What I Made On My Isolation Vacation

Hi Friends!

I haven't been posting new content for a while (aka 2 years).    It's not because I haven't been in the kitchen, but there's been a lot of life going on and this has always been just for fun. 

And now here we are in the middle of, in the words of all the recent advertisements, unprecedented (or uncertain) times.   Like everyone else, I'm spending a lot more time at home and in the kitchen.   

I've even made the required quarantine banana bread, using my favorite recipe from Cooking Light.

Over the past month of primarily at home life, here's some of the other good stuff coming out of the kitchen - even over those few days where my oven was out of commission (sadness).  I enjoy the challenge of seeing what's in my cabinets and looking for recipes that let me use what I have.  Enjoy! 

Derby Bars

Recipe:  Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence Cookbook 

Banana Bread Biscotti

Recipe:  Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence Cookbook 

Double Chocolate Brownies 

Adapted from: Eagle Brand Classic Recipes Cookbook

Key Lime Pie

The original breakfast pie in our family

Straight off the Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice label

Breakfast Smoothie Bowl

No recipe - just winging it in the blender

Thai Pork Wraps

No recipe - but I highly recommend this

spicy Thai peanut butter from Eliot's

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Perfect for eating your feelings

Recipe written on an index card

Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits

So good.

Recipe:  Damn Delicious

Applesauce Bars

Recipe:  Inspiration Kitchen

Breakfast Biscuit Cobbler

Recipe:  Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence Cookbook 

Dan Dan Noodles

using what I already had in the kitchen

rotini is not the usual noodle for these...

Adapted from:  Half Baked Harvest

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

Recipe:  Inside Blu Crew Life

Lemon Brownies

perfect for that impulse box of lemon 

cake mix I bought months ago

Recipe:  Family Saavy

Butterscotch Blondies

Recipe:  America's Favorites Bake Sale Cookbook

The OG:  Magic Cookie Bars

Recipe: Eagle Brand Classic Recipes Cookbook

I hope you and your family are safe and healthy no matter where you are or what you're doing!

Have you tried any new recipes recently?   Or made some long-time favorites?  

Lemon Crumb Bars

There is something about citrus desserts that I love.    It's that sweet and tart combination that makes your mouth so, so happy.

The citrus love probably started with Key Lime Pie.    In our family, it's a breakfast treat...as in, if there's any left from dinner, the first few people who get up in the morning might get a slice for breakfast.  Fortunately as a grown woman who does what she wants, I can make it any time and have it for any meal I choose.   

These bars have a filling that is just about the same as key lime pie, except using lemon juice.  You've got your sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and lemon juice. 

What You Need

Bar Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk,  regular or fat free
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (truth in baking - I'm not good about measuring zest - I usually zest the number of lemons that I use to get the juice I need for any given recipe) 
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large egg yolks

What You Do

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8x8 pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.  

Make the Bars - Part 1

Combine the dry ingredients:  flour, oats, salt and soda in a large bowl.   Then mix in the sugar and brown sugar followed by the melted butter and vanilla.

Take half of the bar mixture and press it into the bottom of the pan.   It's buttery, so your hands won't stick too much.   You can always spray your hands, or a flat spatula with cooking spray to help.    Bake the bottom crust for 15 minutes.

Make the Filling

Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, juice, zest and yolks in a bowl.   

Make the Bars - Part 2

After the bottom crust has baked 15 minutes, pull out of the oven and pour filling over the top.  Crumble the remaining bar mixture evenly over the top, then bake 20-22 minutes.

These bars slice better cold and you'll want to store them in the fridge as well.   Not that they'll last that long.   Especially if you have one for breakfast.    They are wonderful with coffee....just saying.   

Recipe Source:   Dinner Then Dessert

If you love citrus, you'll love these:

Lilikoi Bars

Lilikoi Lime Bars 

Meanwhile in San Diego...

Cocktails with Flowers
(Location:  BeShock Ramen)

Puffles Exist and are Wonderful
(Location:  Boba Bar & Desserts)

Happy Spring!

