Strawberry Blondies

Friends,
I write to you in a slightly disappointed frame of mind today. Sadly, this is one of the posts where things did not going according to plan, and I feel like renaming the blog "On Soggy Mountain" or "On Mushy Mountain" as I bow my head in shame.

Sigh. I was so in love with the Twix Brownies earlier this week, I thought I'd attempt a blondie as a nice point of comparison between bar cookies. I also just wanted to eat an entire batch of these Strawberry Blondies from Love&Olive Oil (which I will now not be able to do. Grr.). It started out great; white chocolate, butter, eggs, strawberries, flour, pretty simple, or so I thought. Into the oven it went. Golden brown on the exterior, the knife came out clean, and out of the oven they came....

only to my sad realization that the underneath the enticing exterior lay a mushy, soggy, disappointing interior. Maybe it's a sign that I should ease up on the sweets (hah, right) but soggy or not, I could always use the extra photography practice.

I managed to grab a few decent shots, and I love this one with the new baby cupcake stand. Can you believe it was only $3? Now that's my kind of pricing for food props. It's still taking me awhile to learn all my angles, and I've started this new pinboard on Pinterest with food photography I aspire to/take inspiration from when I am attempting to photgraphy my not so splendid brownies.

I'll include the recipe here with the suggestion that lowering the oven temp to 325 (as opposed to 350) and increasing the cooking time may help you avoid a mushy mess of blondies. I'm off to find a recipe that will soothe (and feed) my fractured ego.

But as always, Happy Baking!

Strawberry Blondies Slightly Adapted Via Love&OliveOil

5 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/3 butter, cut into chunks
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup strawberries, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 325 and line one 8x8 pan with aluminum foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
2. In microwave safe bowl, heat butter and white chocolate in 15 second increments, stirring chocolate and butter in between microwaving until melted. Stir in sugar.
3. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder until just combined, then fold in strawberries.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes, or until set and toothpick comes clean out of the center.
5. Let cool completely before slicing into bars to serve.

Red Velvet Muffins

Hello all!

I know it's been almost a week since I last posted but I have been busily preparing for a VACATION! Now I know what you're thinking: "Isn't she already on summer vacation?" Technically, yes, but this is a vacation I have been looking forward to for years since the last time I traveled. I get to journey with my boyfriend and his family up to Maine for Memorial Day weekend...

and oh, did I mention we are staying on an island off the coast of Maine? My boyfriend's family has owned a home on Great Diamond Island for generations, where the homes have names instead of numbers (which is awesome in and of itself). Beautiful, quiet, serene: this is my kind of island. Not to mention I fell in love with the city of Portland last time I visited there; great food, cute shops, movies for $5...and of course the best lobster around.

The only negative is that his grandparents' home (which is where we are staying) does not have internet access, so I will be posting all of the lovely vacation photos once I return after Memorial Day. With that said, let me share with you one of my newest creations in my quest for baking fame. Hopefully these will hold you over until I return.

I give you....

The Red Velvet Muffin

Now I'm sure I am not the first one to think up a red-velvet-inspired muffin, but I have to say I am pretty darn impressed with how these came out. Bits of white chocolate midst a perfect scarlet hue, and a cake-like texture with just a slight hint of cocoa flavor; I am lovin' these muffins. True, I love almost all muffins, but there is just something purely wonderful about seeing your own idea transform into a successful sweet treat.

I hope these inspire you to create one of your own decadently delicious muffins, or to just test these out to share with friends. These are definitely the way to go if a full slice of red velvet cake seems over-the-top.

Well, I am off to the lovely coast of Maine; enjoy your Memorial Day and I will be back before you know it!

Happy Baking!

Red Velvet Muffins Via Yours Truly

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp vinegar
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
2 heaping tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease one 12 cup muffin pan with cooing spray
2. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and white chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, oil, buttermilk and vinegar. Quickly pour wet ingredient mixture into dry ingredient mixture and stir with large wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Fill muffin cups 2/3 way full with batter and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool 5 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
3. In a separate bowl

White Chocolate Filled Snickerdoodles

Hello all,

I couldn't imagine a more gloomy past couple of days. Rainy, dreary, and making me sleepy to be quite honest. But what better way to beat a rainy day then with a fresh batch of cookies?

I saw this pin on Pinterest for White Chocolate Filled Snickerdoodles and I almost shouted out loud with excitement until I realized I was working in the computer lab and would most likely be seen as a bit off my rocker.

I was so excited that I even broke out the real cinnamon for the occasion. No cassia for these cookies - pure Siagon Cinnamon my friends.

So my whole kitchen smells divinely spicy right now, but I did run into one small issue...why did I think white chocolate chips would melt like regular white chocolate? I can't tell you what happened inside my brain at the moment where I thought I could sub them, but sadly, as in all other chip cookies, they did not melt.

BUT the cookies are so out of this world that I don't even care. I know the real cinnamon is a bit pricier and harder to acquire than the grocery store type, but I am telling you it is worth every penny. Well, mine was given to me for free from my friend's dad (score!) but still. Worth. Every. Penny.

And in case your curious what I've been doing with myself now that my entire junior year of college is over...

I'm learning to cook! A girl can't live on cookies and brownies forever you know (though I'd love to try). So far I've succeeded in the following: Penne Alla Vodka, Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes, Spaghetti with Capers, Olives & Tomatoes, and even Stuffed Peppers! I did learn, however, that it is a bad idea to let me try and use my camera while attempting to cook. After almost dropping it in the vodka sauce, I decided learning was more important than photographing.

Slowly, but surely, I will learn to be as brave in the savory kitchen as I am in the sweet. Hopefully.

That's all for now; I'm off to scour the internet for a newly inspiring sweet treat to make and share with you all.

Happy Baking!

White Chocolate Filled Snickerdoodles 
Via Cookies&Cups


1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar
24 white chocolate candies, such as Hersey Bliss etc.

1. In medium bowl sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl beat together butter and shortening before adding sugar. Beat until well combined.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until dough forms. Store dough in refrigerator for an hour to set up before baking.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, then make small indentation with your thumb in the center of each. Place one white chocolate candy in the center and roll dough back into a ball, covering the candy completely.
7. Mix together 1 tsp cinnamon and 2 tbsp sugar in small bowl. Roll filled dough-balls in cinnamon sugar, then place on cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until they just start to brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on pan before moving to wire rack to cool completely.