Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars

Oh, it is the week that every student and instructor dreads- it is Final's Week! Here I sit watching students stress about the testing that determines if they are successful in this class. While they contemplate the filtration of the kidney and the action of muscle contraction, I sit here and blog about fudge bars and sweets. For me, it is all fun and games until they turn in those tests, and then the burden is on me. The grading! Oh, the grading.... and the emailing to students who are begging for extra credit. And the emails that rarely appear that say thank you for all your help and effort. It kind of feels like I am in suspense of this great culmination of work but I have to wait and watch and sit. And then there will be a big rush to the finish!

For now, I am just going to sit back and dream about fudge bars and chocolate cupcakes and gingersnap ice cream and enjoy the calm before the grading storm.

Tiramisu Cheesecakes

So, this year I don't have a Valentine in the traditional sense of partner in life and love... and that is OK. It is not that I am opposed to that sentiment in any way. I think that good things will come in time. This year, I am in love with me! I am giving me what I need, nurturing myself! I feel like the past few years have been a culmination of hard times and emotional changes. I have gone through times of insecurity and times of true joy. It has been a roller coaster! But at the end of this month, I am making a change that should allow so much of that uncertainty and insecurity to go away. I am making a leap! It is long overdue and I am a little scared... but I am so ready to let go and move forward in whatever life has waiting for me.

Of course this Valentine's Day, I hold in my heart everyone who has been true to me and stands by me. I love you all and hope that I show you everyday. I guess this Valentine's Day for me is more like a homecoming, coming back to me; coming full circle. Shedding the past and really just letting me shine. It feels GOOD!

Happy Valentine's Day and remember Love Begins in the Kitchen!!

Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cake

 

What is my favorite food? Well, of course it is CAKE!!! And this has been my lucky week! I have been in CAKE HEAVEN!! I am so fortunate to have some great friends and family who love me and are enablers in my CAKE addiction. (Yes, I realize I have capitalized CAKE every time! That is how excited I have been about this past week!!) This past Wednesday was my 37th birthday and I have been fortunate enough to receive three really amazing CAKES (hehehe!!!) to help me celebrate. All of them have been chocolate and delicious. Two of them were homemade, which (if you have been reading) is the way to my heart.

 It all started 2 weeks ago when my sister bought me a marble CAKE with chocolate butter cream frosting.  Then, at work, my co-worker brought a chocolate layer CAKE with strawberry filling and chocolate ganache.  And, a day after that, my guy really branched out with his first foray into baking (he is already an excellent cook) by making a double, dark chocolate layer CAKE and decorating it with cute caricatures of US!!! Can you tell I am smiling while I am writing this?? It was a happy, happy CAKE filled week!!

Now in all my post-birthday glory, I will drag my "post-CAKE eating self" off to the gym at lunch!

Ugggg.....

Cranberry Bliss Bars

So what else can we say about this recipe? So many bloggers have made this and shared their ideas, but I had to give it a try. As most people know, this is one of Starbucks' Holiday desserts that people wait all year for! There is good reason for that. Aside from being a sure sign that Christmas is coming, this recipe is just "good stuff." Be warned! It is super sweet ....so you might only want one! In that case, maybe Starbucks is  your best bet, but if you want enough to share, make your own!  It is super easy and unlike Starbucks you will not be paying $4 per bar.

Apple Pecan Autumn Cheesecake

It is getting to be that time of the year when most of the people in my circle have their B-days! What does that mean for me?? Baking! From now till January it seems that someone is celebrating every week. If there is one thing that I love, it is making birthday cakes, pies, cookies, cheesecake... you name it. I know that I have talked about this before but I will say it again. My Mom was the "birthday cake queen" in our little community (see Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake.) She made every birthday during my childhood memorable with one of her fabulous custom cakes. In our house, a cake from the grocery store was unheard of. While shopping at the local market, we would walk past those cakes encrusted in mountains of jumbo, blue-tinged roses and cringe. What poor person is going to celebrate another year of life with Happy Birthday written in an illegible smear? My Mom was determined that we never would!!

She has passed that ideal on to both my sister and I. No store bought birthdays here!! Even my little sister who would hide every time that baking was even mentioned, has morphed into a Birthday Cake artist; every year making amazing cakes for her son. She stresses out about the task for about 2 months beforehand, but she pulls them out and they are beautiful! When asked why she does it, she says that she wants her son to remember his Mom, taking the time to do something really special like our Mom did.  And he does!  He is amazingly proud every year of what his Mom has made.

Happy Birthday, Nancy! Another Year, Another Cheesecake!!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

OK... So this is kind of what I am known for!!! (Well, one of the things.) Not bragging, but every year about this time, friends, family and even people who work at companies nearby, start to inquire about my pumpkin roll. I usually end up making 20 or so and giving them away as gifts for Thanksgiving dinner and to say thank you for friendships. For those of you that are my PA followers... Yes, this is the same roll  that my Mom makes every year. She has passed on her baking genes and she has also passed on this recipe.  The actual recipe is not a secret. It is a very popular recipe this time of the year that you can find in women's magazines or even the inside label of canned pumpkin. This recipe has become special to me because it has become a fall family tradition and I am told, it has become of my specialties. Recently, when I had my best friend who NEVER bakes over for dinner, she told me that she made a list of  items that I cook or bake that she considers "Rebecca's  Specialties." This recipe was on the top of that list. Also on the list were my Pecan Tassies, Stuffed Cabbage, Gobs and my Grandma's Calico Beans.  I thought her admission was funny yet really flattering.

Specialties I am not sure about, but I do know that it is not fall without pumpkin roll in my house. This year I have a lot of be thankful for and a lot of great people to thank. Who knows maybe this year, you will be on the receiving end of one of these great fall treats!!!

Banana Pudding Cheesecake

This recipe is somewhat symbolic of my life right now. Let's just say that it is BANANAS!! Yes, and not in a good way. This week marks the end of my marriage of 10 years (relationship of 14 years.) It has been a horrible past 3 years and it is coming to an end. I have so many mixed emotions right now and unfortunately everyone else has an idea of how I should feel or act. Some have even suggested that I have a party. Obviously, they have not gone through this process. I am a person who does not give up and the downward spiral of the past few years has made me feel very let down in myself and all things that I believed were good and trustworthy. In my heart, I know that I have tried all that I could possibly have, I loved, I listened, I cared, and I tried so hard, even at times I knew I could never break through. So many of my friends and family have watched my struggle; that is the best word for it, a struggle. I kept hoping and trying that everything could be worked out and it couldn't.  I never considered divorce to be a choice for my life,  but as I have learned all of what I did was not enough to overcome life's obstacles or how people change over the years.  Through all the trying and pain, not only have I lost someone that was the most important person in my life at one time; I have lost myself. And that is a sad place to be. I gave and gave and gave and I lost myself.

This week I have allowed myself to finally mourn this process and yes there have been tears. In so many ways, this is a death of a huge part of my life.  Now I have to move on and find out who the new Rebecca is and unfortunately that will be very difficult. I have so many choices to make right now; personally, professionally and all of them can affect me for years to come. I am moving forward slowly, cautiously and most importantly making every decision for me, something I need to learn how to do again. Please keep me in your prayer and send love in my direction.

XOXO

Rebecca

Peaches and Cream Pound Cake

Today I my last recipe for Peach Week. I hope that you enjoy this one as much as I did. Of course here in the south pound cake is the dessert of choice. So I combined these two southern favorites to top off the week. This cake was so moist and delicious. I loved the addition of almond extract to give it a deeper flavor. This recipe is a win in every way.

Don't forget to check out our past peach recipes. Bourbon Peach BBQ Ribs and Bourbon Peach Jam

Peachy Keen Muffins

Who doesn't love a warm muffin for breakfast? I know that I do. These muffins are so good and really easy! OK. They are not as easy as the dump and mix variety from a box, but for homemade muffins they are pretty easy. At times, we get used to the really sweet artificial fruit tastes. These muffins are not super sweet but have a great, subtle peach flavor. They are the perfect morning muffin with a cup of coffee or hot tea. I made these and took them to work this past week and they were gone fast. Give them a try. I am sure your friends or family will fall in love.

