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Pecan Cookie Bars

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Every time my family goes to this bakery by my house for brunch my Dad always insists on buying a pecan bar for later. Their pecan bar is basically a pecan pie turned into bar form. It has a shortbread bottom and a gooey pecan topping. Mine might be a little different since it is more a pecan cookie however it is still just as delicious. The bar itself is not that sweet which is why I decided to top it with a honey cream. However, if you want more sweetness, you can always add chocolate chips into the cookie.

There is something about the crunch of a nut in a sweet dessert that makes me so happy. I am not much of a pie lover, however if I had to pick a favorite it would be pecan pie hands down. Ughhh I just love homemade pecan pie. One of the best things about it is that you can eat it hot, room temp, or cold and it still tastes DELICIOUS.

I obviously couldn’t help myself and I took a bite out of the pecan bar on the top. They just looked so ooey and gooey that I needed to have a little taste. I hope that you enjoy these bars as much as I did!

Print Recipe
 Pecan Cookie Bars
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla.
  3. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add a tablespoon of the butter and sugar mixture in order to temper the eggs. Add the egg mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until combined.
  4. Add the flour and mix until combined.
  5. Add the mixture into a greased 9X9 pan.
  6. Bake for around 30-35 minutes.
  7. Allow the cookies to cool and then transfer to a cutting board.
  8. Cut the cookie bars into 16 squares and drizzle the top with honey cream, chopped pecans, and flaky salt.

Funfetti Rice Krispies

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As of tomorrow I am starting a March Meltdown health and fitness challenge with my Mom. This means I will need to cut back on my sweets so I decided to go out with a bang and make some beautiful funfetti rice kripies.

So normally when I think of funfetti I think of rainbow sprinkles however I was worried that too many sprinkles would alter the texture of the rice kripies. So when I was trying to think of what could replace the sprinkles I was like “duhhh fruity pebbles!!”. Plus, I haven’t eaten fruity pebbles in probably 10 years so it seemed like a good excuse to buy them and eat them again. I added a few sprinkles on top to add more color but since they are not mixed in then they shouldn’t alter the texture.

I decided to do the March Meltdown with my Mom for two reasons. One, I gained weight unintentionally. I’ve been eating crappy food and not working out the same way I used to so it makes sense. It would be nice to start working out more frequently and this challenge holds me accountable for working out more. Secondly, I have a very sensitive stomach so it would be good for my body to start eating healthier and figure out which foods are the main culprits. I already know that I cannot eat fried foods, fast food, or any foods with a high fat content (looking at you homemade whip cream). I know that I should be eating more fruits and veggies so I am hoping by forcing myself to be healthy for a month I start to crave sugar less. Well, wish me luck.

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@blissfulwhisking

Print Recipe
 Funfetti Rice Krispies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
treats
Ingredients
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
treats
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add 3 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows and stir until melted. Add vanilla extract. Take off the heat.
  2. Add in the cereals and 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows, and stir until combined.
  3. Put the mixture into a greased 8x12 pan. Spray a spatula with cooking spray and use the greased spatula to spread and flatten the mixture. Sprinkle the sprinkles on top.
  4. Put in fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
  5. Cut into squares.

Conquering French Macarons

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French macarons are something which have been on my “to bake” list for years. I admire their simple elegance and their tricky nature. I wanted to be up for the challenge however I knew that it would take extra effort to insure they turned out. I have a tendency to get very frustrated when recipes don’t turn out so to help my mental state I went into my first experience making french macarons believing they were not going to turn out so that I wouldn’t be disappointed. I honestly don’t even like eating french macarons that much however I always like a new challenge in the kitchen. I decided since I have some time off of school that this would be the perfect time for me to attempt making them.

I started by watching youtube videos of making macarons. I searched the internet for tips and tricks. Here are some tips and tricks that I learned through my research (and experience)

  1. I read that it was important to have room temperature eggs. I left my eggs out on the counter when I went to the store and they were still cold so I put them in warm water and that helped speed up the process.
  2. Put the dry ingredients through a sieve. You want to make sure that you don’d have any clumps. I even bought extra fine ground almond flour and I still had clumps in it!!
  3. Use a silicone baking mat. This will help making it easier to get the cookies off the tray.
  4. Washing a silicone baking mat is a tricky endeavor. I learned this one from my experience. I got water all over me and had to change my apron and my shirt (opps).
  5. You have to mix for a certain amount of strokes. I read online that it is around 50-70 strokes. So I did 55 because the batter looked ready and my arm was TIRED! Seriously, it was quite an arm workout.
  6. Don’t underbake or overbake. I did both and don’t recommend either. They looked done before the 20 minutes was up (and it was a lie because they were not done). And I left my Grandma in charge of taking another batch out at 20 minutes and she claimed she did however they were VERY brown and crunchy (so sorry Gram but I think they were left in too long).
  7. Be patient. Don’t skip steps or rush the process. They are the world’s hardest cookie for a reason. They will sense you are rushing and wont cooperate for you. Give them time, let them have control and you will get a wonderful french macaron!

