Happy Winter!

I hope your December has been filled with lots of togetherness and memory-making.  See you in January 2016!

TGROAT? Really?

In a recent Flipboard search for holiday meals, I locked-on a Bon Appetit recipe with this title:

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies are The Greatest Recipe of All Time

What a claim!  Best of the best?  The use of a superlative adjective (found in so many titles we read anymore) got my attention, and I did not move on (would you have?)...rather, read on to discover what this cookie was all about.

You know that I spend a great amount of time perusing recipes, looking for something tasty to prepare.  Mostly I spend time under the umbrella of ANYTHING SWEET.  I say mostly because I am also very keen on health and the truth is...health wins out...always.  Many of my friends imagine that my sweet tooth rules my existence, but it does not.  Yes, the hunt for that new dessert keeps me internet-occupied and subsequently busy in the kitchen, but my day's plan never includes time for a sugar-induced coma.

I made the choice to stop purchasing items like cookies, cakes, bars, doughnuts, etc. quite some years back with the notion that when I wanted to indulge, I could have some knowledge and control over the ingredients I ingested.  Baking fills in where purchases no longer exist, but my love of kitchen activity/behavior is bound to health.

Okay, back to this cookie.  At first glance, it was not much to look at.  But I read through the backstory and was piqued by the ease of method, the brevity of ingredients, and hold onto your hats... the fact the these could be prepared and served in under an hour!  Was this enough to earn the TGROAT vote?

I decided to do what I love to do: I made these cookies.

Notes:

1.  FYI- There are variations on the BA recipe like this one from The Food Network.  

2.  The recipe from BA yielded 60 cookies, but if they failed to deliver, that would be a lot of waste, right?  So I cut the recipe in half and got 28 ping pong-sized cookies (2-bite cookies).

3.  I added an ounce or so of dark chocolate (broken into small pieces) when the oatmeal went into the mix.  This is an option.

4.  I used one cup of sugar, even though I should have used only 1/2 a cup.  It worked.

5.  I did not need to refrigerate the cookies after placing them on the cookie sheet.  They firmed up on the counter within 10-15 minutes.  Could be the season...it is December. 

6.  The leftovers were put into a cookie tin and then refrigerated.

7.  A one saucepan recipe...what's not to like about this?

8.  The cookies have a confectionary profile...kind of like a piece of fudge with some heft.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

(Yield depends on size of cookie; see note above)

1/2 stick of salted butter

1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1-2 ounces of dark chocolate (optional)

Directions

1.  Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper, waxed paper, or silpat.  Set to the side.

2.  Into a medium-sized saucepan, place the butter, milk, cocoa powder, and sugar.

3.  Turn the heat to medium low and melt the butter, stirring to combine all ingredients.

4.  Turn heat up, and bring to a boil, stirring. 

5.  Allow to boil for one minute while stirring.

6.  Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla, salt (if using), oats and extra chocolate (if using) into the saucepan.

7.  Mix until evenly incorporated.

8.  Use a spoon to scoop up dollops of batter and place onto the cookie sheet. (Using one hand, I was easily able to form the dollops into roundish cookies before placing them onto the cookie sheet.)

 9.  Let cool on cookie sheet.  They are ready to eat almost immediately.  Enjoy!

Am I ready to get behind the bold opinion that this cookie is the greatest recipe of all time??  That's tough to say because as usual, I was online today searching for and reading recipes, and guess what headline I saw from Bon Appetit?

                           Chili Colorado is the Greatest Recipe of All Time

:)  

Cream Cake for Birthdays and Bridge Games

This is a recipe that can serve you on many levels and for many events.  Within the space of a few days, my daughter celebrated a birthday, a mid-week bridge group (of which I'm a new member) was meeting at a friend's house, and I have a husband who appreciates baked goods.  Three perfect gatherings for a perfect cake to make an appearance.

Recently, our daughter was moving into a new apartment (on her birthday!).  With family assistance, her belongings were loaded into a U-Haul, taken to the new place, and then unloaded.  After hours of hoisting, maneuvering, and figuring out how to move heavy and large belongings up long and narrow stairways, we were pretty well spent at the end of the afternoon.  Sitting ourselves on the floor of her new living room, we enjoyed pizza and beverages while she opened gifts.  And then came these Cream Cupcakes!

