Monthly Archives: August 2016

Malted Pretzel Brittle

Posted in Desserts/Baking, Other Desserts by

It’s the salty-sweet combination that is the best part of this quick-to-make dessert snack: crisp, sugary pieces loaded with salty pretzel bits. The malted milk powder adds a touch of creamy sweetness. (And the kitchen smelled like Whoppers malt balls as this baked in the oven.)20160816_003115

As for ease — it’s made in one bowl, baked on parchment (for easy pan clean-up), and it takes less than an hour to make, start to finish. You have to let it cool after baking, of course, but I dare you to wait very long before you start ripping off pieces and gobbling them down.

14 Tbsp. (about 200g) unsalted butter
8 oz. (about 230g) salted mini pretzels, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. malted milk powder
2 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk powder

Preheat oven to 300F/150C degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Place the pretzels in a large bowl and crush (as a rough guide, most of my pieces were between 1/2 and 1 inch). Add both sugars and milk powders and toss to combine. Stir melted butter into mixture until blended.

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Spread mixture in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake 15-18 minutes or until browned. Let stand 10 minutes to cool before breaking brittle apart.

Store between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container.

— This recipe comes from my friend Mel at our local Publix, where we always find her at the demonstration table with great food ideas!

Baked Sugar Snap Peas

Posted in Main Courses, Vegetables by

20160825_184458The sweetness of sugar snap peas really comes out in this dish, which uses only five ingredients and takes just 10 minutes in the oven. I made this on a night when we had leftovers, and it baked while the rest of the meal reheated in the microwave.

Serves 4

8 oz. sugar snap peas
1 shallot, minced
Dried basil for sprinkling on top
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt to taste

Heat oven to 400F/200C degrees. Place sugar snap peas on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with minced shallot and basil and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake 8-10 minutes. Season with salt before serving.

(Adapted from a Publix recipe.)

Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Posted in Cookies & Brownies & Bars, Desserts/Baking by

This is like a peanut butter version of blondie brownies, but it’s slightly thicker thanks to the peanut butter. It uses natural, unsweetened peanut butter and whole oats, so you could kind of convince yourself it’s healthy — despite the chocolate morsels! Like brownies, it slices better and holds together better the next day, especially when it’s been stored in the fridge.Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

It’s easy to make — you need only two bowls — and although you could use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar, it worked just as well to mix by hand.

Makes one batch in a 9×13-inch pan.

1 1/4 cup plain all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
16 oz. jar natural unsweetened peanut butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole oats
1 cup chocolate morsels, divided

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Beat in eggs and vanilla, stir in flour mixture, oats, and half the chocolate morsels.

Place in an ungreased 9×13-inch pan and press down slightly to fill the pan. Sprinkle the remaining half of the morsels on top. Bake 15-17 minutes, until just golden around the edges.

Buttermilk Coconut Pie

Posted in Desserts/Baking, Leftover Ideas, Pies & Tarts by

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There are many variations of this Southern classic. This recipe is my own version of a recipe featured in our local paper, from an Atlanta food writer who combined his mother’s recipe with one from a cookbook of Southern pies.

It uses buttermilk (a good way to use up any that might be sitting in the fridge) to make a dense coconut-filled base. It’s topped with enough sweetened whipped cream to make a top layer that fills the rest of the pie, keeping it light.

A garnish of toasted coconut covers any flaws and hints at what’s below.

Makes one 9-inch pie.

1/2 cup sugar (slightly more)
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. all-purpose plain flour
5 oz. buttermilk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, well beaten
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened), plus more for garnish
1 9-inch pie crust (I used a pre-made frozen one and used it straight from the freezer)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 heaping tsp. sugar

Heat oven to 350F (175C) degrees.

In small bowl combine sugar and flour, using a fork to mix well. Add buttermilk, melted butter, beaten egg, and vanilla, and stir until mixed well and evenly. Stir in coconut.

Pour filling into pie crust. Place pie on baking sheet and bake approximately 30 minutes, until firm throughout and filling is slightly browned — but keep an eye on it toward the end.

As it bakes, put a handful of shredded coconut in a small pan and toast it on medium-low until browned, shaking the pan every couple of minutes to toast the flakes evenly. If you have a toaster oven, you can do this on a small sheet of foil and a regular setting, gently shaking the foil occasionally and removing the sheet as soon as the flakes are browned.

When pie is done, let cool on wire rack. Whip cream with sugar*, then spread with spatula over the cooled pie. Try to make it slightly higher than the edge of the crust. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top. Tip: Sprinkle some at the edge to hide the gap between the whipped cream and pie crust.

*Start whipping the cream without the sugar. Once it is slightly thickened, that’s when you add the sugar. Then continue whipping until stiff.