Bake or Break

With this recipe, I’m going back to some of my baking loves – chocolate, nuts, and bars. You had to know I wouldn’t stray for long. These bars are certainly a good way to reunite with some old favorites.

One of my other great baking loves is pecan pie. Now, imagine a pecan pie in bar form, but with cashews and chocolate. That’s what we’ve got here. And, it’s a beautiful thing.
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In a strange turn of events, it seems I have baked something with neither chocolate nor nuts. For those of you who are astonished, I think I may have redeemed myself by the presence of cream cheese frosting.

I am further redeemed by the perfection that is these cupcakes. Oh, my, but they’re good. Basically, these lovely little pound cakes are loaded with brown sugar, creating a wonderful caramel-like flavor. Then, they are topped off with an amazingly simple, delicious cream cheese frosting that features even more brown sugar.
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Unintentionally, I seem to have started 2012 in a very similar way to 2011. Last year, there was that amazing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake. And now, this year begins with this fantastically easy, very tasty quick bread that also features chocolate chips and oats.
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2011 was quite a year. Quinn and I celebrated not only our first year of being New Yorkers, but also 11 years of marital bliss. In Quinn’s work life, he played a big part in a couple of big projects (including this one).

As for my work life, well, there were some changes there. Some of you know that I left my job about a month ago. Since then, I’ve become a full-time blogger, which helps explain the increased activity on this blog. Thanks to all of you for making this possible!

This year’s most popular foods on BoB are a varied sort, from chocolate to bananas to peanut butter. I do notice an affinity for cream cheese frosting. Can’t say I blame anyone for that.

Okay, on with the show. Without further preamble, here are the most popular recipes on Bake or Break for 2011. Click on the photos to view the original posts.

One of my favorite cakes is the always reliable German chocolate cake with coconut-pecan frosting. Not very creative, I know. But, what can I say? I like what I like. Unfortunately for me, coconut is most definitely not what Quinn likes.
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Okay, all of you peanut butter and chocolate fans, pay attention because these are for you. And for me, as I am a long-time member of the fan club.

If these brownies were simply swirled with peanut butter, they would be delicious. But, let’s make them even better by stirring in some peanut butter chips. Then, a generous scattering of peanut butter cups on top nudges them over the line firmly into decadent standards.
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