Hope these tips and tricks helped! For my recipe I used the Foolproof French Macaron Recipe from Entertaining with Beth. It is a recipe for a pink macaron filled with raspberry cream (YUM). It turned out great for me and I bet it will turn out great for you as well.

If you want to see more drool-worthy food photography check out my instagram by clicking the link below!

@blissfulwhisking

Honey Nut Fudge

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Honey nut fudge is a recipe which is near and dear to my heart because it reminds me of my childhood. Growing up I loved Winnie the Pooh. When I say loved I mean like LOVED. There was a Winnie the Pooh recipe book that I used to check out from the library in elementary school which had a recipe for honey fudge. At this point in my life I was not baking independently much. Considering I was in elementary school I am guessing my mom didn’t want me flying solo with the kitchen equipment. However, I do remember making this honey fudge for a bake sale. I have no idea why I have such vivid memories of THIS specific recipe but I do.

I may not have the actual recipe from my childhood but I tried my best to re-create the chocolatey-sweet deliciousness that was this fudge. Good news, elementary aged Alexis was able to make this recipe so it is super simple and easy to follow.

Want to see more drool-worthy food photos??? YESSS!?! Than check me out on social media by clicking on the links below.

@blissfulwhisking

Print Recipe
 Honey Nut Fudge
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Servings
fudge squares
Ingredients
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Servings
fudge squares
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and add honey, instant coffee grounds, sweetened condensed milk, and nuts. Mix until smooth. Pour the fudge into a lined 8X8 pan. Smooth the top of the fudge and sprinkle the extra chopped walnuts on top and 1/8 teaspoon of flaky sea salt. Refrigerate for 2 hours then cut into 1 inch squares.

Peanut Butter Mocha Cookies Bars

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Wow that name seems like quite a mouthful however there is so much deliciousness stuffed into these bars that the name is fitting! I have been trying to go through some of my older recipes and update the pictures since I have learned so much about food photography in the last year. I have been reading books, watching videos, and examining other food photographers work to see what looks great. Plus this gave me the opportunity to get to eat these bars again which is always a treat!

These bars have three distinct layers which means that each layer has to be made individually however once the prep work is done assembling them is super simple. Plus, they freeze really well which is a bonus in case you want to make them in advance and save them for later. In my house there is normally cookies or bars stored in the freezer so that if we need to give someone a treat we are prepared. You never know when you will need to sweeten someone’s day!



Want to see more food photography? Click the link below to check out my instagram!

@blissfulwhisking



Print Recipe
 Peanut Butter Mocha Cookie Bars
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Cookie layer
Peanut butter layer
Mocha layer
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Cookie layer
Peanut butter layer
Mocha layer
Instructions
Cookie Layer
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix in the flour until just combined.
  3. Spread the cookie mixture onto a greased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.
Peanut Butter Layer
  1. Blend the peanut butter, powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla together. Once the cookie layer has cooled sufficiently, spread the peanut butter layer on top. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Mocha Layer
  1. Cream the butter. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, coffee, and vanilla extract. Spread the mocha layer on top of the peanut butter layer.
  2. Cut into medium squares.

3 Ingredient Fruit Tart

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Biscuit and the Squirrel

So last week I was minding my own business. Running around the house like a mad woman trying to get ready for school because, per usual, I was running late. Then I just so happen to glance at the bird feeder and there he was the SQUIRREL. Now, it used to be commonplace for me to find squirrels in my bird feeder and I would fend them off by stomping around outside until they scurried away; however, we recently acquired these new bird feeders from Costco which are magical and beautiful and squirrel proof. Anyway, there he was, full body buried deep in the contraption with his fluffy tail sticking straight up in the air. So with a sigh I went outside and started my normal stomping. This did not work. I then decided to flick my hands and say “scram”. This did not work. I then started getting closer and still the squirrel did not budge.

