I’m going to have to ask you to focus.
FOCUS.
Alrighty. Now, listen carefully: You’re not hallucinating. Pumpkin pie snickerdoodle bars? They’re a reality. They exist.
I know.
If you’ve never seen perfection on a plate, well…
I’ll admit that I was a little bit skeptical about these at first. I’m not a big fan of pumpkin pie.
I know.
It’s a consistency thing. But judging from the ingredients, I didn’t think the pumpkin part of these would be exactly like pumpkin pie filling, so I decided to give them a whirl. After breakfast this morning, I whipped up these babies, and then had the pleasure of smelling them throughout the house ALL.DAY.LONG.
For the record? They smell amazing.
Then, it was finally (FINALLY!) time to bring them over to our friends’ house. They invited us for dinner, and these scrumptious pumpkin pie snickerdoodle bars (which still sound too good to be true) are what I brought for dessert.
So we had dinner. And then dessert time could not have come fast enough. I can tell you that those minutes were filled with lots of yummy noises.
I didn’t think so.
Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars
(Source: Dozen Flours, as seen on Beantown Baker)
A couple of notes: Because there were only four of us at dinner, I didn’t want to make an entire 9×13″ pan of these. Although I’m sort of regretting it now that I don’t have any extras to eat, it was ultimately the right decision because… I don’t have any extras to eat. :) Instead, I halved the recipe and made these in an 8×8″ pan. It worked out perfectly, so if you’re looking to make a smaller batch, that’s the trick. (To clarify, the recipe below is the original, and should be made in a 9×13″ pan. To make it 8×8″, you need to halve all of the ingredients.)
Secondly, I took Jen’s advice and pre-baked the snickerdoodle layer for a few minutes. And while they were amazing, I think I’d like them even more if the cookie layer had been a little softer, so I probably wouldn’t do that next time. As a result, I’ve left the recipe unadapted. But if you’d like a firmer cookie layer, that’s trick #2.
Ingredients:
For the Snickerdoodle Layer:
– 3 cups all-purpose flour
– 2 tsp. baking powder
– 1 tsp. salt
– 2 cups packed brown sugar
– 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
– 2 eggs, at room temperature
– 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Pie Layer:
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 cup white sugar
– 1 stick butter, at room temperature
– 1 tsp. baking powder
– 1 tsp. salt
– 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
– 2 eggs, at room temperature
– 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
For the topping:
– 2 tbsp. white sugar
– 2 tsp. cinnamon
For the drizzle:
– 1 oz white chocolate, chopped
– 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13″ pan and lay a piece of parchment paper across the pan, so that it extends the pan slightly. The parchment paper is an optional step, but it will make it easier to get the bars out later
2. To make snickerdoodle layer: Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan. (If you wet your hands and then spread the dough by hand, it is much easier than using a spatula.)
3. To make pumpkin pie layer: In a mixer bowl (you can use the same one you used to make the snickerdoodle batter, no need to wash it) with a paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. This layer will be less thick and more pourable. Pour over the snickerdoodle layer, smoothing out the top.
4. Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
5. Bake for 33-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely. They will deflate a bit and remain a bit pie-like on the top layer. The bars that are closer to the edges of the pan will be more firm.
6. After the bars are completely cool, place the chopped white chocolate into a bowl or zip-lock bag and melt on low power. When it’s completely melted, add the pumpkin pie spice and mix (or knead if using a zip lock bag). Use a spoon or cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and let it cool and harden.
7. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into bars. Store in a covered container.
Here’s a recipe that I’ve had starred for a really.long.time.
OK, nevermind. I just checked, and I’ve actually only had it starred since June. But it seems like it’s been longer.
No matter.
When I saw it, I thought, Hmmm… I love pasta, I like red peppers. This recipe? Intriguing. And certainly worth a try.
While doing the menu planning for this week, I was feeling adventurous. I dug through the starred items in my Google Reader, and decided that roasting red peppers would make a perfect Friday night activity.
When all is said and done, I’m not going to lie. This wasn’t one of my favorites. The frustrating part is that I can’t really put my finger on the reason. The thing is, I’ve never actually roasted red peppers before. I’ve had peppers every which way except for roasted. So is the roasting to blame? Not sure. Also, I’ve never toasted pine nuts. I’ve always eaten them “raw” in salads, or tossed into my basil pesto. I’ve never bothered to roast them before. Plus, we definitely over-toasted them a bit. So is the toasting to blame? Or the over-toasting, maybe? Not sure.