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cakes

So even food bloggers make mistakes..... and this recipe turned out to be one of mine. Every year when we go to the beach, I make my sister something for her birthday dessert. I typically make cupcakes and freeze them, then ice and decorate them when I get there. This year, I spoke to my 6 year old nephew on the phone and he told me he wanted ice cream cakes for his Mom's birthday. He had seen my Whoppers Malted Milk Ball Ice Cream Cake and he was having ice cream dreams. So "Aunt Becky" quickly agreed. How hard could it be?  I already took a huge cooler full of all the dinners for the week. I would make them 2 days before, freeze them and take them in the  cooler. So I set about my task.

OK..... I think you see where this story is going..... After my 8 hour drive to OBX (in typical July heat), I opened the cooler to find totally frozen steaks, chicken and even sweet potato French fries, and there was my perfect plastic container of ice cream slime?!?!?!?!!!! How could this happen? Everything else is frozen... Blah!  As I am dumping peanut butter milk down the drain and picking cupcake papers out before they go into the disposal, my Dad comes into the room and suggests refreezing them. We were way past that point.  "Aunt Becky" had let everyone down. I was not a happy girl, but I was at the beach and no one's feeling seemed too hurt. So, the next day we made strawberry shortcake and celebrated just the same.

5 Minute Strawberry Cobbler

I have personally declared this Bonbons and Biscotti's Strawberry week. I am sooooo excited!! This weekend I bought a huge basket of strawberries at a local farmer's market and I have been busy in the kitchen. This afternoon after working all morning in my veggie garden I set about the task of making Strawberry Prosecco Jam. I know.... sounds awesome huh? You should have smelled it!!!

After finally cleaning up all my sticky jelly covered pots and utensils, I realized that I had not eaten anything since about 10 am. I quickly remembered this awesome single serving mug of strawberry delight that I had made before and absolutely fell in love with. Yeah.... I know it is dinner time!! Real food?? What is more real than warm strawberry deliciousness all for me. Sometimes we need to celebrate ourselves and everything we accomplished. Here's to Me and a day well spent!!!

Oh... I almost forgot, stay tuned for that Strawberry Prosecco Jam. It is coming soon....

Mini Frozen Citrus Pies

Summer is fast approaching! And for me it can not come fast enough! One thing I love about summer is the fact that my back porch becomes my second living room. Most nights you can find me outside reading with my golden retriever Charlie at my feet, blogging on Bonbons and Biscotti or laughing with friends while sipping some red wine. Everyone knows when they come to my house that if you knock on the front door and no one answers, walk around to the backyard and you will find me- on my porch. Every year, I decorate my porch with pots of fresh herbs and flowers and last year my Mom and I went shopping for some great new bright cushions and accessories that make this area the cheeriest place in my house. It really is THE place to be from April till October.

So why am I sharing this recipe? This recipe is the perfect little individual dessert to have in the freezer whenever those surprise guests show up for some porch sittin'. Make these mini cream pies ahead of time in whatever citrus flavor that you like and keep them on the ready. These are refreshing and tart.  They are perfect for an after dinner treat, a talk with a friend or a decadent snack when you have had a bad day. Go ahead eat two! You deserve it!

Whoppers Malted Milk Ball Ice Cream Cake

 

Happy Birthday to Bonbons and Biscotti....

And what better why to celebrate a birthday than with CAKE!!! Not just any cake but ice cream cake- just in time for spring!! There is nothing better than sitting on the back porch in the sun eating ice cream cake- YUM!