Into the next week, I was invited to play bridge with some friends.  I had subbed for someone who was traveling to India for a few months.  Now I have been asked to become a regular around the table.  And you know what I do when I am invited anywhere, right?  Bring something sweet!  And then came these Confetti Cream Mini-Loaf slices!

End of story?  Well, you know that bakers keep a stash of what they make for dessert at home.  Suffice it to say that my husband and I have indulged in quite a bit of cream cake lately.  Is this a problem?  

Make this recipe.  Tasting like poundcake, the batter works well as cupcakes, mini-loaves, or any standard round or square shape.  Thus, you get to choose the look you want :)  If well-wrapped the cake keeps for 4-5 days.  Though I had no need to freeze (um...cuz... the stash is gone), I'm guessing that would work well too.

So what took me to this mentor recipe?  I had one cup of heavy cream that had reached its sale date in the refrigerator.  I needed an outlet for this liquid loveliness, and this is what I happened upon, and I'm so very glad I did.  It's a keeper.

Notes

1.  Now that you know the recipe calls for a cup of heavy cream, know that there is no additional butter or shortening.  So you will not need to remember to take butter out of the refrigerator to soften.

2.  For the mini-loaf, I added just shy of 1/4 cup of sprinkles (not the spherical type, but the log type).  What do you think?  It adds a level of pizzazz, right?

3.  The yield for the Birthday cupcakes was 13.  I baked them for around 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center of one or two came out clean.  Remember the stash?  A couple never made it out of my kitchen!

4.  For my Bridge game, I made 6 cupcakes and 1 mini-loaf.  I baked the mini-loaf for 30-35 minutes, again checking for done-ness at around the 30 minute mark.  Added to the stash...ssshhhh....

Cream Cake for Birthdays and Bridge Games

(Yield: 13 cupcakes, or 6 cupcakes and 1 mini-loaf, 2 mini-loaves, or an 9"x 9" square pan, etc.)

2 eggs

3/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt ( I did not use salt)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Log sprinkles (use about 1/2 cup)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease whatever pan you are using (e.g., square pan, mini-loaf pan) or place cupcake liners into cupcake tins (remember this recipe makes 13 cupcakes).

2.  Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until thickened.  Add the sugar and vanilla, beating well.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt (if using) to combine.

4.  Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture in three parts, alternating with the whipping cream, mixing until well-combined.

5.  Pour the batter into your prepared pan, or in the case of cupcakes, use a soup ladle to fill the paper liners approximately 2/3 full.

6.  Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  See Notes for approximate times.

7.  Ice the cupcakes (or not) with your favorite flavor.  I used a vanilla buttercream, but I think a chocolate ganache would have been yummy too!

Breakfast in Madrid (con El Oso y El Madroño)

Recently, I spent some time in Madrid with my husband.  I accompanied him (ahead of business he had the following week) so that we could enjoy this lovely city before I headed home.  We were treated to a week of incredibly beautiful weather (70s in the daytime, 50s at night), and so we did what we always do when we travel: Walk our feet off!  For long hours each day, we explored neighborhoods, enjoyed tapas, wine, and beer, geocached, ambled through botanical gardens, public gardens, museums, and tried to speak Español whenever we could :) Late afternoons we would return to our hotel to put our feet up, take a siesta, and plan where we would have dinner.  That pretty much sums up our itinerary... it was exhaustive, but looking back, I think we have a very positive feel for 'la ciudad que nunca duerme.'

On our first morning there, we headed out to La Puerta Del Sol, the heart of Madrid's historic center, for breakfast.  As the most important meal of the day (in my opinion), Madrid fell short for me.  Could it be that when Madrileños awaken, it's already lunchtime?  One thing that softened the blow, however, was the fabulous coffee con leche that could be had almost anywhere at anytime. Beautiful!

