Cinnamon Blueberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am horrible with good-bye's. Whether it be just for a couple days or as long as a month, I can't help but get a lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach. Yuck! Jeff left yesterday on a work trip for a week. Although he doesn't travel too much, he does enough that you would think I would get better at sending him off each time. I am not. 

To keep my mind busy yesterday, I decided to prepare a little "au revoir" surprise pack for his plane ride. Something to keep him busy while in the air, and me smiling knowing that he is carrying a little bit of my love. Being that he is a huge fan of a simple homemade-chocolate chip cookie, I couldn't not toss up a batch to throw in his "au revoir" pack. My, is he in for a surprise when he gets his hands on these, for these are NOT your ordinary homemade-chocolate chip cookies, but better.

I slipped a few in a mason jar to save for myself, however I don't think I will be saving any, for I can hardly resist grabbing another after my first... and second... and well, third. ....What? There was still plenty almond milk left in my cup for dipping. I have to finish it off right, right?

Cinnamon Blueberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cup almond flour

1 cup organic dark brown sugar

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter (I didn't have enough butter, so I used 1/2 cup butter + 1/2 cup canola oil; it also makes for a slightly healthier cookie -also note, if you do use oil instead of butter, you may want to add another 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, just because the oil constituency may make the batter a bit more runny)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 eggs (to keep with my "healthier" cookie, I used 1 egg + 2 egg whites)

16oz chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, slightly defrosted

In a large bowl, mix butter (and oil, if you go my route) and sugars together until soft. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Then add the flour, salt, baking soda and mix; fold in chocolate chips, followed by the blueberries. Be sure to fold lightly, for the blueberries may mash up and turn the cookie a blue-ish color, as several of mine looked. Scoop tablespoon size balls of dough onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.

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spontaneous weekend.

Remember how I was ranting and raving all week about my upcoming weekend at the lake with Jeff and my pup? … Change of plans.

We skipped out last minute to spend the weekend at a friend's house, of what felt more like a resort, in my hometown with awesome friends and family. We enjoyed cocktails midday by the pool, 80 degree weather (instead of 103; our prior planned destination), good tunes, amazing bbq'd food, swims with Izzie, ending our evenings with laughs, more cocktails, fires, and "use whatever you can find" S'mores. 

This weekend was one of the best weekends I have had, full of relaxation and bliss. It was an intoxicatingly happy atmosphere, where I don't think a face could be seen without a smile. I've always been a planner, thinking it's the easiest way. I am thinking this weekend proved me wrong (completely).

p.s. You can find more about my Nutter Butter's from last week, over on this site today!

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my kind of Nutter Butter dessert

Pinterest. To say I have become obsessed, may be a slight understatement. But, only slightly. This website is the best reference website I have ever laid eyes on. I cannot even begin to tell you how many long and strenuous searches for items I began, but was shortly saved by just a pin of that item from another pin-friend. I owe all of those people a thank you. Seriously, thank you.

If you do not have an account and want one, email me, and I will send you an invite. But, let me forewarn you… it can become addicting.

Anyway, my friend Stacey, had a really wonderful dessert pinned that I couldn't help but travel back to several times. Something about it's sweet and saltiness, chocolate layer madness, and not to mention it's beautiful presentation, the dessert just won me over.

Giving it my own little or big twist, Jeff and I like to call it "Our kind of Nutter Butter dessert".  Peanut Butter. Caramel. Dark Chocolate. Nutella. Graham Crackers. Layers and Layers. It's heaven, and will be the perfect little treat to accompany us on our little getaway this weekend to the lake.

Beware, they are rich, but not rich enough to keep you from eating just one, that's for sure.

My kind of Nutter Butter dessert

Adapted very slightly from Blue Eyed Bakers

2 packages of Honey Graham Crackers

1 cup Earth Balance (butter)

1 cup organic dark brown sugar

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup Nutella

Line an 8 by 8" baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess to hang over sides. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside.

Breaking the graham's in half, fill the cake pan with one layer of graham crackers. *Break grahams if needed to be sure you fill up the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle a handful or so of each the peanut butter chips and chocolate chunks over the graham layer.

Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and starting to bubble. It should have a smooth, creamy consistency. Pour 1/3 of this mixture over the graham's as evenly as you can. Lay another layer of graham cracker's over this caramel layer. Repeat these steps two more times. Finishing with a layer of graham's on the top. 

In a double broiler, melt the peanut butter and Nutella, until nice and smooth. Spread this mixture over the last layer of graham's as evenly as you can. Place dessert in the fridge or freezer, allowing to cool for at least 30 minutes or 20 minutes in freezer, so the Nutella top can set. Remove, and follow the guide lines of the graham's, and semi-cut into squares. (you can cut all the way through, but they may fall apart…. however, if they are too cold, they will break. So, either way, it is going to crack or be a little messy. :) But, messy treats are the best!) Put these bars back in the fridge or freezer and allow to cool completely. 

To keep from chocolate layers melting (the top melts easily now that it is summer), store in the fridge.

*****ps. Yes, this is the dessert I dropped on the floor last night while putting on the top layer. I made another.

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peanut butter chocolate chip cookie-brownie

Something happened to me the other night. It was around dessert time, and I was having the hardest time deciding what it was that I wanted to indulge in. The toss up: Brownies or Chocolate Chip cookies?  It's not like those are easy treats to choose in-between…..

After, probably about a half an hour of gazing into my cupboard, back over to my fridge, then back to my cupboard, over to my couch, then back to the kitchen again, it dawned on me… I don't have to choose. Why not just eat both? And, eat them together? :)

This recipe has double the flavor, double the pleasure (not double mint gum pleasure, better), and double the richness. So, stop what you are doing. Grab this recipe. And, head to your kitchen…. Now. 

You won't be sorry.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie-Brownie

Brownie layer:

2  tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup Nutella (or chocolate frosting; In my case, is what I did. I just whipped up a homemade chocolate frosting.)

1/2 teaspoon agave

1/2 cup almond flour

pinch of sea salt

Cookie Layer:

1 cup homemade peanut butter or any Peanut Butter

3/4 cup organic sugar

1 egg

1/2 almond flour

1/4 cup chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350F. Pre-grease a 9-inch cake pan.

Start by mixing the brownies. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the Nutella, egg and agave; beat until smooth. Add the flour and sea salt, mixing until incorporated. Spread batter into cake pan.

Prepare your cookie layer. In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, sugar and egg; Beat until smooth. Stir in the flour, then chocolate chances. The dough will be a bit crumbly, but that is fine! Just crumble it right over your brownie layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool just a little before serving.

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homemade vanilla yogurt

Trips to the grocery are highlights of my week; It is my favorite place to be. This past month I made one too many grocery trips, just because I felt like it, ending up with plenty yummy food, but more than I could handle. A few things can happen when you have too much food- 1) you eat too much. (this is very true, in my case.) 2) You end up with lots of scraps from trying to get to everything you purchased. 3) You have plenty new meal ideas and baked goods to share.

All of these happened to me, and right now I am working with the scraps; Turning all of this excess, yet small amounts of different foods into meals. Well, last night, as I was gathering things for next day's breakfast and lunch (I am trying not to make a trip to the grocery until I clean up more scraps), a light bulb turned on (in my head, that is).  I was running out of yogurt, and I need my yogurt.

Then, this happened. And, it was the best "this happened" creation, I personally, have made. Topping it with French Vanilla Granola and some fresh blueberries. :) I think my stomach could say the same.

Homemade Vanilla Yogurt

8 cups of organic 2% milk

1/3 cup powdered milk

1/2 cup organic plain yogurt

1 cup organic white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla (extract or vanilla bean syrup -recipe to come soon)

Heat milk and powdered milk to scalding point; not boiling, but extremely close too. Cool down quickly by placing hot pot in an ice water bath in the sink. Stir milk until it is luke warm -if you have a thermometer, about 100 degrees is where you would like the temperature of the milk to stand. Then, add the yogurt, vanilla and sugar; Stir well. 

Place the yogurt in mason jars with lids or any other snug storage containers. Place the mason jars in the oven (not on) with the light on. Do NOT disturb your yogurt jars for about 9-12 hours. (I just set it in there over night -11pm to 9am.) Once removed from the oven, allow yogurt to cool in your refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Then, enjoy. :)

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Cake Pops

Cake pops. The most genius party treat EVER. I could go on forever on my new adoration for cake pops, but I won't. I will just list my top reasons as to WHY these bite-size treats are worth more than their name.

1) They are SO easy to make. So easy that if you don't want to make your own cake mix, you can grab a box and they will be PERFECT!

2) They are pleasing to the eye. You cannot look at these treats without wanting to grab one.

3) They make the best party treats/ party bag stuffers EVER.

4) I think they are pretty.

Wrap them up in plastic wrap and tie them with twine, and you have the sweetest looking party bag stuffer ever. Being that I made them for a 2 year old's birthday party, I thought that the children would be the ones drooling over them. I was wrong. The adults were snagging them left and right, and by the end of the night, they were stuffing more of them into their child's party bag. Mhm, We caught you guys. 

Whoever came up with this 'mini cakes on a stick' treat, you are a genius.

Cake pops

1 box of any flavor cake mix (I did a homemade cake mix, but that is because I didn't have a box mix. You can do that as well, but if you want easy, get a box. They will turn out the same.)

1 tub of any flavor frosting (you will only be using half a tub.)

24 oz of chocolate (any flavor)

Sprinkles

Lollipop / cake pop sticks (found at a local craft or bakery store)

Plastic wrap 

twine

Bake the cake according to directions on the back in a 13 by 9' pan . Once the cake is cooled, crumble cake into a large bowl. I used a processor, just to be sure they crumbled nicely. Stir in half of the frosting tub, mixing until fully combined and has a thick look, just like truffle. If you need more frosting, by all means, add some. You do not want them to be dry tasting. Roll this mix into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or overnight (I did the latter). Do NOT freeze. It will cause the chocolate coating to eventually crack once hardened.

Melt your chocolate in a double broiler and place in a deep bowl. Dip cake pop/lollipop stick in a little melted chocolate so that it will stick once inside the cake bite. Once you have all of your cake bites on a stick, you can start dipping in the chocolate. Dip in melted chocolate, be sure not to tap excess chocolate off too hard, or the cake bite may fall off.

If you have styrofoam, stick the cake pop in the styrofoam and allow to harden. If you do not, (I did not) You can just set the cake bite side on parchment pan. They don't always have to look perfect. Be sure to sprinkle the cake bite after coating it with melted chocolate, so the sprinkles stick.

Allow chocolate to harden on cake bites, then devour. You can also place them in the fridge, it makes them wayyyyyyy better tasting. At least, for me, that is.

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The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. -William James

Have a very happy and very stress-free weekend everyone. :)

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cookies 'n cream biscotti

Last week, on my chocolate baking-binge, I gave my mother a list of desserts I could or possibly planned to make that day. I said, please circle the one YOU would like. She circled Cookies and Cream Biscotti.

Being that this was my very first attempt at Biscotti, I wasn't really sure what I was in for. This Biscotti is the most fun, and probably easiest thing to make! Normally, I would have a problem with dough in recipes, since dough is rather tricky; It is either too dry or too moist, having to add additional ingredients to hopefully fix it. This dough was a winner, and I couldn't have been more refreshed at how graceful this Biscotti process and result was. 

On a sadder note, my mother never got her Biscotti as I wasn't able to make the trip up north because of some car troubles. :( Sorry Mom!  ....BUT! Car problems have been solved and I plan to make another batch of bliss to deliver to my beautiful mom very soon.

Cookies and Cream Biscotti

1 cup organic sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups almond flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

16 Oreo cookies, chopped/crunched

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Stir in chopped Oreo cookies. Divide the dough in half. Shaping each into an 8" loaf size. Place on the pre-Silpat pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean. 

Remove from over and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut each loaf into 13-15 slices (1/2 inch thick). Place slices, cut side up, back onto the lined pan and bak an additional 8-10 minutes, on EACH side. Or, until they look lightly toasted. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve with tea, coffee, or yogurt.

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Maple Nutella Granola

I am quite positive I can call myself a granola-fanatic. I guess you could call me a bit "granola". I eat it on anything. With almond milk. On my yogurt. On top of my sweet potatoes. Yes, on those. It is phenomenal. You should try it.

There are so many ways you can make granola, and so many flavors. It's like a magic treat, you can always change it up. And, no matter what you decide to add, it usually, almost 100% of the time turns out sensationally. 

This time around I tried a dark chocolate and hazelnut sauce, with only oats and almonds. It's simple, yet bursting with flavor. On top of my french vanilla yogurt or vanilla flavored almond milk is how I like it best. 

Second helping, please!

Maple Nutella Granola

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup agave

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup Nutella

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raw almonds

Melt butter in a small sauce pan, add agave, brown sugar, maple syrup, cocoa, salt and Nutella; combine over low heat. In a large bowl, add oats and pour the heated chocolate mixture over oats. Stir until most (90%) of oats are covered in chocolate mess. Place on top of a pre Silpat or parchment lined baking pan. Bake are 300 for 30 minutes. About every 5-7 minutes, move the granola around the pan, ensuring that it won't burn. I may still look wet or uncooked at 30 minutes, but just pull it out. Let cool on pan for 20 minutes. It will be crunchy and very yummy. :)

store in mason jar up to a week.

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Double Dark Chocolate Oreo Brownies

Let's talk chocolate for a second, shall we?

Dark chocolate covered almonds. Dark chocolate covered raisins. Dark chocolate Almond M&M's (Only out during Easter). Oreo's. Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Gooey Chocolate Toffee Cake Bars. Hershey's kisses. York Peppermint patties. Devil's Chocolate Frozen Yogurt. Dark Chocolate dipped frozen banana's. Peanut butter fudge layered brownies.

….Double Dark Chocolate Oreo Brownies.

Do not ask questions, just. make. them.

Double Dark Chocolate Oreo Brownies

adapted slightly from How Sweet It Is

1 stick of butter

1 1/2 cups organic sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons agave

1 1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons Dutch Dark Cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups dark chocolate bits

1/2 cup homemade peanut butter

20-22 Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350. Pre-grease an 8 by 8 cake pan (I used a stone). In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Add in the agave and mix. Then add the cocoa, and mix until incorporated. Finally add flour and salt, and mix until batter comes together. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate bits.

Spread the batter in the prepped pan, and sink 9-12 Oreo cookies into the batter. Be careful not to press too hard so that they touch the bottom. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick check is clean.

While brownies bake, prepare the Oreo topping by placing remaining Oreo's in a bag and crush cookies. When the brownies are through cooking, remove from oven and sprinkle with the crushed Oreo's and another 1/2 cup of chocolate bits. Place back in the oven for 3 minutes. 

While the brownies are quickly back in the oven, prepare the chocolate topping by placing remaining chocolate bits and the peanut butter in a double broiler and melt until smooth. Remove brownies and pour the chocolate/peanut butter mix over the brownies, spreading evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

These brownies will crumble and possibly fall apart, but that is THE best part. 

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a perfect weekend.

1) New, perfect Mexican dress

2) purple trees in the park

3) hobby

4) cookies and cream biscotti in the making

5) midday berry snack

6) first taste of an In N Out burger in years (and, I have always resided in California. Oh, and I don't eat red meat so, the SMALLEST taste.)

7) Jeff, in heaven.

8) I bought a car this weekend. (holy moly, I'm still in shock)

9) triple chocolate layer, cookies and cream brownie

10) Ella's favorite accessory

11) breakfast; every single morning

12) My favorite kid ever.


dark chocolate-hazelnut granola, cookies and cream biscotti, triple chocolate layer-cookies and cream brownie, and homemade twix candy bars up on the blog this week. It was a chocolate-kind of weekend.