OK, there is a reason that I chose this recipe; actually a few. First I love malted milk balls and we have already established my love for dessert, but the need to make this recipe is more about having something that I never got to have for my personal birthdays. Yes, as I mentioned in my previous post, I always had a great birthday with a awesome cake made by my Mom, Toni "the master baker." However,  every year when my little sister's birthday rolled around in sunny June she had a cook out and a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake!  I wanted an ice cream cake sooooo bad but as in most small towns in rural Pennsylvania, the Dairy Queen was only open in the summer months. This made a lot of sense for my region. Really, who wants to sit outside on a picnic table and eat ice cream in 2 feet of snow? Since I was born on a blustery day in late January, an ice cream cake (or a cookout!!!) was never a possibility for me.  My birthdays were always rushed events that people came to, ate and left before the roads got to snowy to travel.  In their own way, my birthdays were festive and memorable but to this day... still no ice cream cake. Well, by making this cake I have solved that dilemma. Now I can have decadent chocolate cake on my birthday in January and mile high ice cream cake for my blog's birthday.  I am a happy girl!

I want to personally say thank you to all of you that followed my blog and watched me grow in this past year. As I have noted, I have had some hard days these past 2 years and every time I get a note of encouragement or hear that someone else has read my blog or tried one of my recipes, it warms my heart. I hope that I have inspired some of you as well. Remember Love Begins In The Kitchen... show someone that you love them.

XOXO

Rebecca



Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

Growing up, Valentine's Day was one of those holidays that I looked forward to. I couldn't wait to trudge through the snow to the old Hill's in Ebensburg to pick out my school Valentine's Day cards. I would look at the pictures and the sayings, always making sure the sentiment was right and the character was cool enough for that year. My sister was there too. She would look and look and then ultimately chose Barbie. She was always so pleased with herself and her choice (even though it was evident from the beginning what she would choose) and that would make us smile.  I carefully chose which student in my class got each Valentine and I never signed my name with a pen or pencil. I had a special Valentine's day stamp: a red stamp of my name "Rebecca" surrounded with little hearts that I happily pressed on the back of each card.

But the best part of Valentine's Day was always waiting for me on the kitchen table!!  It was from my Dad. Every Valentine's Day, my dad would go out of his way to make our day special. No matter what shift he worked, us three girls would walk into the kitchen at some point on Valentine's Day and find roses, little boxes of chocolates and a Valentine's Day card. Of course, my mom's would receive the largest bouquet: a big bundle of red roses sitting in the middle of the table. My sister and I would receive smaller vases of yellow or pink roses.  It was tradition for my Mom to read her card and cry. My Dad is a man of few words and his cards to my Mom (no matter the holiday) always seemed to say the absolute right things. Seeing how happy my Mom was on Valentine's Day getting those flowers from my Dad is one of my best Valentine's memories.  My Mom always take the time to take pictures of all the gifts then we would open chocolates, smell roses and say how beautiful everything was.  A lot of times my Dad was not even around when we received our gifts because he was working night shift and had already left for work while we were at school, but every year, there were our roses.

I am not a big believer in showing love through material means but I know that is not what my Dad was doing. He was letting us know that we were his family: "his girls" and even though he did not say it often, he made it known that  we could always count on him. He reaffirmed that commitment every February 14th. Even though his roses stopped arriving on Valentine's Day after I moved out of the house and started my "real" life,  I still think about those flowers every year and know that he is still there for me. He is one of the strongest people I know, and over the years he has offered me his quiet support and sound advice when "the going has been tough." Maybe it is because he and I are so alike but no one can speak to me in tough times quite like my Dad!! I am thankful everyday to have this strength in my life.

I believe that the little things that people do for each other make the biggest memories and the most meaningful gifts. Make a memory this year with someone you love. Happy Valentine's Day!

Gobs AKA Whoopie Pies

So here I am... in a  'baking emergency." As you all well know, I am baking/ blogging for a purpose (of course you all have read my About...) Tonight, the purpose is to distract my overly busy mind, to make something that reminds me of home and to feel comforted.  As you have probably guessed, I had a shitty day!!

In the past year, I have taken to my bed when the "going has gotten really, really tough."   I am not ashamed of that fact, but tonight after driving around aimlessly for a while, talking to my little sister, and having some BFF intervention, I began to crave what is comforting to me.  I needed to be busy and what better way than to bake. Still in my work, dress clothes I begin to dig through cabinets. I needed something that is home; PA home that is. I also wanted something chocolate. What better recipe than Gobs; a western PA favorite?? As I began to mix, measure and muse ( baking therapy at it's best),  I realized that nothing is going to keep me down; no matter the pain, no matter the obstacle, I will persevere. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I am worthy of the best things in life. And while the escape of my bed can make me feel good for a little while, I am a "stand up and fight kinda girl." I am my Daddy's girl. I say it how it is, never back down to something I truly believe, and love those who love me back with every ounce of my soul.