(and if spring hasn't found you yet...Wisconsin, I'm thinking of you - I hope it comes soon!)

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Happy Fall!

Second day of Fall in Oceanside, CA

America in general, particularly on social media, seems to be thinking about sweaters, boots and all things pumpkin spice.   

San Diego, meanwhile, is saying "summer isn't over yet."

Summer or Fall, I'm thinking about baking.   Especially with chocolate. 

Enjoy these chocolate chip oatmeal bars with your coffee, whether you're watching the leaves fall or the waves crash.   

What You Need

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

2 cup chocolate chips, divided

What You Do

Line a 9x13 with foil and coat with cooking spray.   Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars.   Add the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla.

In a another bowl, combine the salt, soda, powder, flour and oats.    Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter mixture until combined.    

Stir in one cup of the chocolate chips.    

Divide the dough in half and spoon half of it into the pan.   You may need buttered/floured fingers to press the dough to the bottom of the pan.    Sprinkle the remaining cup of chocolate chips over the dough.  Spoon / Drop the remaining dough on top of the chocolate chips and press to create the top layer.  

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.    If you want to slice into a corner while it's still warm for quality control....do what feel right.     If you're planning to share, let them cool, pull out of the pan with the foil and slice into bars.   Slice them small and your friends won't feel any guilt if they have more than one.   

Traveler Out of the Kitchen

In addition to my weekend adventure to Long Beach in June,  I also went to San Francisco,Wisconsin, and Colorado.    Follow along with all the food and travels on Instagram at @travelerforgood.

Public Art in San Francisco

Door County, Wisconsin (aka 'Up North')

Colorful Colorado 

What adventures did you have this summer?   

What are you baking this fall?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Squares

How is almost March already?   2017 is moving much faster than I was anticipating!

So far, I've been alternating adventures every other weekend or so:  Joshua Tree,  Maui,  Disneyland, and Rancho Cucamonga.   You might have to look up R.C. on the map.  I know that I had never heard of it before.  If you head into the Inland Empire of California, can I recommend lunch at North Woods Inn?  You need the cheese bread and red cabbage salad in your life.  Also cheese butter for your baked potatoes?  WHAT!

We don't speak of winter much in San Diego so I was excited to go to the snow last Friday!  

SNOW!

We went skiing at Snow Summit in Big Bear.    My legs remembered what skiing was like, even after four years.    As you know, ski trips require snacks and that's where these oat squares come in.    A short list of ingredients, no baking required, and you've got peanut butter chocolate goodness in the palm of your hand.

What You Need

1 cup butter/margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup peanut butter (I used natural creamy)

What You Do

Line a 8x8 pan with foil.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar and vanilla over low heat.   Then add the oats, cinnamon and salt.   Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes.    Remove from heat and press half the oat mixture into the bottom of the pan.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate and peanut butter.   Heat for 30 seconds, stir, and then heat for another 30 seconds (or more) until smooth.     Pour the chocolate mixture over the oat layer, reserving a small amount of the chocolate for drizzling over the top.

Spoon / Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate layer, press it down a little if you can, and drizzle with remaining chocolate.    Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight before cutting into squares.   

What are your favorite snacks to make for skiing or other winter fun?    

Raspberry Lilikoi Oatmeal Bars

I love the San Diego farmers markets.  

California grows so much produce that there is so much good, fresh food.  And the local markets are my favorite source.    I can buy just the quantity I want.   If I just want a handful of green beans and a singular pluot?  No problem.  No judgment.

I can buy one pluot, but I need a whole basket of raspberries

The lilikoi (passionfruit) here are mostly purple on the outside instead of yellow.   The insides are the same juice, pulp and seedy mess.   A delicious mess.

Cali grown passionfruit

In Maui, I didn't have to buy my lilikoi, they grew in my friend's backyard.    Here in San Diego, the market is my source.    I've been missing the tropical flavors of Hawaii since my move.   How could I fix that?  Oh yes, baking.

