Mir | Just About Baked

Thin Mint Sheet Cake

February 28, 2016
Mir
Let Them Eat Cake
34 Comments

I am so in love with sheet cake.

The problem with layer cakes is that beauty often takes the place of function. They have to be gorgeous, so we pile on way too much frosting or fondant and then decorate the whole shebang. A sheet cake, however, is the perfect ratio of cake to frosting (or in this case, icing). The cake is the star, not its good looks.

And it definitely doesn’t hurt that this one is topped with chopped Thin Mints. America’s favorite Girl Scout cookie is ready for her moment in the sun!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bread

February 25, 2016
Mir
Bread Basket, Dessert for Breakfast, Healthier Indulgences, Let Them Eat Cake
24 Comments

If you like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, this bread is for you. Or loaf cake. Whatever you wanna call it is fine by me!

Lately, I’ve been all about the recipes you throw into a bowl and mix together. No mixer, no butter to cream. Not only is that absence of butter healthier, but the actual baking process is just a teeny bit simpler. So why not?

This particular bread is filling and hearty, but full of chocolate chips just to brighten your Friday morning breakfast. Anyone wanna argue with that? I didn’t think so.

Easy Muffin Base

February 23, 2016
Mir
Bread Basket, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes, Dessert for Breakfast, Healthier Indulgences
28 Comments

Muffins make the world go round.

Well, my world, anyway. There are certain days (or weeks) when facing the day is just hard. Maybe I have to work a 12-hour day before heading home to my kids, or maybe a student of mine has been going through something rough and I’m absorbing the pain. It’s not always cake!

On days like that, I need an easy breakfast to throw together. This muffin base is simple, butter-free (and therefore a health food, of course), and easily customized. I chose lime zest (a.k.a. summer in a whiff) and white chocolate chips, but you can use any old mix-ins. It’s all about making your mornings as happy as possible!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts

I need more donuts in my life.

Seriously, I don’t eat them that often. The thing is, they’re usually fried, and while that’s delicious, I feel kind of gross after I eat one. The donut pan is a much better option!

Plus, when I bake my own, I can customize flavors at will. Like this chocolate peanut butter version. It has the loveliest, thickest PB chocolate icing. And sprinkles! Can we all just stop for a moment and enjoy the sprinkles?

Almond Butter Bars

February 18, 2016
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, Candyland, Gluten-Free Goodness
22 Comments

Hold on to your hats, almond butter lovers. You are about to be seriously happy.

When almond butter first became a thing, I got really excited and ran out to buy some. And then, boom. Huge disappointment. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t peanut butter.

I think that was my problem. I was looking at almond butter through the lens of peanut butter and expecting something just like that. When I learned to step back and appreciate almond butter on its own, then it was so much more delicious. Plus, then I could open up all the baking doors and make those fun desserts happen!

The Perfect Brownie Base

February 16, 2016
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
34 Comments

Finding The One isn’t always that easy.

Sure, finding Kenny wasn’t too bad. I was only 25 when we started dating, so I can’t pretend that I had a huge struggle to meet the man of my dreams. But when it comes to recipes, life can be a bit more complicated.

After several years of baking, I’ve honed my go-to recipes. I have my favorite chocolate cake recipe (thanks, back of the Hershey cocoa container!), my favorite chocolate chip recipe, my favorite blondie base, my favorite cheesecake base, and my favorite peanut butter cookie. But let’s not forget the most important one of them all: the perfect brownie base.

PB Chocolate Banana Breakfast Smoothie

February 15, 2016
Mir
Dessert for Breakfast, Gluten-Free Goodness, Healthier Indulgences, No Bake
26 Comments

Breakfast used to be such a struggle.

It all came down to the word “should.” While I crave sweet every morning, I told myself that I should be getting my nutrients. In an effort to keep the sugar down, I’d make eggs or oatmeal and hate every bite. Those foods work great for me later in the day, but I just couldn’t get down with it.

Then I discovered the protein-packed smoothie. It was like a dream come true. Not only could I have my sweet breakfast, but it would also keep me full all morning. Plus, controlling the sugar content was pretty much up to me. As soon as this revelation occurred, I began blending up my favorite flavor combinations. And really, what’s better than peanut butter, chocolate and banana in the morning?

Peanut Butter Cookie Heart Cake

What’s better than a cake? A cookie cake. What makes a cookie cake even better? Baking it in a heart-shaped pan, of course!

If I had to decide what to bake somebody on Valentine’s Day, which I don’t (see below), I’d definitely go for cookie cake. It’s easy and fast, but it just oozes love and chewy delight.

This year for Valentine’s Day, Kenny is getting chocolate and a book. I’ve done enough baking leading up to this heart-shaped day, and we need no more. You feel me? #foodbloggerproblems

Valentine’s Day Dipped Oreos

Not much is more annoying than spending a ton of money on something you could have made on your own for cheap.

There’s the convenience factor, sure. Paying someone to make dessert is a lot easier than rolling up your sleeves and doing it on your own, but on Valentine’s Day, we like to pull out all the stops and make the treats ourselves. So why pay a lot of money to an expensive chocolate shop for dipped Oreos?

These are just as good as the ones you pay for, if not better. See, they’re made with Double Stuf Oreos, which have more filling. They’re also blinged out for Valentine’s Day. There’s a video tutorial below, so enjoy!

Mocha Muffins

February 7, 2016
Mir
Cupcakes and Cheesecakes, Dessert for Breakfast, Let Them Eat Cake
30 Comments

Anyone exhausted after a night up watching the Super Bowl? I’ve got the perfect coffee kick for you!

Personally, I’m not a coffee drinker. I’m fairly wired as it is, so I don’t need any chemical help getting going every day. And I was on a decaf kick for a while because it tastes nice, but it also stains your teeth. I guess some people don’t fall prey to that, but I do, which also explains why I gave up green tea. Hot beverages are not my friend.

As a result, I like to get my caffeine kick through dessert, and what better way than with the best muffin I’ve had in quite a while? These pack a nice coffee punch while not being overly sweet, making for a gentle start to the day. We all need that on a tired Monday morning!