One thing that is less than awesome about food blogging is that everyone assumes you are a food snob. Now I know where they get this, there are a lot of food snobby-ish food bloggers out there. I read some of their blogs, heck I am friends with some of them. And it’s all well and good. But sometimes my budget has me shopping at Walmart instead of Whole Foods. And some people live nowhere near a farmers market. We can’t all afford organic, fair trade chocolate. And making my own cream soup for a casserole my husband wants is just ridiculous, especially since he wouldn’t notice the difference.

But because people think this they often wont give me food. I was out with a friend and her child awhile back and she pulled out a Little Debbie Nutty Bar and gave her kid half. She immediately apologized to me and said how she didn’t have time to bake like I did, and how horrible I must think she is. You know what I was thinking? Gosh I hope that kid only eats one half of that bar so I can have the other half. That’s what I was thinking.

So here are the embarrassing things I eat that some scoff at. Stove Top Stuffing (chicken flavored). Strawberry Frosted Pop Tarts (I lived off of these my first year of teaching). Little Debbie Star Crunch. Hot Pockets (multiple flavors). And truth be told on any given day, though I do love higher end chocolate (especially stuff with sea salt), I’ll take a waxy chocolaty malted milk ball that is called a Whopper over that fancy stuff, no contest.

In fact, I love Whoppers so much that I actually want them to be their own food group. Grains, Dairy, Meat, Fruits and Veggies, Bacon (yes, I feel it needs it’s own separate group, it’s just that special), and Whoppers.

So when I came across what were originally called Brewer’s Blondies and saw that they had Whoppers, I thought, Oh my yes! I ended up making several batches of these. I gave out small samples to many a person, all of whom came back and asked if I could make them more. So I did. Because sometimes I am nice (shhh, don’t let that get out).

These are a great alternative to the every day brownie or blondie (not that there is anything wrong with those items).

Malted Milk Goodness Blondies

Makes 24 depending on how you cut…I got 4.

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP malted milk powder
14 TBSP unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ¾ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups malted milk balls (like Whoppers or Maltesers), coarsely chopped in a food processor (I kept half of mine whole)
¾ cup (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder together.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until completely combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture in two batches until just combined. Add the malted milk balls and chocolate chips; beat until just combined, about 10 seconds. The mixture will be thick. Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly.

Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondie comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Once thoroughly cooled, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008).

I don’t know.

Those are the three most hated words in my father’s vocabulary. When growing up, if you got in trouble those were the last words my father wanted to hear.
“Why did you do it?”
“I don’t know.”

Now I caught on at an early age that it was actually better just to make some crap up than it was to answer with I don’t know (which truly, I didn’t know). My oldest brother however did not.

We had a large backyard when we lived in Flagstaff. One that did not have a fence. But on one side of the yard was a rock wall. One day after my brother did something stupid and then gave the answer of I don’t know, my father had him move the rock wall from one end of our vast yard to the other. It took him all day. I mean ALL day. And at the end of the day my dad told him “nice job, tomorrow, move it back to where it was”. My brother was quite puzzled at this. When he asked why…you guessed it, my father’s reply was “I don’t know”.

The only problem is sometimes you really just don’t know. Really. There are so many times in my life when I just don’t know. Especially when it comes to eating out.

I get quite a few emails about how I come up with my ideas. Some I get inspired by eating somewhere. Some by reading a recipe. And the main answer is….I don’t know. It’s just how my brain works. I don’t know is also not an answer my readers like to hear. But sadly, that’s the truth.

Take these shortbread for example. We were talking about why Double Stuff is better than regular Oreo’s because the filling is the best. The next thing you know I am writing down on a scrap piece of paper to make chocolate shortbread with the centers of Double Stuff in it. My friend asked me how I got that out of our conversation….

I don’t know.

Double Stuff Oreo-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

1 ½ sticks butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup white rice flour
3 TBSP dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups Oreo Double Stuff centers (this is about 30 cookies)

Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract and mix for 30 seconds.

Next add the flours and cocoa powder and mix until the dough is smooth, about 1 minute.

With the mixer on low, add in the chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Then add the Double Stuff centers. You don’t want to crush them too much so make sure to you don’t over mix. You want to see the pieces in there.

Gently press the dough evenly into the pan. Place the pan into the top half of the oven and bake until the shortbread is set, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes.

Using a sharp paring knife score the top of the still warm but cooling short bread. Cut in any size you prefer. Run a butter knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a cutting board. Let cool an additional 10 minutes.

Whenever I want to feel really bad about the future of our country, I like to watch the MTV reality shows. 16 and Pregnant scares the crap out of me. I thought that one was bad until I watched the ultimate, Teen Cribs this past week. This show perpetuates one of the biggest problems in children today… Entitlement.

A large portion of children today feel that they are owed something by life, just for existing. And not just something, someTHINGS. And all things name brand. Growing up we got whatever we got (and we liked it…or else). I got Vans but only because back then Vans were dirt cheap in California and Arizona. My clothing came from Kmart half the time…because I was out growing it. I had no cell phone. No Coach purse. And truthfully, until junior high hit, it really didn’t make a difference. And even then, it only mattered what jeans you wore. Nobody really seemed to give a crap about the rest of what you wore.

I watched this show in horror as they showed their houses. The tennis courts, basketball courts, home theaters bigger than my house, the petting zoos, the cars for kids who can’t even drive yet, the race tracks, the Taco Bell on property, the baseball field complete with concession stand, the water slide through the house, etc…

I get that people have nice things and people can spend their money however they want. What drove me crazy is that the parents when interviewed just kept saying that they were happy because they could provide their children with these things that made them truly happy. What??? You know what made me truly happy as a kid. A large cardboard box. You know the kind your parents got when they bought a new refrigerator or washing machine. Those things rocked. And I spent hours in them. Or how about making a fort out of the living room furniture and sheets/blankets? Sleeping in those forts was the best. The only thing bad was that we didn’t get to keep them up for long. Which in a way made them special. You could tell that the kids just moved on to the next thing. The kids seemed so disinterested in most of the things they had. Which is just sad.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in things that we go overboard. In baking as well. Which is why I offer up these simple chocolate chip cookies. Well, not plain chocolate chip. I did use the Milk Chocolate and Caramel Chips (which they don’t make anymore so use chocolate chips and butterscotch chips to recreate that flavor combo) that I found at the store one day. You can use whatever chocolate chip you want to. The other interesting thing is that they are rolled in plastic wrap and kept in the fridge for 24 hours. That was what made me want to make them. The same cookie, just in a different way. I like.

Plain. Simple. Often over looked, but always appreciated.

Be Thankful For What You Have Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
¾  cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
8 ounces milk chocolate chips
6 ounces butterscotch chips

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl by hand), beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed just until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then stir in the flour mixture followed by the walnuts and chocolate and butterscotch chips.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log about 9 inches long. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, preferably for 24 hours (do this part for real please).

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Slice the logs into disks ¾  inch thick and place the disks 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If the nuts or chips crumble out, simply push them back in.

Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are very lightly browned in the centers, about 10 minutes. If you like soft chocolate chip cookies, as I do, err on the side of underbaking.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.

Adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz

A friend of mine, who’s outlook on life is something that I greatly appreciate, posted a link to a website called 1000 Awesome Things. It’s a great blog that helps you focus on the little things in life you might be forgetting to think about (and, he just came out with a book form as well…no, I don’t know him but I am just throwing out a plug for a fellow blogger). I spent hours going through the blog. Some of the post are thought provoking. Some are just silly. Some just make you smile.

I especially loved the posted called Fat Baseball players. It was highlighting the fact that fat baseball players are awesome because they give men hope (well, women too I guess) that they can one day play professional sports (we will just overlook their natural talent to play the sport that you most likely do not posses).
Personally my hopes were pinned to curling. But now they have all gone and started getting in super shape and what not. Boo. Boo on them I say. Stay fat. Keep my Winter Olympic dream alive curling community.

Then there is Finally getting a piece of popcorn that’s been stuck in your teeth all day out post. Which isn’t that the truth. Isn’t there just such a sense of relief when it breaks free. Not only for the fact that it is no longer wedged up there like a pair of underwear gone wrong, but you no longer have to be caught looking like a complete moron. I don’t know about you, but I always get caught with my finger trying to pick it out of there, making me look like a bass fish with a giant finger hook in my mouth. Or better yet is when you discreetly try and remove it with your tongue. This never works, I don’t know why I bother. And what’s worse is usually there is some creepy guy thinking I am trying to come on to him while I’m just trying to remove popcorn. So yes, finally getting that piece out is awesome.

There are tons I could list, but I wont, because clearly you have better things to do with your life. I don’t, but you probably do. It did get me thinking, what would be on my Awesome list? And well…bread pudding. That’s right. I think that my bread pudding should be put on the Awesome list. I have many a testimonial from CCbP readers that tell me it’s awesome, so surely that counts!!!!

Today’s awesome bread pudding combines my love of pineapple upside down cake and the obvious, already stated, bread pudding. What is extra awesome about this is that it’s self saucing. That gives it this really yummy sticky bun-ness (yes, not a word…is now) where it’s all caramelized around the edges and soft and inviting in the middle.
I originally was going to make this in custard cups (10 oz ones) but decided that using mini spring forms would make it some much easier to remove. And well, they do. These don’t get baked in a water bath. I was nervous about making that decision because I am a water bath kind of baking girl, but it worked out just great. Dare I saw awesome.

P.S. A little something less awesome, your taxes are due today…hopefully you did them.

Wicked Awesome Pineapple Upside Down Bread Pudding

4 pineapple rings
4 maraschino cherries (you can skip…I wanted the color for the photos)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream (at least 40%)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
pinch of salt
10 small croissants (on the stale side)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter 4 mini spring form pans or large custard cups (about 10 oz). Place a pineapple ring in the middle of each pan. Place a cherry in the middle of the pineapple ring. Set aside.

Take the 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup unsalted butter and melt in a saucepan on medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Divide evenly among the 4 pans, pouring the mixture over the pineapple rings.

Tear croissants into pieces. Distribute evenly among the 4 pans. You will have leftovers at first, but once you add the custard we will be squishing down and you will be adding more bread most likely.

Mix the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Then stir in the heavy cream and coconut milk.

Pour the custard over the bread. Press down the bread pieces until the bread is soaked with the custard. You will most likely have extra custard depending on how stale your croissants are. Don’t feel like you have to use all the custard.

Bake in the center rack about 30-35 minutes. Let cool for 2-3 minutes.

Turn bread pudding onto a plate. Release sides and remove the pan. Serve immediately. Maybe with whipped cream. But really it’s good all on it’s own.