I am one of those anal retentive people who plans out their meals a week in advance. This is great for budgeting, but not so great when Mrblocko is home unexpectedly for dinner. I try to have at least one back up meal in the arsenal for surprises like this. This time, I turned to Real Mom Kitchen's Hubby's Favorite Casserole. We just happened to have all the basics lurking in the pantry. (Well, except for the ground beef. That was hiding in the back of the freezer. The pantry would be pretty stinky if we stored ground beef there.)
This dish reminded me of a baked version of Hamburger Helper. (Yeah, I am one of those freaks who LIKES Hamburger Helper.) I think it was the ground beef/noodle combo. It came together just like boxed version too, with the exception of baking it in the oven. If you were hard pressed for time you could definately skip that step. Of course, then you wouldn't get the nicely browned crunchy bits of cheese on top. That would be pretty sad.
Speaking of cheese, I had a quite a bit of random bits of leftover cheeses that were all thinking about turning green. Instead of cheddar cheese, I used Swiss, cheddar, queso quesadilla, mozzarella, and Monterrey jack. Plain cheddar, or the shredded cheese with taco seasoning mixed in would have tasted better.
I didn't have any egg noodles, so I substituted medium shells and rainbow rotini. I happened to have just enough leftover in both boxes to make up 2 cups uncooked. I was a little uneasy that they wouldn't cook up properly because they were a thicker cut of pasta. They cooked up just fine. As an added bonus Blockette liked finding the "mermaid shells" amid the twisty noodles.
Since we've been eating so much chipotle, I think our taste buds have gone haywire. I wish that I had added spices to liven up the flavor. Mrblocko doused his portion in Tabasco sauce. (P.U!)) Next time I'll add some Chili powder and cumin or Italian seasoning. I also thought that black beans would be tasty if I went the chili/cumin route. Mrblocko suggested adding fire roasted tomatoes. That would be a nice addition to either spice addition.
(Edited to add: I removed the link because there was some sort of malicious virus attached to that particular website.)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Cheater Bacon-y Ranch Slaw
Thank you Kraft for this super easy cheater cheater Ranch slaw with bacon. The hardest part of making this coleslaw was cooking up the bacon. It was so hard that I had to reward myself with several pieces of crispity crunchy bacon.Mrblocko was not jazzed when I told him I was going to make coleslaw as a side to grilled savory wings. How quickly his tune changed when I told him it was made with ranch dressing and bacon. Everything's better with bacon.
Blockette ate this under great duress, at least she did until I had the idea of cracking some fresh ground black pepper over my portion. Of course, then she wanted some pepper on hers too. That pepper made the delicious even more divine. The pepper enhanced the flavors of both the bacon and the ranch. MORE bacon-y ranch goodness??? YUM I say!!! Blockette gobbled hers up lickety split.
I do feel I owe Kraft an apology. They provided this uber easy scrumptious recipe and I had the nerve to use Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. I'll go hang my head in shame now.
Kraft's Ranch Bacon Coleslaw
1 pkg. (16 oz.) coleslaw blend (cabbage slaw mix)
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing
Combine ingredients. Chill to let flavors combine
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Chipotle orange pork chops
When I decide to make something from the every growing stack of recipes I find on blogs, it's usually very random. I didn't realize until writing this post that the Enchiladas from my previous post and these Chipotle orange pork chops were both from the elly says opah! blog. Kudos to elly says opah! cause she is 2 for 2. The whole family went gaga over these chops.I originally picked out this recipe because after making the enchiladas, I had almost a whole can of chipotles leftover. I bought the smallest can there was, but when you only use one or two at a time, that small can lasts and lasts. Luckily, the chipotles have a long shelf life in the fridge.
I had 7 thin cut boneless pork chops, so I doubled all the ingredients except the chipotle. I wanted to go for zing verses heat. One chipotle was the perfect amount for us. The chops had just enough spice to make our lips tingle and no one was gulping down gallons of water. I used pulpless orange juice from concentrate instead of freshly squeezed the recipe calls for. This was a great time saver in more ways than one. We drank the last of the juice at breakfast so more juice needed to be made anyhow, and I didn't have to spend time juicing the orange without a citrus juicer.
The marinade itself was so simple but the flavors were very complimentary. It was salty, spicy, sweet and tangy, but none of the elements overpowered the other. Everything blended together harmoniously. Mrblocko thought this marinade would be good on chicken as well. We'll definitely be testing that out.
