Friday Confessions 10.5.12

It's Friday! So it's time to confess! I missed confessions last week...so here goes.
I confess ......
That I've run two races since my last confession. First was Ache Around the Lake 8K. It was a good day. My sister, her son and my dad also participated. It was super-duper to have them, and my mom there cheering me on and supporting me.
Next up was Moonshiner 5k Night Trail Race. It was my first night trail race - everyone had to wear a headlamp. It was a blast. I hope I get to do this race again next year. I loved running at night on the trail - and it reminded me that I really do like trail running, and I need to get on one more often.

I confess....
That I'm one month into my 90 day challenge. You can read about my first 30 days if you are interested. I'm very, very pleased with my program. I am increasing my weight lifting abilities, and stamina. My running is improving and my body is slowly melting. There's not much better than fitting into clothes in your closet again (except maybe a good pizza...).
I confess.... 
that I ran across this video....and it made me laugh out loud!!

I confess....

What ours looked like - not bad!

That during my baking group this week we made these yummy thingies. I really don't even know what to call them. They were easy, sweet & salty and I found them on my beloved Pinterest.
Check out how easy there were here!

This is what they are supposed to look like...

What are YOU confessing this week? Have you run any races?  Made any sweet, addicting treats? Thanks for stopping by! Mamarazzi is on a brief bloggy break, so the Friday Confessional party will be hanging out with Aubrey at High Heeled Love through the end of October.

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Sweet & Salty

Today was baking day at work. I found these little gems on Pinterest (where else??) and tracked them down to Megster Meter. Her pictures are really great - so check them out.

This "recipe" only has 3 ingredients - mini pretzels, Hershey kisses & M&M's.

Place the pretzels on your baking pan in a single layer. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Top each pretzel with a Hershey kiss.

Place pan in oven for 3 minutes. 
Kisses come out soft and melty.

Immediately press an M&M onto tip of kiss.

Then place in fridge to firm up. All done!

Of course we skipped the fridge part. We placed them immediately into our mouths. And there was melted chocolate pretty much everywhere - on hands, smeared on mouths, shirts, table. Oh well, they really enjoyed them!

I found these Candy Corn White Chocolate M&M's. They are nice fall colors - white, yellow and orange. My residents unwrapped the kisses, and placed them on the pretzels in the pan. I placed all the M&M's on top of the kisses. One resident told me I was using too many white ones, "Use more color on those!" 

And one resident asked me if I didn't trust them to put the M&M's on top. Um, busted. I did want them to look pretty and not have melted chocolate everywhere. After we taste-tested it was too late for that.

We made a gazillion in just a 1/2 hour. And we're thinking of doing them again in Red & Green for December.

I'm really glad I got my 4-mile run in this morning so I could munch a few of these!

Enjoy!

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Oreo Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes - Oh, My!

I found this insanely evil-rich piece of beauty on pinterest. I first made them at work with my baking group this past spring. My residents (and all the staff) LOVED them - so we have made them several times since.

The group of bakers I have right now all want to participate, and do something during our group. So we usually end up baking dozens and dozens of whatever we have on the plate for the day. And to keep them out of my office, and my mouth, we give them all away to anyone who will take one, or two, or more. I've had residents before who were very content to watch me do all the work, and then eat everything "we" made after.

But this "recipe", if you will, is just about one of the best things you will ever, ever eat. Well, if you like oreos, peanut butter and brownies. And one of the easiest desserts/snacks you will make. They are so good you will lie for them, as in - if someone asks you if there are anymore, you will lie and say they are all gone - knowing you still have 1/2 dozen squirreled away behind your cereal boxes. You will even consider hurting someone over the last one. They. are. that. good. 

I've been asked to parties with the promise that I'll bring these with me if I'll come...

How easy are they, you ask? Well, short of burning them to a crisp, it is really hard to mess them up.

First, your ingredients - 

(1) Get a box or two of Oreos - I've used the regular kind, chocolate filled and the vanilla creme. I like the Chocolate filled ones a lot, but they are all good. If you are keen on mint, you could use those. And I guess you could use the reduced fat, but really what's the point? You are already creating a morsel with a gazillion calories...

(2) a jar of peanut butter - whatever kind you like. And, you could go with reduced fat, but come on, really??

(3) brownie mix - your favorite, but I recommend one without chips, nuts or other lumpy add ins

Family size will make 24 brownies

(4) brownie mix extra ingredients - whatever it says you need on the box

(5) Muffin/cupcake liners

Oreos & Peter Pan

Grab an oreo and slather with peanut butter, top with another oreo and more peanut butter. Oreo, peanut butter, oreo, peanut butter. Place in muffin cup, then in muffin pan.

