Mir | Just About Baked

Mint Madness Brownies

December 17, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
32 Comments

Okay, mint fanatics, this one’s for you. You’re welcome.

In case you’re wondering why you should be grateful, it’s because I’m not all that fond of mint. Never have been. It reminds me of toothpaste, so every time I eat mint, it acts as an appetite suppressant. Very useful if I’m trying to give up food (um, never), but not if I’m trying to enjoy my dessert.

So consider these brownies the ultimate selfless act. I gave them to my mint-loving brother, and he ate them all up. They work, ya know? This recipe is fairly traditional, but I made some tweaks of my own.

Holiday Fudge (Video Included!)

December 15, 2015
Mir
Candyland
36 Comments

As you may already know, I make a lot of fudge this time of year. A lot.

It’s hard not to, when it’s so easy to make people happy by giving the gift of fudge for very little effort. I’d rather put the hard work into maintaining friendships and being a good person rather than standing over a stove top with a candy thermometer. Not that the two are necessarily mutually exclusive, of course.

As my wise brother pointed out to me last week, there is something about the combo of white chocolate and mint that is just meant to be. So in honor of him, here’s a white chocolate fudge filled with holiday mint-flavored M & Ms. In one bite, you get both crunchy and creamy sweetness. It’s the best!

Butterscotch Toffee Bars

December 13, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
38 Comments

Yay for beautiful bars. Yay for holidays to bake them for. And yay for toffee most of all!

Everyone’s busy making holiday toffee, but I didn’t feel like taking out my candy thermometer and dusting it off. Dusting is boring. Instead, I cheated with these amazing cookie bars. You will not want to stop eating them, but that’s not really a problem.

Covered in butterscotch goodness and crushed toffee, I can’t imagine a better holiday cookie offering. I mean, I’ve made a lot of different bars this season, but this one is above the ordinary bar.

Minions Party Popcorn

December 10, 2015
Mir
Candyland, Odds n' Ends
20 Comments

Who loves movie night? I do!

It’s kind of amazing that after so many years and experiences, movie night still makes my heart go pitter-patter. There’s just something unquestionably fun about breaking out of the nightly bedtime routine with my kids and letting us all relax and enjoy a great movie!

Candy Cane Snowdrift Cookies

Okay, it’s officially cold.

Not outside, actually. The D.C. area is expecting a balmy 60 degrees through the week. But in my office, the temperature has dropped like a rock. It makes me want to put on a blanket and eat these cookies while my students huddle into their sweaters.

These cookies are my favorite, and I’ve upped the fun by sticking a candy cane Kiss in the middle. They melt down in the oven, making for a perfect surprise center. Hello, holiday cookie!

M&M’s® Holiday Caramel Oat Bars

December 7, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, C is for COOKIE!, Candyland
36 Comments

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, bar cookies are my absolute, all-time favorite treat.

Think about it: they’re delicious, easy, and very packable. Someone who bakes as much as I do needs to be able to transport baked goods without an epic fail, and bars are conducive to that. Whether I’m headed to holiday potlucks and parties or just to the office, bars are my jam.

And these bars are the best. Two layers of oatmeal cookie dough sandwich a luscious caramel filling, all filled and topped with holiday M&M’s® bling. Who could ask for anything more?

Salted Caramel Dutch Apple Pie

As long as the holidays keep coming, I’m going to keep baking pie! How can I not? Crust is just such a happy thing.

One of my favorite pies of all time is Dutch apple, and this pie goes to a whole ‘nother level with salted caramel on top. This kid’s a showstopper.

It’s funny, but I can pass up regular apple pie any day of the week. When it’s covered in crumb topping, though, just give me a giant serving fork and watch me dig in. I really can’t hold back. And ever since salted caramel became a thing, I just can’t get enough.

Cherry 7UP® Pound Cake

December 4, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
26 Comments

Whoo boy. This cake will make your holiday season merry and bright! And then some.

In case I’ve never made it blatantly clear enough, pound cake is the happiest of all cakes. It’s fluffy, buttery, and makes a perfect canvas for any flavor.

Do you know what happens if you add 7UP® to pound cake? It gets even lighter and fluffier. And when you add Cherry 7UP® and almond extract, your mouth is in for quite the party.

Milky Way Fudge

December 1, 2015
Mir
Candyland
40 Comments

Now that the holiday season is officially here, it’s time to make homemade gifts and get them all ready to go. In other words, it’s time for fudge!

In a week or so, my kitchen will be overflowing with pans of fudge. I’ve been known to have 20 pans sitting on my counters, getting sliced up and mixed into assortments for family and friends. Somehow, everyone always looks forward to fudge with so much excitement that I have a hard time gifting anything else.

As long as we’re talking holidays, I might as well admit that I have some leftover Milky Way bars left over from Halloween. Or I should say, I had some. Now they’re all in this fudge!

Gingerbread Cookie Cheesecake Bars

November 29, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, C is for COOKIE!, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes
28 Comments

We’re here. Gingerbread season. Let’s do it up right!

I’ll be honest with you: I have very mixed feelings about the holidays. They seem to be an elaborate ruse to guide us toward winter with enthusiasm, where we’re left in January with bare trees, chilly mornings and frozen windshields. But on the other hand, those lights sure are pretty.

While I don’t celebrate Christmas, I can get down with gingerbread anything. That includes these gingerbread cookie cheesecake bars, which are both easy and festive. They’re also studded with cinnamon chips, one of my favorite baking inventions.