Tag Archives: Tablespoon

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

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Eeeek! Prom is tomorrow. I feel like I was seriously just writing the overview of prom weekend from last year, weird how the time flies!!

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars | Beautiful Disasters

I’ve been my uber busy self this week. It is like everything that I need to do for senior year has been piled into one week. We have AP tests starting this Monday after prom weekend (yeah, our school is that cruel) and then I had senior night for soccer last night, the soccer program pasta dinner Wednesday night, a game Tuesday night, and several tests and practice AP tests throughout the week that the teachers have been throwing at us to be prepared for next week.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars | Beautiful Disasters

Thankfully, my dress was bought and altered with plenty of time before this week and my appointments were scheduled for hair and such pretty far out to be sure I got the time I wanted. Oh and another nice little twist to throw in for my prom weekend?…we have a soccer game. Yep, same thing as last year.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars | Beautiful Disasters

My coach insists EVERY year to schedule a game on the day of prom, so then we all get to sprint from the game to our appointments with hardly a shower. I guess he likes to keep us busy.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars | Beautiful Disasters

Enough with the prom talk, I’m sure I will have plenty to say after the weekend. Let’s talk about these bars! I have never had a nanaimo bar, but had heard about them and have been intrigued for a while now. This is a peanut butter version, and guys…you NEED these in your life! They are super decadent little bites of a chocolate-coconut graham cracker crust, with a smooth peanut butter filling, topped with a thin shell of chocolate. Yum!

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

(Makes 36 small bars)

FOR CRUST:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder (I used dark)

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 cups (1 sleeve/9 crackers) graham cracker crumbs

1 cup shredded coconut

FOR MIDDLE LAYER:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

2 Tablespoons vanilla pudding powder

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FOR TOP LAYER:

4 oz. semisweet chocolate

  1. Melt the butter, sugar, and cocoa powder in a double boiler until fully incorporated (don’t let it come to a boil). Add the beaten egg and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs and coconut. Press down firmly into an ungreased 8 x8-inch or 9 x9-inch pan. Let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 
  2. Meanwhile prepare the filling. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract, instant pudding powder, and powdered sugar, until light and fluffy. Spread filing over crust layer in an even layer. Pop pan in fridge for about 30 minutes to let it firm up a bit.
  3. Melt the chocolate for the top layer, spread over the filling and spread out evenly with a knife or spatula. Let sit in fridge for about 1 hour, then slice into bars and keep in sealed container. I keep them in the fridge to stay firm.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Only 1 out of 700 identity thieves gets caught

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Monster Cookies

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I have been thinking.. I really, really want to get a scooter. Ever since my mom and I rented them in Key West, I have been considering it even more. I should probably start growing my money tree first, but like in all seriousness, I think they are a smart investment especially for when I get out of college. So fuel efficient and hellooooo parking is like a bajillion times easier.

Monster Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

I have my eyes on this beauty. Normally I wouldn’t want my car a real “out there” color, but I am in love with that aquamarine color! (Dear Santa…This would be great in about 4 years when I graduate from college. Thanks! love, Casey) A girl can dream right??

Monster Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

Anyways while I’m waiting for that dream to come true, I have some monster cookies to share with you all! There are loads of variations of the famous “monster cookie” floating around everywhere, but this one is the version I came up with that is loaded with a bunch of stuff.

Monster Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

I wanted to put crushed pretzels and peanut butter chips in there too, but I didn’t want to overload the cookie with add-ins. Feel free to mix up the add-ins what whatever you have in the house! This recipe is great for using up post-holiday candy that is laying around that you can cut into small pieces and throw in the dough.

Monster Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

Monster Cookies

(Makes about 2 dozen large cookies)

1/2 cup (1 stick)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup M&Ms

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
  2. Using a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Mix in peanut butter. Add in egg and vanilla extract. Stir in baking soda, flours, and oats. Finally, mix in chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and M&Ms until thoroughly combined.
  3. Drop dough by Tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet, flatten cookies slightly (they don’t spread in the oven), and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and golden. Let cool on cookie sheet for about 2 minutes then transfer onto wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

Monster Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

Monster Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: The most popular sport as a topic for a film is boxing.

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Best Tomato Soup-SRC Post

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Guys, I am certainly not one who likes to pick “favorites”, but I think this may be my favorite recipe I have ever tried through the Secret Recipe Club.

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters

This month I was assigned to explore Kirsten’s blog, Loving Life.

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters

Kirsten is a busy mom who was born in England (that is so cool to me!) but now lives in the grand ‘ol USA, she loves to garden, read, cook, and browse the internet for more time than she considers appropriate (like any awesome blogger), and she has two daughters, who are home-schooled. The older daughter (Kristianna) is super impressive! She is taking Running Start classes at the local community college to try to get her diploma and AA degree by the time she graduates. Her family sounds busy, busy, busy!

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters

Let me start out by saying that I am NOT one who is a fan of tomatos. But I am that weird type of person who will choose a tomato-based recipe.. I didn’t really have high hopes for this tomato soup, it looked super simple which appealed to me but then made me think it might lack flavor or pizazz.

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters

Plus, I really have never even been a fan of tomato soup, only when it is paired with about a 3-1 ratio of grilled cheese to tomato soup. BUT the day I made this, it was super rainy and we actually had a “rain day” and no school because of flooding, so I figured soup was what was going to happen that day.

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters

Make sure you hop on over to Kirsten’s blog and explore all of her other delectable recipes! Don’t forget about the other SRC members at the bottom of this post, too!! They all work so hard and do a beautiful job, visits and blog love are always appreciated.

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters

My three favorite things about this recipe were…This soup took me 10 minutes, tops! All the ingredients were things I commonly have on hand. And this soup tasted ah-mazing. So good that I didn’t even have to make grilled cheese to go with it.

Tomato Soup

(From Loving Life)

(Serves 2-4 people)

2-3 Tablespoons butter

2-3 Tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk (I used skim)

15 oz. tomato sauce (I used pasta sauce, basically the same thing but with some seasoning already in there)

  1. In a saucepan on medium heat, melt butter, add flour and stir for about 1 minute.
  2. Add milk and salt. Stir until sauce is a medium thickness. Add tomato sauce and if desired diced tomatoes (I left them out). You may also add some water, about 1/2 a can to thin it out a bit (I like mine thicker, so I did not do this). Add your seasonings to taste and serve.

Best Tomato Soup EVER | Beautiful Disasters



Random Fact of the Day: Castor oil is used as a lubricant in jet planes.

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Herb and Parmesan Focaccia

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Right now my grade (the senior class) at my high school is in the middle of a ferocious game called Assassins. Ever heard of it?

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

It is kind of giving me anxiety…

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

Here is how it is played. Everyone who wants to play puts in $5 (or whatever everyone agrees on) and is assigned a “target”.  You must “kill” your target before the week is over by shooting them with your water gun.

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

There are a few rules like no shooting at work, none on school grounds, at athletes during sports, etc.  You may defend yourself by shooting someone who you think is attacking you and if you shoot them before they shoot you, you have 24 hours until they are able to try and “kill” you again.  For some reason I feel like I am making this sound uber complicated…it’s not though.

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

The winner gets a portion of the money raised and then most of it we are donating to a teacher who has a severe form of cancer and is struggling under staggering hospital and doctor bills.

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

This week, I am safe.  I just “killed” my target yesterday as he was walking oh-so-innocently into the Men’s Warehouse to pick out his prom tux. He he hee. He never saw it coming. Also, I found out who the person was that was trying to “kill” me and they already got “killed” on the first day, so I feel like he isn’t even going to try and “kill” me because he is already out. However, my guard is always up and my water gun is always by my side. Some people may call me paranoid, I say I’m prepared.

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

Enough Assassins talk.  Let’s talk about this beautiful focaccia. Is it bad to call something I made beautiful?  I don’t think so. I feel like my mom has been requesting me to make a homemade focaccia for like ever but I was a little hesitant. It’s a bread..which requires yeast, and rising, and more rising, which means loads of time that I would rather spend eating the oh so quick to make frosting.  But I was determined this time to give my mother what she wanted and focaccia was made. I’m not going to lie, I loved this recipe just as much (probably more) than the bakery focaccias we have bought in the past. Feel free to have fun with this recipe and adjust the seasonings, herbs, and add-ins to your liking!