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peanut butter granola sandwich bites

I was lucky enough to spend a full day with my incredible friend Michelle and her pup, where we spent the day rollerblading (yes, rollerblading), snapping photos of our dogs every time they were being cute together (we never put a camera down),  and sipping Prosecco over sweet chats and baked goods we prepared in the kitchen; Spiced Carrot Cake with Banana Cream Cheese Frosting, Peanut Butter Granola Sandwich Bites, Baked Cinnamon Agave Apples, and Michelle's Chocolate No-Bake Oatmeal Cookie, that she referred to as looking like 'poop patties' (they were phenomenal, by the way).

These kind of days are necessary. I know this because it was one of the best days ever.

Peanut Butter Granola Sandwich Bites

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

1/4 cup organic raw honey

1 small banana, mashed

1 teaspoon agave

1 3/4 cup oats

1/4 cup chopped reese's cups (about 4)

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Heat the peanut butter in microwave until easy to stir (about 20 seconds). Combine the organic brown sugar, honey, banana and agave with the peanut butter. Mix until smooth. Then add the oats and reese's and stir until combined.

Press granola mixture into a parchment-lined 8 by 8 baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting.

Cut into 2 by 2 inch squares. Using peanut butter, honey, fruit preserves, or filling of your choice, and press in-between 2 granola-cut squares. Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, allowing granola bar sandwiches to form together. Serve and Enjoy.

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'Currently I am'... & some cake.

Currently

Baking anything with berries, agave, and oats

Reading Breaking Night by, Liz Murray

Listening to Bon Iver

Watching Diary of Anne Frank on Netflix

Drinking mango coconut water

Snacking on blueberries drizzled with honey

Trying to add variety to my breakfasts'. I tend to want the same thing everyday, cereal.

Avoiding red meat. It's not for me.

Saving photos of Ireland and Paris, until I can make it to one of them.

Wanting  for my hearing to return. Ear, please heal and soon.

Wishing there were more positive people in the world.
Obsessed with the beautiful, Stacey's blog, Love and Photographs.

Loving the sweet, sweet emails and feedback I have received thus far on my blog. I couldn't be more thankful. 

And, 

Enjoying a slice of this healthy Rachel & Michelle style Carrot Cake with Banana Cream Cheese frosting.

Banana Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

6oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/8 cup greek yogurt

1 banana mashed

1 teaspoon agave

a dash of nutmeg

1 16oz package of confectioners' sugar

Beat butter, cream cheese and greek yogurt together in a large bowl until light. Add banana, agave, nutmeg and sugar, mixing well until fluffy. Spread over Carrot Cake. refrigerate until serving.

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baked cinnamon agave apple stacks

Jeff delivered me a challenge Sunday evening. He said, after I asked him to tell me something he would prefer for a baked good, "I want apple. Baked apple. With, cinnamon. Cinnamon and a caramel crust. Or wait, caramel drizzle. Something simple to eat, but with apple." Ha! So, with that, this is what came about….

Baked cinnamon agave apple. There are no words to describe how delicious this is. No. Words. You just really need to try this for yourself. Seriously. While this might have to be the most delicious treat I have posted on here, it also reigns most healthiest. mhmm. 

Oh, and don't forget a scoop of fro-yo. The cold-hot of this dessert makes it ten times more beautiful tasting.

Agave Baked Apple Stack

1 apple, cored and sliced into 'circles'

agave

juice of lemon

cinnamon

brown sugar

preheat oven to 350F. Pre-grease baking pan or loaf pan. (any pan will do) Peel and core the apple. Cut into 1/4inch thick slices. Whisk agave, lemon and cinnamon together. Swirl apple slices in the agave mixture and stack. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Place in oven for 25-30 minutes, depending on how soft or crunchy you would like your apple dessert. Serve warm with scoop of vanilla bean fro-yo.

** the amount of agave, lemon, cinnamon and brown sugar is purely up to you. Start with a couple tablespoons agave, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon lemon, and 1 teaspoon brown sugar?. If you would like to make more than one, double it. This is a very simple and hard-to-ruin recipe. 

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Berry Berry pie (?) with Streusel Topping

Our beautiful friend's and sweetest married couple we know, Marilyn and Neal, threw a bbq bash this past Saturday that was right up my alley of what a good time truly is. With tons of extremely delectable and homemade food, fire pits, Prosecco, great company, and tons of laughs and stories, the night was perfection at it's finest. I'm not sure I could thank them enough. 

Being that it was a bbq, I couldn't help want to bring a little treat to share with everyone. It being almost summer, I thought a pie would do quite nicely. Well, I have never made a pie before, so I am not sure how I thought this idea was a smart one. One tip I have been told and I religiously go by is when preparing a baked treat for someone else's party/bbq/event, never try something you haven't any experience in. Never. Unless you can do it. I on the other hand usually, and quite often can't. 

This pie… Oh, this pie. I'll be honest, I'm not even sure you could call it a pie. It was more a pie/tart/crumble. Parmble? Anyway, mixing 3 different recipes, this treat with a thin pie crust, berry and agave mixture center, and a brown sugar and cinnamon streusel topping, turned out just the way I wanted it to. Delicious.

Attempt if you dare. (i'm kidding) But seriously, only attempt if you have time and confidence. I lacked the latter, as I developed a nervous stomach as soon as I laid out my ingredients in front of me, and couldn't stop checking on it while whispering "oh pie, please turn out. please don't burn or crumble or disappear on me. Thank you." In all honesty, this recipe is not hard and it's really fun, I just tend to over exaggerate too much sometimes. :) I felt like a true baker making this treat. It really is wonderful, and you will be so happy you made it when all is through in the kitchen.

Ps. My nervous stomach caused me to completely forget to snap any photos. :( You will have to trust it came out quite lovely. 

Berry Berry pie/tart/crumble with Streusel Topping

Crust:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

3 tablespoons organic sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick of chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

3-4 tablespoons chilled cream

Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor for 5 second. Pulsing, cut in the butter until coarse meal forms. Add the egg yolk and cream. Blend until moist clumps form, adding excess cream, if needed. Gather into a ball, and roll out to form fit a 10inch pie/tart pan. Pierce crust with fork all over. Chill in fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375F, bake for 15-20 minutes? Until the crust is a slight golden brown, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles. While cooking, prepare filling and streusel. Remove from oven when finished, and reduce heat to 350F.

Filling:

4 -5 cups strawberries and blackberries (cut into pieces)

1 1/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup almond flour

1 teaspoon agave

5 minutes before removing pie crust from oven. (Toss all ingredients into a bowl, and mix. Let stand until looks moist, stirring occasionally; allowing the sugar to seep into the fruit. Set aside until pie crust is ready.

Place the filling into pie crusted pan.

Streusel:

2/3 cup almond flour

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oats

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cold butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Combine all ingredients sans butter into a bowl. Add the butter last with a fork or hands to combine. Mixture should be crumbly. 

Sprinkle over the top of the fruit mixture in pie crust, covering the entire top of pie.

Bake this dish for 45-60 minutes. The streusel on top will be a nice golden brown, as well as the pie crust, which should resemble the same color. You really have to keep an eye out.

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banana oatmeal cookies with butterscotch bits

Tell me, has this happened to you… Let's take food for instance, since it is the thing I obsess over most. Say there is this certain food, in this case for me, Butterscotch, that you dislike the heck out of, BUT really you want to like it. So, you keep trying it out to see if it will eventually grow on you, or you end up trying it so much that you eventually hate it even more? … This is how my butterscotch dessert week came about. I don't like butterscotch. Or ...I should say, I didn't.

Although this confectionery or flavor is quite popular, oddly it just never hit the spot for me. The other day when I spent the 80% of my day in the kitchen, I thought about butterscotch; thinking there must be a way that I can convince my taste buds that this is a flavor they want to indulge in. I thought about the previous times I have had it, and maybe I just wasn't eating it "right". Maybe I need to pair it with something. Maybe it is that I just don't like butterscotch alone? So, I brainstormed and then proceeded to nervously baked up two desserts, Cherry-Butterscotch bars and Banana Oatmeal cookies with Butterscotch bits.

In conclusion, I love butterscotch. I love it with oats, i love it with cherries, i love it with chocolate, i love it with banana, I even added a few to my oatmeal breakfast this morning. Jeff still hates it, but I, I love it. Thank you taste buds for being so kind and accepting. Jeff's taste buds, on the other hand, well, you guys are missing out.

This could lead to new adventures.

Banana Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

4 tablespoons Earth Balance, room temperature (butter)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup organic sugar

1 teaspoon agave

1 large egg

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 1/4 cups almond flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars, mixing until smooth. Add agave and egg, mixing until incorporated. Then, add the banana. Beat well. Slowly add the flour mixture to wet mixture until just combined. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. On a parchment lined (or Silpat) baking sheet, drop heaping tablespoons of batter with 2-inches apart and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

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cherry-butterscotch bars

Having a day off mid-week can sometimes be sad because I miss the kiddies, but can also be quite rewarding. Although I was car-less, which caused a change in plans, today ended up very rewarding. Sometimes you need a day or days to enjoy time alone, collect yourself, do things you like to do with yourself. Today I did just that. I hung out with myself. (and Izzie, of course)

On these kind of days, you will most likely find me reading a book, walking my dog, prancing around in my pajamas until the mid-day (or later), off on a bike ride, on a run with Izz, organizing my home, or brainstorming and baking in my kitchen. Today I did, well, about 90% of those; the extra 10% will go towards my kitchen time. I was in there quite awhile.

Ever since cherries went on sale the other day, I haven't been able to stay away! I have made an extra 2 trips to Trader Joe's this week just to restock! I'm obsessed. I ate them for breakfast, lunch and I am trying so very hard to stay away from them for dessert. Never fear though, I plan to guiltlessly indulge in these cherry-butterscotch bars. Sweetened with agave and just the right amount of cherries and butterscotch chips, I do not plan to be anything less than completely satisfied. Especially when I top them with a vanilla bean frozen yogurt. Oh my! My roommate even said so himself. :)

Cherry Butterscotch Bars

1 cup almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar (a recipe like this would call for light brown, however, dark brown is a little richer and that is what I like. :) )

1 egg

1/4 cup earth balance, melted (butter)

2 tablespoons almond milk (regular will do fine)

2 tablespoons agave

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 -1  cup chopped cherries

Preheat oven to 350F. Pre-line a 9inch pan with parchment for easy removal. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and dark brown sugar; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk Earth Balance, milk, agave, and egg. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture; Mix until incorporated. Fold in the butterscotch chips, followed by the chopped cherries. Pour batter into pre-lined pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

Batter may seem a little thick or dry, that is fine! The cherries will release juice as they cook leaving the bars moist. Toothpick test the middle before removing from the oven. If you like your bars moist-moist, remove them when the toothpick has very little batter on it, and allow to slow cook in the pan on top of the stove. 

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spiced carrot-ginger cupcakes

Spiced carrot cake has always been a favorite of mine, as well as Jeff's. Upon asking him what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday, before I could finish the sentence he exclaimed "carrot! orrrr apple!!". I'm not sure why I even asked, because I had both of these flavors in mind already.

With hints of spice and ginger, a moist center and a creamy-cheesy maple frosting, this simple-looking cupcake had the perfect amount of burst in flavor that a 'gourmet' cupcake should have.  

I could picture myself eating these for breakfast or brunch or dessert with a nice glass of hot tea.

Spiced Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

1 cup almond flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup organic sugar

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 1/2 cups peeled, grated carrots

2/3 cup golden raisins

2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated ginger

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; set aside. In a large bowl stir together organic sugar, unsweetened applesauce, canola oil and maple syrup until fully incorporated. Add the 2 large eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Add the carrots, raisins and freshly grated ginger. Stir to combine.

Scoop batter into pre-muffin lined tins. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until toothpick tester comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

Maple frosting can be found here!

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