Bark in a Splendid Variety

I really like writing "Bark in a Splendid Variety." It has the clunkiness of something translated from a foreign film. "Bark in a Splendid Variety." I've got bark in splendid varieties and lots of it! Yesterday I made ten plate fulls of the lovely stuff. It took less than thirty minutes of active work and I didn't wash a single dish. This might just be the easiest treat you'll ever make. If you can spread chocolate chips in a single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet, then you can make bark.

Put the chips in the oven at 325 for about 2-3 minutes.
If you can find the mint chocolate/dark chocolate chips from Nestle, then you can make Jackson Pollock bark.

Just swirl the melted chips around with a toothpick. It will come out ridiculously gorgeous.

Sprinkle some nuts, if you like. Yep, nuts. They're suprisingly good with mint. After you sprinkle the toppings on, hold the pan a good six inches above your counter and drop it down with a thud. It'll wake the dead and keep your toppings in place. Two good things in one.

Here comes my white chocolate bark with Grasshopper cookies. Kim wrote me a comment to suggest I use Oreos, but I didn't have any and I almost cried bitterly. But then I found these cookies in my cupboard and wiped the tears and forged ahead. It was in high demand from the kitchen scroungers, i.e. the kids and me.

I call this one "Candy Cane Lane" Bark. It's just so Christmas-y. Marshmallows, Candy Canes and Christmas sprinkles deck the halls of dark chocolate. Santa's getting some on his plate this year.

I also made a Candy Bar Cunch bark. It's in the back on the left and consists of a lovely blend of milk chocolate, rice krispies, cornflakes and roasted peanuts. I could have sworn I took a picture of it. Where did it go? Where oh where did it go?

After all the bark has cooled, break it into pieces and arrange on paper plates. I tried putting the bark in pretty boxes, but the bark is too pretty to hide its light under a bushel. Let it shine, baby, let it shine.

See what I'm talking about?

I made four double batches and got ten plates of bark in a splendid variety. Maybe I spent $20. Maybe even a little less. I'm doing a repeat today. For complete instructions, click here.

And one more thing before I go. Here's your chance to do something so easy and good today. Nuskin has developed a product for malnourished children all over the world. Vitameal is specifically formulated to target the nutritional needs of the poorest little people all over the world. Each Vitameal pouch contains 31 child-size meals-enough for a whole month for a hungry little soul. Here's what you can do: like this page on Facebook (click here) and Nuskin will donate a pouch. Easy, right? Spread the word and spread the love.

And one more one more thing before I go. I'm going to a Cookie Swap tomorrow and I don't know what I'm making yet. Any suggestions?

Next Up:

Salted Browned Butter Cookies

Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

I finally caved in and bought a new bike. I'd been riding around on the Quiet Man's bike. He's a good 7 inches taller than I am so I was straining to reach the handlebars and the pedals. Plus his seat would flip up in the middle of a ride...um, try not to think about it, but know that it wasn't comfortable. Why do men's bicycle seats have to have such an um, uncomfortable shape anyway? Yowch. Yet another reason to be glad I'm a girl. Being a girl, and a very sensible one at that, I went to Wal-mart and bought the prettiest bike I could find. Isn't she loverly? I'm calling her Betty. My new bike makes me so happy, and the seat is plump and comfy and not once has it flipped up. I bought a little basket for the front, so the charges and I are going to ride all over town and run our errands until it get's too hot that we can't bear it anymore. That might be tomorrow. The weather man is saying 96 degrees. Ooh wee. Maybe I should stay home and ride Betty around the living room. Or maybe I should just stay in and bake. I did have an assigment for Tuesdays with Dorie this week-white chocolate brownies. They didn't sound too grand to me, so I decided to make something that sounded better with white chocolate: Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. I made a brown sugar-cookie base, topped with a white chocolate cheesecake layer and a slick of my own homemade strawberry freezer jam. They are divine. You will swoon. Make some soon. In the month of June. I will go before I get carried away. A new bike, a sweet treat, and the month of June can do that to a girl.

Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Estimated Cost: $4.50 for 12 servings

1 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons butter

1 package cream cheese, softened (8 ounces)

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ounces melted white chocolate

1/2 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture has coarse crumbs. Press mixture into bottom of 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for five minutes. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and sugar until velvety smooth. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Gently mix in white chocolate. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are set and center jiggles slightly when you tap the pan. Let cool for 15 minutes. Pour jam over the top and smooth gently. Let cool completely in refrigerator for at least two hours. Slice into squares and serve.

Sailor made her own little itty bitty version. So cute.

Up Next:

San Antonio Chicken Fajitas

Tuesdays with Dorie: Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Get yourself a sugar cone. It's time for Tuesdays with Dorie, and this may be my favorite one yet. Come churn along with us as we make high end treats on the cheap.It's no secret that I've been on an ice cream making kick this summer. There's something so nostalgic and summery about churning out creamy pints of homemade ice cream. When this Dorie assignment came in, I had my cone ready. (Would you look at that drip in the photo? The kitchen Gods were smiling on me for this one.)Dorie's real recipe is for blueberry sour cream ice cream, but I happened to already have some strawberries in the freezer and I'm all about saving a penny. I'm absolutely confident that you'd have good results with any berry, but be sure to taste as you go along to adjust sugar. This strawberry white chocolate chip version was so very very very good, that even the notoriously cryptic Quiet Man dubbed it the best strawberry ice cream he had ever eaten.
Since my ice cream maker was already full from my last urgent craving, I reverted to the old method of making ice cream sans a maker. (Check out my maker-less recipe for orange-pineapple-raspberry sherbet.) Ice cream without a maker is quick to make, requires no salt or ice, and although not quite as creamy as the churned variety, still wins a very tasty second place. You'll need to be accessible for about 2 and 1/2 hours, so plan accordingly.

First, cook some berries with sugar and a bit of citrus juice. Whisk in sour cream and whipping cream and place in freezer. I have to be honest: it was already delicious enough to eat at this point. It would make a very elegant cold soup for a luncheon. But we're supposed to be making ice cream so forge ahead.Every thirty minutes, you'll give it a good whisking to prevent the formation of ice crystals. (It's also a good opportunity to snitch some ice cream.) When ice cream is almost set, drizzle with melted white chocolate and whisk vigorously. Scoop into a sugar cone. Eat. Hoard. Vow to make a double batch next time.

Money Saving Tips: Use any berries you can find on sale. Frozen berries work well here also. You can also skip the zest and use bottled orange juice if that's what you have on hand. This ice cream was delicious without the white chocolate, so leave it out if you can't find it for a reasonable price.

Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Estimated Cost: $3.00

1 and 1/4 cup strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup whipping cream

2 ounces white chocolate (I used Baker's)

In a medium saucepan combine strawberries, sugar, juice and zest. Cook until strawberries are soft and mixture begins to boil. Transfer to blender, or use an immersion blender to puree mixture. Pour in sour cream and whipping cream and whisk until smooth. Place in medium bowl in freezer. After 30 minutes, whisk mixture again. Repeat process every thirty minutes for 2 hours. When mixture is almost set, melt white chocolate in small microwaveable bowl at 50 percent power, being careful not to scorch. Drizzle small amount of white chocolate over ice cream, wait for chocolate to harden (about 30 seconds) and whisk again. Repeat with remaining white chocolate. Return to freezer to let set for at least 20 minutes. Makes 1 pint.
Coming Tomorrow:

Grilled Dijon and Garlic Tri Tip

Nantucket Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

If you've ever visited the "Little Grey Lady of the Sea," otherwise know as the island of Nantucket, then you know that it is famous for its cranberries. I first went to Nantucket on my honeymoon, and even though I was hopelessly devoted to my husband, I was forced to divide my affections between him and the cranberries. Sadly, I won't be jetting off to the island anytime in the near future, but I can (and often do) replicate the little cranberry white chocolate cookies that we purchased repeatedly at a little beachside bakery. I paid more for one cookie then you'll pay for this whole batch! Here's a little taste of Nantucket for the next generation.

Nantucket Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Estimated Cost for Batch: $2.30
1/2 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup natural pistachios, shelled and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir in salt and soda. Add flour and then oats. Mix in white chocolate, cranberries, and pistachios if desired. Roll into generous 1 inch balls and bake for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 26 cookies.