I then decided to have the most brilliant idea of sending Biscuit to bark at him. Biscuit barks at everything so he will happily bark at this squirrel. However, I forgot that Biscuit recently acquired a no bark collar due to neighbor complaints so he can’t bark. It’s too late though because I already got Biscuit hyped up and outside ready to pounce. Biscuit approaches the squirrel rapidly, like the brave guard dog he is, and starts CLIMBING THE PORCH RAILING! So here we are, Biscuit two paws up on the porch railing, me freaking out, and this squirrel still not moving. At this exact moment I realize OMG this squirrel isn’t fearless, it is just STUCK! Poor thing is stuck and scared and I sent a dog after it ahhhh. So I try to get Biscuit away; however, Biscuit and I are almost the same size and he is significantly stronger. Biscuit then grabs the squirrel by the tail and flings it in the air. The squirrel drops a whole story to the ground where it landed, belly flop style, with a big thud. It scurries off into a nearby tree and I, like a fearless lion tamer, somehow manage to outmaneuver Biscuit and corral him into the house.

So I was running late to begin with and then this happened so I was for sure late; however, the squirrel is safe and my bird feeder was ready for customers with more of an aviary quality.  WHEW what a morning

Blackberry Fruit Tart

On a completely unrelated note, here is the cute little tarts that you came here for. Yayy!

Be prepared because this will shock you how easy this recipe is…

Frozen puff pastry, Strawberry Jelly, and Fresh Blackberries.

Yep.

That is it. Literally three ingredients to make these adorable little desserts. Woot woot!!

It is so easy that it is mind blowing. If you are interested in making a more complicated however, equally delicious fruit tart, check out my recipe for a  Blueberry Mango Fruit Tart.

Want to see more pictures of food? Yes?!? Oh, that’s wonderful! Check me out on Instagram using the link below to see more of my food photography

@blissfulwhisking

Blueberry Mango Fruit Tart

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Happy Spring!

It was snowing this week which makes me mad but hopefully the cold weather is behind us. It is such a funny scene to see flowering trees and snow on the ground. Now since we are most of the way through April I hope this means that spring can finally begin. I am so ready to sit on the porch and enjoy reading a book outside. One thing that really has me thinking about spring is fresh fruit. That is why this blueberry mango fruit tart is so perfect for this time of year. I modified this recipe from one I found on food network. I like using the base of the recipe I found through them and changing the fruit and toppings to fit the occasion. If you would like the original recipe from food network, the link is located at the bottom of the page.

Blueberry Mango Fruit Tart

Look below for the detailed recipe but the basics are:

  1. Make the crust, and put in the fridge
  2. Make the frangipane, and put into the cooled crust
  3. Bake
  4. Cool
  5. Top with fresh fruit
  6. Drizzle honey on top
  7. EAT YUMMMM


Blueberry Mango Fruit Tart
 
Print
Alexis Rhoades:
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 1½ Cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 1 Stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Egg yolk
Frangipane:
  • ¾ Cup almonds, ground in food processor
  • ⅔ Cups sugar
  • 8 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • ½ Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Teaspoons all-purpose flour
Topping:
  • Blueberries
  • Mango, cut into pieces
  • Honey
Instructions
Crust:
  1. Mix together flour, sugar, butter, and egg yolk into a big bowl. Pat the dough into a tart pan and place into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Frangipane:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the almonds and sugar until sandy. Add the butter and process until incorporated. Add the eggs are process until incorporated. Add the vanilla and flour, and process until smooth. Place into the cooled tart pan and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Topping:
  1. Once the tart has cooled, place the fresh fruit on top and drizzle with honey

Want to see more pictures of food? Yes?!? Oh, that’s wonderful! Check me out on Instagram using the link below to see more of my food photography

@blissfulwhisking

 

 

↓  ↓  ↓  Original Recipe Link  ↓  ↓  ↓

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mixed-fruit-tart-recipe-2012056

 

Valentines Day Trail Mix

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Yay Valentines Day!

I know some people don’t like valentines day but I am not one of those people. I love having a day to tell everyone how much they mean to me, plus I will take any excuse to be allowed to make my friends some sweet treats. Even if you hate all that mushy gushy stuff, you have to admit shopping for day-after valentines day candy is GREAT! Discounted candy is always a yes for me.

I made a plain trail mix earlier on the blog, however, this trail mix is dressed up and ready for love. It is super easy to make AND you will get bonus points for giving your loved ones something homemade.

How to Make The Trail Mix of Loveeee

First, mix together all of the cereals and pretzels.

Second, melt butter in a pot with the syrup and vanilla extract.

Next, pour the hot mixture all over your cereal/pretzel mixture and stir.

Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Make sure to toss the trail mix around every 15 minutes so that it gets evenly cooked.

Take it out of the oven and then drizzle melted chocolate on top. Note: this is the time to start adding a little Valentines Day pizzazz! Drizzle pink, red, or white chocolate on top to add some extra love.