Looks good just like this, doesn't it??

Now, mix up your batter, just like it says on the box. The only thing I add is extra water. If it calls for 1/4, I use 1/2 cup. You want the batter to be smooth, on the thin side, not really thin, but not so thick it won't pour over your oreos.


Don't worry if you don't get every edge of oreo or peanut butter covered over. The batter will bake up and around the cookies. They will look simply beautiful when they are finished.


Bake them at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. The oreos will be soft right out of the oven, but after cooling they harden back up.

You can dig in while they are warm - ooey and gooey, but I think they are better after they have cooled off. Either way, make sure you have some cold milk to go with.

Luscious Layers of oreo & peanut butter

Where ever you show up with these - you will be an instant RockStar!

Here is the official recipe - from Food Snots. Her pictures are way better than mine! Take a look.

Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes

1 box brownie mix, 8x8 inch size
24 Oreo Cookies
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 muffin cup baker with paper liners.

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. For each cupcake cup spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter over 2 Oreo cookies and stack them on top of each other. Place oreo stacks into the cupcake lined muffin cups. Spoon 2 tablespoons of brownie batter over each stacked oreos and let it run down the sides of the cookies. If you have left over brownie batter, bake separately in a separate baker or muffin tin. Bake cookies and brownies for 18 to 20 minutes, until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely then serve.

Makes 12 servings

The Beautiful Bottom

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Crock Pot Bread?

I've baked several different kinds of bread in the past few years. I came across this "Almost No-Knead Bread" a couple of years ago. It makes a lovely round loaf - I use my cast iron dutch oven, with the lid. And with the water, you also use a little brew, it adds a mellow flavor to the bread.


I found this recipe on Pete Bakes!, but I don't think Pete is baking anymore. There haven't been any updates for over a year. There are some very nice recipes on his site, still, so go ahead and check it out.


Well, on Pinterest last week I came across a Crock Pot Bread blog. I just had to try it out. The blog didn't give a bread recipe, just stated to use one pound of fresh or purchased dough. I decided to use my no-knead recipe. 


And if you don't know what Pinterest is - it is an organizational tool for all the stuff you love online. Within the Pinterest website you create "pin boards" . For example, I have a board for ideas I want to try at work (WBC Ideas), things for working out (Workin' It), recipes (All about Food), etc. You have to receive an invitation to join pinterest, so if you are hankerin' to get on there - let me know and I'll send you an invite.

It is a shaggy thing right after mixing.

In the crock pot

The instructions for using the crock pot were simple. When you get to the second rise, (which is quite short compared to the 8-18 hour first rise), you place the dough in the pot, turn it on high and wait an hour. The premise is that it will rise while the pot is heating, and then bake itself - all in within an hour.

Bubbly

While waiting for my dough to proof (the first rise), I found another blog on pinterest all about no-knead bread and different add-ins for it. This blogger uses an enamel covered cast iron dutch oven for her bread baking. After reading through her bread recipe, I almost ditched the crock pot idea experiment. I was crazy for homemade bread at that point, and knew I already had a no-fail method. But I still wanted to give the crock pot a go. So, at the right time I scooped up the bubbling dough and lightly kneaded it into a nice round shape. Then plopped it onto a piece of parchment paper, and into the crock pot. I used my fastest cooking pot, turned it on high and set the time for one hour.


An hour later, it had risen, and seemed to be baking, but was no where near being done. So I added 15 minutes, then another 15 minutes....all told it was in the crock pot for at least 2 hours, then I had to put it in the oven under the broiler to get it brown. I didn't weigh my dough - maybe it was more than a pound?

Lovely color, but still heavy and gummy

Decent crumb, but dense

So good-bye crock pot bread. This is not the way for me. I was interested in this because it really saves the kitchen from getting all heated up in the summer. 
      The bread, although a bit gummy, has a nice flavor. I think I'm going to make croutons out of it. I was so disappointed that I already have another batch proofing on my kitchen table. Tonight it will go in the cast iron dutch oven just a wad of dough, and come out a star.

almost no-knead bread


(from Pete Bakes!) 

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 oz), plus additional for dusting work surface
1/4 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast (or 1/2 tsp dry active yeast)
1 1/2 tsp table salt
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp water (7 ounces), at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp mild-flavored lager (3 ounces)
1 Tbsp white vinegar

1. whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. add water, beer, and vinegar. using rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours.

2. lay 12- by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.

3. about 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6- to 8-quart heavy-bottomed dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500F. lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). cover pot and place in oven. reduce oven temperature to 425F and bake covered for 30 minutes. remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

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