SALTED TURTLE BARS

 

my boyfriends work had a charity bake sale this past week & he volunteered to bring in some baked goods. i didn't want to go with the standard bake sale items (cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, brownies.. BORING) so i thought making salted turtle bars would stand out (not that it's a competition.. okay it's always a competition). they did. i consider these a buttery + turtley twist on the classic magic bars, another favourite of mine. i am starting to realize anything that involves condensed milk is my favourite. the touch of sea salt offsets all the sugary goodness just perfectly. have a good weekend! if you make these... sorry in advance for the torturous hours while you wait for these to cool. xo.

LEVEL: very modest

ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks
  • 3/4 cup skor bits/chips
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

directions

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • mix flour, sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a mixing bowl. using your hands (similar to making a pie dough), work the butter in until a crumbly dough is formed.
  • transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish & shape into a crust. add a teaspoon of water if the dough is a bit dry.
  • bake the crust for 10-12 minutes.
  • while the crust bakes, whisk the remaining vanilla, condensed milk & egg.
  • pour mixture over the crust, and sprinkle with pecans, chocolate, skor & sea salt.
  • bake until the top begins to brown & the filling begins to set, about 20 minutes.
  • let bars cool completely before slicing (refrigerated bars cut best).

like what you see? get it here. gratin dish | linen | wood knife | plates

BALSAMIC ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

 

if zucchinis weren't growing in abundance, we can't forget about the tomatoes! so many tomatoes. now until september is tomato season & if you planted tomatoes in your garden earlier this year, chances are your garden is now full of perfectly sun ripened tomatoes. although, because they grow so fast & in such large quantities, it is almost impossible to eat them all fresh. my mom gave me a bag of tomatoes to go with her zucchini, than my aunt & uncle gave me another bag full of perfectly ripened cherry tomatoes. i figured this was the perfect opportunity to roast them & mix them pasta tossed in olive oil or eat them with a freshly baked baguette, similar to bruschetta. these tomatoes have a nice sweetness when roasted, which is balanced by the added splash of the balsamic vinegar. they can be served warm or cold & will last up to a week when refrigerated. what do you do with your tomatoes?!

ingredients

  • 2-3 cups ripe cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon quality balsamic
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly dried oregano
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped

directions

  • preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • in a large bowl toss tomatoes with the oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt & pepper.
  • transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet & roast for 20-25 minutes, until tomatoes begin to crack open.
  • sprinkle with fresh basil & serve with a toasty warm baguette

like what you see? get it here. linen | cocotte | cutting board | bowl

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

 

this year my mom planted her first real garden. herbs, tomato, cucumber, pepper, green beans & zucchini. now that we are late into summer everything has been growing rapidly.. including this massive zucchini pictured above. what does one do with a ten pound zucchini!?!? make zucchini pineapple bread, zucchini fritters & chocolate zucchini muffins of course! this is a super easy one bowl + wooden spoon hand mixed batter. the muffins are moist, chocolately & just the right level of sweetness to still be categorized as breakfast (without feeling like you are eating chocolate for breakfast). so if you have a giant zucchini you forgot to pick from your garden, now you know what to do with it.

ingredients (makes 20-24 muffins)

LEVEL: very modest

  • 1.5 cups raw sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (can be reduced to 3/4 cup)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups freshly grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis)
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

directions

  • preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon stir together sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond extract. add grated zucchini.
  • sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. pour into your mixing bowl and mix until ingredients are just combined.
  • fill greased or lined muffin tins 3/4 full. bake for 15-20 minutes.

like what you see? get it here. cappuccino set | mug | linen | bowl | scoop