This recipe uses Maui Upcountry Lilikoi Curd.   I may have just moved a jar or two with me to California.    You could modify this recipe to be lemon and raspberry by using lemon curd instead if that's easier to find.  

What You Need

For the bars:
1/2 cup butter or margarine,  melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar   
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
pinch of salt
1/4 cup lilikoi curd
1/2 cup (heaping) fresh raspberries

For the lilikoi glaze:
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of fresh lilikoi juice

What You Do

Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.  

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.   Whisk in the two sugars and the vanilla.    

Add the flour, oats and salt, stir to combine.   Reserve 1 cup of the mixture.

Press the remainder of the dough into the bottom of the 8x8 pan.    

Spread the lilikoi curd on top of the dough.   Sprinkle (or deliberately place) the raspberries on top of the lilikoi curd layer.  

Break apart the remaining dough in your hands and sprinkle/crumble on top of the raspberries and lilikoi curd.   

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is set and slightly golden.   

Allow bars to cool and then cut into pieces.

To make the glaze, stir together the lilikoi juice and powdered sugar.   If there are little lumps of powdered sugar, put the glaze in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir.   Those lumps should be gone!   Drizzle over the bars and store in the fridge until ready to eat.

Adapted from Averie Cooks

Other Lilikoi Recipes I Love:

Lilikoi Bars

Lilikoi Lime Bars

Lilikoi Lime Bars

Last Monday I brought these bars in to work.   One of my coworkers in another department sees me with the container while I'm checking out my keys and give me the "I want one" eye.   One bite and she was sold...bringing by a friend from her department to get in on the Lilikoi Lime Bars before they were all gone.    

And they were gone within one day.   Truly the sign of a winning recipe.  

For those of you who don't recognize the word lilikoi, it's the Hawaiian word for passion fruit.  Here, they are yellow (in the picture, the upper right), but you might find purple ones in the store near you. I've heard rumors that they might be $3 a piece on the mainland, but here, they grow in the backyard.  

This recipe is similar in ingredients to Easy Key Lime Pie.   Graham cracker crust, juice, egg yolk, and sweetened condensed milk make up the majority of the ingredients.  

What You Need

Crust
12 graham cracker sheets (or 24 squares), crushed
5 tablespoons melted butter/margarine4 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt

Filling
zest of one lime
6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice  (2 limes)
1/3 cup fresh lilikoi (passion fruit) juice
3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg yolk

What You Do

Preheat the oven to 325.    Line a 9x9 pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

To make the crust:

Use a food processor to crush the graham crackers into crumbs easily.   Combine crumbs with melted butter and brown sugar.    Press the crust in the bottom of the pan and bake for 15 minutes.   Cool while making the filling.  

To make the filling:

In a medium bowl, zest your lime.    Then juice that lime, and one other, to get your 6 tablespoons of lime juice.    Whisk together the lime juice, zest, lilikoi juice, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolk together until smooth (or smooth as possible....cream cheese might leave a few small lumps).     

Pour the filling over the baked crust and bake for 20-25 minutes until filling is set (no jiggling in the middle).    Chill in the refrigerator before cutting and serving.    

Notes

If you'd like a thicker crust and filling layer, try an 8x8 pan.  

If you've never tried getting juice from a lilikoi...it's full of seeds.   You'll want to use a strainer to push as much juice and pulp through without getting any of the black seeds.    Depending on the size of your fruit, you might need 3-5 lilikoi to get 1/3 cup juice.   

If you're feeling tropical, you might enjoy:

Lilikoi Bars

Mango Lemonade

Meanwhile in Maui

I have a friend from Colorado visiting and yesterday we did the road to Hana (and past Hana for that matter).    Each time I explore, I find new places to enjoy, like this quiet pool.  

Lilikoi Bars

In the two plus years that I've lived in Hawaii, I've learned new words,  eaten different foods,  worn fewer clothes, and gained an appreciation for SPAM.