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia

(Makes 2 8×8 focaccias)

2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
Olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons grated parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed basil leaves
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons crushed oregano leaves
3 teaspoons crushed thyme leaves
2 teaspoons crushed sage leaves
2-3 tablespoons sea salt
  1. Add the water to bowl of stand mixer.  Run the mixer for a few seconds to dissolve the yeast into the water.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Add salt and flour to the yeast/water mixture with the mixer on medium speed.  Start with 1 cup of whole wheat flour, then 3 cups of all-purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons at a time of additional flour until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl, becoming elastic.
  3. Coat a large bowl with olive oil.  Use a spatula to move the dough from the mixing bowl to the olive-oil coated bowl.  Turn the dough in the bowl to cover with oil.  Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm, dry spot until dough doubles in size (about 1 hour)
  4. Coat your baking pans with oil. I used one 9 x 9″ baking pan and one 9″ round baking pan. Transfer the dough to the baking pans.  Punch down the dough, spreading it out to roughly fill the pans.  Let rise in a warm, dry place until the dough doubles in size (about 45 minutes)
  5. Punch down the dough one more time.  Let rise for 30 more minutes in a warm, dry place. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  6. Use your fingers to make indentations in the dough (this will make crevices to catch the olive oil, herbs and salt!).  Drizzle with about 1 Tablespoon of oil on each focaccia dough and sprinkle chopped herbs and seasonings evenly over the surface.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the surface is golden-brown.
  7. Brush about 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the bread with a pastry brush.  Sprinkle the sea salt over the surface.  Cut and serve warm.  Enjoy! :)

Herb and Parmesan Focaccia | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: The normal static electricty shock that zaps your finger when you touch a doorknob is usually between 10,000 and 30,000 volts

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Apple Layer Coffee Cake

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Talk about a disaster. I wish I took a picture of this cake when it got totally defaced. It would have been a perfect picture to go next to “disaster” in the dictionary.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

This cake took me about 2 hours to bake. Yes, 2 HOURS!

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I originally thought it would take just about 1 hour, but nooo, you have been warned.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

All my talk really should not deter you from this cake, because despite the trouble it gave me, it may be one of the most delicious things I have ever put in my mouth.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Holy apples. I put just about as much apple in here as it could take, which is why I think it took so long for mine to bake, because the apples were so juicy and the moisture was just not letting the batter bake. Granny smiths may be better for this recipe, but I used a mix of gala and honey-crisp and it was prime.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Apple Layer Coffee Cake

(Makes 1 Large tube cake)

4 Tablespoons brown sugar

5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups white sugar

pinch of salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/3 cup apple cider

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

5 small-medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin

  1. Preheat oven to 325˚ F and grease and flour a large tube pan.
  2. In a small bowl, with a fork, mix cinnamon and brown sugar until fully combined and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix in oil, apple cider, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
  4. Slice peeled and cored apples and set aside. Spread a third of that batter into the bottom of the prepared tube pan. Arrange a layer of the apples over the spread batter, sprinkle 1/3 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over apples. Add another layer of the batter of cinnamon-sugar mixture, then another layer of apples and another layer of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Add the final layer of batter, then sliced apples, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over top.
  5. Bake cake in preheated oven for 90-100 minutes, or until heavy, set, and the batter is baked up. Try sticking a toothpick through to see if batter comes out on the toothpick tester. Because the apples can have quite a bit of moisture, it can be difficult to tell when the cake is done, so it may actually take a lot longer than the given time. Mine took 2 hours to bake up, it all depends on your oven and how juicy your apples are. Let baked cake cool for about 10 minutes in pan on wire rack, then place cake pan on top of a long neck bottle (like a wine bottle) to let cool for about 30 minutes. Slide a knife around the edges of the pan and invert cake onto serving plate. Enjoy! When not eating, cover with plastic wrap.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: The venom of a small scorpion is much more toxic than the venom of a large scorpion.

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