Once cooled, break into pieces.

Then add in your extra pieces. Time for some more pink, red, and white decor! I added the Valentines Day M&Ms to make mine extra festive.

Valentines Day Trail Mix Recipe

 
Print
Alexis Rhoades:
Ingredients
  • 4 Cups Chex cereal
  • 4 Cups Chex cereal
  • 5½ Cups Kix cereal
  • 5½ Cups Kix cereal
  • 2 Cups pretzels
  • 2 Cups pretzels
  • 1½ Cups Syrup
  • 1½ Cups Syrup
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ Cup chocolate, melted
  • ½ Cup chocolate, melted
  • ½ Cup M&Ms
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 275°
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the Chex cereal, Kix cereal, and pretzels.
  3. In a small sauce pan, add the butter, syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk the mixture over a low heat until the butter has melted. Then, pour this mixture over the cereal/pretzel mixture. Toss it around so that every bit of cereal is coated. Pour this mixture onto a lined baking sheet and put into the oven for 45 minutes. Make sure to toss the mixture every 15 minutes so that every bit gets cooked.
  4. Once done baking, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. Once cooled, crumble the trail mix into pieces and put into a mixing bowl. Add in the M&Ms.

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Trail Mix

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Trail Mix Story Time

So growing up my mom never let my older sister and I have a lot of sugar. She had good reasons, however, I always thought it was unfair. By the time my little sis came around my mom got a little more relaxed when it came to what we consume. I’m pretty sure my mom started this recipe when my little sister needed to bring a snack into school. No matter how this trail mix came about, it is sugary and delicious. Also, one of the best things about this recipe is that it can be customized to any preference. For instance, I added banana chips to mine because I love banana chips! But if you hate banana chips, it is totally fine to not include them.

How To Make the Trail Mix

First, mix together all of the cereals and pretzels.

Second, melt butter in a pot with the syrup and vanilla extract.

Next, pour the hot mixture all over your cereal/pretzel mixture and stir.

Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Make sure to toss the trail mix around every 15 minutes so that it gets evenly cooked.

When done being cooked, drizzle melted chocolate on top.

Once cooled, break into pieces.

Then add in your extra pieces. I wanted to add banana chips and M&Ms, however, you can add whatever your heart desires.

Now you can eat!! Wooohoo!

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Trail Mix
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Alexis Rhoades:
Recipe type: Snack
Ingredients
  • 4 Cups Chex cereal
  • 5½ Cups Kix cereal
  • 2 Cups pretzels
  • 2 Cups Syrup
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ Cup chocolate, melted
  • ½ Cup M&Ms
  • 1½ Cup banana chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 275°
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the Chex cereal, Kix cereal, and pretzels.
  3. In a small sauce pan, add the butter, syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk the mixture over a low heat until the butter has melted. Then, pour this mixture over the cereal/pretzel mixture. Toss it around so that every bit of cereal is coated. Pour this mixture onto a lined baking sheet and put into the oven for 45 minutes. Make sure to toss the mixture every 15 minutes so that every bit gets cooked.
  4. Once done baking, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. Once cooled, crumble the trail mix into pieces and put into a mixing bowl. Add in the banana chips and M&Ms.

Roll-Out Cookies

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Another Semester Done!

FINALLY I am done with another semester of school. It was definitely a difficult one but I learned so much. The university I go to has a “reading day” during finals where the first day before finals there are no classes scheduled. This is a great time to get ahead of your studies and for me to make cookies. Roll-out cookies provided a much needed study break and allowed me to bring in some sweet treats to my fellow PT students. I did not have time to take pictures during each stage of the process but I still wanted to share this recipe. Super fun to make and you can make them into any shapes you want! I bought these adorable whale-shaped cookies cutters at the beach this year so I am planning on making this recipe in the spring to make whale cookies. But for now I wanted to get in the December spirit so I made snow flakes and Christmas trees.

Cookies!

Note: the frosting I made was a basic vanilla buttercream frosting! Super easy, versatile, and yummy.

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@blissfulwhisking


Roll-Out Cookies
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Alexis Rhoades:
Cuisine: Dessert
Serves: 35 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup butter
  • 1 Cup butter
  • 1½ Cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ Cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • 4½ Cups all-purpose flour
  • 4½ Cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Cream the butter and the sugar. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.
  3. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Then slowly add this mixture to the wet ingredients above.
  4. Split the mixture in half and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. Once chilled, you can roll out the dough on a well-floured surface. I personally like to make sure to NOT roll the dough too thin otherwise the cookies will not be soft on the inside.
  6. Place on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes (or until starting to brown on the bottom).