Author: Sadie

Keeping It Cool

Sadie3 Comments

I have a little bit of an internal conflict going on right now.  It’s summer time right now, so when it gets hot, who wants to turn on the oven, right?  You’re not looking for extra heat in the kitchen.  And frankly, why bake something sweet when you can just hit the ice cream stand down the road?

I love no bake dessert options, but sometimes it makes me uneasy that something so good could be so easy.  I spend the rest of the year slaving over baked goods with multiple steps and several ingredients, and all of sudden I can combine 3-4 ingredients, throw them in the fridge for an hour, and I have an irresistible dessert.  It makes my typical effort seem completely unnecessary.

These are the stupid things that stress me out…

Anyway, here’s to less thinking, fewer ingredients, and a cool solution for a great summer treat:

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

yields 16-20 bars depending on th size you slice, from Bakerlady

Ingredients

  • 1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup + 4 Tbs Peanut Butter (smooth or chunky)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or one bag (12 oz) which is probably closer to 2 cups

Method

  1. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment.
  2. Combine melted butter, crumbs, sugar, and 1 cup of peanut butter in a bowl.  Mix until the dough is a uniform sandy mixture.
  3. Press mixture evenly into the parchment lined pan.  Spread out with an offset spatula if you have one.
  4. Melt the chocolate chips with the 4 Tbs left of peanut butter.  I typically microwave it for 30 sec at a time until mostly melted then I stir until every chip is melted.
  5. Spread the melted chocolate and peanut butter on top of the peanut butter and crumb mixture.  Again, smooth with an offset spatula.
  6. Allow to cool, slice, and enjoy! (if you cool in a fridge, allow the pan to warm up slightly before trying to slice, otherwise it will be difficult to cut, and likely break into pieces)

Wish List

Sadie1 Comment

If my birthday was this month (wink, nudge), the following things would probably make me smile.

1. Silpat (or two):  For three reasons: 1. My name is Sadie and I’m addicted to baking, 2. Silpats make my baking more sustainable, I won’t be throwing away so much parchment, and 3. I can take parchment off the grocery list.

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2. Kitchen Timer:  Simple, yet important.  My oven does not have a timer and it has made for a lot of guessing games.  What time did I put that in?  Should I get up and check the oven?  What time was it when I decided they needed five more minutes?  Is that too burnt to eat/ give to friends to eat?

3.  Macbook: I know, this is a big-ticket item, and I have a PC that I use for school.  But I have a mac for home and it’s starting so show it’s age.  The battery only lasts for an hour if I’m lucky, it’s now closer to off-white, and it gets over heated when I go to Hulu.  I just want a new little silver one that I can play around with.

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4. Smartphone: Because I currently still reside in the dark ages and it’s getting inconvenient.  I’m certainly not the person who waits for the new phone models to come out.  At this point, I just want to be able to check my e-mail and don’t want to have to rely on my friends and family to use their phones to find a restaurant’s phone number when we’re on the go.  iPhone please.

5. Nice Potholder: that doesn’t have menorahs or jack-o-lanterns, and isn’t partially burnt or melted.  Just something that’s pretty and practical, but not cumbersome.  Potholders have tended to be cheesy holiday themed presents to me in the past.

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6. Watch: I like watches.  The bigger and funkier, the better.  This is my current everyday watch, and I’m obsessed with it!

7.  Camera: I know nothing about cameras, but I want one that is better at focusing and dealing with different lighting situations.  But not too complicated.  Whatever that may be.

8. New Rainbow Flip Flops.  I wear them all day, every day (when I’m not at work), and my current pair are starting to show their age.  They’ve had a good five year run, I’m not mad at them.

My Wildest Dream:

Raspberry Ice Kitchenaid Standing Mixer

Few things are this pretty.

I hope I have provided you an option within your price range.   My main rule for presents is no clothing because it will not fit, and to be honest, I probably won’t like it.  And when in doubt: flowers.

Do you have any rules or guidlines for your loved ones when it comes to giving you presents?  What’s on your wish list for the next gift giving holiday on your calendar?

Ode to Oatmeal

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One of the only things I crave on a regular basis is oatmeal.  I apreciate it in the traditional format, in granola, cookies, and even raw oats with some almond milk.  I’m not sure why, it just hits the spot for me.

This summer while I’m living in Connecticut I have very limited kitchen resources, so my go-to breakfast has been Quaker’s Weight Control Instant Oatmeal.  I don’t have a microwave, so I just heat up some water in my tea kettle on the stove, and pour it into my bowl with the packet of instant oatmeal.  Breakfast perfection.  The reason I pick the “weight control” option, is more so for the specific nutritional facts rather than the name.  It has 7 grams of protien and only 1 gram of sugar, which is much improved from many of the other instant oatmeal options.  I’m always looking for extra protien and less sugar.

But I digress.  One of my favorite ways to enjoy oatmeal is of course in the form of a cookie.  I saw this recipe on a great food blog that I read regularly and I knew I needed to give them a try.  In addition to the oats, I love a cookie with butterscotch, and I’m always interested in non-chocolate options, because sometimes you a break from the chocolate route.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Caramel Cookies

From Picky Palate

Yields about 3 dozen

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) softened unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup prepared caramel sauce
  • 2 cups AP Flour
  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 bag (10 or 12oz) butterscotch chips

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. Cream together butter and sugars with electric mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, and caramel sauce.
  3. Mix together dry ingredients in separate bowl” flour, salt, baking soda, oats.
  4. Slowly combine dry and wet, try not to over mix.  Fold in butterscotch chips.
  5. Scoop dough with ice cream scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. (mine spread a little further than the pictures with the recipe on Picky Palate, but I would like to be a poor cratsman and blame my tools.  I’m suspicious about my oven).  Moral of the story: do not put the cookie dough too close together on the pan.

PS- If you’re looking to get an inside perspective on the Olympic Water Polo team (and who isn’t) take a look at this blog.