raspberry jam | Just About Baked

Raspberry Pecan Crumb Bars (GF)

Oh, crumb bars. This is not the first time we’ve met.

I’m addicted to crumb. You show me a crumb cake and I’ll pick off the topping. It’s a dangerous game to play. Don’t hand me anything in the realm of crumb and expect me to eat it like a normal person.

When done correctly, any crumb cake or bar is overflowing with crumb. A crumb fiend like me has to be satisfied, after all. These beautiful bites of heaven are filled with raspberry jam and sandwiched with crumbly oat goodness. They’re also effortlessly gluten-free, which is the only way I wanna do it.

Ganache Linzer Tart (GF and Passover-Friendly!)

April 26, 2016
Mir
Gluten-Free Goodness, Passover Edition!, Pastry Cart, Pie Day
22 Comments

Well, the week marches on. Today was Primary Election day in my state, and I watched a lot of people agonize over which terrible candidate to vote for. Yay for democracy!

Ideally, the voting process should be nothing but exciting, but it’s harder this year than usual. Looking toward November is a worrisome occupation, at least for me. I want to believe that everything will turn out okay, but I’m in a negative frame of mind these days.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I bake. There’s a mindful mindlessness about baking that lets my brain fall away a bit as I make ganache or press tart dough into a pan. The motions are repetitive, soothing, and exactly what I need sometimes. When the result is this mind-blowing linzer tart smothered in ganache and almonds, I can banish all the negativity and just think about the rich flavors exploding in my mouth.

Chocolate Almond Raspberry Bars

March 17, 2016
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
16 Comments

Thank heaven for almonds.

Seriously, they’re food of the gods. They have protein, taste great, and are easily portable. Plus, they’re pretty durable. I have to work really hard to squash an almond.

Chocolate-covered almonds are even better, especially when the chocolate is really delicious. DOVE® Roasted Almonds covered in dark chocolate are totally my bag. And they’re even more fun when they get incorporated into these chocolate almond raspberry bars!

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Brownie Mini-Torte (GF)

November 19, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, Elegant Desserts, Gluten-Free Goodness
18 Comments

It’s my 10th anniversary, friends. Today is quite a special day. Too bad I’m at work, teaching America’s future!

This post is not just about this dessert, which I made in honor of love that lasts. It’s about, well, the love that lasts.

For instance, I’ve loved brownies forever, and I always will. Same for chocolate. Same for Kenny. Are we sensing a pattern yet here?

Oatmeal Raspberry Brownies

February 20, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
19 Comments

I can’t remember the last time I had a plain brownie. You know, I might have to go back to basics and make the perfect, thick, fudgy brownie.

But later. Because now, I’m doing yet another tricked-out version.

See, while the basics are fun, tricking anything out is exciting. Like my bathtub. A few years back, I decided that the only room left in the house where I could potentially get any privacy was the bathroom. It has a lock and all. Very fancy.

Chocolate Raspberry Crumb Bars

January 7, 2015
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
18 Comments

Snow season is here.

As I write this, my school system is on a 2-hour delay and I’m sitting in a very quiet office with a cup of tea at my side and a blanket wrapped around me. Oh, the things I do when students aren’t here. It’s beautiful.

What’s not so beautiful is waking up at the crack of dawn, driving to work on time because you want to beat the awful snow traffic, and then realizing that they haven’t salted or sanded. Oh, the joy of sliding into work along with your other early bird commuters. It’s not okay. And it’s so cold and dark outside.

Linzer Cookie Bars

Do you ever wake up with a crick in your neck?

I never used to. I honestly never felt much pain at all in my now squandered youth. But these days, this persistent and quite literal pain in my neck just pops up most mornings and reminds me of my mortality. If I try to stretch it out or massage it, people just look at me funny. And since my mornings start with tons of students, it’s better to leave well enough alone.

Yo-Yo Honey Cookies

September 28, 2014
Mir
C is for COOKIE!
6 Comments

My grandmothers were both bakers. Really amazing ones. But they would look at the stuff I bake and raise an eyebrow because treats have changed over time. I don’t think they were making peanut butter Oreo bars back in the day.

In fact, my eastern European grandmother (or Baba, as I called her) only made chocolate chip cookies for us as a concession to her grandchildren’s tastes. The rest of her baked goods were much more in line with her own upbringing.

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

August 8, 2014
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes
14 Comments

Today I took my kids to a splash playground. It sounded like a good idea at the time. But several hours and one indecent exposure later, I’m not so sure.

My son went into the bathroom to change. On the way, he must’ve dropped his Spider-Man underwear. He burst out of the bathroom in the nude in front of everyone, screaming, “I can’t find my underpants!”

Ah, kids. Can’t live with them. But I sure can’t live without them.