Mir | Just About Baked

Honey Roasted Peanut Clusters

January 12, 2016
Mir
Candyland
22 Comments

Don’t know about you, but I try not to buy honey roasted peanuts too often. Why? Because when I do, the whole container goes into my mouth.

They are addictive as all get-out. That sugar-salt coating on each peanut is beyond. So you can imagine what happens when they get dipped in milk chocolate and hardened into clusters. #anarchy

To be perfectly honest, I made a batch with the full intention of sharing. Then my family fell on them like they were going out of style, so I hid a few. It might not be dignified, but it’s necessary.

Salted Caramel Streusel Baked Apples

January 10, 2016
Mir
Elegant Desserts, Healthier Indulgences, Odds n' Ends
32 Comments

These apples are life-changing. How’s that for a promise?

Baked apples are a classic American dessert, but I’ve upped the ante by coring them, filling them with a simple streusel, and drizzling (pouring, maybe?) salted caramel on top. And we can totally call this a healthy dessert because, you know, apple. Right? Hey, it’s fruit!

This is a fireside kind of dessert, the kind that you share with family members on game night or some equally idyllic situation. These are impossible not to love, unless you have no soul. I’m feeling very objective today.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Bars

January 8, 2016
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
14 Comments

No healthy recipe today! Not for you. It’s Friday. You dig?

The problem is, if you only eat healthy foods all the time, sooner or later you’ll face-dive right into a vat of Reese’s and just not be able to stop. It’s human nature. Deprivation is not the way. Take that, Hollywood celebrities who pay people to whip up healthy cuisine 24/7!

If you want chocolate, eat it. If you want kale, eat it. See how that works? And eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re not. Pretty basic philosophy, and it allows you to eat bars like this when the mood strikes. These are phenomenal.

Healthy Peanut Butter Pudding (Video Too!)

January 5, 2016
Mir
Gluten-Free Goodness, Healthier Indulgences, No Bake
34 Comments

Apparently, some of you have made resolutions for the new year. I don’t approve, but I’ll play along.

I’ve gone on for quite a while about how I believe in healthy balance and moderation all year long, and I find January 1st to be quite arbitrary a date to start getting healthy. But hey, who am I to discourage people from being healthier? After all, I’m a fitness junkie. I do barre workouts with religious zeal and fuel up with protein afterward. And this is one of my favorite ways to do it.

Three ingredients: peanut butter, tofu and powdered sugar. Blend. Chill. I’m done! Now can we start talking about the barre again?

Honey Whole Wheat Craisins® Walnut Bread

Happy New Year! It’s my first post of 2016, and I’m so excited to see what this year will bring!

If there’s one food I want to see lots of in the coming year, it’s homemade bread. We’re all familiar with the yeasty goodness of bread that doesn’t come in plastic bags from the grocery store, and it’s so easy to get a perfect loaf with just a little help from my best friend, a.k.a. the bread machine. Life was so cold and dark before we met!

Luckily, fresh bread is always possible, and this one is special. It’s made with mostly whole wheat flour, which will help you stick to your healthy eating resolutions. It’s also full of walnuts for an extra protein punch, not to mention sweet Craisins® Dried Cranberries. It’s a loaf worth making!

Peanut Butter Cup Fondue (PLUS the Perfect Dipping Plate and Video!)

December 29, 2015
Mir
Candyland, Gluten-Free Goodness, Odds n' Ends
24 Comments

How do you fondue?

If you don’t, then there’s a big hole in your life. You know, that void where you have never experienced the joy of dipping food into melty cheese or chocolate. Be sad if you haven’t been there.

But feel free to change your ways, and now! I’m attaching a warning to this recipe: you will eat it and not be able to stop. Be ready. Come with an empty stomach!

Quick and Easy Coffee Cake

December 27, 2015
Mir
Dessert for Breakfast, Let Them Eat Cake
25 Comments

How many of you still have guests in the house over the holidays? Show of hands, people!

After a while, it gets rough to keep feeding everybody. Sure, it’s nice the first day, but as house guests linger on, keeping up the hosting duties can be a real drag. That’s when it’s nice to make a really quick coffee cake for breakfast. Not for them, you understand. They can have Cheerios. This cake is for you!

I like having a warm, fresh cinnamon-laden treat first thing in the morning. I mean, who doesn’t? That’s why cinnamon rolls are popular. But this is a much simpler option, and all those flavors are still there.

Champagne Brownies (Video Tutorial, Too!)

I love champagne. I love chocolate. Let’s put them together so they can get married and have the best kid of all time, champagne brownies!

Bubbly is pretty popular this time of year, but as I explain in my newest video below, I also like to eat my champagne. Why not get really festive with one of the coolest brownie recipes ever?

These are full of champagne and chocolate, and the bubbly is what makes them stand so tall. I never cease to love how carbonated beverages aerate baked goods, making for even more fun and games!

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

I’m going to give you a bonus recipe today in honor of the upcoming holiday, since I’m taking Friday off. But stay tuned for another recipe AND a video tomorrow!

This gingerbread bundt cake is a winter spice wonder. It’s moist, soft, and oh so perfect for Christmas. And since I don’t do Christmas, I’ll just eat it all anyway.

As a perk, this cake is finished off with brown butter icing. It’s pretty much the best cake ever. No bias here, of course!

Holiday Chip Cookie Cake

December 20, 2015
Mir
C is for COOKIE!, Elegant Desserts, Let Them Eat Cake
28 Comments

Cookie cake might just be the best invention of all time. Well, after the king-sized bed, memory foam pillows, and Uggs.

Honestly, I’m drawn to cookie cakes. When I’m in the grocery store, I can’t help but walk by the giant chocolate chip cookie cakes covered in frosting and drool. But then I remember that it’s pretty easy to make one right here at home.

This cookie dough is soft and full of both holiday chips and chocolate chips. The frosting is definitely an added bonus. There’s nothing here to hate on, friends!