But back to that first breakfast... In the center of the square stood a 20-ton bronze statue of el oso y

el madroño (the bear and strawberry tree).  There are a few theories as to the significance of this sculpture to the city of Madrid, and judging by the number selfies being snapped with el oso in the background, it is a miracle that I was able to reach in and grab a photo without some human appendage joining the shot :)

Nearby, we found a tavern open for breakfast, featuring coffee with either a churro, tostada (toast), or pan (bread). We both chose coffee with the tostada.  Taking a seat outside on a gloriously sunny day, here is what came to our table:

Expecting butter and jam to accompany the toast, I was a bit surprised.  But not for long.  The combination of tomato pulp, olive oil, and salt on toast was fabulous!  Though humble, this breakfast combination is the most widely eaten Spanish tapa (I am assuming tapa is the singular form of tapas).  We enjoyed it again on the morning I was flying home, but this time the bread was rustic, dark, and not toasted.  Equally awesome-tasting.

Though I have yet to make this recipe since leaving Spain, Serious Eats has done a fine job describing the process, particularly the idea of extracting and using the tomato pulp and discarding the skins.  This recipe also makes use of a clove of garlic in its preparation.

Buen provecho!

Prune Plum Crisp

It's embarrassing really.  I've been on this earth for decades and decades and have never known that prune plums existed.  Holy smokes...have I been missing out on this small, gorgeous fruit.

Still, I confess that I have never been much of a plum eater.  Why you ask?  Well, I never liked the fact that I couldn't tell when they were juicy-ripe.  In addition, they are small, so you need to have more than one or two...and if only one is really good, or neither is very good, then I'm kind of going to lose my interest.  Also, the pit's stranglehold on the fruit has never pleased me.  I had a few close calls as a kid with putting a half-eaten plum into my mouth to extricate the fruit from the pit only to have the whole thing propel to my throat for one-scary-experience!

What I did/do like about a plum, however, was/is the thin, tart skin.  Contrasted with the sweet pulp this was/is a plus.

There above lies our history: Plum and Me.

Fast forward to this season's abundance of Prune Plums and the great deals that my local Shoprite was promoting in August and early September.  Always attracted by a good deal, I was drawn to the bin of plums and noticed how small they were!  'Why bother?' I thought.  A quick search on my iPhone persuaded me to buy a few.  Read NPR's take here.

I do love a good crisp and so decided to try a scaled down recipe featuring these tiny orbs.  The results were wonderful.  I used and modified this recipe.

Notes

1.  Since I was experimenting, I halved the mentor recipe to achieve the yield stated below.  In the future, I will making the full recipe.  It is that good!

2.  I purchased 7 prune plums that weighed in just shy of 7 ounces.  Once sliced, this was enough for 1 1/2 cups.  So I added 1/2 cups of blueberries to give me 2 cups of fruit.

3.  There is no need to use ramekins.  Any oven safe dish will work.  Just make sure that it will hold the volume of ingredients you have.

4.  Oh, good news!  Prune plums don't like barnacle-clingy seeds either.  They release theirs without hassle :)

Prune Plum Crisp
Yield:  Three 6-ounce ramekins

Filling:
2 cups sliced prune plums
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
wee splash of vanilla
a pinch of cinnamon

Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
wee pinch of salt, optional
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350º F and butter the three ramekins.
2.  In a medium bowl, toss the prune plums (remember I had to add a few blueberries), flour, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together.

3.  Place a third of the fruit mix (eyeball) into each buttered ramekin.

4.  In the same bowl, combine all the topping ingredients.  Mix with a fork until crumbly.

5.  Distribute one-third of the mixture to the top of each ramekin.  Use your hands to help disperse the crumbs evenly.

6.  Bake uncovered fro 40-45 minutes or until topping is crispy-looking and golden.

Vacation Cooking

Recently we traveled to the west coast where my husband and I have a small vacation home on an island in the Puget Sound.  I have spoken about this tiny sanctuary here.  Truly a location to get away from it all, our 'little house in the woods' has been an experience of serenity, simplicity, and in one case, severity.  Let's tackle the severity issue first so we can move on...

On this latest jaunt across the country to the The San Juan Islands, we arrived at our house and immediately saw that a tree had fallen on the roof.  Aaaarrrgghhhh!  Mother Nature knows her job, and when trees are ready to lay down, she will provide the final push...no matter what might be in the way.  We are surrounded by mature trees...some upwards of 50 feet tall with trunks that I cannot completely hug, and eventually some trees will go horizontal.  But using the house to cushion the fall? No need to make sense of randomness...can't. Anyway, the roof damage was not structural, and repair is in the future.  I am grateful for this.

Okay, onward...the island has many apple trees and berry bushes in public areas.  Being here at the end of summer provided us with endless opportunity for fruit-picking.  You remember what my favorite fruit is, right? Are you thinking I was a happy camper?  No lie, we ate ourselves silly with an apple crisp early on in our stay. After a second harvesting of apples, we enjoyed applesauce as a side to a few meals.  Added up, we ate the equivalent of about eight pounds of this lovely fruit!  I will forever be here at every summer's end.

For the apple crisp, I revisited this favorite :)

And for the applesauce, I cored and peeled a couple pounds of the freshly-picked apples, placed them into a dutch oven with about a teaspoon of cinnamon (follow your own heart here) and a splash of water.  No sugar! Then I covered the pan and let it cook over low heat, checking on it every 10 minutes or so to stir or add a bit more water as it cooked down.  The result?  Awesomesauce!  Hmmm... a serendipitous coincidence that this post takes advantage of Oxford Dictionary's newest entry.

Is it any wonder that our vacation place (and apples) conjure the adjectives serene and simple?

Faux Gras (aka Unbelievable Lentil Mushroom Pâté)

Sometimes the food I prepare appeals to all five senses (yes, some more than others), and sometimes I rely on the accoutrements to dress up the sight of a...well... very bland-looking food item.  A good example of this is last month's blog on Beer Cheese.  You would never look at a dish of beer cheese and respond with, "Wow!  That looks incredible!"  But you might, after tasting it on pretzel, smile and say, "That tasted like a whole lot more!"

Today's blog supports this theme of yummy, but not so easy-on-the-eyes (if you get my drift).  This Faux Gras tastes much like its controversial cousin (it's true!) and yet like Foie Gras, it is not so much to look at.

Foie Gras is the food made from the liver of a duck or goose.   It is considered a delicacy, often eaten as a pâte, but global awareness of the process to produce this fatty liver has caused some controversy in recent years (see this timeline from the Wall Street Journal).  I don't believe that I have ever had Foie Gras, but I know that many people like it...Let's leave it at that.  This Faux Gras is a vegetarian alternative and a great rival to its meaty counterpart (according to some people I know).

I have been following David Lebovitz's food blog for close to ten years, and have made many of his recipes with great results.  This spread was featured recently, and because it was meatless and could even be vegan, I decided to give it a try.  Happy times!

Notes

1.  I followed David's ingredients fairly accurately, but I might have used a few more mushrooms, or a medium onion, or two large garlic cloves, etc.  You understand...

2.  I used coconut oil in place of the olive oil, but here's where you can go vegan:  Exchange the butter for olive oil/coconut oil.

3.  I used regular dry lentils...nothing fancy...Goya brand.  I followed the package directions and started with one cup of dry lentils since they double in volume after cooking.

4.  I toasted pecans in a foiled-lined cast iron pan on the gas stovetop.  It took only minutes and it was easy cleanup.

5.  I didn't have soy sauce or tamari, so I left this ingredient out.

6.  Please use fresh herbs.  They are key players in the balancing of flavors.

7.  For the life of me, I could not find any cognac or brandy (I so mean it); I used St. Germain Elderflower Liquor.  Not bad :)

Faux Gras
Yield:  3 Six-ounce ramekins

About 12 medium button mushrooms to make about 1 cup (or 100 g)
2 T. olive oil (or coconut oil)
2 T. butter (or olive oil/coconut oil)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups of cooked lentils
1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T. soy sauce or tamarin
2 t. minced fresh rosemary
2 t. minced fresh thyme
2 T. fresh sage or flat leaf parsley, chopped (I used parsley)
1 t. brown sugar
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I did not use any salt)

Directions

1.  Wipe off the mushrooms and slice the bottom of the stem a bit to get rid of any dryness.  Slice.

2.  Heat the olive oil/coconut oil/butter (your combination should equal 1/4 cup total) in a large skillet.  Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5-10 minutes.  Add mushroom slices and cook, stirring, until soft and cooked entirely, another 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  In a food processor, combine the cooked lentils, nuts, lemon juice, soy (if using), all herbs, Cognac (if using), brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.  Add in the mushroom mixture and process until smooth.  Taste and add salt, pepper, or additional Cognac, lemon juice, or soy to enhance flavor.  Process again.

4.  Scrape the pâté into small serving bowls or ramekins.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours.

5.  Serve with crackers, small toasts, marmalade, candied walnuts, carrots sticks, pickles, etc.

6.  Freeze well-wrapped leftovers for a few months.

Beer Cheese

Oh my...this is a winner if for no other reason than it can be flavor-tweaked in so many ways to suit your tastebuds.  In addition, its uses are many:  as a dip, as the base layer for crostini, as the main/sole component for grilled cheese, as a spoonful of goodness that has just come from a dive into this cheesy, beer-y spread/dip and you take a lick.

I was drawn to this recipe because there are people in my life that enjoy beer, particularly dark beers.  Me?  I enjoy a sip of beer and discussing its qualities on the palate.  But mostly I prefer wine.  However, given the chance to use beer in an appetizer respects both beer drinkers and non beer-drinkers.  This idea I like!  Beer cheese invites those who love cheese (pretty much everyone I imagine) to experience beer in a different way. Depending on the type of beer and cheese used, this recipe offers a depth of taste with a...ahem...spririted flavor load.

Recently this beer cheese debuted outdoors during an evening concert at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia.  My family was picnicking on the lawn admiring the Philly skyline while being serenaded by the Philadelphia Orchestra.  Their treat was an overture, a piano concerto, and the symphony everyone knows by its first four notes.  Remember it?  Da-da-da-da... That's right!  His 5th. The weather was perfect for dining al fresco, and with appetizers, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and drinks, we were very happy.

I had prepared the cheese the day before, chilling it in the refrigerator while the flavors did their mingling-thing.  At the picnic, the cheese was used as a dip.  The general consensus was that it was a little picante and a little addictive.  Not too shabby for its introduction...

Notes

1.  Next time around I think I will play a bit with the spicy-ness.  Dial back on the cayenne and hot sauce if you are serving it to folks that prefer milder.  Crank it up for those that want a good nose-blowing.

2.  I am also thinking about playing around with the cheese.  Maybe a few ounces of mozzarella?  Maybe leave out the cayenne altogether and add a few ounces of Pepper Jack?  A little goat?  A bit of horseradish?

3.  After processing all the ingredients, place the beer cheese in a container to chill.  Let it warm up a bit before using.  Otherwise, you may have to use a knife to spread (as opposed to just dipping in your crudités).  In other words, the longer it warms up, the softer it becomes.

4.  The recipe I used also highlighted making soft pretzels to dip into the beer cheese.  Yummy goodness...but that's for another day...

Beer Cheese
Yield:  a substantial two cups

6 ounces beer (I used Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout)
2 cloves garlic
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Frank's)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1.  Measure out the beer and set aside to lose some of the carbonation.  Enjoy the remainder!
2.  Place the garlic cloves into a food processor and pulse until minced.
3.  Add in the shredded sharp cheese, cayenne, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard and process until creamy and smooth.

4.  Scrape down the sides of the processor with a spatula.  Then slowly add the beer.
5.  Process until well mixed.
6.  Transfer to a serving dish if using immediately or cover and refrigerate.

A Moister Cornbread

In my last post, I referenced a cornbread recipe that I wanted to share, but decided to post about Crispy Chocolate Bars instead.  Can you blame me?  But now it's time to deliver a recipe where the adjectives 'dry' and 'crumbly' do not apply.  On the contrary, this cornbread is moist and rich...dense even (in a good way).  Need a bit more convincing?  Well, after taking a bite of this cornbread, you will not need to reach quickly for something to drink, nor will you have to (unobtrusively) brush crumbs off your lap.  Does this help?

The versatility of this cornbread is substantial.  It will be an exceptional carbohydrate accompanying your entrée, but it could also be a dessert star!  Picture a cornbread shortcake: cut in half, each half grilled, a multi-berry compote and whipped cream sandwiched between the layers, more whipped cream on top... oh, yummy!  Likewise, it would make a great breakfast bread, slathered with your favorite nut butter or jam...or honey!  It's an every-meal bread that has a moist crumb and a memorable corn-y flavor.  I hereby pronounce it a winner!

The original recipe yields 12 muffins, but I decided to cut the recipe in half and bake it off in a pie pan.  Sometimes it just makes sense to go the cornbread-wedge-route.

A Moister Cornbread
(Yield:  8 substantial wedges)

1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 cup milk (I used homemade mascarpone that I needed to use up)
1 egg, well-beaten
1/8 cup butter, melted

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 425ºF.  Grease a pie pan with vegetable spray.
2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.

3.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, egg, and melted butter.
4.  Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir together until just combined.
5.  Direct the batter into the prepared pie pan.  Use a silicone spatula or an offset spatula to smooth and level the top.

6.  Place pie pan on a baking sheet and place into the oven.
7.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges are golden.

8.  Remove from oven and cool on rack.  If desired, spread some softened butter on top of the cooling cornbread to produce a sheen and provide more great flavor.
9.  After cooling for 10-15 minutes, loosen edges and bottom with an offset spatula and remove entire cornbread from pan for slicing.  Or, just slice from the pie pan.  Serve with your accoutrements :)

Crispy Chocolate Bars

I am pondering whether to go savory or sweet today.  I want to share a cornbread recipe that is delightfully moist.  And I am not usually a cornbread fan due to that gets-caught-in-my-throat dryness.  Yet I have a crispy-crunchy chocolate bar recipe that requires no baking and bottom line?  Finger-lickin' goodness.  You know where I'm headed, right?  Great!  Let's talk about this sweet treat.

We are all in agreement on the Rice Krispies Treats bars of our pasts.  Conclusion?  Good in a pinch.  Could eat the entire pan.  Pretend that we've grown up and don't 'do' them anymore, but if faced with one? They go down easy, accompanied with memories of our childhood.  Hittin' home?

So how are these any better?  Let me think on that for a seco...okay!  Got those answers!  It's the chocolate (you determine the type).  No marshmallows (bye, bye kid-factor)  You can cut them in a shape that makes you happy (seriously, this makes a difference).  Like the Hershey's Krackel Bar but far more sophisticated-looking and tasting.

You've noticed that summer arrived well before June 21, right?  In the northeast, we have had our share of hot, humid weather lately; but also, we have experienced a bit of rain (hmm... more like a rain forest dose of the moisture).  So, with weather in mind, these bars do best stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Even so, your thumb and index fingers will need to have a tongue-licking after you've eaten your Crispy Chocolate Bar.  So?

Notes

1.  The recipe calls for dark chocolate.  I made do with what I had on hand...some Callebaut, some Lindt, etc.  I tried to use only dark chocolate, but I would be lying if I said it was all dark.  I think I ended up adding an ounce of two of milk chocolate chips.  Don't hate me...still heavenly.

2.  I did not use a double-boiler to melt the chocolate.  Instead, I microwaved in short intervals.  Start with 30 seconds, remove and stir, place back into the microwave and go for 15 seconds.  Repeat until there are small pieces of chocolate that continue to melt as you stir.  You don't want to scorch the chocolate, so stop when there is still chocolate to melt and with extra stirring everything will incorporate.

3.  Except for measuring cups, this is a bowl and spatula event.  Translation:  Easy cleanup :)

Crispy Chocolate Bars
(from the Mast Brothers Chocolate cookbook)

1 and 1/2 lbs. dark chocolate, chopped into small/medium pieces

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (I used salted)

2 T. smooth peanut butter

1 T. honey

4 cups krispy rice cereal

Sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Directions

1.  Prepare a 9" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom with two opposite sides longer to drape over edges.  Or use aluminum foil similarly.  The excess paper/foil will help lift the entire bar from the pan later.

2.  In a large glass bowl, microwave the chopped chocolate and butter in short intervals.  See Notes.

3.  Add peanut butter and honey.  Stir to incorporate.

4.  Mix in krispy rice cereal.

5.  Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Smooth top if necessary.  Sprinkle with sea salt, if using.

6.  Place into the refrigerator for a few hours to firm.

7.  When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator, use the parchment/foil to lift the whole bar out and place on cutting surface.  

8.  Slice into shapes you like for serving.

9.  Store leftovers in refrigerator.