Martha Meets Lucy

Chewy No Bake Fruit and Nut Bars

I’m sorry. I thought I would be back, but honestly? There hasn’t been much around these parts to post about. Or if I did make something worth posting, I didn’t measure or photograph it. I did measure and photograph these bars, but typepad doesn't seem to want to upload them right now and it took 5 minutes to upload one picture. So look at these much prettier pictures from White On Rice couple.

A good food blogger I am not.

A new job and workout regime plus my regular dancing schedule has kept me on my toes. Which is why I am so thankful I have these fruit and nut bars to keep me going.

I have been obsessed with Kind Bars for quite some time. The fact that I could see whole almonds and cranberries reassured me that I was eating something healthy in a way my beloved Peanut Butter and Chocolate Clif Bar can not. And now I’m obsessed.

Running late for work? Grab a bar. Going for a run? Eat a bar first. Done with the run? Eat a bar. Dessert? Bar. Waiting 5 minutes for a picture of a bar to freakin upload? Eat a bar.

Seriously, I would say it needs to stop but then I think of all the possibilities. Coconut cashew with dried mango? Pecan with peach? Walnut apple? Subbing out some of the honey with pureed dates? Cookie butter instead of almond butter?

Seriously, the possibilities are endless. I think the only thing I wouldn’t change is the puffed rice cereal. The recipe calls for brown puffed rice cereal, but that requires a trip to Whole Foods and I am not going to do battle with that Real Housewife of Orange County laden parking lot for anything less than Maldon Sea Salt and my Chipotle Garlic Hot Sauce. I can only be around silicone, bleach, and spray tan for so long before I want to point out the irony of them shopping at a natural foods store. So I used the rice crispies that were hiding in the pantry.

Ok. Sometimes I’ll brave the parking lot for cheese. And their fig and nut loaf. (Sounds gross, but so freaking good. Note to self: fig and marcona almond bars)

Go make yourself some bars. I promise its cheaper than a Kind Bar habit. Oh, and if you decide to mix it up, please report back.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tartlets

I feel like these days there are very few things people find truly scary in the kitchen. Sure, some things are still intimidating, like primal cuts or yeast based products. Other than flambeing though, is anything truly scary? Anything besides caramel that is.

 

Making good caramel is scary. There are so many things that could go wrong so very quickly. Caramel can crystalize, it can decide to not set, it can be bland, and it can burn. Oh, and there is a very good reason caramel is referred to as culinary napalm.

For years I wanted to love caramel. I really did. Every year my neighbor gives me a giant box of homemade caramel, most of which never gets consumed. I don’t want caramel to just taste sweet. Or buttery. Even salt on bland caramel doesn’t save it. I want caramel to be complex, slightly bitter and smokey with an underlying sweetness. My perfect caramel tastes like the sugar on creme brulee, but creamy.

Three years ago, I read a recipe in Pure Chocolate (by Fran of Fran's Chocolates) for Nearly Burnt Caramel Ice Cream. I felt like the heavens opened and a choir of angels sang. The secret, that apparently has never been a secret, to great caramel is that the sugar isn’t just melted, it is cooked.

Great people of the internet, you have to cook your caramel. You have to put on your big kid pants, man up, and play chicken with some molten sugar. It might take a few tries before you win, but when you win it is like hitting the jackpot. (Besides, a cup of sugar doesn’t cost that much.)

Everyone wins if you put your newly discovered caramel making skills to use making Chocolate Caramel Tartlets. Chocolate crust, loosely set caramel filling, chocolate ganache, and a sprinkle of sea salt all contained in a perfect two bite serving? Who wouldn’t want to eat that? Best of all, they are easy to make and transport really well. I brought a batch of these to a dance lesson with me, and they were gone by the time the lesson was over and there were only five people in the studio at the time.