‘Betty Crocker’ Articles at Sweetnicks, Page 2

Brownie Goody Bars

May 19, 2010 · Narrative

“No thank you.”

That was the first thing my Dad said when he saw this dessert sitting in front of him Saturday night. He took one look at it and wouldn’t touch it. He, who has been within 5 lbs of his thin college weight, since he graduated eons ago. “It looks too sweet. No thank you.”

Fine then. More for us. Can’t say the kids said “no thank you” when they saw it. They couldn’t have shoveled it in fast enough (I gave them small pieces, I swear), but then they also have my Mom’s sweet tooth and there might not be a “too sweet” treat for them.

Was it sweet? Sure. But not like a cavity-seeking-missile sweet. It’s fine in small doses, and the perfect thing for your resident chocoholic. Recent break-up? Singing the unemployment blues? Need to bring something to a potluck? This recipe just might be your new best friend. Until the next new recipe comes along anyway. With the sweet, slightly crispy topping, a little bit of saltiness from the peanuts, the next layer of frosting, and the bottom brownie layer, it’s got something to please every sense along the way.

Project 365
May 19, 2010, Photo #98

First, even though there is a nice big bottle of Vodka in the background of this picture, I promise that’s not what’s in Madeline’s cup. Just had to get that out of the way for those that take things at face value or too seriously. Last week, The Neighbor Wife taught Madeline the word “Cheers!” and of course, the fun clinking glasses gesture that goes along with it, and it’s something she’s delighted in doing ever since. Last night, I may or may not have inadvertently taught Madeline the word “crap.” As in, I feel like crap. Of course, she didn’t miss a beat and repeated it ad nauseum. Nick tried to cover my tracks and tell Madeline that it was a bad word that Mommy shouldn’t have said, but you know that only makes her say it more. Ooops.

P.S. Thanks for all the well wishes. Today I feel like crap, which is a modest step up from feeling like death yesterday. Penicillin is clearly a wonder drug.

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Grilled Taco Barbecue Chicken

May 18, 2010 · Narrative

I felt fine yesterday. Really I did. Save for a few sniffles, there was nothing else going on. And then this morning happened. My throat was crazy sore and my glands were swollen to the point that even I could tell they were swollen (because usually I’m like “really? they’re swollen? who knew?”). I felt terrible, as the body aches were starting to set in along with an old-fashioned headache for good measure. As soon as I dropped the kids off at school, I didn’t pass Go, I didn’t collect $200, I didn’t even bother calling my doctor. I headed straight for the CVS Minute Clinic. They open at 8:30 and I was number two in line at 8:32. That’s how bad I felt.

I don’t think the greeting card section of their store will ever be quite the same. It was the only way to keep Madeline occupied for the 30 minute wait it took for me to be seen. Diagnosis? Strep. As the morning progressed, I felt worse and worse. The nurse practitioner asked me how bad the pain was on a scale of 1-5. I always think that’s a silly question, because it’s totally subjective and depends on what you’re comparing the pain to. I mean, really, compared to childbirth, it doesn’t even register. But as far as sore throat pain, it was totally up there.

I think there should be some sort of unwritten rule about single moms getting sick. It’s not like we have a pitch hitter or understudy to come and fill in for us as we’re down for the count. As the headache worsened, and we added some chills and a general overall zap of energy, I honestly wondered how I would get through the day. No school for Madeline. Jamie was off (her Masters’ graduation was today), and a l-o-n-g day loomed ahead. Madeline doesn’t exactly sit still or quietly. And then was the matter of picking up Nick and the other carpool kids, homework, dinner, bath, bed. I couldn’t even stand to look at food. We need some sort of Single Mom Network, where if someone has some time and is feeling 100%, they can help out someone who is sick, get them through the dinner/bath/bed routine, and then they can cash in the favor when they need an extra hand. Because I really needed it today.

Especially for dinnertime. The Ex never was a fan of leftovers, unless they were completely reinvented so much that they don’t resemble the original meal. But honestly, thank goodness for leftovers because it was my saving grace tonight. I made this Grilled Taco-Barbecue Chicken last night when we got home from the gym, and there was just enough leftover to get the kids through dinner. Of course, no one cooperated and there was lots of bickering, stalling and general loudness from about 3:30 until bedtime, and I was seriously counting down the minutes. But at least the leftovers meant I managed to avoid a quick dash through a drive-thru.

This recipe comes from the same Betty Crocker magazine that yesterday’s Greek-Style Tuna Salad comes from. The kids did all but inhale it, and given how crazysimple it is to make, that was welcome news. One word of caution, the accompanying Barbecue Sauce is insanely spicy. Luckily I left it on the side, so I didn’t ruin the kids’ pieces of chicken. This is a perfect recipe to cook up a batch of and freeze. You know, for those days when you are down for the count and just need to get through dinner. Or just because.

It’s now exactly 8:45 pm and as soon I hit publish, I’m hitting the hay. This is the earliest I’ve gone to bed ~~in forever~~ since last Friday. But after everything that happened last week, it’s no wonder.

P.S. Excuse the lack of pictures on the chicken, but the ones I took last night were terrible. Just terrible. Nobody should be subjected to that.

Project 365
May 18, 2010, Photo #97

Why is it so hard for dogs to actually aim for the dog bed? Don’t you think it would be more comfortable? Clearly they know something we don’t. He is walking a bit better, but still has trouble getting up from the floor, and making it up the stairs. It is definitely 1000% better than when he was down for the count last week, but he still has a long way to go.

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Greek-Style Tuna Salad Sandwiches

May 17, 2010 · Narrative

There are some definite perks to working from home, and one of them is that I can whip up a quick, easy lunch without having to do much planning ahead. I spied this recipe in a Betty Crocker magazine that focused on 30 Minute Meals. It had the prep time at 10 minutes, and I seriously doubt it was even that. Save for chopping a stalk of celery and a few roasted red peppers, it didn’t involve more than mixing the few ingredients together and slicing the bread roll open. In fact, Jamie said it took her longer to slice the tops off a few strawberries for Madeline than it took me to make this.

Although feta is usually a strong flavor in whatever it is added to, it blends surprisingly well with the other ingredients here, keeping it from overpowering the finished tuna salad. The finished product was something that totally snuck up on me. I mean, really, it’s a glorified tuna salad, so I wasn’t expecting much, but it’s good. Really good. And with it being a mayo-free salad, it’s perfecting for touting along on a Spring or Summer picnic.

Project 365
May 17, 2010, Photo #95 and #96

Madeline is a little crazy when it comes to cherry tomatoes. She snacks on them like they’re candy, and although she can wipe out a pint like this in just a day or two on her own, her tomato love isn’t just limited to grape tomatoes. She loves the bigger ones too and eats them like someone would eat an apple. Can’t wait for farmer’s market season, especially since we’re getting our own farmer’s market in town this year – whoo hoo!

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Chocolate Chip Dream Bars

February 9, 2010 · Narrative

Sometimes chocolate makes everything better. Or at least that’s what we’re sometimes led to believe. And why not? It can certainly make us feel good for a moment and take our mind off whatever is weighing heavy. I promised a friend I’d keep her in chocolate on Monday, and had every intention of making a batch of cookies, using a new recipe I had found. A typo in the recipe led to that batch being thrown away, and me scrambling at the last minute. I had to follow through on my promise. Chocolate.

I grabbed a cookbook off my shelf and started thumbing through it, looking for a delicious recipe. With chocolate. And ingredients I had on hand. And something easy since I was a bit behind schedule. I spied the picture for Chocolate Chip Dream Bars and was hoping it would do the trick.

Now even if you don’t cool the bars in the pan for an hour before refrigerating, these are good. Even if you refrigerate them for way longer than the suggested hour, these are really good. Let’s just say that it’s a good thing some of the directions are a bit forgiving, because I was in a rush and didn’t have time to follow it to the letter. Once the dish came out of the oven, I quickly did the glaze, drizzled it on and popped the whole thing in the fridge for a few hours, hoping I wasn’t ruining it in the process.

A few minutes before I left the house, I took the bars out, cut them neatly and plated them up. I stole one and ate it on the ride over. You know, quality control and all that. OMG. Rich. Chocolatey. Slightly gooey and soft. My first thought was that it’s a good thing I was taking 90% of these out of the house, because faint sweet tooth or not, I don’t think I would be able to withstand the temptation. My second thought was that if a bite of these babies doesn’t momentarily transport you to your happy place, I don’t know what will. I snuck one off the plate and shared it with another friend in the car pool lane. The kids after school got some. My mom got a few. A neighbor too. There are exactly six left on the plate in the kitchen. I told the babysitter she better come and get her share. Before they’re gone. Go on and make them. Please. And find your happy place.

Project 365
February 9, 2010, Photo #39

My apologies in advance to anyone who has these curtains. I really don’t like them. They’re just not me. And they are on four windows in the kitchen. I bought them four years ago when we first put this house up for sale. I had something a little darker in the kitchen, and went with a more neutral curtain to stage the house a bit. They’ve been there ever since. They need to go. The kitchen is my next painting project and will soon be a pale ice blue, the same blue I did the living room ceiling in. All the cabinets are white. The countertop is beige, as is the floor. I feel like I’ve looked everywhere to find the perfect kitchen curtains and I’m still coming up empty. I want something light. Bright. Fun. Everything I see is either too dark, too floral, too frou-frou or too predictable. Open to suggestions – have you got one? Please say yes.

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Chocolate Chip Dream Bars

November 21, 2004 · Sweets

Chocolate Chip Dream Bars
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker’s Baking for Today

Bars

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Chocolate Glaze

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup brown sugar and the butter. Stir in 1 cup flour. Press in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Bake 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix eggs, 1 cup brown sugar and the vanilla. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, the baking powder and salt. Stir in semisweet and milk chocolate chips. Spread over crust.
Bake bars 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
In 1-quart saucepan, heat all Chocolate Glaze ingredients over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until firm. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store at room temperature.

Originally made and reviewed here.