Magic Cookie Bars

I basically had to make these magic cookie bars to keep myself from going to hell. Last week my friend Keith posted on facebook that my friend Eric was baking. This was very funny because I'm pretty sure Eric uses his oven as a wine rack. That post was followed by another post about how he used 1/2 pound of butter, instead of 1/2 cup (which is double the amount), which was followed by more of me laughing at Eric.

That was followed by an email from Eric asking me for advice after he made the bars a second time and they came out disgusting. That's when I found out that he was trying to make these bars because his mom always made them at Christmas...but his mom passed away last year, so basically he was trying to capture this food memory that would help him feel comforted and close to her. And that's when I realized if I didn't mail him magic cookie bars immediately that I would rot in hell. Probably not real hell. But some type of cookie hell reserved for people who laugh at other people who are trying to make their dead loved one's holiday baked goods. Either way, it was too risky. So Eric got his magic cookie bars and I escaped the fiery pits* of cookie hell, at least for now.

If I'm not back for a while...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

*I would totally roast demon s'mores in the fiery pits of cookie hell.

MAGIC COOKIE BARS

Yield: 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

12 oz. (2 cups) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped nuts

1.      Heat oven to 350° F. Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray.*

2.      Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with fork.

3.      Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm; cool on wire rack. Cut into bars or diamonds.

*For perfectly cut bars, line entire pan with foil, extending foil over edge of pan. Coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray or butter. After bars have baked and cooled, lift up with edges of foil to remove from pan. Cut into bars.

(slightly reworded) from eaglebrand.com

graham cracker crumbs and 1 stick melted butter

graham cracker crust pressed into the pan

pouring on the sweetened condensed milk

sweetened condensed milk spread over crust

sprinkled with chocolate, pecans and coconut

I think I forgot to press down firmly with
a fork, but they held together anyway.

baked

running a knife along the sides while warm

cut into bars

I didn't mess with foil and they came out easily.

magic cookie bars

I'd also like to add that I thought these bars were sickeningly sweet. But my family loved them. And I have to admit, the extreme sweetness didn't keep me from picking at them every time I walked through the kitchen for the past three days.
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Cranberry Walnut Upside Down Cake

I think this cake is great choice for people who don't like cranberry sauce, but still want cranberries represented in their holiday meal. Personally, I love cranberry sauce, so I won't be making this on Thanksgiving. Besides, by the time I make something pumpkiny, appley and possibly pecany, there just isn't room at the table (or in my stretchiest of waistbands) for anything else.

  

CRANBERRY WALNUT UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Makes 8 servings

topping:

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 3/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (7 oz.—do not thaw if frozen)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (3 oz.), toasted

cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2  teaspoon lemon zest

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving

1.      Make topping: Melt butter in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet over moderate heat; swirl to coat bottom and side of skillet and stir in brown sugar. Simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes, then sprinkle cranberries and walnuts evenly over butter mixture and remove from heat.

2.      Make cake batter: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350° F.

3.      Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

4.      Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes.

5.      Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest.

6.      Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately in batches with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined (do not overmix).

7.      Bake cake: Heat topping in skillet over moderately high heat until it starts to bubble, then gently spoon batter over topping and spread evenly. Quickly transfer to oven; bake until cake is golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

8.      Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around inside edge of pan, then invert a serving plate over pan and invert cake onto plate.

9.      Cool completely on plate on rack, 1 hour. Can be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature. Serve cake at room temperature with whipped cream.

barely adapted from Gourmet, November 2005

fresh cranberries (still in the bag)

melting the butter & brown sugar

cranberries and walnuts sprinkled on top

butter and sugar

adding egg

adding vanilla extract and lemon zest

adding flour

adding buttermilk

batter mixed

getting bubbly

spreading the batter on top

batter spread; ready to bake

baked

cranberry walnut upside down cake

I think I waited a few minutes too long when I unmolded
my cake (I have a feeling the top should be slightly wetter/drippier
when you remove the cake). So if you're easily distracted like
I am, set your timer.

extreme closeup

slicing

This cake is moist and the tart cranberries really
balance out the sweetness so it isn't over the top. The walnuts
add some nice crunch, in addition to the nutty flavor.

slice

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Pecan & Mushroom Burgers with Blue Cheese Sauce

I've realized something interesting about my daughter (well, interesting to me because I have to feed her). If I mash up food, form it into a patty and slap it on a bun, she'll eat it. It doesn't seem to matter what it is. Because she hates mushrooms, loathes onions (she's notorious for picking them out of everything), and if you put a pecan in front of her, she'll flick it across the table. But she liked these burgers. True, she wouldn't try the blue cheese sauce and opted to have hers with ketchup, but who cares. For all I know, it's even better with ketchup (of course I'll never know, because there's no way I'm passing up blue cheese).

PECAN & MUSHROOM BURGERS WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

Makes 8 servings

Pecan & Mushroom Burgers:

2/3 cup bulgur

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1 cup boiling water

6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

8 ounces white or brown mushrooms, stems trimmed, wiped clean and chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large)

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup pecan halves

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 whole wheat buns (optional)

watercress, for garnish

Blue Cheese Sauce:

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt

3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1.      Place bulgur and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over, cover and set aside until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing out excess liquid.

2.      Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Immediately transfer the mixture to a plate and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3.      Toast pecans in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

4.      Prepare blue cheese sauce: Combine yogurt, blue cheese and vinegar in a small bowl; blend with a fork to make a chunky sauce. Can make ahead (cover & refrigerate for up to 2 days).

5.      Combine the vegetable mixture and pecans in a food processor; pulse briefly until coarsely chopped. Add egg and the bulgur; pulse briefly, scraping down the sides if necessary, until the mixture is cohesive but roughly textured. Transfer to a bowl; stir in breadcrumbs and pepper. Mix well.

6.      With dampened hands, form the mixture into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) patties, using about 1/2 cup for each. (Can be made ahead. Wrap patties individually and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.)

7.      Using 2 teaspoons oil per batch, cook 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until evenly browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, split and toast buns, if using, to serve the burgers on. Garnish the burgers with watercress and the cheese sauce, if desired.

from The Essential EatingWell Cookbook

bulgur

soaked bulgur, draining

mushrooms and onions

I bought my mushrooms already sliced and didn't
bother chopping them any more finely (since they
were ending up in the food processor anyway).

adding the balsamic vinegar

mushroom mixture and pecans in the food processor

pulsed

bulgur and egg added

all mixed

mushroom mixture and breadcrumbs

mixed; ready to form into patties

frying the patties

flipped

pecan & mushroom burgers

crumbled blue cheese

adding yogurt
(I used thick Greek yogurt)

adding balsamic vinegar

blue cheese sauce

Because I used such thick yogurt, my sauce is very thick.

burger on a bun with blue cheese sauce & green leaf lettuce
(Obviously I didn't use watercress.)

pecan & mushroom burger with blue cheese sauce

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