graham cracker crust | Just About Baked

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Frozen Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Tart

September 21, 2015
Mir
Elegant Desserts, No Bake, Pie Day, We Scream for Ice Cream!
30 Comments

This one is making the Thanksgiving pie cut this year.

Every year, I bake a collection of different pies for Thanksgiving. And while my mind wasn’t even on November when I did this, it doesn’t matter. This pie is going down in history as one of the big winners.

Even if you don’t use this for late autumn, it’s a perfect transitional pie. It’s got ice cream in it for warmer weather, but pumpkin for autumnal cravings. Oh, and chocolate chips for chocolate lovers with a chocolate graham cracker crust. Have I mentioned that this is the best tart ever?

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Frozen Margarita Custard Pie

Happy almost Cinco de Mayo, friends! I’ve got one more offering for you. Starting Wednesday, I’ll be all about Mother’s Day. Gotta love the warm holiday season!

Seriously, can we get more holidays like this into the books? I love Cinco de Mayo. It’s just great food and great weather and friends. Mother’s Day is also pretty cool. But first things first. Who can resist a margarita?

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Meyer Lemon Pie Bars

This time of year, I need a little pick-me-up on a fairly regular basis. Whether it’s eating a truffle while I stare out at a snowy landscape, reading under a fuzzy blanket, or cuddling with any child of mine who is willing to let me squeeze them for a few minutes, it’s super important to relish the hibernating aspect of winter.

Every now and then, I also like to bake a summery dessert to raise the brightness in the kitchen. Nothing is more summery to me than citrus, especially anything yellow. So these Meyer lemon pie bars are perfect for cheering up the landscape!

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German Chocolate Pie

December 7, 2014
Mir
Pie Day, Pies
12 Comments

I thought I was done with pie. I really did, I promise! But that was before Friendsgiving happened.

Since this is the time of year that people usually count their blessings and express thanks, I have to think about the amazing teachers I work with. I don’t write about my job much here, but as many of you know, I’m a full-time, National Board certified high school English teacher. It’s a very intense job and my days are anything but relaxing, especially since my downtime is nonexistent with three small kids at home. But man, do I love it.

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Peanutty Magic Bars

November 9, 2014
Mir
Bars n' Brownies
6 Comments

I have to love my office the day after Halloween. Teacher after teacher troops in and I watch as each one sighs and drops a bag of leftover candy on the table for people to share. “Gotta get rid of this,” they say, eyeing the candy with great misgiving, “or I’ll eat it all.”

I scoop up the Reese’s and Snickers and Twix and M & Ms, shove them in my desk drawer, and have snacks for the next few weeks. Believe me, I have no qualms about having candy around. It doesn’t bother me at all. Candy was meant to be eaten!

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Brownie Pie

September 14, 2014
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, Pie Day, Pies
6 Comments

Whenever I’m feeling kind of meh, I have a few options. A nap isn’t usually possible (there are small children about), so I can either try to sneak episodes of whatever TLC show is new on Netflix without the li’l ones noticing, or I can make a pie. It’s hard to hide what my iPad is doing, so I think the pie wins this one.

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Candy Bar Cheesecake

I’m on summer break now. Translation: Camp Mommy has started! We survived day one. My son, forever sick these days, spent the day snoozing at my parents’ house while I had adventures with the girls.

We went to a Mommy and Me at a local outdoor shopping square, and I have to be honest. It was pretty uneventful. There was a stage where a bunch of mothers were singing along to a CD player blaring “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” The rest of the square was littered with local vendors trying to lure us into their stores. That was slightly more appealing, but I couldn’t justify walking into adorable boutiques with breakable items while I was dragging sticky people around.

By the time we got home, I was having a major sugar craving. Luckily, this cheesecake was at the ready in my freezer. I made it a couple of weeks ago, served half of it to guests, ate a couple of slices, and froze the rest. And boy, has it been coming in handy for those hot tired days when you come home ready to collapse!

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Skinnier Cheesecake Bars

June 13, 2014
Mir
Bars n' Brownies, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes, Healthier Indulgences
8 Comments

There are certain facts of life that are indisputable, so here are a few:

1) A perfect nap is harder to find than a good life partner.

2) Summer dresses are the best part of being a girl.

3) Beaches are magical.

4) Even if it sucks, you have to sweat every day to feel good.

5) Cheesecake is the best and worst dessert of all time.

What was that last observation?

I love cheesecake. LOVE it. Most people do, you know. But when you see how much gets loaded into the batter, it’s kind of sad. Because all that deliciousness usually comes at quite a price, health-wise. Fat? Check. Calories? Check. Indigestion? Double check.

But fear not! You don’t have to drop cheesecake from your repertoire. These bars do the trick quite nicely and you will never know they’re skinny!

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Nutella Magic Bars

It’s Nutella Week on Just About Baked! Why, you ask? Geez, why not?

Is it just me, or is there a very strong Nutella bandwagon out there? The people who have joined are fanatics. They put the stuff on everything. Kind of like how I am with peanut butter. I mean, I really like Nutella, but it’s a fondness and not a craze for me.

That said, I understand food loyalty. See the above comment about peanut butter. I put it in everything. So I wanted to make a recipe for you Nutella people out there, and this one’s a real doozy. It’s got two different layers that contain Nutella, plus hazelnuts and chocolate. You will fall out of your chairs, eat the whole pan and then not feel the slightest bit remorseful when that sugar crash hits. How’s that for a guarantee?

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Key Lime Pie Bars

Once again, Friday is here and I’m in need of a serious dessert kick! It’s been a really nice week with Cinco de Mayo, my mini-vacation and the weather warming up, so let’s celebrate with some key lime!

I’m all about lime, all year long. But this time of year is special because it’s socially acceptable to like lime in May. In November, not so much. That doesn’t stop me from squirting lime juice onto everything all the time, from salads to fish to salsa. Mmm.

Key lime is even more fun. Those little limes are so cute! They come in a bag and they just look so happy that someone is loving them and using them in dessert. And boy, are they right. I don’t know what I’d do without those little suckers.