And to be fair, I had no problems eating it. It was tasty; it just wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be. My husband, on the other hand, really loved it, so you should give it a shot and decide for yourself. I can be picky, so certainly don’t take my word for it.
One final thing: We doubled the recipe, because we almost never make only a partial box of pasta. Plus, you know us… we love having leftovers. But the recipe below does not reflect the doubling, so if you want to do what we did, you’ll have to double the ingredients listed.
Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
(Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles, adapted from Pioneer Woman)
Ingredients:
– 2 red bell peppers
– 6 ounces dry pasta
– salt
– 2 tablespoons pine nuts
– 2 teaspoons olive oil
– 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 2 tablespoons heavy cream
– 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
– fresh Parmesan, shaved, grated or shredded
Directions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the top position and heat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut a 1/2-inch ring off the tops and bottoms of the peppers. Remove the seeds and stems, then cut the remaining cylinders of pepper in half lengthwise, into two wide strips. Lay the strips of pepper and the rings skin-side up on the foil-lined pan, pushing the strips down. Broil until thoroughly blackened, 6-8 minutes. Put the broiled peppers in a bowl; cover the bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and return to the cooking pot.
3. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet, preferably not nonstick, over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, 3-6 minutes. Remove the pine nuts from the pan and set aside.
4. Peel the skins off of the peppers. Add the peppers and pine nuts to a blender or food processor and purée.
5. Add the olive oil to the now-empty skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and just browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir in the red pepper/pine nut puree and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in the cream, and stir until the sauce is evenly heated. Check for seasoning, adding additional salt if necessary.
6. Add the sauce to the cooked pasta, and stir over medium-high heat until everything is heated and the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve, topping each portion with parsley and Parmesan.
Months ago, I mocked the hysteria surrounding the swine flu.
I still mock it.
But now, the virus has traveled from afar and made its way into my world. First, there were cases at work (though thankfully, no one in my department has fallen victim… yet). Then, my aerobics classes were cancelled for an entire week, and upon return, my instructor told us she had been taken down by the swine. Last week, we were told that our 2-year-old nephew possibly had it (it turned out that he didn’t). This morning, we learned that a friend of ours is down for the count.
So, even though I don’t understand the oh-my-god-we’re-all-gonna-die mentality that some people are choosing to adopt, I have to admit that even I, a non-germaphobe, have started to take more precautions than usual.
It’s not that I’m usually a dirty person, but I’m not one to carry hand sanitizer, or think twice about partnering up with a stranger in aerobics class, or avoid touching public door handles and knobs. But now? Now I am one of those people.
It’s not that I’m afraid of something serious happening. I just don’t want to be sick. It doesn’t sound fun. Not at all.
My aerobics instructor said H1N1 made her the sickest she’s ever been. She was laid up in bed for an entire week, and said she could do nothing but sleep and watch TV. She said, “I should have bed sores!”
So um, no thanks.
Our friend, Mike, says the way he feels now is the worst he has ever felt. EVER. Mike’s situation is exceptionally crappy because his wife is due to give birth in less than a week. He has essentially been confined to his basement (thankfully it is a “man room” so it’s not all that bad) so that he lowers the risk of infecting his very pregnant wife, which would be decidedly dangerous. What’s worse is that if she were to go into labor in the next couple of days, it’s very likely they won’t allow him into the hospital to watch his baby be born. This blows my mind. Needless to say, we are praying for the late arrival of their baby girl.
Again, I say… no thanks.
The media continues to make a huge deal about all of this, which is extremely irritating to me. Every day, the local news talks about swine flu, swine flu vaccine, swine flu deaths, swine flu statistics. Who’s high risk, who’s low risk, who should go so far to hijack an ambulance to get a vaccine, and who shouldn’t even bother fighting the mob. (OK, so I exaggerate. But still.)
As for me, I’ll stick to my hand washing. My hand sanitizing. My extra Vitamin C.
I see you, Swine. You don’t want to mess with me.
Let’s talk capital punishment.