My first month on Maui, I went to a party and was introduced to lilikoi margaritas.    I had no idea what a lilikoi was other than it grew on their fence and it was mighty tasty with tequila over ice.

Lilikoi is the Hawaiian word for passion fruit.   Here it's popular as a syrup for shave ice and in cocktails.  Lilikoi is not something you'll often find in the grocery store (but maybe at a farm stand)...more likely you'll get them from friends and neighbors.

There is a young lilikoi vine growing in my backyard.    I've gotten six fruits from it this month.   Friends and neighbors took care of the rest....and they consider it a fair trade - fresh produce for baked goods.

Backyard produce

I've mentioned  the size of Maui produce before, including the epic Haiku avocados and farmers market lemons the size of softballs.    I just picked up this giant lemon at the  market.   I used the zest from the whole thing, but only used juice from half (about 4 tablespoons).   The rest of the lemon was put to good use in lemonade.

Lemons the size of kindles

I found the recipe for these bars over on The Little Ferraro Kitchen, plus great instructions on how to actually get juice from the fruit.  So amazing in every way!

What You Need

Crust:

1 cup (half pound) butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups of flour, sifted

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

6 eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 cup lilikoi juice (10-12 lilikoi, depending on their size)

1 cup flour

4 tablespoons lemon juice (half of the monster lemon above)

zest of 1 lemon

What You Do

Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350.   You can  wait a little on the oven, as the dough needs to chill, and if you haven't prepared the lilikoi juice, that will take a few minutes as well.  

To get the lilikoi juice, you have to do a little work.   Slice the fruit in half and scoop the juice, pulp and seeds into the food processor.    Pulse briefly, 20-30 seconds just to help separate the pulp from the seeds.   Pour the contents of the food processor into a strainer over a glass liquid measuring cup. Use the back of a spoon to push as much juice as possible through the strainer.    

To make the crust, beat butter with a hand mixer.   Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy.   Add flour and salt until just mixed.  Turn the dough out onto a floured cutting board, form into a ball and then flatten dough in preparation for putting in the pan.    

When the dough is in the bottom of the pan, use floured fingers to push it all the way to the edge and to build a little lip all the way around (to help hold in the filling).   Put the pan with dough into the freezer for 15-20 minutes while you're making the filling.  (Now is a good time to preheat the oven if you haven't already)

To make the filling, whisk the eggs, sugar, flour,  lilikoi juice, lemon juice and lemon zest, until combined.   It will smell wonderful.    When the crust is done chilling, and the oven is preheated, pour the filling over the crust.

Bake 30-35 minutes until the filling is set.    I set my timer for 30 minutes and the middle was still jiggly, so I ended up baking for 35 minutes.

Cool before slicing.   

I put my bars in the refrigerator to chill before slicing and then for storage afterwards.     

You won't have to store them long...they're that good!

Meanwhile in Maui

It's whale season again.   Hooray!

Caramel Apple Bars

The world of pumpkin spice has gone insane!    

I was in Target this week just counting all the different things that have been spiced...whether they need to be or not.   Coffee,  creamers, baking mixes,  M&M's,  candy corn, Oreo's, nuts, you name it, it's been PS'd.

My sister is so annoyed by the PS'ing of everything that her Facebook wall has been taken over by her friends posting every random PS thing they find.

They find a lot.

Apples are different.     They take the stage with pumpkin in the fall, but in reality, apple treats are delicious year round and don't need to be defined by a season.  And with PS being a pushy diva, poor apples aren't center stage, but are reduced to singing in the chorus.

I'm not having that.   Not.  At.  All.

So here, we give the apple it's time in the sun.   Shine, apple, shine.

What You Need

For the bars: 

1 stick salted butter or margarine, melted and cooled

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

½ cup chopped pecans, plus ¼ cup whole pecans (for the top)

2 large apples, I used Braeburn, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (roughly...no strict measuring was going on here

For the caramel topping:

½ cup of Kraft caramel baking bits

1 teaspoon heavy cream

What You Do

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I used a little cooking spray on my 9x9 silicone baking pan.   If you're using a metal or glass pan, I would recommend lining with foil and then greasing it.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl beat together butter, sugar and egg with a hand mixer until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add chopped pecans and apples, and stir by hand until combined. Add flour mixture, and stir until combined.

