M&M Blondies

I will admit that I’m a brownie fanatic.  I was stuck between this recipe and a chocolate brownie recipe, but decided to make this.  I love that this recipe is so simple to make.  Most of the ingredients that the recipe calls for is what most people have in their pantry, which is great because you can whip up a quick dessert in minutes.

Another great thing about this recipe is that it is a one bowl recipe and  it’s so basic.  Therefore you can transform this recipe into anything you like.  That’s why Deb from Smitten Kitchen call these “blondies, infinitely adaptable” because you can add other combinations to the batter and make it your own unique bar.  If you are interested to see the other combinations you can add to the bars, im including a link to the original website below.

I made these blondies twice.  The first time I made them, they were good, but not dry.  I used a different sized baking pan than the recipe call for, so I totally forgot that the baking time would be different.  The second time I made the blondies, they were even better than the first time I made them.  They were moist because I under baked them and they were chewy.  It almost reminds of a m&m cookie except made into to bars.

Author Note:

Most blondies recipes that I looked at had leavening agents (such as baking powder or baking soda) in the batter.  If you like your blondies to have leavening agents, feel  free to add them to the recipe, I’m sure they will taste great.  Also, this recipe states that the bars should be a gooey bar and the bars will continue to set as they cool.  If you’re not a fan of gooey baked goods, then bake the blondies until you think they are just right.

M&M Blondies

From Smitten Kitchen

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar (dark or light)

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup m&m + 1/4 cup for top

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8×8 pan with butter.

Combine melted butter and brown sugar in a large bowl.  Mix until smoothed.  Beat in the egg, and then the vanilla.  Add the salt, then stir in the flour.  Fold in 1 cup of m&m’s in the batter until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared greased pan and the remaining m&m’s on top of the batter.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until the middle has set.  Cool before cutting.

Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars

Happy Easter!! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.  This Thursday I went to see The Hunger Games.  Although I have not read the book, I thought the film was amazing.  The movie was about two hours long and for a film to be that long, I didn’t notice the time.  After the movie was over, I sat in the theater unsatisfied because I wanted more.  I sensed that there is going to be sequel because how the movie ended.  I highly recommend this movie, you have to see it.

After watching The Hunger Games, I had a urged to bake.  I have a huge tub of old fashion oats and haven’t touch it until the spring semester.  I have brainstormed the possible ways that can use oats.  I thought chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and crisps, but I came across a recipe from 17andbaking and I knew I had to give it a try.

Taking Elissa and Gourmet suggestions, the final product of these bars are delicious.  Many people thought the bars were too sweet, but I thought they were perfect.  Even perfect for breakfast or a snack (maybe a not so healthy snack).

Although this recipe calls for raspberry jam, you can you use any other jam or preservatives that you like.  I happen to like raspberry preserves so it worked well for me.  I think the next time I will try to use fresh raspberries, but have to wait until raspberries reached their sweetness.

Author Note:

Elissa from 17andbaking mentions that she decreased the amount of sugar from the original recipe, because the raspberry bars were way too sweet.  I also went to Gourmet’s website to see if there were any other suggestions.  A few people on the Gourmet’s website noted to use a sugar-free jam.  I also want to note that I had a difficult time spreading the jam, so heating it for a few seconds may help you spread the jam evenly.  I included the original website for these bars if you wanted to compare and to see the original ingredients.

Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars

From 17andbaking via Gourmet 

1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (I used sugar-free raspberry preserves)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, then add the butter and pulse until a dough starts to form. Blend in the milk.  Transfer the dough to a bowl and knead in the oats until well combined.

Put 3/4 cup dough off to the side (this will be used as the crumble.) Press the rest of the dough evenly into a buttered 9×9″ metal baking pan. Spread the jam evenly over the top and crumble the reserved dough evenly over the top.

Bake in the center of the oven until golden, 20-25 minutes, and cool completely in the pan on a rack. Use a knife to loosen the sides, lift it out, and cut into bars on a cutting board.