John Allen Muhammad (perhaps better known as the “D.C. Sniper” or “Beltway Sniper”) is set to be executed in Virginia tonight. Although I was still in college and was living approximately 400 miles from Washington, D.C., I was gripped by the story of these random shootings, and remember following the coverage closely. I vividly recall seeing “breaking news” reports of shootings outside a Home Depot, a shopping center, a Ponderosa, a school, and gas stations. In those weeks, people were actually scared to get out of their cars to pump gas. Unbelievable.
By the time Muhammad and his accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were arrested, they had killed 10 people, and injured three others.
And tonight, Muhammad will pay the price for his crimes–like his victims, he too will die.
So here I sit, debating the issue of capital punishment in my mind. It’s an issue for which I don’t have strong feelings either way. Or I guess it’s more accurate to say that I identify with both sides.
I understand the need for justice. In this case, Muhammad took 10 lives, so isn’t it fair that his life also be taken from him? Perhaps.
I’d like to think that life in prison is a much harsher punishment, but I suppose it depends on the circumstances. I don’t know much about prison life for people convicted of murder, but I know that I’ve heard things about how prison “isn’t that bad,” and “some prisoners have it better than we do.” Yada yada yada. I honestly don’t know how much of that is true.
The other thing is that I’m not sure life in prison is the punishment I hope it would be for people who are incapable of feeling remorse. Let’s take Scott Peterson for example. I would love to think that sitting in his jail cell for the rest of his life–in a prison that overlooks the very bay into which he dumped his pregnant wife’s body–would be the ultimate torture. I would like to believe that he thinks of the beautiful wife and baby boy that he killed, and that having to live with that is punishment enough. But he still denies the crime. He doesn’t seem sad. He, too, will be put to death for his crimes.
In a situation where the murderer is a sociopath, or has other mental issues that prevent him/her from feeling remorse or regret, compassion or sympathy… is the death penalty a better answer then? Is taking away “freedom” a harsh enough punishment? What about those who are sentenced to life in prison, but then get paroled?
For those who believe in Heaven and Hell, the ultimate punishment comes after death. Can I argue with those who want that fate to come more quickly for the murderer? Not really.
Frankly, I sort of wish that these decisions were left up to the victims’ families. Not the convictions, obviously… but the choice between life in prison and death. The families are the ones who will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives because of what was taken from them. So doesn’t it make sense for them to decide the fate of the person who robbed them of a future with their loved ones? It won’t bring their loved ones back, but I think that if one of these options will help them to sleep better at night, they should get to choose.
I’m sure that many of these family members would feel much like I do–that death is the “easy” way out, and that letting the murderer rot in prison for the rest of his/her life is preferable. But given that for me, this is a (thankfully) hypothetical scenario, it’s hard to say how I would feel if I were actually in those shoes. Trying to imagine it, I can also see the other side. I could see how I would be so filled with rage that I would want that person to pay, to “suffer” in the same way that my loved one suffered. An eye for an eye.
I see both sides.
And I don’t know if there is a right or wrong answer.
Today we got out and enjoyed the weather a bit (70 degrees in November–LOVE.IT.), then went over to my brother’s place to hang out and have dinner. My dad leaves bright and early tomorrow morning, so we needed to have one last weekend hoorah.
We all relaxed, talked, and watched football (even though there wasn’t a Bills game–bye week), and Kara made us all a baked ziti meal.
It’s hard to believe that my dad’s visit is over already. How come the good weekends always go by so fast? I’m hoping he’ll be back up to visit in early spring, but if not, I’d imagine he’ll be back for Hunter’s first birthday. But gahhhh I don’t even want to think about that yet. It’s hard enough to come to terms with the fact that he’s almost six months old already!
About
I'm Heather. I'm 33 and have been married to Michael for seven years. Together, we have two beautiful little girls we love more than anything, and a miniature dachshund who drives us crazy. I'm a full-time working mom who has very little time for my own "stuff" these days, like home improvement, cooking/baking, cake decorating, and photography. Despite the team not making the playoffs since 1999, I'm STILL a Buffalo Bills fan, which I think speaks to my loyalty AND sense of humor. I can't wait to pick up the pace with travel again some day... you know, when we're done being ruled by tiny fists. Welcome to my blog.