Spread batter in pan.  In a small microwave safe bowl, combine caramel baking bits and heavy cream.  Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir.   Heat for another 30 seconds if necessary.

Drizzle the caramel over the batter and then strategically place your pecans wherever you want them to go.    

Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then cut into bars.   These are also great right out of the oven while still warm, they will just be a little messier when you cut into them.   Nothing wrong with that, right?

Recipe Source:   Foodie Crush

Meanwhile in Travel

When I went to Colorado on vacation last month, I finally hiked the Hanging Lake Trail.

If you want to know more about this hike, read more here.   

Whether you are in the apple or pumpkin camp, I hope you're getting as much as your heart desires this fall!

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

Aloha Friends!

Are you fully committed to summer?    Do you have a summer bucket list? {I do, right here}
I've taken two trips off island in the past month, both equally short and sweet.    I went to Monterey, California for a family reunion and then spent a weekend under the laziness cloud (and in a hammock) on the island of Kaua'i.  

Hammock view - for reals

My neighbors, who live in Australia in the winter, arrived back in Maui and hosted a big BBQ a few weeks ago.    Bringing dessert is what I do.....and making these toffee bars is what I did.   They were a hit with the BBQ crew.

What You Need

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, I used half macadamia nuts and half walnuts
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 (8oz) bag Heath Bits O Brickle toffee bits, divided

What You Do

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl.   Cut in butter using two knives (or a pastry cutter, if you have one handy) until crumbly.  Add egg and mix well.  

Combine the chocolate chips and nuts together.   Reserve a heaping half cup of the mixture for later, and add the rest to the crumb mixture.  

Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.   Bake for 10 minutes.  

Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the hot crust.    Reserving a 1/4 cup of the toffee bits for later, sprinkle the rest over the milk layer.     Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top and then add the remainder of the chocolate chip and nut mixture.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.   Remove from oven and add remaining 1/4 cup of toffee bits on top.   Cool completely before cutting into bars.    These are rich, so you can cut them small.

Recipe source:  Hershey's 

What did you take the last time you went to a BBQ or picnic?  

Baking It Old School: Oatmeal Carmelitas

After spending the day at the Maui Onion Festival , it's time to think about sweets!  (again)

In an almost endless world of cooking shows, food blogs and cookbooks, everything can seem new and cutting edge.    You can look at a recipe and think "where will I find those ingredients?" or "what the heck is _______ (kitchen gadget of your choice)?"     So this an "old school" recipe.   Something with simple ingredients that tastes great.     This recipe for oatmeal carmelitas was submitted in the Pillsbury Bake-off back in 1967.    

What You Need

Crust

2 cups flour

2 cups oats

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1  teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon

1 1/4 cups butter, softened

Filling

1 cup caramel ice cream topping

3 tablespoons flour 

1 cup dark chocolate chips (your choice of chips)

1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts (your choice of nuts)

What You Do

Line a 9x12 pan with foil coated with cooking spray.   Preheat the oven to 350.   

In a large bowl combine all the crust ingredients and blend at low speed until crumbly.      Press half of the crust mixture (3 cups) to the bottom of the pan.     Reserve the rest for later.    Bake the crust at 350 for 10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, combine the caramel topping and the flour in a small bowl.    

When the 10 minutes is up, remove the crust from the oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips and peanuts.   Drizzle the caramel/flour mixture over the top of the chocolate and nuts.    Crumble the remaining crust over the caramel layer.     

Put the bars back in the oven and bake for an additional 22 minute until golden brown.   Cool and then refrigerate until the filling is set (although they are delicious if you choose to jump the gun and cut them early....I might have done this).  

Another old school recipe you might like:   Blueberry Buckle