Seven Layers of Delicious-ness

It's been a while since I've posted about my adventures in the kitchen, so I thought that the best way to get back into things would be to start with something easy. Seriously -- this recipe is one of the easiest I've tackled, and even better? This recipe produces a treat so tasty, you'll wish it wasn't so easy because you'll surely make about five pans of these beauties.

What delicious item is on the agenda for today's baking post? So glad you asked -- that would be the notoriously sweet and probably heart-attacking inducing seven layer bars. If you haven't heard of these bars before, then you're in for a treat (pun intended.) Each ingredient essentially makes up a layer of the bar and let me assure anyone reading this who considers himself/herself domestically impaired (like I consider myself to be), even you can make this.

From allrecipes.com:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/3 cups shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Place butter in 13 x 9 inch pan and melt in oven. Swirl to coat bottom and sides with butter.

Spread crumbs evenly over bottom of pan. Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and nuts over crumbs. Pour condensed milk over nuts. Sprinkle coconut over condensed milk.

Bake until edges are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool

As you can probably tell by comparing the above recipe to the picture of ingredients, I do not have all seven layers (except for the butter, I did have that, it just wasn't pictured.) Certainly a recipe such as this lends itself to a bit of modification depending on your own preferences or allergies. I decided to swap out the butterscotch chips for caramel morsels and ditch the nuts (not a fan of the crazies nor walnuts). Basically, you could get out of control with these if you wanted and put whatever you found in the baking aisle into the pan. Let your imagination run wild and keep the baked goods coming!

Now, I don't know about you, but I like any recipe that essentially requires minimal measuring. And I'll admit right now, I did not measure anything. Honestly, all you really have to do is make sure you butter the pan, and then layer each ingredient completely, covering the entirety of the pan and the previous layer. I did just that and did not concern myself with things such as tablespoons, teaspoons or measuring cups.

First three (four?) layers: pan coated with butter, then layered with graham crackers, chocolate and caramel.

Top off aforementioned layers with condensed milk.

Sprinkle coconut all over the top before putting into the oven.

When searching for a recipe, I saw that other people had played with the sequence of layers to get a different kind of tasty experience, but I decided to stick with the general idea of the recipe I used. I layered it in the following order (from bottom to top): graham cracker crumbs, chocolate, caramel, condensed milk and then coconut. Personally, I think that the coconut is best on top because when it comes out of the oven, it's golden and crispy, and makes it look like you actually put some thought into it as opposed to just haphazardly throwing stuff on top of each other (which is what I did. I had witnesses.)

To make the graham cracker crumbs, I first started out by manually crushing them. With my mom and aunt suspiciously watching, they suggested just throwing them in the blender -- much better idea (this is why I need to be supervised.) The rest of it was probably the easiest thing I've ever done. I'd say it took maybe five minutes to throw everything else on there before putting the pan in the oven, with the exception of opening the can of condensed milk because I am not that handy with a manual can opener (oops.)

Once out of the oven, these babies were heavenly. I've heard this cookie also referred to as a "Magic Bar," and I can vouch for the magical nature of these cookie bars as they are loaded with pretty much everything that makes for something sweet, crispy and delicious. Now, I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical as to why the condensed milk was included in the recipe. What do people actually used condensed milk for? What is condensed milk? What makes it condensed? I'm assuming that if I actually knew anything about the culinary field, I'd have a technical answer for you. Instead, I'm just going to attach a link to Wikipedia and hope that the answer there is sufficient enough: Condensed Milk: The Milk, The Myth, The Legend.

And there you have it folks: the easiest recipe I have made to date and one of the sweetest. Just toss a bunch ingredients together in a pan, put it in the oven for 25 minutes, and out emerges your mouth's new best friend for life. I still am curious about all of that condensed milk, but take it from me, whatever it does: it works. So if you're going to ditch one of the layers, make sure it's not that one (and don't forget the butter, or else you'll have a bit of trouble removing said magical treats from the pan.)

Now, please excuse me while I eat the rest of the seven layer bars left in my house.

Snickerdoodles

Every Sunday, my family and I always have "Sunday dinner." For those of you who are avid Jersey Shore fans, it is not quite unlike what that crew does: everyone is present, contributing to and eating dinner at the same time. Though over the years my family always made it a point to have dinner together during the week as well, both my brother and I being at school in recent years meant that we weren't always around to eat dinner together as a family. However, with the convenience of our college's location in close proximity to our home, it became a bit of a tradition that we would come home for Sunday dinner. Yes, sometimes that meant every week for me, while other times, I hadn't been home for a good home-cooked meal in a while, but regardless, Sunday was reserved for the one day when we could be sure we were all present and together for one meal and to reflect on what was new with our lives.

This past Sunday, my brother was finally coming home for dinner for the first time since school was back in session for the spring semester. Since these days, I seem to have a less than active social life and even more free time than usual, I decided that I would contribute to Sunday dinner with my famous chicken cutlets and also a new recipe: Snickerdoodles. My brother was bringing home an indefinite amount of friends, so I had to fry up over twenty cutlets for the chicken parm that we'd be throwing in the oven on Sunday. It took almost three hours for me to prepare and then fry the cutlets. However, the Snickerdoodles were a much easier task.

I actually rarely eat Snickerdoodles. I think the first time I tried them was in high school when another student brought in some that his mom had baked. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious -- basically a sugar cookie covered in cinnamon sugar -- but it was never a recipe that my mom regularly baked in the kitchen. For some reason though, my brother requested Snickerdoodles one time out of the blue. At the time, my mom just grabbed him some store bought ones, but this time, in the spirit of Sunday dinner, I figured I'd surprise him with some homemade Snickerdoodles.

The cookies were really easy to bake, as I've been discovering many of the cookies recipes I've tried are. The only difference with this recipe than some of the others was that after making the dough and before putting it on the cookie sheet, I needed to roll the dough into little balls and then cover them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. When putting the cookies onto the cookie sheet, I then had to flatten them into little disks. I wasn't sure as to why I needed to flatten them out, but the resulting cookies were just the right amount of crispy and fluffy all at the same time, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Sometimes I wish I could post a sort of "scent" photo to help describe what the cookies smelled like. When I put the first batch of cookies in the oven, the kitchen smelled like heaven -- if cinnamon sugar is what heaven smells like. Sure, other cookies have caused the kitchen to take on a delicious smell, but the snickerdoodles seriously made the place smell amazing. It was almost as good as actually eating the cookie -- almost.

The recipe said that it would make about twenty cookies, but I found that it made well over two dozen for me. It was the perfect amount for a Sunday dinner filled with family and friends with a penchant for something sugary.

Tea Time

Ever since I was young, my mom and I would regularly go to tea. We used to seek out tea houses across Massachusetts and have afternoon tea together or with friends and family. However, as I started getting older and as some of our favorite tea houses closed down, my mom decided that she would try hosting her own tea. This year, for my cousin's birthday, my mom and I set out to put together another one of her famous tea parties, and this time, I would be helping with the baking.

Since the tea was on Sunday, I spent most of Saturday afternoon feverishly baking. On the agenda: baking Shirley Temple cupcakes and pizzellis. I have been making pizzellis (a very tasty Italian cookie) for a few years now, so I'm pretty well-versed in how to make them -- although I am still mastering getting them to look just so. The cupcakes, on the other hand, were a new recipe that I found on Pinterest and figured the tea would be the perfect opportunity to try them out.

I started off by making the Shirley Temple cupcakes first. This recipe called for some different ingredients than I was used to such as 7Up (I used Diet Sierra Mist as it was all that I had), maraschino cherry juice and gluten-free flour. Since my family is not gluten-free, I stuck to regular flour for the recipe. Mixing and making the cupcakes was pretty easy though -- just like any other cake or cupcake I've made before. The only difference though was that the recipe called for splitting up the batter to make the cupcakes "two-toned" in color.

The cupcakes had a pink/red bottom and a vanilla top, so to do that, the recipe called for taking about one cup of the batter and transferring it to another bowl. From there, I added cherry juice and food coloring to get the cherry taste and color. I then poured the pink/red batter first, and then rest of the remaining batter on top -- being careful so as not to let the two mix and form distinct separate layers.

I was excited to try something new with these cupcakes, and I especially enjoyed the fact that they were going to be partially pink, which is perfect considering that Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. It was a nice departure from the standard plain vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, which, while they are classics for a reason, are usually found littering the baked goods section of the grocery store. Shirley Temples were always my favorite treat to order when out at a restaurant and even though I'm now old enough to order an adult beverage, I still find myself craving a Shirley Temple from time to time.

The recipe only baked a dozen, so it didn't take too long once they were in the oven for the cupcakes to be finished. They looked and smelled so good, and the different colors made the cupcakes special for the tea.

After baking the cupcakes, I was heading on to making the pizzellis. Of course (and as usual) I made a big mess, and had to clean up before moving on to something else. I had to warn my mom before coming into the kitchen so that she wouldn't have a heart attack upon realizing that I destroyed the kitchen.

My mom found it amusing that I managed to get flour all over me, and while this picture is slightly embarrassing, it does emphasize my ability to make a complete mess while baking or cooking. By the end of the afternoon, I had flour and batter all over me -- front, back, on my shirt and on my pants -- and it was if a bakery exploded all over me.

While waiting for the cupcakes to cool off so that I could make the frosting, I set forth on the pizzellis. My mom had helped me out by making the pizzelli batter -- something I have done before and usually do -- so as to cut down on my prep time. Unlike the previous recipes I've used, the pizzelli recipe is one that has stayed in the family and was originally my grandfather's. Though I never met my grandfather, every time I make pizzellis I use his recipe and they are always delicious.

The pizzellis are really easy to make. Although, unlike cookies that you just put in the oven and wait to be cooked, you use a pizzelli maker to press and bake the cookies. It is similar to making homemade waffles, only pizzellis are much thinner and much sweeter. You can add anis flavoring if you want and even top with confectionary sugar to make them look extra tasty.

The pizzelli maker that I'm using (above) is a recent addition to our supply of baking and cooking appliances. We used to have a really old one, but one time when I was making pizzellis, the handle came off and one of the metal plates became detached from the machine and I was left with oven mitts on attempting to put the burning hot appliance back together. Needless to say, my mom and I decided it was time to upgrade to a newer one and found one at Macy's that has a little light that changes colors when the cookies are done.

I am still trying to master finding the right amount of batter to make the perfect pizzelli. One of my great-aunts is by far the best pizzelli maker in the family and hers always come out so perfectly. Mine, on the other hand, are usually hit or miss. I figure, given another thirty years, maybe mine will come out perfectly too.

Pizzellis remind me of doilies in cookie form. They're really pretty and especially tasty. The recipe ends up making a lot and they really don't take very long to bake. And if I have been making them for years now then pretty much anyone can make them.

Once finished with the pizzellis, it was back to the cupcakes -- only now it was time to make the frosting. After my first frosting attempt when making my mom's birthday cake, this time was a lot easier because I had a better idea of what to expect. I also didn't make the mistake of adding too much vanilla so the frosting was sugary and not too overwhelming in flavor. Like last time, making the frosting was really quick, so I was frosting the cupcakes in no time.

I frosted the cupcakes on Saturday, but didn't add the cherry on top until Sunday right before serving. I wasn't sure if the cherries would still taste good if left out over night, so I figured it was better safe than sorry. I have seen so many pictures of cupcakes with cherries on top, but I have never actually eaten or seen a cupcake in real life that has had one -- not with this recipe though. A Shirley Temple is not complete without the cherry, so to finish off the already cute cupcakes, all I needed was a maraschino cherry for each.

I'll admit... Prior to our Sunday afternoon tea, I had to try one of my cupcakes -- but mostly, I just wanted to try it so I could see how the food coloring turned out. It looked really cute having the pink bottom. All I did was add some pink neon food coloring until it was really bright and saturated in color. It definitely added a fun, whimsy touch to a very cute cupcake.

I proudly served my cupcakes and my pizzellis at the tea. It was the main attraction and everyone seemed to enjoy them (or lied through their teeth.) They did taste really good and they were surprisingly easy considering some of the ingredients and extra steps involved. I made sure to add fun heart cupcake cups to keep with the Valentine's Day theme.

The tea was a lot of fun. Of course, we didn't only have dessert. Our tea started off with a fruit cup, then scones and clotted cream, then tea sandwiches and only after that did we finally have dessert. I knew what was coming though, so I made sure to save room in order to fully appreciate my favorite part of any meal: the dessert. Having a tea is a fun party idea and an easy departure from the usual dinner party. The sandwiches are simply regular sandwiches cut into triangles with the crust cut off, and if you don't feel like making scones from scratch, you can pick some up at any grocery store bakery and the clotted cream is very simple to make. Even if you don't like tea, you can replace it with hot chocolate or even add mimosas to your beverage menu. It was a lovely afternoon for a group of very classy ladies (present company included.)

Oatmeal Cookies: It Was Charlie's Fault

A while back, my parents heard somewhere that there was a recall on some particular dog treats that we happened to give to my dog. Of course, since my dog, Charlie, is basically considered the third child/sibling in my family, my parents reacted by getting rid of the bad dog treats and looking for an alternative. My dad found a recipe online for homemade dog treats and a week later, my mom made my dog essentially his own oatmeal cookies. Of course, there were some modifications, but they looked and smelled eerily similar -- so much so that my dad came home from work that night and almost ate one until we told him they were strictly for the dog.

The recipe called for oats, and since we had so much leftover from the dog's treats, I figured I'd make some cookies meant for human consumption. Again, similar to my chocolate chip cookie experience, I consulted the back of the oats container for a recipe. I'm sure if I searched through my mom's cookbooks or via the internet, I'd find some inspired recipe that would change my perception of oatmeal cookies forever and after, but the recipe was easy, simple and right in front of me, so I was ready to go.

Since my dad is the main oatmeal cookie lover of the household, I catered the cookies to his preference: adding raisins. I could give or take the raisins, but in an effort to prevent myself from eating yet another entire dish of cookies, I figured I'd add them perhaps avoiding that same fate.

The cookies were very easy to make, although adding the oats and the raisins definitely made the dough a heavier consistency than I was used to after making the chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cake.

As usual, I made a mess. No surprise there.
I think managing to keep the kitchen clean while I cook has been more difficult than baking and cooking.

Though the recipe was very simple and didn't call for many ingredients (at least, many ingredients that you wouldn't already have handy in the kitchen), I failed to read one MINOR part of the recipe. I may or may not have overlooked the fact that the recipe would make four to five dozen cookies. I only realized it when I was rolling the dough to put on the cookie sheets. I looked into the bowl with all of the mixed ingredients and had a "huh?" moment. There was still so much dough left in the bowl, despite having put two dozen dough balls onto the cookie sheets already. Oops.

Now, I love cookies just as much as the next person, but there are only three people in my house and one very human-like dog. We do not need that many cookies. You know what would happen if I baked five dozen cookies and left them hanging out on the kitchen counter? I would probably eat half of them and slyly slip one to my dog.

So to prevent what would be an inevitable fate, I froze the rest of the dough and stuck it in the freezer for the next time my dad is jealous of the dog's oatmeal cookies.

They look pretty good, if I do say so myself...and taste just as good!

And here's a picture of Charlie, the dog who provoked it all. As you can see, he has claimed this chair as his own.

Tackling a Classic: The Chocolate Chip Cookie

Since my days are generally filled with menial tasks and the occasional lunch date with Mom, I decided that maybe it'd be a good idea to put all of this free time to good use -- starting yesterday with my decision to bake cookies. It was partly out of boredom and partly out of my desire for something sweet that I figured I should bake and I chose to bake chocolate chip cookies because if I'm going to practice baking, I might as well start with something fairly simple.

Chocolate chip cookies are generally the picture that comes to mind when I think of cookies and there's a reason they're such a classic -- they are SO tasty! So I set about making some for my own consumption and I figured I could spare a few for my parents. I've made them once before from scratch on my own, and since I was attempting to bake them this time unsupervised, I figured it was best that I had a little bit of experience under my belt to ensure that I would not be needing to call 9-1-1 to put out any kitchen fires.

Everything I would need for chocolate chip cookie bliss

First thing was assembling all of the troops for battle. You might ask where I got my recipe -- maybe it was my great-grandmother's or my mom's that she whipped up one day and has been passed around the family.... Unfortunately, for those of you who were hoping for a sentimental story about a secret family recipe, I just got my recipe off of the back of the chocolate chip bag, as pictured above. Rest assured friends, just because I got generic milk chocolate chips doesn't mean my cookies tasted generic! They were delicious and the recipe was very handy.

Then began the beloved process of throwing everything together and mixing it all up. I felt somewhat like a witch throwing random ingredients into her pot to create something magical. After all, I was creating something magical -- to quote that pesky leprechaun from Lucky Charms cereal, chocolate chip cookies are "magically delicious." I used to be terrible at mixing dough. I am a complete weakling. But somehow, I managed to summon the strength to mix it, and hopefully, in the process, I was able to work on my biceps.

The only thing I did this time that was different from the first time I made chocolate chips sans assistance was add salt. The recipe has always called for salt, but for some reason, my mom never includes it. Since I was curious and since it was included in the recipe anyway, I decided to add it. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it didn't kill my cookies.

Because of my meticulous nature, when placing the dough onto the cookie sheets, I try to form the most even dough-balls as possible because I like my cookies to be aesthetically pleasing and tasty, if possible. However, for some reason, the dough was extra sticky, which made it hard to roll it into balls. I tried sticking it in the refrigerator in between putting the cookie sheet in the oven and that seemed to help a little bit, but I suppose these are the things that more masterful bakers understand.

I had a slight bit of trouble with the first dozen I put in the oven -- not surprising, due to my amateur baker status -- but I adjusted the temperature to 350 (one of the recipes I had looked at suggested 375...nope) and the rest of my cookies turned to a nice golden brown. My dad had the pleasure of trying one of the first out of the oven and despite the slightly charred bottom (SLIGHTLY), he said they were delicious. SUCCESS! I didn't ruin a classic and my dad said that they were some of the best chocolate chip cookies he had ever had. Sure, he has to say that because he is my dad and because if he wants to have more cookies, it's probably better to compliment me. But at the same time, my family is used to delectable baked goods so I will take that compliment and stick it in my back pocket for the next time I'm cooking or baking.

And if you were wondering, I actually did clean up the mess I made this time. I still need to work on minimizing the mess I make while baking and cooking, but I suppose I should work on the actual baking and cooking part first.