We were very lucky this meal did not start or end with disaster. Because the chops were so thin, Mrblocko was worried about them drying out under the broiler. We opted for grilling them instead. However, if you notice the picture, they don't really have much of a char to them. Mrblocko had a hard time keeping the grill lit and the flames at a decent level. It was very windy out and we thought perhaps we were low on propane. After dinner Mrblocko went to check the tank and THEN he noticed the tank was not hooked up properly. Thank goodness the whole thing didn't go kaboom.
Broiled Chipotle Orange Chicken from Elly Says Opa!
1/3 cup orange juice (about 1 juiced orange)
1 chipotle in adobo, chopped, plus 1 tsp. adobo sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pork chops
In a small food processor or blender, combine first 4 ingredients. Process until fairly smooth. Place pork chops in a non-reactive bowl and pour juice mix over them, rubbing it into the chops. Let them marinate 20-30 min. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper and place on a broiling pan. Pour marinade into a saucepan. Broil pork chops until slightly undercooked (about 4 min per side for a boneless chop, longer for bone-in or fatter chops). Meanwhile, cook reserved marinade over med high til reduced by half. Brush pork chops on one side with the reduced marinade. Broil an additional minute. Flip and repeat with the other side.
Friday, July 24, 2009
The Whole Enchilada
I am very wimpy when it comes to spices. Growing up, mild salsa used to set my mouth on fire. If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would be making something with chipotle peppers for dinner AND feeding it to my child I would have laughed in your face. There would have been no way I could have stomached the heat. I guess I've evolved, or at least my taste buds have.
Since the Blockette and I are still overcome with the creeping oozy gooey snot blecky blecky yucks, I thought something spicy for dinner might clear up our sinuses. Enter elly says opa!'s Chicken Enchiladas with Chipotle sauce. This is the only enchilada recipe I've ever made so I don't know if it is the best out there, but I like it. I especially like that you make your own sauce. I did the math once, and for the amount of sauce this recipe makes, it is cheaper to make your own than to buy the premade stuff. Plus, you get the added benefit of knowing exactly what is in your sauce.
A lot of people might think that enchiladas are a fussy dish. I actually thought they were less fussy than lasagna. I used leftover precooked chicken and leftover chopped onions so that saved a lot of prep work. The sauce heats up while you are warming the filling. The tortillas needed to be warmed, but I warmed one up while I was filling another. If you get an assembly line going the whole process zips along. I would guess the whole process from start to table, which included baking and cool down time, took about an hour. That's good for me since I'm not the speediest in the kitchen. (Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals usually take me an hour.)
Blockette does not like this dish. I knew this going into the meal and I prepared myself for the drama. I kept telling her that the spices would help her feel better. She ate her enchilada with plenty of whining and complaining, but I do think it helped get the nasal goo flowing, at least for a little while.
I changed absolutely nothing in this recipe. The first time I made it I used 2 chipotles,. Woah, too spicy for me. This time I only used one, much better on my system. I think you could totally omit the chipotle if you can't handle the heat. The sauce has plenty of other spices for flavor.
Chipotle chicken enchiladas from Elly says opa!
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
12-14 corn tortillas
canola oil or cooking spray
2 cups Mexican blend or cheese of your choice, shredded
1 batch enchilada sauce (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a large baking/casserole dish with cooking oil and then pour about 1/2 c enchilada sauce into the baking dish, barely covering the bottom. In a large pan, heat the oil. Then add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, chicken, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a little while over low to combine the flavors. Heat another pan over med and spray with cooking spray. Add the corn tortillas one at a time, leaving in the pan for about 2 or 3 seconds per side - enough to make them pliable and have a little taste of oil. Add 1/2 cheese to chicken filling, or just put about 1 T cheese in each tortilla. Fill each tortilla, roll, and place seam side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas, making an even layer and coating all enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 c cheese. Cover with foil and bake 20 min. Remove foil and bake an additional 5.
Chipotle Enchilada Sauce
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 chipotles in adobo (depending on how hot you want it), minced, plus 2 tsp. adobo sauce
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
In a med pan, heat oil over med. Add onions and cook til translucent. Stir in garlic and chipotle and after 30 sec, add flour. Cook off the raw flour and add broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, bay leaf, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer to combine flavors as your prepare the rest of the meal. Season to taste if necessary. Puree if you want.
