The Shared Dessert Bars

View fullsize

Have you ever laid in bed, unable to sleep, because you were thinking about rhubarb? It has only happened to me once, and while my husband blissfully dozed into dreamland, I tossed and turned wondering when I was going to be able to eat it. Like many of my mom-stress-fueled restless nights, I reached out to Amy to see if she was awake and thinking about rhubarb, too. Turns out she wasn't thinking about rhubarb, but when I mentioned it, she (like the recipe encyclopedia that she is) recommended I make Smitten Kitchen's Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp bars. The recipe was simple, straight forward and not heinously gluttonous. Perfect! Once we started chatting about dessert bar cravings, Amy came strong with multiple recipes she has been meaning to try including her Coconut Bars and Lime Bars with Pistachio Crust.

I am always weary about making whole servings of desserts because I always seem to eat everything in the pan in a matter of 24 hours. I avoid baking unless I am giving the goods away because of the magical disappearing act baked goods do in my presence. Now you see them on a platter! Now you don't. (Because they're ALL in my gut, and in the back of my mind, and on my conscience as another loss of self control.) But like the good friend that she is, Amy suggested that we swap bars! It was a great idea in theory (sharing, variety, smaller portions), until I did the math: three scrumptious pans of bars for two households. Isn't that more than the one pan in my house that I was fearful of? No time to overthink the math. We were committed. No regrets.

Follow us to the recipes:

Lime Bars with Pistachio Crust

Coconut Bars (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars

In the Kitchen Now - Lemon-Berry Muffins

Obviously not all the food that Cynthia and I cook are together or for this blog, and sometimes we have people ask us, "Hey, is THIS going to be posted on your blog?" So, we're trying out this idea to post some of the things that we casually cook in our kitchens during the week, and doing a "quick post" with just one photo and a recipe. These posts will always be something we've made super recently. We hope you enjoy our mini-posts!

My kids love berries - particularly the 1-year-old who has entered the picky eater phase. So even though they are *gasp* NOT in-season, we eat them anyway. I had berries in the fridge that were getting past their prime, so I figured I'd make some mixed berry muffins this morning. It's a simple recipe, and my 4-year-old was happy to help!

Follow us to the recipe:

Lemon-Berry Muffins

The Shared Valentine's Day

Last Valentine’s Day, my then 3-year-old woke up and slipped into my room to cuddle, like he does most mornings. He whispered into my ear, “Happy Valentine’s Day! I love you, Mommy. But, I love you ALL the days.” And I melted into a wet puddle. I gave him an extra snuggle, and stored the memory away for the inevitable moments when I’d need to remind myself that he is more than a crazed, tantrum-monster. He’s absolutely right though; love is something we should acknowledge every single day with hugs, our time, words of kindness, and my favorite - with food.

This Valentine’s Day, Cynthia and I wanted to surprise the kids, the best way we know how - with food. Let’s have an (early Valentine's Day) party! I made to-die-for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies and easy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. Cynthia found cute paper straws that we cut up into “beads”, and the kids laced them together with pipe cleaners to make bracelets and necklaces. She also had adorable mini milk bottles with striped red and white straws that the kids drank from with giddy glee. Honestly, the enormous smiles on their little faces was the best Valentine’s Day gift I could have imagined. Nothing’s sweeter than that!

Follow us to the recipes:

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries