Tag Archives: Egg yolk

Gram’s Toffee Bars

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I like to give the people what they ask for, and this…well, I could not just let it slip by without mentioning.

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The other day one of the top searches on the blog was, I kid you not, “mom in underwear”. It was followed by “Santa Claus physics”, but that one make a little bit more sense, because of this post. But let us get back to mom in underwear.

Proof: Screen Shot 2012-12-29 at 2.45.35 PM

So I thought, what the heck? Why not show you all what a mom in underwear looks like. Here you go

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Well now that I am sure I have made my mom feel totally violated with the whole internet world seeing her in underwear, I think we can move on to these fabulous toffee bars.

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These cookies are a recipe that came from Gram, so you can bet your booty that they’re gonna be good.

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These are definitely one of my favorites. And a for sure family favorite.

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Gram’s toffee bars consist of a pretty basic cookie base that is brown sugary and toffee-like, then a thin layer of chocolate, and a sprinkling a chopped nuts if you feel like it.

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This is a super basic and easy recipe that you just have to give a try, because I am sure that you will all fall in love. 

Gram’s Toffee Cookie Bars

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in egg yolk. Add in vanilla extract. Lastly, mix in the flour. Spread dough into an even layer in a jelly roll pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips in an even layer over the baked cookie bars and place back in oven for 1-2 minutes. Using a knife or spatula, spread chocolate into an even layer and, if using, sprinkle chopped nuts over top. Let bars set in fridge for about an hour, or until chocolate sets up. When bars are cut up, cut into individual bars and enjoy! Store bars in tupperware container at room temp, or in fridge if you prefer them cold.

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Random Fact of the Day: Only female mosquitoes bite and drink blood.

P.S. I hope you all got a chance to check out my post of the “Best of 2012″, there were some good ones! Have a happy New Year, everyone!!

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Deviled Eggs

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Deviled Eggs. I’ve always thought that was kind of a weird name. I started thinking, “where did that name come from?”.

Ready for a little educational fun? Yes?! Of course you are (if not…the recipe is just down there a ways, so feel free to scroll through)

The term “deviled” dates back to the 19th century, referring to the use of particularly piquant spices in cooking. In the 19th century, it came to be used most often with spicy or zesty food, including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity.I’m guessing they consider the paprika or other spices are the “piquant” part in the eggs. I don’t think that I have ever had deviled eggs with mustard, but I guess that is somewhat common. Mustard isn’t really how I flow. Then again, neither is mayo, but it just somehow works in deviled eggs.

I found this little bit actually kind of interesting, that in some parts of the Southern and Midwestern United States, the terms “salad eggs” or “dressed eggs” are used, usually when the dish is served in connection with a church function, to avoid dignifying the word “deviled”, in reference to “The Devil”. I feel like this would totally happen in the town where I live, we have no less than 45 churches.

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Deviled Eggs

10 hard boiled eggs

about 3-5 Tablespoons mayonaise

paprika

  1. Peel hard boiled eggs and slice each egg in half the long way (hot dog style?). Place all the yolks in a separate bowl and set the whites on a plate or platter on the side.
  2. In the bowl with the yolks, add the mayo. Using a fork, mash the yolks and the mayo until the mixture becomes creamy but still thick and slightly chunky (you don’t want to add too much mayo where it’s mayo-overload, so start LIGHT and add more as needed).
  3. Spoon or pipe the egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Sprinkle with paprika. Enjoy!! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Random Fact of the Day: Soldiers from every country salute with their right hand.
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Week in Review (6/11-6/15)

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Another caaahrazy week! My second job as a swim instructor started this week, and the kids I am teaching are like the energizer bunny times a million so I have WORN out!! Here we go…

Tuesday I showed you guys some homemade chocolate pudding. Perfect recipe for when you have some spare egg yolks or just want a rich and decadent treat!

Wednesday I shared with you all some Flourless Chocolate Mufcakes. These were awesome! They are perfect warmed up just a bit topped with some ice cream or whipped cream..or both!

Friday I brought out Gram’s Apple Cake. Seriously guys, this thing is awesome. It was gone in less that two days and I only got one little slice…and it is just me and my parents in the house. Pretty sure my dad ate 80% of it!!