As you all know, my blog's logo is... Love Begins In The Kitchen.  Tonight I wasn't mixing up love for others. I was prepping myself to be a stronger person and mixing in a whole lot of love for the most important person in my life..... ME!

OK... I will admit a few Gobs helped in that strength process. Ahhh chocolate.....

Blackberry Pound Cake

Blackberry Pound Cake

Here is the other blackberry recipe that I mentioned in the last post. I will refrain from being so wordy in this post since I gave you my Blackberry story the last time.

I would like to thank every one's comments and encouragement over the past few month. I have received a lot of personal messages and Facebook love. I am humbled that my last post touched so many of you. I have wanted to write a blog to condense and share my family memories for a few years, but I never thought people would be interested. You all have proved me wrong. Thank you!!

Please continue to tell your family and friends about Bonbons and Biscotti. Spread the word, share the love.

XO

Rebecca

Luscious Lemon Cupcakes

Every year my family and I meet at Outer Banks, NC for a week at the beach. I drive up from South Carolina and they come down from Pennsylvania. This is something that all of us look forward to every year; a week of relaxation, catching up and all around family time. For the past few years, my sister, her husband and her son have not gone on the trip. They decided to go this year and it was their son's first time at the beach. I think that we were all excited about all the new experiences that he would have. To me, the beach was always a magical place where life took on a different pace. It was so nice to be able to slow down and take that time with him to really see his amazement in even the smallest ocean adventure; from ghost crabs that come out at night to the amazing display the dolphins put on for us during a mid day feeding. He was excited by every new adventure.  While I am a lover of all things "beachy," seeing so much through his eyes this year really reminded me what an enthralling place the ocean and all its inhabitants are. I was so happy to be able to experience those things with him.

While we are there it happened to be my little sister's birthday. We decided  the week before the trip to have a small surprise party. My nephew was particularly proud that he kept this event a secret from his "mum."  My sister loves white cupcakes with white icing but she and my mom are also very fond of lemon.  I whipped up these cupcakes at home before I left and froze them till the party day. I also made the icing and refridgerated it till it was needed, then whipped it again before icing. They were a great, refreshing "Lemonicious" birthday suprise.

Cannoli Cupcakes

 

Cannoli Cupcakes

This is a recipe that combines two of my favorite desserts and definitely a lot of my favorite flavors. I am a sucker for a cannoli of any type and cupcakes are one of the most indulgent things in life.

Cannoli always remind me of my Mom. That has been one of our favorite desserts for as long as I remember; no actually since our days of going to the beach in Maryland when I was a child. On one special night, we would walk down the boardwalk in Ocean City to get our cannoli fix. It was something that we did every year and I think that this became our special dessert because we only got them one time per year. As time changed and the years passed, we quit going to Ocean City and so no more "Beach Cannoli" that we looked forward to every year.

Sometime in my early college years, I think I was a freshman, I came home for the summer and wanted to make my Mom cannoli for her birthday. I sprung this idea on my Dad and explained that I needed port wine for the recipe.  At the time, I was not yet able to purchase alcohol. In his always silent, supportive way he headed off to the store to score our wine.  Before I had left school, I had purchased a set of cannoli shell forms at a culinary shop at the local mall. When Dad got home, we started our task and what a task it was!!! We still reminisce about this and just shake our heads. For two people who are familiar with the kitchen and culinary techniques, we had a cannoli frying mess on our hands!!

I jumped right in and started the production but could not get the dough to stay on the form. As I dropped them in the hot oil, they would quickly unfold and bloom almost flower like and then puff up like a giant elephant ear. My Dad stepped in thinking that he could master the concept- Fail! We both stood there with oil popping out of the pan burning our arms and fingers and not sure what to do next....