Since the Blockette and I are still overcome with the creeping oozy gooey snot blecky blecky yucks, I thought something spicy for dinner might clear up our sinuses. Enter elly says opa!'s Chicken Enchiladas with Chipotle sauce. This is the only enchilada recipe I've ever made so I don't know if it is the best out there, but I like it. I especially like that you make your own sauce. I did the math once, and for the amount of sauce this recipe makes, it is cheaper to make your own than to buy the premade stuff. Plus, you get the added benefit of knowing exactly what is in your sauce.
A lot of people might think that enchiladas are a fussy dish. I actually thought they were less fussy than lasagna. I used leftover precooked chicken and leftover chopped onions so that saved a lot of prep work. The sauce heats up while you are warming the filling. The tortillas needed to be warmed, but I warmed one up while I was filling another. If you get an assembly line going the whole process zips along. I would guess the whole process from start to table, which included baking and cool down time, took about an hour. That's good for me since I'm not the speediest in the kitchen. (Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals usually take me an hour.)
Blockette does not like this dish. I knew this going into the meal and I prepared myself for the drama. I kept telling her that the spices would help her feel better. She ate her enchilada with plenty of whining and complaining, but I do think it helped get the nasal goo flowing, at least for a little while.
I changed absolutely nothing in this recipe. The first time I made it I used 2 chipotles,. Woah, too spicy for me. This time I only used one, much better on my system. I think you could totally omit the chipotle if you can't handle the heat. The sauce has plenty of other spices for flavor.
Chipotle chicken enchiladas from Elly says opa!
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
12-14 corn tortillas
canola oil or cooking spray
2 cups Mexican blend or cheese of your choice, shredded
1 batch enchilada sauce (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a large baking/casserole dish with cooking oil and then pour about 1/2 c enchilada sauce into the baking dish, barely covering the bottom. In a large pan, heat the oil. Then add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, chicken, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a little while over low to combine the flavors. Heat another pan over med and spray with cooking spray. Add the corn tortillas one at a time, leaving in the pan for about 2 or 3 seconds per side - enough to make them pliable and have a little taste of oil. Add 1/2 cheese to chicken filling, or just put about 1 T cheese in each tortilla. Fill each tortilla, roll, and place seam side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas, making an even layer and coating all enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 c cheese. Cover with foil and bake 20 min. Remove foil and bake an additional 5.
Chipotle Enchilada Sauce
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 chipotles in adobo (depending on how hot you want it), minced, plus 2 tsp. adobo sauce
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
In a med pan, heat oil over med. Add onions and cook til translucent. Stir in garlic and chipotle and after 30 sec, add flour. Cook off the raw flour and add broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, bay leaf, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer to combine flavors as your prepare the rest of the meal. Season to taste if necessary. Puree if you want.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Pancakes? For Breakfast????
I'm a waffle girl. With waffles, both sides cook at the same time and the little light on the machine turns a happy green when the waffles are nice and brown. My waffle iron even makes a little clicking noise when it changes from red to green. It's brainless, which is my kind of cooking.
On the other hand, pancakes you gotta pay attention to. I in the almost 8 years Mrblocko and I have been married, I've only ever made pancakes once, and it was for dinner, not breakfast. They were less than scrumptious. OK, they were gross and I refused to eat them. I'm pretty sure they went into the garbage and we went out to dinner instead. We did that a lot back then, before I could cook.
I've had the baking/cooking bug lately, but I've been fighting this cold and just haven't had the energy for much of anything past breakfast. So I had an idea last night to make something for breakfast other than the usual cold cereal. Mrblocko said he didn't have to be into work until late and offered to take Blockette to Bible school in the morning. How perfect was that! We wouldn't be rushed to eat and I would have more time since I wouldn't have to get myself ready along with Blockette.
I didn't want to make waffles since I still had leftovers in the freezer from when Mrsthunder was over last week. Reheating leftovers wasn't going to do anything to sate my cooking bug. I decided that more than enough time had passed since I had made pancakes and my kitchen skills had greatly improved since then.
Last time I made pancakes, I used a box mix. I don't know if that was part of the problem. 9 times out of 10 when I make waffles I use a mix and they turn out fine. Just in case the mix was the culprit, I decided to make the pancakes from scratch. I thought the Chai Spiced Buttermilk Pancakes from Amelie Eats sounded particularly delicious. I even had the Fireside Chai from Zhena's Gypsy Tea the blogger suggests. (This is the best caffeine free chai I've ever had, plus it comes in a way cool tin.)