Random Fact of the Day: The average American drinks about 600 sodas a year. I am proud to say I’ve had NONE in the past year!! :)

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Homemade Chocolate Pudding

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oh my goodness. What a summer it has started out to be!

I have been capital B-U-S-Y! I’ve gotten approximately a bajillion (it’s a number, trust me) hours at work and have had soccer and the ACT and trying to keep up with the blog as best as I can…needless to say, I’ve been running around like a tornado.

However, I did have a flash of a second to make this pudding. It is super rich, chocolatey, and delicious.

It all started after I made the angel food cake. I had TWELVE egg yolks to use up ! Pudding was the first thing that came to mind, therefore it was the first thing I made :) Now, I have made homemade vanilla pudding before. Yeah it was pretty good, but nothing I would go crazy over. I was more of happy with the pudding itself, than the flavor of the vanilla. So it was time to do a redo. Chocolate-style.

As I should have known, the chocolate turned out a million times tastier! I looovee it. Don’t be intimated by making pudding, it’s not too difficult to make if you just read the directions ahead of time and follow them pretty closely.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

2 cups milk (I used skim)

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1. Heat 1 3/4 cup milk, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, until steaming (about 7 minutes). Off heat, stir in the chocolate and butter until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  2. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix. Gradually stir into the chocolate mixture, then return the mixture to medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and boiling (about 3 minutes). Reduce heat to low; cook for 5 minutes
  3. Remove from heat. Add a tablespoon of the chocolate mixture to the yolks while stirring vigorously. Repeat three times, to temper the yolks. Stir yolk mixture into chocolate mixture and add vanilla extract, whisking until smooth. Place in individual serving bowls and chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy :)

Random Fact of the Day: M&Ms have been on almost every space shuttle mission since 1982.

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Peanut Butta Time!

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WARNING!: okay, so I made this post up a long time ago, like probably 5 months back, so I’m just warning you the pictures may not be the best quality…not that I really have the whole photography thing totally down yet, anyways but just warning ya. Also, I’m not quite sure why I’ve held onto this post for so long without posting it, but I figured that since I’m out of town this week and have like no time to make any new recipe that this would be the perfect time to share this guy. I do remember these being quite scrumptious. Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Jessica, anyways.

Yes, I know I’ve made a few peanut butter cookie recipes before. But I swear, I seriously love them all. I can’t get enough of peanut butter..clearly.I actually have been known to eat a spoonful or two of peanut butter out of the jar? Is that gross?? Don’t answer that.

Anyways, Jessica’s brilliance has shined through in yet another scrumptious recipe. This one is actually somewhat of a variation off her M&M cookies, that I made before. All I have to say is pure brilliance! Oh… and definitely go on the under-baked side. They’ll seem kinda heavy, but they will turn out to be incredible, dense delicious cookies with nice soft peanut buttery middles. :)

Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies

(adapted from How Sweet It Is)

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

pinch of salt, I used sea salt to liven it up a bit

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

8 tablespoons of salted butter, melted and cooled

6 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

milk, as needed

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, optional (I actually left this out because my dough was too crumbly, which could be partially due to the fact that I hadn’t used a mixer)

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Add butter and peanut butter to a microwave safe bowl, and heat in 30 second increments until melted. Let cool completely.
  3. In a large bowl (I recommend using a mixer, since later on your dough may become difficult to combine by hand…course I could just be a wimp), mix the cooled butter/peanut butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed.
  4. Gradually add flours, salt, and baking soda and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I  used my hands to bring it all together. If necessary, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk, I actually added in probably a full teaspoon. If you decide to use as much whole wheat flour as I did, you’re dough will be crumblier than a dough using all all-purpose flour. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.

Shape the dough into balls of desired size. Place on a baking sheet two inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be soft and puffy. Do not over bake. They’re actually fantastic slightly under-baked, nice and dense!! :D Complete cooling on a wire rack.Random Fact of the Day: The odds are 9 out of 10 (89%) that you describe your diet as “healthy” (if you’re an American) - Time Magazine, 1/17/11

P.S. sorry that picture is absolutely atrocious! It’s got this weird orangeish-yellowish tint that I just could not get rid of.

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