These were a big hit at the Firm.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 large cold eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

• 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Thanks to the Food Network for this one!

These were baked for Laurie and Lonna’s housewarming party. They recently moved out of the parents and into this gorgeous 3-bedroom apartment. I’m so happy for them!

(I halved this recipe!)

12 TBSP unsalted butter
1 c. smooth peanut butter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. whole-wheat flour *I used only AP
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips *I always add about a 1/4 more chips than recipes call for!
Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan.  Alternately, line the pan with parchment or foil and spray with cooking spray.  (Recipe can also be halved and baked in an 8×8.) 2.  Whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Set aside. 3.  Cream the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Beat in the sugars until combined. 4.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. 5.  Add in the flour mixture. Once mostly combined, add the chocolate chips and stir until combined. 6.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. (For an 8×8 pan, decrease time to 30-32 minutes.)  Cool completely before cutting.

Thanks to Kelsey for this recipe! You can find her spectacular blog at kelseysappleaday.blogspot.com

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup mashed avocado (1 medium avocado)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend thoroughly. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and avocado. Stir in the buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and blend well. Stir in the pecans. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This was the perfect Easter Sunday treat.

2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. sugar (or a little less)
2 eggs
1/3 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. chopped strawberries

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.
-Sift flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl.
-In bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time until combined.
-Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla until combined.
-Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
-Fold in berries.
-Fill cupcake pans 3/4 way.
-Bake for 20 minutes.
-Cool completely before you frost them!

*Thank you to Good Things Catered for this one!

OMG. These pretzels are amazing. I have always loved these at the mall, movies, or Disneyland. But these I can make at home and be completely satisfied. They are even better tasting because they are FRESH! And I love the whole process of making them. I’ve made them twice. Once simply because I HAD to try the recipe, and the second time I brought them to a beach party. They were gone in less than 5 minutes. Yay.

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.

Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Or I did 16 smaller sized ones too. Just adjust the baking time.

Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. This part is fun! Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.

Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

So Dang Good.

Here is a delicious Spring dessert. Strawberries are in season right now, so i made this easy pie for when Amanda and Damien and baby Darien came over a few weeks ago.
I knew Damien (my brother in law) would love this dessert because he likes lighter sweets and really loves fruit.

• 1 9-inch pie shell, Baked
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry gelatin
• 2 lbs apprx 4 cups fresh strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. In medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add water and lemon juice.2
2. Over high heat, bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat; cook and stir until slightly thickened and clear, 4-5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, add gelatin and stir until dissolved.

5. Cool to room temperature.

6. While mix cools, bake pie crust (if necessary) and clean and hull strawberries.

7. Stir in strawberries; turn into prepared pastry shell.

8. Chill 4 to 6 hours or until set.