I was extremely proud that the pancakes were neither raw nor burnt! Mrblocko and Blockette loved them. Blockette even had seconds. She NEVER asks for seconds. Ever. Mrblocko made a comment that she could have a peanut butter and jelly pancake sandwich for lunch and Blockette's eyes got so huge I thought they were gonna pop right out of her head. She's a pretty dramatic girl and I don't think I've ever seen her that jubilant about anything, let alone food.
It took me some getting used to the chai spices, but once my palate became acclimated to the unexpected, I thought they were pretty good. If I had been thinking, I would have topped them with honey instead of the traditional maple syrup. The honey would have been more complimentary to the chai flavors.
I still like waffles better. There is something about the slight crunch of a waffle's exterior that I miss while eating a pancake. While I was eating breakfast, I couldn't help thinking how this batter would fare in the waffle iron. The next time I get the breakfast baking bug up my butt I just might give it a whirl.
Chai Spiced Pancakes from Amelie Eats
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
healthy pinch of ground cloves
scant 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns (or a dash of freshly ground black pepper)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1.5 tbsp white vinegar and remaining amount milk)
1/2 cup brewed chai tea
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, chai tea, butter and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Let batter set for a few minutes.
Heat non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour one ladle of batter onto the pan, make sure it's not too thick as I've had issues with the pancakes not cooking properly in the middle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat as required.
On the other hand, pancakes you gotta pay attention to. I in the almost 8 years Mrblocko and I have been married, I've only ever made pancakes once, and it was for dinner, not breakfast. They were less than scrumptious. OK, they were gross and I refused to eat them. I'm pretty sure they went into the garbage and we went out to dinner instead. We did that a lot back then, before I could cook.
I've had the baking/cooking bug lately, but I've been fighting this cold and just haven't had the energy for much of anything past breakfast. So I had an idea last night to make something for breakfast other than the usual cold cereal. Mrblocko said he didn't have to be into work until late and offered to take Blockette to Bible school in the morning. How perfect was that! We wouldn't be rushed to eat and I would have more time since I wouldn't have to get myself ready along with Blockette.
I didn't want to make waffles since I still had leftovers in the freezer from when Mrsthunder was over last week. Reheating leftovers wasn't going to do anything to sate my cooking bug. I decided that more than enough time had passed since I had made pancakes and my kitchen skills had greatly improved since then.
Last time I made pancakes, I used a box mix. I don't know if that was part of the problem. 9 times out of 10 when I make waffles I use a mix and they turn out fine. Just in case the mix was the culprit, I decided to make the pancakes from scratch. I thought the Chai Spiced Buttermilk Pancakes from Amelie Eats sounded particularly delicious. I even had the Fireside Chai from Zhena's Gypsy Tea the blogger suggests. (This is the best caffeine free chai I've ever had, plus it comes in a way cool tin.)
I was extremely proud that the pancakes were neither raw nor burnt! Mrblocko and Blockette loved them. Blockette even had seconds. She NEVER asks for seconds. Ever. Mrblocko made a comment that she could have a peanut butter and jelly pancake sandwich for lunch and Blockette's eyes got so huge I thought they were gonna pop right out of her head. She's a pretty dramatic girl and I don't think I've ever seen her that jubilant about anything, let alone food.It took me some getting used to the chai spices, but once my palate became acclimated to the unexpected, I thought they were pretty good. If I had been thinking, I would have topped them with honey instead of the traditional maple syrup. The honey would have been more complimentary to the chai flavors.
I still like waffles better. There is something about the slight crunch of a waffle's exterior that I miss while eating a pancake. While I was eating breakfast, I couldn't help thinking how this batter would fare in the waffle iron. The next time I get the breakfast baking bug up my butt I just might give it a whirl.
Chai Spiced Pancakes from Amelie Eats
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
healthy pinch of ground cloves
scant 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns (or a dash of freshly ground black pepper)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1.5 tbsp white vinegar and remaining amount milk)
1/2 cup brewed chai tea
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, chai tea, butter and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Let batter set for a few minutes.
Heat non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour one ladle of batter onto the pan, make sure it's not too thick as I've had issues with the pancakes not cooking properly in the middle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat as required.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
BBQ Ranch Chicken Pizza Roll 'Em Ups
I had high hopes for the BBQ Ranch Chicken Pizza Roll 'Em Ups from Picky Palate. I thought for sure Blockette was going to go completely gaga for them. Her words were, "These are good Mommy, but don't make them again." She was right on the money. They were good, but nothing to write home about.
