Tag Archives: no bake

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

21 Feb

sarah

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted to the blog. Before Christmas I was working two jobs so work life intervened. Then, just when work quieted down a bit, my best friend found out the cancer she had been battling was back, and it was back with a vengeance. We lost Sarah earlier this month, just before her 34th birthday. Everyone – including her – thought there would be more time. Time for a bit more fun, a few more long talks, reminiscences, goodbyes.

To say it’s been difficult for everyone who loved her is an understatement. She was an amazing wife, mother, friend and surgeon and her passing leaves a void that can never be filled.

I’m sure all the self-help gurus would frown at this, but when life gives me lemons, I like to add some sugar to make it slightly more palatable. This recipe is pretty much the epitome of comfort – chocolate chip cookie dough in bar form. The best part is that it’s no bake so it requires basically zero effort. Try it out if you’re having a bad day, or even better make it for someone else who’s having a rough go of it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
(from Life’s Simple Pleasures)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars | baconavecbacon.com

Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups mini chocolate chips (reserve 1 teaspoon)

Topping
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips

In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the mixer on low, alternate adding in the flour and sweetened condensed milk and mix until combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula.

Line an 8×8-inch pan with tinfoil or parchment.  Press the cookie dough into the pan with lightly floured hands.

For the topping, combine the peanut butter and milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until smooth.  Spread the mixture over the cookie dough bars. Sprinkle with the reserved mini chocolate chips.

Chill the bars for 1 hour or until topping is firm.

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Recipe: Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

27 Aug

Unlike yours truly, Mr. Bacon is not a huge dessert person. So when he goes back for a second piece of something sweet, I know it’s a winner.

This lemon pie was crazy easy to throw together and had a good balance of tart, sweet and creamy. It would be a great addition to any long weekend gathering!

Hat tip to Bakerette for the recipe.

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie | baconavecbacon.com

1 block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 can lemon pie filling
1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed**
1 pre-prepared graham pie crust

Beat the cream cheese and the sugar with a mixer until fluffy and well blended. Add half of the lemon pie filling and mix until well incorporated. With a spatula, fold in the Cool Whip, mixing well with the cream cheese mixture and spread it in the bottom of the pie crust. Gently spread the remaining lemon pie filling on top and allow to set in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

**NOTE – This is the small tub of Cool Whip, not the larger 1L tubs sold in most stores in Canada. I bought mine in the US so if you’re using the large size tub, reserve about half to dollop on top of the pie before serving.

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Recipe: Smores Pudding Cups

7 Aug

There’s a blight of ‘dessert in a mug’ recipes on Pinterest. Basically a few ingredients thrown into a mug and microwaved which is supposed to create something to satisfy your cravings. Any time I’ve tried one, it’s only made me angry because they all turn out like vaguely flavoured sponges. Blech. Need confirmation? Just ask Sonja from The Pintester:

And yet, sometimes you just need a little something sweet but you want to put in basically zero effort and you want it to be done almost immediately. Well, for those times there are smores pudding cups. It’s all of the great stuff about smores – crunchy graham crackers, tasty chocolate and gooey marshmallow without needing a campfire or really any heat at all.

Smores Pudding Cups


1 package of chocolate or chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp sugar
marshmallow fluff
graham crackers
chocolate chips (optional)

Melt the butter in the microwave in a cereal sized bowl. Add the cup of graham cracker crumbs and the sugar and stir until combined. Pack a few teaspoons of the mix in the bottom of the dish you’re using, reserving a few crumbles for the top. You can use little plastic wine globlets like I did (nothing but class around these parts), or small bowls, or even a small casserole dish for a big version. Mix up the instant pudding as per package directions and pour it on top of your ‘crust’. Top with a couple of spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff, the remaining crumbles and if you’d like a chunk of graham cracker and chocolate chips.

Throw the cups in the fridge for about five minutes and after that they’re ready to enjoy. Virtually instant gratification.

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