Saturday, March 04, 2017

Baking day


Last Saturday was a sort of baking day for me.  I was making a couple of different types of squares for Sunday's potluck lunch at church, and ended up trying two new recipes in addition to an old favorite.  I thought I would share the links and my thoughts on the recipes for those who may be interested.

One of my favorite sources for dessert recipes is Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life.  I don't think I have ever made a recipe from Jocelyn that hasn't been absolutely wonderful.  She just has a knack for putting ingredients together and her recipes work beautifully.

I looked at recipes I had saved and found these: Caramel Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Photo from Inside BruCrew Life
Oh, my!  Were these ever good!  I didn't bother with the sprinkle of sea salt on top.  It just didn't seem necessary.  I cut them in smaller squares than specified.

For the second variety of bars, I intended to make Cookie Dough Brownies, but discovered I was all out of baking cocoa.  I bake so seldom that it seems I run out of something every time I do!  Since I had already softened a stick of butter, I had to find a recipe calling for that amount, and turned to my old favorite Blond Brownies.
Photo from Taste of Home
I love this recipe because it does only call for one stick of butter (I usually use margarine, but this time I had butter on hand so used it), and it doesn't call for any ingredients I don't ordinarily keep on hand.  And it produces a lot of bars very easily.   I also cut these brownies into smaller squares than specified.  I usually do that for a potluck so people can try more than one kind if they like.

Then I also ended up making a coffeecake, just for our own breakfasts for a few days.  In perusing Inside BruCrew Life, I found a recipe that would work well to use up a couple of ingredients.  Mr. T ordinarily takes a banana in his lunch every day, and when he's not working he tends to forget about the bananas.  So I had some to use up.  This Banana Split Coffee Cake
Photo from Inside BruCrew Life
looked like a great idea to me, because it not only called for 2 ripe bananas, but also a cup of strawberry pie filling.  I seldom buy pie filling, and in fact had none on hand, but what I did have was about a cup of strawberry sauce.  It was left over from a waffle supper we had served to some of the grandkids one evening while their parents enjoyed a date night.  ("This is like having dessert for supper!", they exulted.)  So here was a great way to use up the strawberry sauce.

The coffeecake was delicious, too.  My hubby dearly loves coffeecake and was happy to contribute 2 of his overripe bananas to the cause.  I didn't bother with the icing on top, figuring to save a few calories.  I cut the coffeecake  in smallish squares and we enjoyed a square or two every day for breakfast.  Always a nice treat!

It's cold here today (3º -- yes, three degrees -- when I got up this morning).  The temps are not predicted to get out of the single numbers today.  More baking just might be in my future!

10 comments:

  1. I will be making those peanut butter caramel oatmeal bars. My kids have always enjoyed bars more than cake or pie.

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    1. I'm sure you will like these bars, Arlene. They are delicious and quite different from the usual. Let me know what you think!

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  2. All these recipes look amazing. I would have definitely tried one with the sprinkle of sea salt. (Next time, just try it. You'll love it. I think.) My it was so cold, I can feel it around the floors. These are some of the coldest days of winter. I should have baked!

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    1. Okay, I will add a sprinkle of sea salt next time. They were fantastic without it, though.

      Yes indeed, cold around the floors, cold around the doors. We have a Vellux blanket but we almost never need to use it. This weekend, we did. That wind in addition to the cold was brutal. I'm happy it has moderated.

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  3. OH! These recipes look delicious...I am sure the potluck diners were very happy!
    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, too!

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    1. Oh, I hope you try one or more of the recipes, Linda! You are welcome ... I so enjoy your blog.

      Please stop by anytime. I love to have company at my kitchen table!

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  4. Oh my goodness, you have been baking up a storm! My would I ever love to be your neighbor, Mrs. T! We could share our goodies with each other.

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    1. Oh, wouldn't that be fun, Kitty? And I think our granddaughters (I have one who is nearly 11, plus one real baker who is 13) would enjoy baking together too!

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  5. Yum, Thanks for the links. I ended up putting her into my Feedly account.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the links and recipes, Debby. Happy baking!

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