The dough did not puff up and brown the way I thought they were supposed to. I think they should have baked at a higher heat. The recipe called for baking them at 350, but the pizza dough in a tube said to bake at 475. With the peanut butter bar fiasco this weekend, I wonder if the temp in my oven isn't off as well. It might be worth getting an oven thermometer to be sure.
I had to omit the fresh cilantro this recipe asked for. The cold weather we've been having turned the cilantro leaves a pale lemony yellow, and they smelled a bit off too. I thought about substituting fresh basil until I remembered the basil plants aren't faring any better. I don't think adding fresh herbs would have tipped the scales and made this dish a keeper in the meal rotation. It was a nice break from all the pasta we ate last week though.
BBQ Ranch Chicken and Cheddar Pizza Roll em’ Ups from Picky Palate
1 Roll Pillsbury Pizza dough in can (or use other pizza dough of choice)
1/4 Cup prepared ranch dressing
2 Cups prepared shredded BBQ Chicken
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 Cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese
Ranch Dressing for dipping
Preheat oven to 350F. Open can of dough and press into rectangle. Spread or drizzle ranch dressing evenly over dough then top with evenly with chicken, cilantro and cheddar cheese. Starting at long end roll dough into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1" pieces and place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake 20-22 min til golden brown. Serve with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.
The dough did not puff up and brown the way I thought they were supposed to. I think they should have baked at a higher heat. The recipe called for baking them at 350, but the pizza dough in a tube said to bake at 475. With the peanut butter bar fiasco this weekend, I wonder if the temp in my oven isn't off as well. It might be worth getting an oven thermometer to be sure.
I had to omit the fresh cilantro this recipe asked for. The cold weather we've been having turned the cilantro leaves a pale lemony yellow, and they smelled a bit off too. I thought about substituting fresh basil until I remembered the basil plants aren't faring any better. I don't think adding fresh herbs would have tipped the scales and made this dish a keeper in the meal rotation. It was a nice break from all the pasta we ate last week though.
BBQ Ranch Chicken and Cheddar Pizza Roll em’ Ups from Picky Palate
1 Roll Pillsbury Pizza dough in can (or use other pizza dough of choice)
1/4 Cup prepared ranch dressing
2 Cups prepared shredded BBQ Chicken
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 Cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese
Ranch Dressing for dipping
Preheat oven to 350F. Open can of dough and press into rectangle. Spread or drizzle ranch dressing evenly over dough then top with evenly with chicken, cilantro and cheddar cheese. Starting at long end roll dough into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1" pieces and place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake 20-22 min til golden brown. Serve with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.
Monday, July 20, 2009
A Hot Mess
This weekend our church had a potluck picnic to kick off the start of Vacation Bible School. I had told Blockette we would make rainbow jello. I got the idea from here. Of course the photo on the Do Better website looks better than mine by leaps and bounds. She probably didn't cut the jello up like a drunken mummy either. I was ready to blame it on Blockette if anyone asked.
Wonky slices aside, this turned out really cool. I love it when something winds up looking like it took some skill to produce when that is secretly not the case. Blockette loved how as the different layers were added, the jello changed from blue to green to black, and then when you cut into it...magically, the rainbow appeared.
I felt guilty just bringing jello to the potluck, so at the last minute I decided to make some peanut butter bars. Oh my goodness. They looked so horrible I nearly cried. (OK, so I did. I hate being a weepy girl!)
If that doesn't scream "HOT MESS" I don't know what does. I got the recipe from Katie Blair Designs. Go to that link. Does that look anything like what I posted? These were one disaster after another.
First, they would not set up. I had to cook them for 25 min before they looked done. At 12 minutes, the suggested baking time, they were still gooey and raw looking. Maybe this was because I used a glass pan? Or maybe the type of pb I used? Maybe that was how they were supposed to be. I just didn't think the bars would hold together in that doughy state once they were cut.
Anyhow, after 25 min in the oven they had poofed up and the edges began to brown. So I took them out of the oven and put the chocolate chips on so they could melt...just like the recipe says. The weight of the chocolate chips caused the middle to sink.
Then the chocolate would not harden. It was a cool day so I don't see why this was a problem. It should have set up after 2 hours. So I put the peanut butter glaze on while the chocolate was still gooey. Remember that the middle sank when I put the chocolate chips on? That indentation created a nice little swimming pool for the peanut butter glaze to settle in.
I was starting to run out of time so I popped the whole thing into the fridge. After about an hour the chocolate had set but the glaze was still tacky. Tacky was better than liquid goo though.
Mrblocko tried to reassure me that things wouldn't look so bad if we cut and plated the bars. I was sceptical though. Remember how I said I put the bars in the fridge to get the chocolate to set? Yeah, that made the chocolate hard as a rock. I had to have Mrblocko cut them with our biggest sharpest knife. The chocolate topping cracked completely away from the base on a few of the edge pieces. The swimming pool pieces held together much better.
Mrblocko and I tested the broken ones. I was so sure that with all the problems and ugliness they would be chucked right into the rubbage bin. OH HO! They were good! Really good. I plated them up and hoped for the best. Mrblocko was right, they didn't look quite as disgusting as they did in the pan.
In the end it didn't matter how they looked. There was a whole table full of desserts and these bars were one of the first things to go. Mrblocko said he overheard a few people complaining they were gone. He walked over to them and said, "My wife made those, weren't they delicious?" Wasn't that sweet? I think I'll keep him.
Peanut Butter Fingers from Katie Blair Designs
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2/3 c. peanut butter
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, soda, salt, vanilla, flour and oatmeal in mixing bowl. Spread in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of hot crust. Wait 10 minutes and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top. Let cool; then drizzle or spread with topping.
Topping:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. peanut butter
2-4 T. milk
Blend these together and spread over bars. Cool and cut into squares.
Wonky slices aside, this turned out really cool. I love it when something winds up looking like it took some skill to produce when that is secretly not the case. Blockette loved how as the different layers were added, the jello changed from blue to green to black, and then when you cut into it...magically, the rainbow appeared.I felt guilty just bringing jello to the potluck, so at the last minute I decided to make some peanut butter bars. Oh my goodness. They looked so horrible I nearly cried. (OK, so I did. I hate being a weepy girl!)
If that doesn't scream "HOT MESS" I don't know what does. I got the recipe from Katie Blair Designs. Go to that link. Does that look anything like what I posted? These were one disaster after another.First, they would not set up. I had to cook them for 25 min before they looked done. At 12 minutes, the suggested baking time, they were still gooey and raw looking. Maybe this was because I used a glass pan? Or maybe the type of pb I used? Maybe that was how they were supposed to be. I just didn't think the bars would hold together in that doughy state once they were cut.
Anyhow, after 25 min in the oven they had poofed up and the edges began to brown. So I took them out of the oven and put the chocolate chips on so they could melt...just like the recipe says. The weight of the chocolate chips caused the middle to sink.
Then the chocolate would not harden. It was a cool day so I don't see why this was a problem. It should have set up after 2 hours. So I put the peanut butter glaze on while the chocolate was still gooey. Remember that the middle sank when I put the chocolate chips on? That indentation created a nice little swimming pool for the peanut butter glaze to settle in.
I was starting to run out of time so I popped the whole thing into the fridge. After about an hour the chocolate had set but the glaze was still tacky. Tacky was better than liquid goo though.
Mrblocko tried to reassure me that things wouldn't look so bad if we cut and plated the bars. I was sceptical though. Remember how I said I put the bars in the fridge to get the chocolate to set? Yeah, that made the chocolate hard as a rock. I had to have Mrblocko cut them with our biggest sharpest knife. The chocolate topping cracked completely away from the base on a few of the edge pieces. The swimming pool pieces held together much better.
Mrblocko and I tested the broken ones. I was so sure that with all the problems and ugliness they would be chucked right into the rubbage bin. OH HO! They were good! Really good. I plated them up and hoped for the best. Mrblocko was right, they didn't look quite as disgusting as they did in the pan.
In the end it didn't matter how they looked. There was a whole table full of desserts and these bars were one of the first things to go. Mrblocko said he overheard a few people complaining they were gone. He walked over to them and said, "My wife made those, weren't they delicious?" Wasn't that sweet? I think I'll keep him.
Peanut Butter Fingers from Katie Blair Designs
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2/3 c. peanut butter
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, soda, salt, vanilla, flour and oatmeal in mixing bowl. Spread in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of hot crust. Wait 10 minutes and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top. Let cool; then drizzle or spread with topping.
Topping:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. peanut butter
2-4 T. milk
Blend these together and spread over bars. Cool and cut into squares.
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