If strawberries are out of season, try tangerines. They’re easy to peel and separate into sections, and they taste wonderful when dipped in chocolate.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries – serves 4-6
Whenever I think of granola bars, I think of school lunches. But with my new recipe for Chocolate Granola Bars, snack time can be much tastier. The secret ingredient is unsweetened cocoa powder.
These granola bars, which require no baking, are easy to make and even easier to eat. They are so good that they can even stand in for dessert—if you haven’t gobbled them all before before dinnertime.
No-Bake Chocolate Granola Bars – adapted from “Chocolate on the Brain”
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter + more for greasing
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1¾ cups granola
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, making sure two ends of the foil overhang the pan by about 2 inches so you can easily life the bars out of the pan later. Lightly rub the bottom and sides of the foil with butter and set aside.
Combine the butter, brown sugar and cocoa powder in a medium, heavy pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes, or until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and add the granola, chocolate chips, walnuts (if using) and vanilla and stir to combine.
Scrape the batter into the pan and freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the top feels cool and firm. Carefully lift the ends of the foil and remove the granola mixture from the pan. Cut into 8 or 16 bars and wrap each one individually in foil or plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator in a closed container.
For easy-to-make recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"
Homemade soup is a perfect way to start the weekend, especially if you are making a big dinner on Sunday.
I was making tacos for lunch when I suddenly realized we had eaten all the hummus. What could I use as a replacement alongside the beans and cheese? Then I spotted an open bag of potato chips. Why not crumble some of them and sprinkle on top of the tacos before serving?
They worked perfectly, adding some crunch. Who needs hummus!
Cherry tomatoes are a perfect antidote to cold weather. They make you think of summer—a memory I can use right now since we just had a hail storm in normally sunny California.
If you are lucky enough to find a box of cherry tomatoes in the produce department, here are 5 things you can do with them today:
