Ok...its been over six months since I've blogged. But hey, I'm a busy gal...or that's the excuse I tell myself for letting down my loyal fans...all six of you.
I have recently completely fallen in LOVE with baking. I have not abandoned my old lover, cooking, but baking is my new mistress. And you know, that's the best way to put it. Cooking is my old steady beau...I'm comfortable with him, but still learning new things all the time. But he's there for stability...ya know, my families gotta eat.
But baking....well, she keeps me happy.
When I was growing up, I really didn't like sweets. I think chocolate was the only candy I ever ate as a child. But as I've grown older, my tastes have matured. And I blame my children for my raging sweet tooth...I kinda blame them for everything though (The ozone hole...that's Taylor. She's just loves burning Styrofoam and she uses way too much hairspray. Where she found the stash of 1987 aerosol cans of RAVE is still beyond me).
Well the more I get into cooking...and baking, the harder it is for me to appreciate store bought processed food. Once you've tasted a truly delicious double chocolate cake , even peanut butter Oreos kinda taste one dimensional.
All of this to say, here is one of my recent baking ventures...just for you Jennifer.
Granola Bars....or Granola Chunks, as Seth calls em.
(I think next time I make 'em, I'll put them in a bigger pan to make them thinner and more bar like)
from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox
Makes 16 bars
Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raspberry preserves (i used orange marmalade)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment.
Melt the butter and let cool to room temperature.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool the sheet completely on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and pecans. Pour in the melted butter, and using a wooden spoon, mix together until well combined. Transfer about two thirds of the dough to the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan, forming a firmly packed layer.
Spread the preserves over the dough. Evenly sprinkle the remaining dough over the preserves. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top is golden brown and fragrant, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Then cut into 2-inch squares.
The bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
