White Chocolate Bark

Hey everyone!

This is a really easy recipe, comes together in just minutes- it feels like cheating. But you can make it any way you want and my goodness it's completely yummy and sweet and salty. OK, let's get onto the White Chocolate Bark! (also a note: I'm not usually a white-chocolate kinda person, but this is pretty darn good!)

Your (very simple and easily alter-able) arsenal. I kept it simple with oreos, pretzels, and M&Ms.

Break up your cookies and pretzels (or whatever you are using) and lay them out on a wax-paper lined baking sheet.

Melt your white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth. I used about 2 packages for 1 half-sheet sized baking sheet.

Pour the chocolate over the cookies and pretzels, then quickly sprinkle with M&Ms (and sprinkles if you are using them for decoration!)

White Chocolate Bark

-Oreo-type sandwich cookie (about 1/2 package)

-pretzels (about 5-6 ounces)

-white chocolate (2 bags makes 1 large sheet pan)

-M&Ms to top

-sprinkles etc. if you want to make it festive!

Break up your cookies and pretzels by hand onto a wax-paper lined baking sheet.

Melt white chocolate in the fridge in 30 minute increments, stirring, until smooth, then pour to cover all of the cookies and pretzels.

Quickly sprinkle your M&Ms on top so they stick to the chocolate.

If you are being festive, get your sprinkles on there fast too to make sure they stick.

Refrigerate until set, then break into rough pieces. Enjoy!

Options: use any kind of cookies, and kind of toppings, etc.- whatever you like! I'll try to do some more variations in the future, but this really is super easy and can go any direction you like.

Refrigerate your bark to set, then break into pieces and enjoy it!! It's nice and pretty and colorful, isn't it?

Savor it!

love, rue

Chocolate Almond Toffee

Hey guys,

This is a recipe for one of my top five favorite foods in the world. Seriously. I have a massive sweet tooth, and I have loved the toffee my mom has made since I was a kid. We made it in the microwave and over time as microwave powers increased, we had a little trouble getting the recipe just right so the temperatures all worked out perfectly.

Incredibly fortunately for me, my boyfriend and his wonderful mom both make amazing toffee, and a few weeks ago I finally got myself over to their house and made some toffee the real way- candy thermometer and all. I'll try to show you how easy it is- just have everything set out beforehand and it comes together in under 10 minutes.

Your arsenal: butter, white and brown sugar, light corn syrup, water, vanilla,
chocolate chips, and sliced almonds. 

Melt your butter in a heavy NOT non-stick pot, then add the sugars.

Once it comes to a boil, add the water and corn syrup, which is really easy if you just
measure them out into a bowl together beforehand.

Stir constantly (hard to get a good picture!) until it reaches 290 F on a candy thermometer.

Here it is at 290 F- mix in your almonds fast, then pour...

...onto your prepared baking sheet.

Spread the toffee out to the thickness of your preference.

Sprinkle chocolate chips (we used half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate) over top and let the
heat from the toffee melt them. Spread, then sprinkle remaining almonds.

Chocolate Almond Toffee

-1 cup butter (2 sticks)

-1/2 cup white sugar

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-2 tablespoons water

-1 tablespoon light corn syrup (Karo)

-1/2 cup + 1/2 cup sliced almonds

-8 oz. chocolate chips

Grease a cookie sheet to pour the toffee on later.

Melt the butter in a heavy (and NOT nonstick- it won't work) pot. Add the sugars and stir.

When the mixture begins to bubble add the water and Karo.

Cook to exactly 290 F while stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup almonds.

Pour toffee out onto your prepared baking sheet.

Sprinkle your chocolate chips on top, let them melt a little, then spread over the top.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup almonds on top of the melted chocolate.

Put in the fridge or freezer to harden completely. Enjoy!

Your finished toffee!! Delish. Refrigerate and wait (if you can!) for it to harden then dig in!

Savor it!

love, rue

p.s. Special thanks to my boyfriend and his mother!

Homemade "Magic Shell"

Hello again!

This is a super-simple use-on-anything sweet-and-frozen trick, more than it is a recipe. You can find this same "recipe" in several different places on the internet, so I'm not claiming I came up with it, but I don't know of an original source either.

Here are your two ingredients: chocolate chips and vegetable oil.

Melt your chocolate chips, then stir in the oil very well. Done!

"Magic Shell"

-1 cup chocolate chips

-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Melt chocolate chips in microwave until smooth. Quickly stir in the vegetable oil.

And now go put it on top of ice cream or anything else frozen you can think of!

Just keep it in the fridge and melt it to use again.

Drizzle your "Magic Shell" on ice cream or whatever else you can think of- it's exactly the same, delicious, and so much cheaper!

Savor it!
love, rue

Nora/Mom guest post: Oatmeal Yogurt Pancakes

Here's a great guest post from my mom, Nora. Take it away, Mom!

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I like to have pancakes for dinner on the weekend. It's an easy, warm, fragrant dinner. Using a recipe that has less white flour and fat reduces the guilt to practically nothing. Add some fruit and this is a world-beater. You can also shred and add a small zucchini ... adds moisture and you won't taste it at all.

Ingredients!

Gorgeous strawberries- use whatever's in season and whatever's your favorite!

Blend up your batter then stir in the strawberries.

Make sure to use a little bit of butter on your griddle/pan/comal- so worth it!

The pancakes cooking on the comal.

Oatmeal Yogurt Pancakes

-1 egg

-1 C plain yogurt

-2 T butter

-1/4 C flour (I use whole wheat)

-3/4 C oatmeal

-2 t brown sugar

-1/2 t baking powder

-1/4  t baking soda

-1/4 t salt

-fruit (chopped strawberries, blueberries, etc)

Put all ingredients in blender and blend till mixed. Pour into a bowl, stir in chopped fruit.

Preheat the pan or comal (so handy! every stove should have one). Slip a little bit of butter onto your grill. This is so worth it for taste! Turn pancakes when they get dry around the edges/ show bubbles.

Your finished pancakes, and some beautiful Mexican flowers and tile work as background!

Delicious. Great without any syrup at all! I think I will go eat the leftovers now.

Nora/Mom

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Thanks, Mom! And to everyone who doesn't know- a comal is a flat griddle-like cooking surface that we've encountered everywhere we've been in Mexico- all the stoves have them in the middle- ideal for tortillas etc.- google it if you want more info!

Savor it!

love, rue