Blueberry Raspberry Bars

We can all pretend that these are okay to eat for breakfast.  They count as fruit.  If we all agree that it's ok then the calories don't count.  Power of the masses.  The antioxidants from the blueberries cancel out the fat in the butter.  It's science.  Who are we to question science?  

See?  Look at those berries.  They're a vision of health.  Health ccoovvered in sugar.  That's mostly how I like my health anyway.      

Actually, I like it covered in sugar and then surrounded by flour and butter.  Listen guys, I'm no nutritionist but I'm pretty sure it's ok to eat fruit like this.  The key is moderation.  Don't eat the whole pan in one night.  Just eat half the pan at night and the other half in the morning.  It's good for the digestion.  

Ok, I'm lying a bit.  It's not good for the digestion unless you have it with a giant iced coffee.  Now we're talkin'.  Iced coffee, sweet buttery goodness and a magazine.  On a Saturday morning.  In summer.  Wearing pajamas.  That's the best way to enjoy these bars.  

I mean, if the picture above doesn't make your mouth water then you need to see a doctor.  And while you're there ask about my antioxidant/butter theory.  I may be off on the science.....

Here's the recipe!  

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
zest from one lemon
Filling
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 cups blueberries/raspberries (whatever proportions your prefer)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch pan.  Set aside. 
2.  For the crust, in a medium bow, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 1 tsp baking powder.  Mix in salt and lemon zest.  Using a pastry cutter or fork, blend in egg and butter.  This dough will be loose and crumbly.  Press half of the dough into the pan to form the crust.  
3.  In another bowl, stir together 2/3 cups sugar, lemon juice, and corn starch.  Fold in strawberries and blackberries.  Spread the berries over the crust evenly.  Crumble remaining dough over the top of the berries.
4.  Bake for 45 minutes until top is lightly brown.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Makes up to 24 bars.  
5.  Eat with iced coffee on a summer Saturday morning with a magazine in your pajamas.

Recipe adapted from Baker Chick

Homemade Oreo Cakesters

I can't believe I'm still talking about the weather.  Sometimes it's like "Shutup Ann, I know it's hot.  It's July."  But it's actually super hot, right?  It's not just me?  Because I've seen more movies this summer alone than I've seen in the last year probably and it's only because I want to be in a cold dark place for 2 hours.

Of course this also means I've been baking less.  Because my kitchen is neither cold nor dark.  And when I decided to just brave the elements and make some time consuming, somewhat tedious Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookies, I overbaked them, like a rookie!  It was so sad.  It was so sad that I still ate some overbaked cookies.  I'm not on top of my game in this weather!  I'm a delicate flower and I'm wilting under the intense heat.

So maybe it's ok to just cheat a little bit.  I'm talking about cake mix, guys.  I don't use it often because from-scratch recipes truly just taste better but if you doctor up cake mix a bit (cough*buttercream*cough), it can certainly be worth using on those days when you want some time in the kitchen but maybe just not too much time.

Let's leave the real culinary adventures to rainy days and the long fall and winter months.  Let's make summer about cake mix shortcuts, ceiling fans and long movies in cold dark places.  Deal?

Here's the recipe!

Homemade Oreo Cakesters  makes about 20 sandwiches

Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 18.25oz box of devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
up to 4 Tbsp cream or milk

To make the cookies:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium size bowl, pour cake mix and make a well in the center.  Pour oil and eggs into the well and using a wooden spoon, combine cake mix and oil and eggs until well mixed.  It should pull together as a dough but if it's a little dry, add a splash of milk to help the dough along.  

3.  Begin to portion the dough into balls, about a tablespoon in size, and place on prepared pans about 2 inches apart.  You can actually make these as large or small as you'd like, just be sure to adjust the baking time to accommodate.  

4.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges just set.  Be sure not to overbake (it's tough to tell with chocolate cookies).  The cookies will appear soft so allow to set about 3-4 mins on the pan before removing to a sheet of wax paper on the counter or a wire rack (**see note below).  

Buttercream:
1.  With  a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter for  about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.  Turn to low speed and slowly add 3 cups of powdered sugar to incorporate.  

2.  Turn mixer back to medium and add vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.  If your frosting seems a little loose, add more sugar.  If it's a bit too stiff, add more milk/cream.  

To assemble:
Make sure cookies are completely cool before piping or spreading buttercream on one side of an upturned cookie.  Pair with a similar size/shape cookie to make a sandwich!  Store in an airtight container.  

Notes:
**You'll likely have leftover buttercream here so toss it in the fridge until you need it again.  Or just eat it with a spoon.  Whatever.
**When I first made these cookies, I didn't have a wire rack for cooling.  Out of necessity, I placed warmed cookies on wax paper on the counter to continue cooling.  Without the rack, there's less air circulation and I think it results in a softer cookie.  The main thing is to not overbake them so if you'd like to cool on a rack, I'm sure these cookies will still be just fine.  

Cookie recipe is an Annie's City Kitchen original 
Buttercream recipe from Savory Sweet Life

Apricot Oat Bars

Oh boy are these babies good.  I could eat them for breakfast.  I could eat them for dessert.  I could eat them in a box.  I could eat them with a fox.  I could eat them standing in my kitchen in my pajamas wearing a facial mask and freshly pedicured toes... or something more normal.   

These bars are great for two reasons:  1. They're easy to assemble and 2. they're SUPER customizable. Oh and also, they taste amazing.  So three reasons.  It's a trifecta, if you will.  A delicious trifecta.  

What I was particularly drawn to with this recipe was the melted butter.  Aside from obvious reasons, melted butter is appealing because it's so easy to work with.  It acts like glue for the crust and all you need is one bowl and a wooden spoon.  And when it's 95 degrees out, I'd like to do as little work as possible.     

And can we talk about the endless options with this recipe?  Raspberry maybe?  Blackberry?  Blueberry?  Triple berry?  Berry berry?  Boo berry?  I'm just saying words at this point.  Just go with it.    

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
Crust

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packed cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg, at room temperature, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Filling
• • 1 1/4 cups apricot jam or preserves 
  • 8 dried apricots (about 1/3 cup), chopped 
  • 1 Tbsp water (optional)
  Directions
  
  

  1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13 by 2-inch metal pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. 

  2.  Prepare the filling in a small bowl.  Mix together the jam and the apricots.  If the jam needs help to loosen, add the water. Set aside.

  3.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the oats and almonds to combine. Add the butter, egg and vanilla and stir until all dry ingredients are moistened.

  4.  Lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan to make an even layer. Using a spatula, spread the filling over the crust.  Cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.  

  
  

  Enjoy!

  
  

  Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis