Granola bar recipe # 3!

​    I first posted THIS gluten-free granola bar recipe back in December 2013, then just this past October I shared THIS recipe for my gluten-free, nut free, & refined sugar free granola bars. The reason I even made the second version was because I wanted a more clean ingredient bar to send with my kids to school, and it was good....for a time....

   I mentioned in the post for the second granola bar recipe that my eldest son hates raisins, or any dried fruit at all. That recipe calls for dried fruit puree, and if I didn't get every single little lump of dried fruit pulverized, my autistic son's eagle eyes picked it out! Geez! So then I have this big batch of granola bars, and the girls will eat them and take them to school, but Caleb would not! 

    Then one day I was prepping a butternut squash for dinner, and was cutting out the seeds to wash and roast. When they came out of the oven, Caleb descended on the salty, roasted seeds like an un-welcomed seagull and ate them all!!! I was like "whaaaaaa?" because I had no idea he liked roasted squash seeds! 

   Well, since he clearly liked roasted butternut squash seeds, I thought I would offer him a handful of raw pumpkin seeds to see what he thought. He ate them and his only comment was, "these will not be very salty?" (the kid loves salty snacks and was a little bummed at the lack of saltiness in the raw seeds-but he still ate them!). Then I offered him raw sunflower seeds and he ate those up too, without any comments whatsoever! 

   So, with this new knowledge I thought, "why the heck am I not adding more super-heathy seeds to my kids granola bars?!?" 

   Well, I set out again to make a new granola bar for my kids to take to school, one with more seeds, no pureed fruit, still no nuts (nut-free school), no refined sugar, but still super tasty obviously or else my kids wouldn't eat them!

More Granola Bars!
Nut-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free & dairy free
Adapted from Keeper Of The Home


Ingredients:

• ¾ Cup sunflower seed butter (I use the kind I show in the linked photo below)
• ½ Cup honey
• 2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil (obviously choosing coconut oil for dairy free)
• 4 Cups oats (make sure you get gluten-free oats if you need these to be g.f.)
• ½ Tsp Cinnamon
• Pinch o' salt
• ½ Cup chocolate chunks or chips (for a dairy free option, choose a product like Enjoy Life chocolate chips or chunks. For a dairy & refined sugar free option choose a product like Pascha 100% Cacao Organic Dark Chocolate Baking Chips-the link for these is below if you click on the picture of the chocolate chips)
• ¼ Cup raw sunflower seeds
• ¼ Cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ½ Cup optional add-ins such as raisins (if your kids don't despise them!), chopped dried fruit, mini M&M's, caramel chips, or something else delish and nut-free--All this is optional based on your diet and what you like! 

Method:

1. Prepare a 9x 13 baking dish by greasing lightly and lining with parchment with overhang "handles", set aside (I usually double the recipe and make the bars in a prepped large cookie sheet. The bars are thinner, but I think they are a good send-to-school size)
2. In a sauce pan on the stove, or in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, warm the seed butter, honey and butter (or oil) until all soft and can be blended together
3. While the wet ingredients are warming, whisk together the oats, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl
4. Add in the chocolate chunks/chips, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and any extra you wanted to add (if using)
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and blend together (your chocolate chips may melt a little. If that bothers you just add more as the mixture cools!)
6. It's very important that the mixture is not too dry. If it doesn't seem to be sticking together well enough, add more honey, one tablespoonful at a time until you have a nice sticky consistency
7. Now dump the mixture into your prepared dish and lightly grease your hands
8. Use your hands to press the mixture down into the baking dish (when I double this and make them on a cookie sheet I like to lightly grease my rolling pin and roll the bars out so that they are uniform in thickness)
9. Let the bars cool until set, about 30-60 minutes in the fridge
10. To cut, simply use your parchment "handles" to pull the bars out of the pan and place onto a cutting board. Cut the bars to your desired size! I cut mine to fit into a particular container my kids have for their granola bar they bring to school

                                       ***Store these bars in the fridge or freezer***

   Because of the sunflower seed butter, and the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, these bars need to stay refrigerated or frozen

      
    I am an affiliate marketer for Vitacost which is where I buy these products (which I use to make these bars!).
  
    What that means is that if you buy anything from Vitacost through my blog here, I make a small percentage at no extra cost to you at all! 
 
    I know there are some other great online food companies out there, but Vitacost doesn't take an annual fee (like some other discount food companies do), and if you're in Canada it's the BEST place to get a ton of healthy, organic & whole foods at super-duper prices, and for a low flat fee shipping rate. Trust me, I spent a lot of time trying to find a good health food & product store online that would ship to Canada!
 
    Vitacost rant over!!! I just really love them, otherwise I wouldn't go on and on about it! : )  

    So, these granola bars turn out soft and chewy, just sweet enough, and with nice flavour and crunch from the sunflower butter and seeds. Yumm-o. And they last for quite a while in an airtight container in the freezer, which is great!

    So, let's move on from granola bars, shall we....? I'm working on choreography for The Belleville Theatre Guild's "The Music Man" right now, and I'm listening to that music a lot because I like to be extremely familiar with the music in a show I'm in or working on. However, I have been distracted and listening to another musical sound track lately because I am obsessed with the musical "Matilda"!

   Remember the book by Roald Dahl? They made it into a movie in 1996, but in 2010 it opened as a musical in England, then opened on Broadway April 2013.....and it's amaaaaaaa-zing! I mean, you've got this cast of freakin' talented people, mostly children, and it makes me go, "golly"! (actually more like, "gaaaaau-lee!"-see the difference?)  : )     

   Because my random blog here is about whatever seems to pop into my head, I wanted to share a video clip from the 2013 Tony Awards where the Broadway cast of "Matilda The Musical" performed a medley from the show!

    Can I just say that these amazing kids perform this show 8 times a week, and then do performances like this, or on David Letterman and other late night shows, as well as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I mean, geepers x 1000! At the end of the clip you see 4 Matilda's and that's because there are 4 girls who share the role (2 shows per week, and being a stand-by 2 days a week). Why do I know so much about this show? I already told you, I'm obsessed!!! I have always loved performing, but I was pretty bad at it as a child! I still did it here and there, but I wasn't any good. Then there's these kids! Hokey dina!

   How many more strange expletives can I use here?!? Golly, geepers, hokey dina, golly gee, gee willikers, hot-dog, oh boy, heavens to Betsy, jumpin' jahosaphat K, I'm done.     

   The good news is that "Matilda The Musical" is having it's Canadian premiere in July, so I will get to see it! Two thumbs up!  

    I'm signing off now dear readers! Leave a comment if you'd like about these granola bars, granola bars in general, or your favourite musical! : )  FYI, "Matilda" isn't my favourite musical, "Into The Woods" is, and has been since I was probably 8 or 9 years old! I listened to the cassette tape of the original Broadway cast recording a LOT! Anywho...I digress....

​    G'bye! 

    So, I happened upon a photo of what looked like a delicious pie called a "chess pie". I looked at the recipe and thought it seemed interesting, so then I do what most people do and Googled "what is a chess pie"....or is it only homeschoolers who want to know everything about everything? N-E-Who.....

   The all knowing Wikipedia told me that chess pie originated in England (think of all the custard pies they make!), but is known as a Southern U.S. pie. The chess pie is a little different than a regular custard pie though in that it also includes cornmeal. Not sure why exactly, but that seems to be the ticket to make a chess pie a true chess pie! Vinegar seems to be a thing that isn't as standard, but it seemed interesting to have it in a pie, so I wanted mine to include it. 

    And the filling of a true (cornmeal) chess pie is naturally gluten-free, which seemed like a good starting point to making the whole thing gluten-free! I have a lovely gluten-free pie crust that I make, and making the pie filling was simply a matter of taking a few recipes and smooshing them together so that it suited me! And I had seen regular chess pies, and chocolate chess pies, so of course I wanted a chocolate pie, duh. : )  

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chess Pie

​Ingredients:

For the pie crust

• 1 cup shredded coconut
• ⅔ Cup quick oats
• ⅓ Cup butter, melted 
• 1 Egg white

For the pie filling:

• 1/4 Cup butter, room temperature
• 1 Cup white sugar
• 1/2 Cup chocolate chips, any sweetness you prefer
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Tbsp cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. In a medium sized bowl combine the coconut, oats, melted butter and egg white. Press into a pie plate, and bake for 10 minutes. It will come out looking a little puffy. Just gently (using a wooden spoon) press the crust back and down so that it's no longer puffy. Set aside to cool while you make your pie filling
3. Turn oven up to 375 degrees
4. Beat softened butter & sugar together, set aside
5. Melt chocolate chips slowly and stirring often in the microwave or in a small saucepan on low heat, then beat the melty, chocolate-y goodness into the butter & sugar mixture
6. Add eggs and beat well until nice and creamed
7. Add the cornmeal and vinegar and and mix well
8. Pour pie filling into readied pie crust and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature back to 325 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more, until pie is set
9. Top with whipped cream, ice cream, or enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea, or nothing at all! Just enjoy it!​

   My gluten-free Caleb ate 2 pieces of pie for dessert, then at bedtime asked for another piece (I said no), and when he saw it at breakfast he asked for it again (...I said no again...)! So, it's safe to say he liked this pie! I made it for guests one evening and they all liked it too (none of them are gluten-free eaters regularly). So, it is a well-received gluten-free pie! 

   The way this pie turns out is like a custard, but without so much jiggle. That doesn't make as much sense as I had hoped it would....but, I'm sticking with that description! You can see that it has a dense, moist, fudgy consistency, and the gluten-free crust has just a subtle taste to it that goes splendidly with the chocolate-y filling. You could also make this pie in a gluten-free pastry crust, or if you're not gluten-free you could make it in a regular pastry crust!  

   Oh, and the name "chess pie" is still a mystery! There are a few ideas as to where this pie found it's name, but no-one seems to know for sure, so I shan't be able to help you there! I feel like it bothers me more than it would others that I can't find a reason for the name though...? Yes? I know there's got to be people out there like me who want to know the "why" behind meaningless things like the origin of a pie name!!! 

    Ok, well, this weekend is the callbacks for The Music Man (The Belleville Theatre Guilds spring 2016 production), and I am looking forward to it! I'm not trying out for the show this year, I'm just the choreographer!  Haha, "just"!  It's hard work doing choreography! Anywho, I love callbacks because you get to see everyone together that you've narrowed down from multiple auditions and there's singing and dancing and script reading, and everyone is so nervous that it's just so exciting!  

    Have a great weekend whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you're doing (....I feel like I'm about to start singing a Backstreet Boys song.....yes? Anyone...?)

​   K, g'bye! 

​   

    I have been sorely lacking in anything Christmas oriented on the blog this season!!! Thumbs down!

   I have a pile of recipes I've been working on that are not geared towards the holidays at all, I've been busy with art shows & working on paintings, and have  just  been busy with regular life, so anything that could be even remotely helpful for this busy season just hasn't happened!

   So, I did have a different post ready for today, but yesterday as I was looking up my own recipes and baking my butt off, it occurred to me....why reinvent the wheel!

   Some of my favourite, go-to Christmas recipes I posted my first year blogging! 

   So, today I am going to share with you the recipes from Bushel & A Peck that I've been making the last few days! A lot of the recipes from here are gluten-free, but can be easily made gluten-full if you have no dietary restrictions.

    So, first up, a fantastically buttery whipped shortbread that only have 5 ingredients, and is very customizable! Add chocolate chips, caramel chips, butterscotch or white chocolate chips! How about an entire caramel, or whipping in some finely ground tea, like in my Earl Grey Whipped Shortbread!  Yummmyx100000! 

    Making and eating these plain is amazing too, so if you're looking for a strait-up easy, freezable, and crowd-pleasing cookie-this is the bees knees! 

    My buttery cut-out sugar cookies use basic ingredients, and turn out with a nice crisp outside, but with a soft, buttery inside.

    They can seem like a labour of love because you do need to chill these before cutting into shapes, and the cutting into shapes can seem overwhelming, but it's really simple work that makes a big impression! Iced cut-out sugar cookies are quintessentially Christmas, and I know I personally always look forward to them!

    This year I used a different icing for my cookies, and it worked wonderfully! My usual icing (pictured above) is tasty and simple, but I needed the icing to dry a little harder so that they could be easily stacked into airtight containers, and this icing did the trick! The recipe is from Sally's Baking Addiction, and you can find the recipe in the post with her cut-out cookies.

Easy Icing:

• 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup2
• 2 - 2.5 Tablespoons (30-38ml) room temperature water
• pinch salt

Method:

1. Whisk the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl, it will be quite thick. 

​
      Sally Says, "If it is much too thick, add 1/2 Tablespoon more water. If it is much too thin, add 2 more Tablespoons of confectioners' sugar. If you drizzle a little of the icing with the whisk, the ribbon of icing will hold for a few seconds before melting back into the icing. That is when you know it's the right consistency and is ready to use. If desired, add liquid or gel food coloring. You can pour some icing into different bowls if using multiple colors. If not decorating right away, cover the icing tightly and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days"   

   My fudge (The Easiest Fudge Ever!!!) is so simple, so quick to make, and freezes too, so, why not make a batch and stash it away in the freezer to have available to bring to a party, to serve to guests, or to add to a plate of Christmas treats you're giving away!.......or to snack on when you need a sugar fix! : )    

    Chocolate & peppermint are flavour favourites, yes? Ok, not to all people, but to those who like them together, these peppermint infused fudge-y brownies topped with crushed candy cane are a beautiful dessert to add to a plate or package of treats! Here's the recipe for Gluten-Free Candy Cane Brownies!  

    More gluten-free treats!?! Yes, sorry! Because my son can't eat wheat, I like to make sure I have a variety of sweets I can bring him so he can wonderful Christmas treats like everyone else!

    Also, can I say that brining a g.f. dessert to a function isn't a bad idea! There are so many people avoiding wheat & gluten, and why not make a few things that can be enjoyed by them! In my experience, it is always greatly appreciated! 

   So, here are my Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies, they have a nice crisp outside, but a soft inside, and sturdy enough to decorate (my son's favourite part!) 

    These simple, Peanut Butter Macaroons have been included in a few lists for Christmas cookies, including on the Roasted Roost (a list of 50 gluten-free Christmas cookies!!!), and on Only Taste Matters (with a list of 25 gluten-free Christmas Cookies!), and I shall add them here to my own list!

    I love that these require no baking (just a little stove-top time), use simple ingredients, & stay fresh in an airtight container for up to a week, so they can be made ahead of time (they can't be frozen though).

    Can we also for a minute just talk about that crazy stack of cookies pictured above!?! I'm not 100% sure how I managed to get them to stay like that, but I did! Haha! ​

    So, how's that for a list of Christmas treats! These are all tried and true recipes in my house, so I hope you'll find a few to make and add to your collection must-make holiday sweeties!

    I hope everyone has a good weekend!

​xo 

   I've come to the ripe old age of 32 today! I'm not feeling sad or anything, getting older can be exciting (just spend time with a a child from the age of 3-7 and you'll learn that getting older is extremely exciting!)  :)
   
   We're having a birthday party tonight too, which is something to look forward to! It's a semi-surprise party....I said something like this to my husband, "Adam, I want to throw myself a birthday party this year". Him, "why?". Me, "well, I'm always throwing parties for the kids, and I want to throw one for myself. Plus it's a good excuse to get all our friends together". Him, "Oh....ok". 
 
   Then, because I hadn't said much about it (I was planning it in my mind, and had invited a few people), he started to try to secretly plan it for me. So sweet. Anyway, having me only partly know what is going on is just making me feel a little antsy. I like to plan, I like to prepare, but I'm learning to let go....sort of. My husband came home from work yesterday to my three tiered cookie stand loaded with desserts. "Uh, did you make these today?", he asked.....

    Yes, the answer was yes. I had baked for a good part of the day for my party, just in case. I figure whatever is leftover can be sent home with guests as party favours! 

   Anywho, let's get to today's treat! It's soooooooo simple to make! It's sooooooo tasty. It's soooooooo some other third thing. 

   If you don't already know this, (one of ) my favourite things is s'mores. Real, campfire s'mores are my most fav, but any combo of marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers just floats my boat.

    So for my birthday, I'm sharing a s'more recipe that is among my favourites!   

   So, today in a spirit of deep gratitude, I want to share some things from this past year of my life that have made me realize a little more about myself, about what I am capable of, and about how blessed I am. I think it's good to re-cap and see how things have changed, to see what you've accomplished, and to feel fulfilled, but also to see where you want to push harder and grow more.

    First, I was in a show this past year with the Belleville Theatre Guild. I didn't intend to be in the show, I was just going to help with choreography, but (long story short) I ended up in the cast and am really proud of the work we did. Of course I am biased about it because I was in it, but we really worked so hard, and it was a beautiful show. Being in the show helped me semi-conquer a deep fear of failure. I (for as long as I can remember) have avoided doing many things because I was afraid I would be terrible at it. But I was suddenly in this show, singing in a role just outside of my vocal range (I am usually an alto), and felt so worried that I couldn't do it. Or if I managed I would crap out half-way through the run of the show. But I decided to "Rachel Berry" it. Rachel Berry is from the show "Glee" and as I watched this show and how confident Rachel was, I somehow built up a mental confidence and talked myself into being fully able to do this role I had been given. And I did it! I got the vocals, my voice didn't crap out during the run, I wasn't so nervous during performances that my voice was a wreck, and I did it! I honestly feel like that gave me a new confidence, a belief in myself that maybe some things are not out of my reach, and that I don't always need to be afraid of failing! I know I will still fail any many things in my life, but I feel more willing to try now that I've done this show. 

   Also, speaking of the show, it pushed me to accomplish a goal I have had for years, and years, and years!!! Doing the splits!!! I have honestly been trying for so long and have wanted to be able to do the splits since I was a kid, but couldn't quite get there. Then, I'm in this show and the director (who I was sharing choreography with because there was 10 dance numbers in this show!) says, "and then you'll do the splits". I was like, "what? Huh?....I can't really do the splits....", and she said, "well, then do the jazz splits" (a cheater split, really), and I thought, "this is it". This is a chance to really try to get my splits! And I was crazy determined to do it! I did stretches for my splits every day, for at least 15-20 minutes. I even bought a video from some physiotherapist (with a crazy annoying voice!) with new stretches to help me...and that's what did it. The stretches with the annoying voice guy pushed me (and my muscles) just that little bit further, and I got it! I got my splits!!! It took years, then literally 5 months of really focused stretching, but I got them! Woo hoo!  :)      

   This year I also (through my new confidence) managed to fly to Europe and back without having a panic attack or barfing, or crying, or any of my usual flying reactions! I honestly got on the plane, talking to myself "you can do this. You can fight nerves, you did it for the run of the show, you can fly in a plane"....and I did! I actually (gasp) kind of enjoyed it! And, while we're on Europe, I got to go to Europe! I've actually been before, but this was really different. I got to go as an adult & with my husband. We visited family (I love knowing more about heritage and history), visited some beautiful places, ate some amazing food, and really enjoyed the trip! I feel so blessed to have been able to go!       

 
   Lastly, I feel like this year has helped me grow as a visual artist. I feel like I've put more time in practicing my painting, and I am feeling more confident about it. It probably looks the same as ever, but I sense a change in what I can do, in how I do it. Painting (although I always enjoyed it) was also often a struggle. I felt like I couldn't put down what I was imagining. But this past few months I've been feeling more calm in it, if that makes sense. I think being in Europe helped somehow. I got to see close up some of my favourite artists work, I got to see how from close up, a lot of their paintings were just colours, but not a whole picture. You step back and suddenly there is an amazing impressionist painting. I can get stuck looking too closely at my paintings, and have learned to step back and see the whole picture.  

   
   That's it! (haha, that's it!) That was a short story for goodness sake! At least it was a short story with pictures! :)  If you read along, thank-you! If not, no worries! This blog is a place where I share recipes, DIY ideas, thoughts on raising kids and thoughts on autism. But, it's also a place where I share my heart. It doesn't matter so much to me if people read it, it matters to me that I just got it out. I want to be able to look back at this post and remember this year (I've got a pretty rotten memory!), and to remember on low days how blessed I am! 

   To anyone else who shares this birthday (Will Smith, Barbara Walters, Tyler Mills {this last guy isn't famous, he's a friend from my childhood}), happy birthday to you too!!! 


xoxoxo

   Good golly, this week flew by!
  
   Anyway, time flying aside, this recipe was inspired from our time in Paris this summer. We only spent a few days there between being in Belgium and The Netherlands, but the food there was inspiring! Shops filled with beautiful chocolates, macarons, meringues, cheese, breads, pastries.....oh goodness.... 

   Before leaving this past summer, I came across a recipe for S'mores Macarons on a blog called Liv For Cake. Somehow her down-to-earth-ness made the idea of making macrons a little easier! I was always pretty intimidated by macarons! They seemed so fussy and delicate and I'm like a big ogre sometimes when it comes to working in my kitchen (I broke a dish while drying it with a towel the other day!), and I felt like I just couldn't do macarons! 

   Well, having this tiny possibility in my mind of being able to make them was a great way to enter Paris, France. I got to see macarons being made in a few shops, and actually seeing the process added to the smidge of confidence I had gained from Olivia (at Liv For Cake). I now felt that, ogre or not, I was going to try my hand at macarons!

   So, a macaron is not a macaroon. A macaron is a meringue (egg-white) based treat. It's actually (in it's truest form) gluten-free because it's made with almond meal. Then colour and flavour is added and ganache, buttercream or jam is sandwiched between 2 cookies. 

   A macaroon is something else....I think. Ok, truth is, it's hard to find out the exact origins or reasons behind the 2 words and what they mean. Though, to keep it simple, 'round here, a macaroon is still an egg-white based dessert (just not meringue-d), it's just mixed with shredded coconut then baked. Cassey at Blogilates (get it? It's like Pilates and blog...? Anywho) has this little photo comparison for you to go "ohhhh, yes, I see now....."

    She's also got a healthy alternative to the snack, if ya wanna see it, look here. It's like a mash-up up a macaron and a macaroon, and it looks puuurdy tasty.  :) 
       
    Also, I have a (not healthy) no-bake macaroon here....it's chocolate and peanut butter too, actually.....

    So, when I got down to it; to actually making macarons, I turned to Google! I didn't need to re-invent the wheel, and I knew someone else would have thought of what I was thinking: peanut butter and chocolate! For realz though......I never saw a single peanut butter and chocolate macaron in France....I think this flavour combo used in such a lovely French dessert is possibly an insult to the dessert....but only in France! On this side of the pond we like to mix it up! 

   I found at Sally's Baking Addiction a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons, and got to work! 

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Macarons
Adapted recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction. Go to her recipe for the weight measurements for the cookies.


Ingredients:

Macaron Cookies

• 2 Tbsp Cocoa powder
• 2 Cups icing (confectioners') sugar 
• 1 Cup almond flour
• 3 Egg whites, room temperature (it's easier to split the white from the yolk when the egg is cold, then let it sit to come to room temperature) 
• 1/8 Tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp (granulated or caster) sugar 

Peanut Butter Filling

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup icing (confectioners') sugar
• 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 Tsp salt
• optional: 1-2 Tablespoons milk, as needed to thin

Directions:

Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 325 (see step #7 & 8-if you decide to let the unbaked macarons sit, you'll want to turn the oven on then) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
2. Sift or whisk the cocoa powder, icing sugar, and almond flour together. Set aside
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the egg whites, salt, and granulated sugar together on medium speed for up to 2 minutes. Switch to a higher speed and beat well--but not too well (if you over beat the egg-whites you'll end up with really hollow cookies). The whipped egg whites should stay put if you hold the bowl upside-down.
4. Add the dry mixture into the whipped egg whites and begin to fold them together. Be fairly gentle while doing this. You want a "lava" consistency once it's fully incorporated
5. Fit your piping bag with a circle tip and fill the piping bag with the batter. Pipe evenly sized rounds onto the baking sheets (if you want them perfect, just trace 2 inch circles onto the baking sheet, then flip the sheet over so that you can still see the circle, but the pen/pencil/whatever you used isn't actually touching the cookie) **A piping tip from Sally: "make sure you are holding the bag vertically and close to the baking sheet. While piping, the batter will slightly spread out, so keep that in mind"
6. Hold onto the baking sheet, and tap it on your counter to get rid of any large air bubbles. This will keep the cookies from cracking while baking!
7. This next step is a step I don't do. Some people swear by it, other say it doesn't matter, but you can do it or not and decide for yourself! This is what Sally says:
8. "Let the piped rounds sit for at least 45 minutes and up to 1 hour. This is crucial to making macarons! The air will will help the rounds set and form a dry shell. They should not be sticky going into the oven"  Turn your oven on at this point if you decide to let the unbaked macarons dry out before baking. 
9. Bake the macarons for 10 minutes, one baking sheet at a time. It's important (unless you have a convection oven) to rotate the pan at the 5 minute mark so that they bake evenly. The macarons are done when the tops look lightly crisped, and they have the classic macaron "feet" 
10. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before filling.

Filling:

1. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the peanut butter and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth. Turn the mixer to low and mix in the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt. Once all the sugar is added in, turn the speed back up, and beat until light and creamy. If the filling seems too thick, add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk while beating to thin out
   
2. Pipe or spoon the peanut butter mixture onto one cookie, take another cookie, and gently sandwich them together to make the macaron!

    
   Voilà!!!  That's French for "look at what I did!" (a very loose translation, to be sure)  :)  

   There are so many tips and tricks that people have for making the most amazing macaron! Me? My only real tip is to not be discouraged if they don't turn out perfect the first time you make them!!! 

   There can be many things that effect your results. Baking sheet type, oven temperature, humidity on the day you make them, almond flour being not fine enough, yadda yadda, yadda there is a list a mile long with why a macaron might work or not-but just do your best! Follow directions, look at a bunch of different recipes, see what other are saying, and go for it!

   You can see in my photos that mine are not perfect looking, but they tasted amazing (x1000), had a nice crisp outside, a soft chocolatey inside, and I wasn't trying to win any macaron contest, so who cares if they would be approved by the French themselves!?! Not me! :)   Just enjoy the process, and see what you can do! Oh, and if you have kids, they'll eat them (pretty much) no matter what!

   
   Let's take a break to talk about some of the photos my husband took of me while we were in France.....the "nicest" one above (bottom left) is so cheesy, and was preceded by the photo on the bottom right where Adam was saying something like, "can't you just make a normal face and smile?", and that's what he got. I am a child.Oh, and the top 2 photos need no explanation. 

   The photos above (which I feel I am probably not allowed to post?) are from the Museum d'Orsay. It was strange experience because you were allowed to take photos (that is not normal in a museum), but it also made people a little rude. Someone we talked to described it as a "blockbuster" museum because people were more concerned about being able to say they were there (so many people doing selfies in front of Van Gogh paintings!), and didn't really seem to want to stop and look, and appreciate the amazing art. Anyway, we still enjoyed it, and I got to see work from some of my favourite artists and influencers Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and Edgar Degas. 

   Then we left the museum and I got more macarons.  :) 

   I hope everyone has a good weekend! We've got no big plans...the hubby is working a weekend of night shifts which means we awake people need to stay outside, or stay inside quietly! I am planning on baking this weekend (big surprise here, yes?), and just having some quality time with my kids! 

Happy weekend time!
   

   

   Hey, so I guess I missed Monday and Tuesday this week??? Seriously, I thought today was Tuesday, I thought Tuesday was Wednesday, I think my brain is all scrambled up from summer! My (strange) kids are counting down the days for school to start. Seriously, who's kids are these? I wasn't ever happy to start school except for when I was home-schooled! I am a natural-born loner, and I'm happy to admit it! "14 days, 14 days" my girls were cheering this morning! I kept my mouth shut and let them be excited; who am I to project my fear/hatred of school onto my hilariously excited children? 
   Anyway, them reminding me of the impending school year got my mind working on things to pre-bake and put into the freezer to pack into lunches. These brownies are on the list. My kids are not paleo eaters, well, not completely. Caleb is gluten-free, and I'd say 70% of the girls food is gluten-free (by default because of Caleb being gluten-free and me being paleo), but I've been thinking about trying a little harder to clean up the kids' food a bit more this coming school year. Oh, I will still be feeding them McDonalds once in a while, and treats will always be in the house, but I want to try to get all our percentages closer together as far as what we eat. We'll see how it goes...it might be a complete failure, but I will at least try! So, these brownies are on the list (uh, I already said that...), and I've got some almond butter banana muffins to make, granola bars, and some sort of healthy/paleo cookies. Probably my double chocolate avocado cookies. 
   Moving on, here's the brownies! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or ghee), room temperature (not melty and runny though. If you're oil or ghee is like that, put it into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to get it a little more solid) 
  
• 3/4 Cup coconut sugar
• 1 Egg
  
• 1 Tsp vanilla
  
• 1/2 Tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 Tsp arrowroot or tapioca starch
• 1/2 Tsp salt
  
• 1 Cup cocoa powder (use the best you can find, it will give you a more rich chocolate experience! If you prefer less chocolatey, use any cocoa)
  
• 1/2 Cup walnuts (optional)
  

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment, leaving some overhang as "handles" if you want to pull them out. You can also just grease the pan slightly, and you can just cut them in the pan and lift them out that way. I prefer to lift the whole lot out of the pan and onto a cutting board though, but that's just me!  :) 
2. Cream together the oil and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. 
3. In a small bowl mix together the baking soda, the starch you chose, salt, and cocoa and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined (it can take a few minutes to work it all together). 
4. Stir in the nuts if you're using 'em.
5. Now just dump the whole mess into the prepared baking pan.
6. Bake in pre-heated oven for 11-13 minutes. Test the centre by pricking with a fork or toothpick and see if it comes out with just a few crumbs, that means they're ready. 
7. Remove from the oven and cool if you want....or just get a fork and start eating them warm out of the pan...whatever floats your boat! 

   The first time I made these it was an experiment (as expected!), but I was hilariously surprised by how they turned out! We were having friends over, and I had a small strawberry cake for the kids and the non-paleo adults, and I made this for myself, really (I was willing to share if it tasted good)! I cut them, and took a bite, and said out loud, "wow! These turned out really well!". My husband laughed and said, "I thought you weren't suppose to make dessert for guests that you hadn't tried before?". Yes, that is, or was, a rule at some point, but I rarely make dessert except for guests because I don't want to find myself eating all of what I've made by myself! I often make desserts for the first time for guests, sometimes it's a success, and sometimes it's a complete failure! 
   Anywho, that first time I made them I (super-duper) enjoyed it topped with coconut whipped cream and berries. Yummm-o. I've since made and enjoyed them plain, with almond butter sandwiched between two, and also with sliced banana on top. These brownies are dense, moist, and so very good! 
   
Happy Wednesday everyone!! 

   Hello, hello, hello! It's Friday! Ok, well, in the summertime, Friday means little, unfortunately. Especially when my husband is on a weekend of night shifts. :(   Still, for the sake of those who feel elation by their Fridays, then happy Friday to you! 
   Today I am going to share with you the recipe for the chocolate cake I used for Caleb's birthday, as well as show you how I made his cake.
   When making gluten-free recipes, usually using a regular recipe and adapting it doesn't always work out. In fact, it's often a complete flop! But here's the thing: If you have a great gluten free flour blend, then add a little extra "glue" (like xanthan gum, guar gum-if your blend doesn't already have it), you can tweak at it, and make it into something delicious! 
   That is the case with this cake. The original recipe is from the back of a Hershey's Cocoa Can. It's really an old recipe, but it seemed tried and true. 
   With a few personal tweaks like using sour milk instead of regular, and coffee instead of water, then of course, using gluten-free flour, this cake turned out moist, super tasty, and  
was really easy to make!

Ingredients:

• 1  1/2 Cups white sugar
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1  3/4 Cups gluten-free flour blend
• 1 Tsp xanthan or guar gum (omit of your blend has it)
• 3/4 Cup cocoa powder 
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 1 Tsp baking soda
• 1 Tsp sea salt
• 3 Eggs
• 1 cup sour milk (place 2 tbsp of lemon juice into your measuring cup, then fill with milk to 1 cup. Let sit until curdled, about 5 minutes)
• 1/2 cup oil (light tasting olive oil, avocado oil, or melted butter or coconut oil)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot (decaffeinated) coffee

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray, and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside (for this cake I used a 6 inch pan, and a 9 inch pan)
3. Combine the sugars, flour, xanthan or guar (if using), cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine
4. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sour milk, oil and vanilla, then add this to the dry ingredients, blending well
5. Now carefully whisk in the hot coffee (this will make the batter runny, that's ok!)
6. Evenly distribute the cake batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean
7. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 or more minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling completely. The best way to turn out a cake for cooling is to place the cooling rack on top of the cake pan, then gently flip the pan and cooling rack over so that the rack is now on the bottom, and the cake pan on top, upside down. Gently tap the cake pan to loosen the cake if it hasn't already come out 

   So, in looking for ways to make a checkered cake, the only suggestions on the www were to cover the cake in white, then cut out black squares and stick 'em on. Seriously. Who wants to do that, and who could make their squares perfect, and stick them on perfect? Not me, that's for sure! 
   I decided instead to make the checkers like I would a lattice top for a pie. It worked out really well, and was not too difficult. I started by putting skewers onto the cake pan, and setting the cake onto it. I used the skewers as a "just in case" for lifting the cake off later. I didn't really need them, as it turned out, but I wanted to explain why they were there in the photos. :) 
   I used a vegetable shortening fondant (instead of marshmallow fondant) this time because marshmallow fondant can dry out faster and I knew I'd be fussing with the fondant for a while and needed it to stay soft and workable. Also (if you follow the recipe in that link), make some of the fondant with 1/4 cocoa and 3/4 icing sugar as a base for making black fondant). As a general rule, keep your shortening handy and keep rubbing it onto your hands as you work to help keep the fondant from drying out. Start by applying a layer of buttercream to the top of the cake as "glue" for the fondant. 

1. In the first photo, you see the black fondant rolled out and cut to fit the top of the cake. I used the cake pan to measure the size I needed. I then cut it into (approximately) 1 1/2 inch strips. I did the same with white fondant 
   
2. I started with the white fondant, and placed it onto the cake. Then, taking alternate strips, I folded them over at the centre
3. Now, take a black strip of fondant and lay it over the white fondant, just tucked up close to the strips you folded back
4. Lay the folded white strips over the black strip you just placed down
5. Now, take the opposite white strips from what you just had flipped, and carefully pull them over the black strip you laid down
6. Take another black strip of fondant, and lay it down, tuck up close to the folded back white strip
7. Fold the white strips down over the black
8. Continue this every other white strip and laying down a black strip until you have the top finished. You can carefully trim around the edges a bit once you've got the top done

   This is not a difficult method, but you do need to be a little focused to make sure you're paying attention and actually pulling back every-other strip, and alternating strips properly.

   Making the side checker uses the same process of folding every other piece back (photo 2), laying down the black, then folding the pieces back up (photo 3), and repeating with the opposite pieces (photo 4 and 5).
   Once you've got that finished, apply some buttercream to the sides of the cake for "glue". Cut the long checkered piece you've made into sections of about 4 (moving the whole, long strip of checkered fondant was too fussy), and attach to the side of the cake, pressing each section into the buttercream to make sure it's well attached (photos 6 and 7).
   The final photo shows a little trim I added (by rolling out some black fondant)
   Wrap this top portion of the cake in plastic wrap as you work on the bottom of the cake, you don't want it drying out!

   The bottom of the cake was just covered in buttercream for "glue", and then green "grass" fondant, and a little black fondant "track". Then I added a little more buttercream to the spot where the top layer would be sitting.
   Now to put the 2 cakes together I left the plastic wrap on top of the top-layer cake, I then put my hand onto the top of the cake, and carefully flipped it over (onto my hand), and set it down onto the base. Oh, uh, remove the skewers (if you were using them) before you place the top of the cake onto the bottom.  
   After this I added some details like using the leftover checker I had from the sides and added them, and also adding a little yellow dotted line on the "road", and I also added some more trim with rolled out fondant. Then I added Caleb's favourite (and throughly cleaned) cars and candles to it. Oh, and don't forget to wipe off your serving plate/tray/whatever. See the photo above and all those greasy little smudges I made?  

   I'll share next week how I made the other car for Caleb's party! 

   Sometimes it's so difficult to come up with an "ending" for a post! How about "the end"? Perfect!

The End   :)  Oh, and have a great weekend! 

    
   

   Today is (nearly, almost) the day! 
   We fly out tomorrow, but today we drive out to Brantford where the kids will be staying while we're away on our trip. 
    I am really excited...and super nervous! My experiences on airplanes haven't been the best...nothing 'bad' has ever happened, but I just get all in knots thinking about it, and then taking off...I'm usually ok once we're really on our way, but the take-off and landings do me no good. Or thinking about how freakin' high in the air I am!!! 
   My first flight ever was with a "buddy pass" (my cousin worked with the airline, and he'd get deals). Basically though, all the first class passengers boarded, then the regular class, then the stand-by passengers.....then me! Luckily the seat available was First Class, so I was cozy, had lots of room, and was treated super-duper well (they must have seen on my 16 year old face that I was terrified!)! 
   That particular flight taking me to England had me making a few lay-overs (which meant more take-offs and landings!), and riding in some small (and wildly bumpy!) planes! I almost missed one flight in Georgia, but started chatting with a very pleasant old man, who randomly asked what flight I was waiting for, and I showed him my ticket, and he informed me I was at the wrong gate! And the airport in Georgia is big and sprawling! I literally had to sprint to my actual gate so I didn't miss my flight! 
   I flew to Cuba with Adam for our honeymoon, and that was alright. I was 7 months pregnant, and had to turn my air vent right on my face and breath very deeply to keep from feeling sick, but it went alright. 
   On a flight to South Africa (a 16 hour adventure!), I ate the meal they provided about an hour before landing...and it didn't have time to settle in my tummy before the shaky landing began....I barfed everywhere....I know, so classy. I could feel it coming though and warned the people sitting next to me...I'm not sure it did much to make them feel better, but I think it's better than just being surprised by someone vomiting on you? No? 

   I shouldn't intro food with being sick....I'm an idiot. 

   Ok, well, I am hoping this flight will be better because I feel like I have better mind control. Haha, that sounds whacky! What I mean is, over the last few months or so I've been learning how to keep myself from getting too nervous. I needed to learn to be in control for the musical I was in; I needed to know that what I could do in rehearsals I could do for a real performance without being so nervous I was pitchy or wobbly on my dance feet! I channeled some sort of inner Rachel Berry (from Glee!) and just took control over my mind. It might sound crazy, but learning to take control of your thoughts and emotions is powerful, and I am glad I know I am capable of it because I plan on exercising that 'muscle'!  

   Alright, let's move onto my last post until I get back! I was thinking I could post once or twice while I was away, but we're not bringing the laptop, and working on posts from  my phone sounds like torture! 

   So, once upon a time I posted about homemade chocolate pudding, but I'm here today to share the paleo version. This pudding was is yummy, I mean, for realz delicious! As far as paleo treats go (and remember, this is a treat, not an everyday pudding! Try this one if you want a slightly more healthy paleo pudding!), this is in my top 5, Two thumbs up!    

Paleo Chocolate Pudding


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pure maple or coconut sugar
  
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups nut milk (I use almond) or coconut milk (the lighter the milk, the less rich the pudding)
  
• 4 teaspoons tapioca or arrowroot starch/flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 large egg yolks
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. Whisk the sugar and the cocoa together in a medium sized pot (not on any heat), just to blend together.
2. Once well mixed, whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the milk, and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer while whisking, then remove from the heat.
   
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the tapioca or arrowroot starch & salt together. Whisk in the the egg yolks, and vanilla. Once this is well blended, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of milk into the mix. 
4. Now, slowly whisk the hot chocolatey milk into the egg mixture (don't rush this step, you want to make sure this all comes together creamy and non-lumpy). 
5. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more. I have both whisked and used a hand mixer for this step. My hand-mixer gets super hot doing this, but sometimes I'm just a-feelin' lazy! :)  
   
6. Pour the pudding into 6 small cups, or into a cooked pie shell, or a bowl if you need it for something else that isn't prepared yet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.

   I need to sign off! I am packed up and ready to go, but I need to get the last minute things together, load the van, and give the low-down to the person house/horse/dog sitting for us while we're away! 

   Good-bye for now everyone! 

xoxoxo 

   Friday, Friday Friday!!!
   It's Friday.
   Today my parentals are coming over for a night to visit, and we are very excited about that. Then tomorrow is Caleb's 11th birthday (well, his party is tomorrow-his real birthday isn't for another 9 days!). 
   So, I've been busy getting things ready, trying to find that balance between making everything perfect...and remembering that it's just a birthday party, and if something is a disaster, it's ok! Anyway....still talking myself through it!
   
   Last August I posted about different s'more recipes and ideas. Find that at "Please Sir...I want S'More...". I know, I'm so clever using that line from Oliver Twist. Whomp whomp. 

   This summer, I am giving you my collection of s'more inspired ideas, as well as some others I found on the World Wide Web that looked so good!     

   This gluten-free s'more cheesecake is sooooo good! I think I should make one again soon! Click here to find the recipe

   At Liv For Cake, Olivia has created these beautiful, and perfect little s'more macaroons. A real (french) macaroon isn't as hard to make as you might think, so hop on over to Olivia's site for the recipe!

   I have been making these for years, and they are always a hit. Well, except with my one friend who hates coconut, but no matter, most everyone else likes these! And they are so easy to make, for realz. Click here for the method to the madness! 

   Whaaaaa? A deeee-lish chocolate chip cookie stuffed with the perfection of a s'more?!? Yes, that did happen. Right here, in my kitchen! Here you go.  :)

   Elaine at the Hungry Brownie made this amazing dip with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and using the graham crackers to scoop the goodness up! I may have made this for quite a few of my treat days! Visit The Hungry Brownie here to find out how she makes this magic happen! 

   This pie....oh, this pie!!! It made the list last summer as a must-try s'more idea, and I stand by that! The chocolate and marshmallows being so darned tasty is one thing, but then you get chunks of chopped up chocolate bar in there too, and BAM, you're swooning. And the crust and top are no mere plain-jane graham cracker with butter contraption, no! It's a delight that does involve graham crumbs, but is like a soft, homemade version. It's so good. It's soooo good. If I didn't eat Paleo (no wheat, sugar, dairy, or grains) 5-6 out of 7 days a week....I would be eating this all the time! Make it for a pot-luck, or when you're having guests over! I warn you! Don't make it unless you can share it, because if there isn't anyone to share with...you will eat it all....you've been warned! Head over here to find that recipe, btw.  :) 

   A good ol' s'more made over a fire is still one of my favourite things ever though; I've got it down to a real art. One of my sisters is a (sweet) evil genius too, and when we get a campfire lit, there's a-gonna be some fine s'more making going on! We recently used the new Oreo s'more cookie as the cookie in a campfire s'more. It werz goo-ood!

   And that's that. If you're looking for more s'more ideas (what the heck for?!?), Amy from amyshealthybaking.com has this Pinterest board and it is chock-full of them! I also like that her name is Amy, she has a healthy blog, but also an entire Pinterest board dedicated to s'mores! We are kindred spirits! 

   Have a great weekend everyone! 

xoxo

   

   I'm all alone!!! :(   Adam and the kids went to Bancroft yesterday to visit some friends at a cottage, but I stayed home to get some prep work done for Caleb's birthday party coming up, as well as getting things ready to have some friends over for dinner tonight. I also needed to get ready to "teach painting" at an art camp being offered by our church in Belleville. I say "teach painting" because most people know how to paint, but most people want and need some direction.

    I am (obviously!) teaching about impressionism, and am excited to bring some of the things I've learned over the years to the kids at the camp. If I could tell my 13 year old self what I know now, I feel like my paintings would have come without so much grief (though, I suppose, they may not have become what they are now without the grief?). I worked on 2 paintings (an apple and a pear) for years....seriously, for years! I didn't know how to get them 'just right' (whatever that is!). Then an artist couple had come over for dinner, and the husband said something so simple, but so profound. It was (basically) "to paint how you want something to look, not what you think others expect it to look like". I was like, "whaaaaaaa?" It was eye-opening!

    I was trying to do something with the apple and pear painting that was not me. I was literally fighting myself. So, I went back to these paintings (which were hiding in my basement, by the way, when my friends saw them and commented), and finished them within a few days. And I love them! All that to say, I am looking forward to working with the kids, and giving them the freedom to understand that art (especially impressionism) is what you make it. It's an expression, not a science. 

   Well, now that I've brattled on about painting, let's talk about food! 

   This little treat is a no-bake delight, perfect for these beautifully hot summer days! They have just a few ingredients, and can be made with any nut butter you want, and if you're not a paleo follower, you could change up the chocolate top (by simply melting some chocolate chips with a bit of milk). You could also use brown sugar in the base if you wanted to. I've never tried that though...so, it's an experiment you can do if you wanT! :)  My favourite part of these was how small I cut them! It makes them just the right size for a treat, just a wee bite.

Almond Butter Chocolate Treats
Adapted from The Big man's World

For the base:

• 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
• 1/2 Cup Almond Flour
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Almond Butter (or any natural nut butter you love!)
• Pinch o' Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4-1/2 Cup almond milk (or any milk or milk alternative)-The amount is variable because coconut milk absorbs A LOT of liquid!

For the chocolate top:

• 1 Ounce dark, unsweetened chocolate, chopped up small
• 1 Tbsp almond milk (or the milk of your choice!)
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Method:

Base:

1. Prepare a dish for your bites. I use a regular sized loaf pan. If your pan is too big, the bars/squares/bites will be really, really thin! So, choose wisely! :) Anyway, whatever you choose, use parchment paper to line the dish, and also to give yourself "handles" to lift the bars out of the pan when they are ready to be cut
2. In a bowl, sift in the coconut flour and almond flour (this is optional, but I like to get them "soft and fluffy"). Now whisk those sifted flours together with the coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon
3. Add the almond butter to the dry ingredients, and mix together. You'll need to get your hands in there to really incorporate it properly. It'll be crumbly once it's all worked in
4. Now add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and work into your crumbly mix. You want the finished product to be like a dense dough
5. Once you've got a nice 'dough', press it into your prepared dish and set aside.

Top:

1. In a small saucepan, place the ingredients for the chocolate top
2. Slowly (slowly!!!) warm them up, and once the dark chocolate is nearly completely melted, remove from the heat, and continue to stir to let the mixture fully melt and combine
3. Pour the chocolate over the almond butter base & spread it out
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 or more hours
5. Once set, cut into nice, bite sized pieces, and put into an airtight container in the fridge where you can snack on them at your leisure! :)   

   Pretty simple stuff here, people  :)  

   I actually found the longer these stayed in the fridge, the more I liked them. I kept them for about 3 weeks, and the last few were the best. Just sayin'.
 
   Well, I've had my coffee, Adam and the kids just got home safe and sound, and now it's time for me to head into the big city! 

   Have a great day one and all!