June, 2015 | Just About Baked

White Nectarine Upside-Down Cake

Gotta be honest with you: I don’t usually bake with fruit.

Have you noticed? Seriously, it’s not typically my bag. When you’re addicted to chocolate and peanut butter, fruit falls by the wayside. At least, it does in baked goods.

Now fruit on its own, raw, is a different animal entirely. And my number one favorite fruit of all time is the white nectarine. When perfectly ripe, it’s sweet and juicy and better than anything. I hate to do anything to them but eat them as they are. But every now and then, you get a less than amazing batch. Actually, more than that. So that’s when you bake them into cake!

Patriotic Peanut M & M Cookie Cake

Sometimes I just need to bake cute, ya know?

Whenever I see a gorgeous woman, I might feel a twinge of envy. Okay, more than a twinge. But then I remember that being cute has a much longer shelf life than being pretty. Or at least, I hope it does.

Besides, people like cuteness everywhere. I saw a chocolate-covered Oreo shaped like a flower last week and I just had to have it. I mean, I always want a chocolate-covered Oreo, but when you put it into a flower chocolate mold that looks like a daisy, hot damn. That’s one adorable treat. So I figure I should bake cute whenever I can.

Pecan Squares

Fill in the blank for me: “As American as _____________.”

Did you say “apple pie?” If you did, I salute you. That’s the expression. But I’m not here for apple pie today. I’m here to talk about an oft-neglected staple of American dessert cuisine: the pecan.

We never really think about something until it’s gone, which I learned with the pecan from my sister-in-law’s mother. She hails from Ecuador, and apparently, the pecan action there is rather lacking. She once told me that when she comes to the U.S., she gets her fill of pecans and chocolate chips. They’re not available everywhere. Remember that next time you turn down that slice of pecan pie!

Black and White Cookie Chips Fudge

My house is quiet and dark. For several sweet hours a day, my kids are in camp while I get a chance to remember what life was like B.C. (before children) and inhale the sweet nectar of freedom.

Here’s the ultimate perk of being a teacher. For two unpaid months (yep, I inserted that word on purpose), I get a taste of what it’s like to be a stay at home mom. It’s great for these two months. I would not be able to do it year-round and maintain my sanity. Especially if there was no camp.

Red, White and Blue Bars

Now that I’m on board with July 4th being around the corner, my kitchen has changed color. We’re looking very patriotic these days. I blame the sprinkles and M & Ms.

About two months ago, I spied patriotic M & Ms at Target. So I bought them, hid them from Kenny, and forgot about them. Until today. If you want a bar that’s as close as possible to white to set off the glory of these holiday-themed M & Ms, this white chocolate base is perfect. It has the consistency of a brownie but it’s made with white chocolate. Holy stars and stripes forever!

German Chocolate Brownies

Aw yeah. I went there.

Full confession: until a few years ago, I turned my nose up at all coconut desserts. All of them. And then one day, the angels spoke to me and I ate an Almond Joy. Boy, did I feel like an idiot. It was delicious.

Since then, I’ve come to realize how much a heap of coconut on top of a dessert can change the game. And when that heap of coconut happens to be couched in easy, gooey German chocolate frosting, so much the better.

Strawberry Cookie Chips Icebox Cheesecake

June 17, 2015
Mir
C is for COOKIE!, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes
30 Comments

It just hit me: July 4th is a few short weeks away. How did this happen?

Well, that’s a dumb question. It’s not like I didn’t work hard for July 4th to become a reality. Months of commuting to work in the dark, sometimes in the ice, often in the rain. Months of teaching teenagers the difference between “it’s” and “its.” Months of wrapping myself up in a blanket at my desk when the heat in my classroom, once again, failed to deliver.

I mean, it dang well better be July 4th. And it better be icebox cheesecake weather. Because no-bake is definitely the way to go right now! Especially when this holiday-themed, easy dessert is filled with delicious Hannah Max cookie chips!

Cheesecake Brownie Chunk Ice Cream

June 15, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, We Scream for Ice Cream!
37 Comments

Whatever ice cream you love, whatever your favorite is, that is about to change. That’s how (over)confident I feel about this. Prepare yourselves!

Years ago, I tried Ben and Jerry’s Cheesecake Brownie flavor. And it was such a great flavor. After all, what could be better than cheesecake ice cream with brownie chunks? I asked myself that very question while I made this ice cream.

Answer? Cheesecake ice cream with BIGGER brownie chunks and chocolate chunks to boot! You’re welcome. Feel free to send me an award of some kind.

Graham Cracker Bars

Every now and then, you run across something unusual in a torn out recipe at the bottom of a drawer that seems so nutty it might actually work.

This recipe is one of those finds. Four ingredients, guys. Four. In other words, any novice or reluctant or lazy baker can tackle this one!

If you have a can of sweetened condensed milk, a box of graham cracker crumbs, some baking powder and chocolate chips, pay attention. This recipe might be for you! But only if you like those ingredients. Me? I happen to love them.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Chips Mini-Cheesecakes

June 10, 2015
Mir
C is for COOKIE!, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes
37 Comments

That name is quite a mouthful, no?

So are the cheesecakes. In a really good way! Because in addition to being li’l bites of heaven, they’re not too heavy on the sugar. And they’re also completely full of Hannah Max chocolate chip cookie chips, i.e., my favorite flavor.

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie. When you put them into crispy cookie chips, they’re that much more addictive. Add cheesecake and I’m not really surprised that people’s eyes lit up at work when they saw me bring these in.