To make an already long story short, that birthday my mom got a few cannoli that we salvaged toward the end of the production when we finally got the hang of it. The rest were turned into "cannoli shell chips" which we ate with the filling -chips and salsa style. And truthfully no matter the shape they tasted great!!!

This cupcake was inspired by my love for cannoli and thank the kitchen gods, it was much more simple than my original cannoli adventure.

Ready... set... Go!

 

Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake

This past week, I had the opportunity to get together with one of my great friends and bake. This is one of both of our favorite past times and she was a major influence in my new blogger life. We spent the afternoon together chatting, baking and of course drinking some good wine.  My friend R blogs at William's Kitchen  Make sure you check her out. She is a bit of an outdoor lover and specializes in picnic foods and camping fare. She is a "down-to-earth" girl in both her demeanor and her rustic cooking skills.

The recipe of choice was a Hummingbird bundt cake. It was a mixture of fruit, nuts and of course topped with cream cheese icing. It is a southern classic that I have seen on menus during many of my trips to the Charleston, SC area. As you all know, I am not a southerner by heritage but I have been here now for 13 years and have really embraced the southern culture and of course southern food. I have learned from the locals here how to fry okra, slow cook grits and how to make low country boil. Oh, and of course, how to enjoy a bourbon while sitting on the back porch on a hot Saturday afternoon. Now, I can officially say I have made a southern Hummingbird cake.  Does that make me a southerner? Who knows, but everything about this cake is delectable.

Molten Chocolate Nutella Mug Cake

Molten Chocolate Nutella Mug Cake

So as most of you know, I am going through a transition in my life. One that originally, I was having a hard time with. Among other things that are going on, I recently just sold my house ( the house that I loved) and moved into a place of my own; the first place of my own that I have had in 13 years and it has been a big step for me. I thought that this move would be a horrible emotional  thing, and it was while I was packing up memories and stuff, but as soon as I got out of my old house, I feel as though I have been set free. Since I have gotten in my new place, I have been busy organizing, decorating and planting.  This weekend with the help of a great new neighbor, who spent 3 hours tilling up a large patch of lawn into a garden, I planted an entire vegetable garden.  Other than the tilling, I have done it all by myself and am especially proud! I also planted lots of  flowers to add great color to my porch and front yard.  The  neighborhood chipmunks have different reasons to love them I am finding out, but that is OK. I seem to even be O.K. with  that...

My new oasis...

In my move to my new residence, I have of course experienced a few snafus. One night, the neighbors' who are on vacation, car alarm went off all night long and the following day, I am perpetually forgetting where I put things and since it is an older house I am constantly searching for an available outlet. Oh, and did I mention the chipmunks....
But the strangest thing that happened?  I decided before I baked anything  important that I should test out the oven to make sure that the temp was accurate and that the timing was on. So I bought a premade pizza from the frozen food section. This is totally against my definition of pizza but I thought, how can you mess this up. Even if it takes a little longer, I will have a good idea about the oven settings and I will have a cheap (albeit unhealthy) meal. I preheated the oven and put the pizza in on my pizza stone. I then went back in the guest bedroom and continued to unpack boxes. About ten minutes after I put the pizza in the oven, the oven was screeching and the display blinking F2, which Google later told me the sensor and heating element have gone and that the oven temperature had exceeded 720 degrees. Glad I did not go outside to talk to the neighbors! What I ended up with that night was a pizza that was almost total charcoal and for dinner I had a can of soup. So five days later, I am still waiting on the part to fix my oven.




F2 must be the equivalent to FIRE!


Until this coming Friday, I have to come up with recipes that do not require baking in any way. That is hard for a girl like me that relies on her oven for all things inventive and spectacular. And just like most things in life, when you can not have something, you want it even more. I have been dreaming of lasagna and chocolate gob cake, roasted beets and all things made in the oven. But tonight, I pulled out a recipe that I had found a while ago, that can be made in the microwave. It is a simple combine/stir/ microwave recipe then Voila! you have a fabulous one serving Molten Chocolate Nutella Mug cake.  I believe this will become one of my favorite single girl recipes that I will rely on. Wonder if there is a single girl microwave lasagna recipe? Hmmmmm.......