Mocha-Walnut Bars with Dark Chocolate Ganache

What a lovely, deliciously, chocolaty time of year.  With Valentine's Day approaching, I decided to look up some yummy treats that my family might like.  We all enjoy homemade goodies so this was a fun project.  Come in the kitchen with me and we'll whip up something tasty.

This recipe-posting is dedicated to one of my very sweet daughters, Miss All-Grown-Up, who happens to live a long way away.  I miss you, Sweetheart, and wish I could make this for you today.  We'd share a sweet cookie-bar and a hot coffee over a loooong conversation.

Today I'm making a Pillsbury recipe:  Mocha-Walnut Bars with Dark Chocolate Ganache.  The bars have three distinct layers which are prepared and cooked separately, one on top of another.  It is very easy to do and your children can jump in and help you.  (Trust me, if they don't help you in the beginning while you're putting this together.....they WILL help you in the end by eating it!  Maybe now's a great time to tell them the story of The Little Red Hen...)  The recipe is designed to be quick and easy and does so by using refrigerated sugar cookie dough.   Feel free to use your own sugar cookie dough recipe instead if you'd prefer. 


2 1/2 cups of very finely chopped walnuts
6 T. sugar
6 T. melted butter
1 roll sugar cookie dough (or make a batch of sugar cookie dough from your personal favorite recipe!)
2 T. instant espresso coffee granules (the recipe called for 1T. but 2T. gives it more of the coffee flavor)
1 t. home-brewed vanilla (my own personal addition)
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate baking chips
1/4 cup plus 2T. whipping cream

It's a great idea to get your supplies together.  It makes the work go smoothly and you can live out your cooking show fantasies.  (That'll be our little secret.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Stir your walnuts, sugar and butter together in a bowl until completely mixed.

 

 

 
This is where I decided to add my homemade vanilla.  (Now you need to know how to make your own delicious vanilla!  We'll get to that soon.  It's easy, only a bit time-consuming and you know it is homemade goodness.)

Press the mixture evenly on the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9 pan.

(Here's where I'd like to tell you that I followed the directions exactly and wasn't as pleased at how they came out of the pan.  I'd suggest spraying the pan before layering.  It's what I plan to do next time.)

Bake for 8-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Cool for 30 minutes.

While that is cooling, begin to prepare the cookie layer.  In a large bowl, knead the cookie dough and espresso granules until blended.

 
Drop spoonfuls of dough evenly over the walnut crust.    Gently press the dough together over the crust.  Bake for 20 minutes.  (The recipe said to cook for 20-25 minutes but I think 25 is a little long and makes the cookie too crunchy.)  Let cool for 30 minutes.

 

Finally the ganache.....What a wonderful word.  It rolls around your mouth much like the chocolate itself!  And it isn't hard to make but very impressive.  

I prefer to make my ganache in a double-broiler, which I also have to make.  If you don't have one, make one like mine.  I put a glass bowl over a small pot of water and let the water heat up and melt my chocolate chips.  The other option is the microwave but I don't like microwaves so we don't happen to have one.  

Add the chocolate chips and the whipping cream to your bowl and heat it slowly.  

  

 

Your chips will begin to mix and the whipping cream will blend right in.  I stir constantly because the transformation tends to happen quickly.  Stir until the chips and cream are one happy family.  

 

Spread the chocolate ganache over the bars.

  

Refrigerate for one hour.  Cut the bars into 24 servings (6 rows by 4 rows) or smaller if you'd like dainty servings that don't seem to add as much cushion to your thighs.  I'm just saying.....

They're delightful and delicious with a hot cup of coffee or an ice cold glass of milk.  Divine.

ps.  Licking fingers is allowed.

***Thank you to Jonathan Anderson for taking the pictures.  Your work is always the best!

How to Practice Piano in Six Easy-to-Follow Steps


Step One

Sit with good posture and play the pieces your teacher gave you for the week.

Step Two

Smile when your brother sits beside you and invite him to a duet.

Step Three

As he begins to take over the piece, gently slide (no pushing, please) him over and place your arm over the notes he shouldn't be playing.

Step Four

If this technique fails, sweetly place your arm on him and explain to him that you are a budding pianist and would like to continue your devotion to music. He'll begin to understand that you are under time constraints and that you must take your music seriously.

Step Five

Don't be surprised if your brother is overcome with joy and decides to hug you. He isn't trying to slow you down in your endeavors, he is simply expressing his deep-felt emotion.

Step Six

If you've truly impressed him, your brother will even give you pats on the back(side).

You'll never know what music does to people until you begin to play an instrument.

It really does soothe the savage beast.....as illustrated above.

Strawberry Pyramid

Strawberry Pyramid
Originally uploaded by jannza

My strawberries are growing nicely. This picture was taken last year when we first set up the bed. Runners can be encouraged to grow on lower levels. (The variety I planted was the ever-bearing strawberry.)

My husband built the pyramid and eventually made a pvc frame which fit over it so the birds wouldn't eat all of our juicy treats!

This year it is doing even better and has many yummy strawberries quickly approaching the ripening stage. I have more plans for these berries than I'll end up having berries, I'm sure. At least I'm guaranteed none will go to waste.

Yikes! Waste strawberries? They send you to jail for that, don't they??

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana
Mother and Daughter Feeding the Ducks

You've always been a great mother and I can't thank you enough for your constant loving kindness and support these many years.

Love you,
Jan

Teach a Girl to Cook.....

and she'll feed her teenage brothers for a while.

Yesterday, Jenna and I made an apple bread using a Pete-Bakes recipe. I found it to be too dry when using his exact measurements so I added a bit more milk. We also added a vanilla glaze (his recipe doesn't use one). These breads go so quickly at our house, especially when stuffed into lunches for work or when a stealthy maneuver occurs at midnight...which happens frequently around here!

Boy can those guys eat! We clock a lot of time in the kitchen working on old and new recipes, mostly created from scratch cooking, to feed this family.

Today I'm working on a delicious beef stew made with no-hormone beef and homemade beef stock. The stew meat is browned in oil for a crispy piece of meat and a built-in roux. I've also got a herb bread rising that is full of oregano, basil and garlic. Comfort is on it's way.