at Your Homebased Mom has rarely posted anything that I haven't really liked.  So over the weekend we were invited to a BBQ and my husband told me that he volunteered me to bring a dessert "so that you can make one of those little recipes that you like to pin" - he knows me so well.  I did exactly that and made two little recipes that I had pinned - one white chocolate brownie (for me) and one chocolate brownie (for hubby).  I was thrilled with how they both turned out but it has been these little white squares of danger that won't give me any rest....they just keep calling my name.  And now you have the recipe and you can make them and you can see exactly what I mean.

One Year Ago: Cilantro Ranch Dressing

WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE DECADENCE     
(recipe from Your Homebased Mom)
printable version

1 cup butter
1/2 cup white chocolate,chopped
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the brownies, melt your white chocolate and butter either in the microwave or a double boiler; watching and stirring often so the white chocolate does not burn.  Once the butter and chocolate are melted, whisk in the eggs and vanilla and then add the sugar.  Add flour last.  Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan.   Bake for 25-30 minutes.   Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup white chocolate, chopped
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. whipping cream (or more to make desired consistency)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt the butter and white chocolate in the microwave or double boiler. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, whipping cream and vanilla, using additional whipping cream to reach desired consistency for frosting.   Frost brownies once cooled.

Serving Up {Ice Cream}: Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream Shake

Last summer I experienced a delicious Key Lime Ice Cream Shake as a sample at Costco and immediately recreated it at home (and posted it here).  With only three ingredients (if you count ice as an ingredient) it just is so simple!

Then one day at the store I saw a variety of non-alcoholic cocktail mixers and realized if the Margarita mix can make such a delicious ice cream shake, why not shake it up with another flavor?  I purchased the strawberry daquiri mix and went home and combined it with ice cream and ice and a new treat was created!

One Year Ago: Homemade Oreo Cookies
                        Creamy Beef Taco Mix

STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI ICE CREAM SHAKE     
printable version

3 parts vanilla ice cream
1 part Strawberry Daiguiri Cocktail Mix
1/2-1 tray ice cubes

Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

Serving Up {Dessert}: Cheater Donuts

In April my family and I went to Seattle for a quick getaway.  Our first day there we enjoyed amazing little miniature cinnamon donuts at Pikes Market from Daily Dozen Donuts.  The second day there my husband and I stopped into Starbucks to grab a fruit smoothie and we split an old fashioned donut.  The third day there my husband stopped into Top Pots Donuts so that I could indulge in one of their succulent Boston Creme pie donut creations.  I guess I could say that I have a thing for donuts - but luckily I don't indulge like that on a regular basis.

When we returned from Seattle I requested the Top Pots Donut cookbook from my local library and eagerly awaited it's arrival.  It has now been in my "to read" or at least my "to glance at" pile for nearly a month and I have yet to attempt a single recipe.  Crazy, I know!  But by golly, I am not returning this book until I do...

In the meantime, while the Top Pots recipe book sits awaiting my perusal, I have broken down and gone for the easy donut fix.  And when I say easy, I mean EASY!!!  And yet delicious and a total cure to any donut craving.  I guess at this point I simply ought to say "I'm sorry"...maybe we could all start running in the mornings together to undo what this recipe is going to do.

One Year Ago: Kalua Pork
                        Absolute Best Homemade Ice Cream

CHEATER DONUTS     
printable version

1 package canned biscuits (I used Pillsbury Homestyle Buttermilk)
cinnamon
sugar
oil

Pour enough oil into a heavy saucepan to cover the bottom by approx. 1 1/2 inches. Heat oil to 350-375 degrees (on my stove that is the notch BELOW medium heat).

Open canned biscuits and cut a hole out of the center of each biscuit.

Prepare cinnamon sugar mixture and place in a brown paper lunch sack.

When oil is to temperature, carefully drop biscuits into the oil and cook for approx. 2 minutes (or until browned to your preference). Flip and cook the second side for 2 minutes also. Remove from oil and allow the oil to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Before they cool completely, place donut into brown paper lunch sack, seal it and shake it to coat with cinnamon sugar. Remove and allow to cool completely.

***I saw this recipe here and they dipped the cooked donuts into melted butter before putting the cinnamon sugar onto the donut.  While that probably would be amazingly delicious, I found the cinnamon sugar stuck well without the butter step and skipping the butter helped me justify eating two (and a half) donuts with zero amount of guilt.