Oatmeal is Healthy And Versatile

Royalty free photo

As we wind down the days of nippy (and rainy) weather to enter the balmy sunny days of spring and summer, I find myself eating creamy oatmeal for dinner. I toss 1 cup of dry 1-minute oatmeal flakes and water into a bowl and microwave it for 2 minutes. After the microwave cooks the oatmeal, I add 5 to 6 tablespoons of dry powdered milk to the mixture. Sometimes I also sprinkle in Stevia or honey and cinnamon, but often I don't. It's my favorite way to eat oatmeal. The dried powdered milk adds creaminess and light sweetness. Usually, several hours later I'll snack on hummus and saltines, slices of extra sharp cheddar, fruit, baby-cut carrots, peanut butter on crackers, or Misu soup with mixed vegetables. It varies. 

Oddly enough, I don't eat oatmeal for breakfast, but occasionally as a quick dinner. Oatmeal with milk is an easy-peasy comfort food, relatively filling, and a good sometimes meal without much preparation or cleanup. It contains a decent amount of protein and lowers bad cholesterol in the body. My mother was told by her doctor to eat a bowl of oatmeal several times a week to lower her cholesterol, which she followed and after a time her doctor was able to wean her off of Lipitor, a necessary cholesterol-lowering drug. Oatmeal is a good fiber-rich food to work into a diet.

People make the mistake of buying single packages of instant oats when 1-minute or 5-minute oatmeal flakes quickly cook in a microwave just like the more expensive less healthy instant oatmeal. Knockoff brands from Amazon Walmart or supermarkets are great too and cheap. You can then add healthy ingredients like berries or nuts to it if you wish.

Another way I use oatmeal is in most recipes that call for breadcrumbs. Oatmeal comes in a big size while breadcrumbs come in much smaller quantities. I don't tend to stock breadcrumbs.

Next, I'll have to make this YouTube influencer's savory oatmeal dinner. With chopped vegetables, milk, eggs, water, and grated parmesan cheese, it looks easy and scrumptious!

BAKED OATS (makes 6 slices)

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats (180g) 1/4 cup ground oats, or oat flour (25g) 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy (240ml) 1 cup water (240ml) 2 eggs 1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/2 cup grated melting cheese - gouda or cheddar cheese (50g) 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (20g) 1 medium onion 2 cloves garlic 1 small zucchini (130g) 1/3 cup frozen peas (50g) 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (80g) NUTRITIONAL INFO (per slice): 223 calories, fat 7.9g, carb 27.3g, protein 11.4g Preparation: First, saute onions and garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add sliced zucchini and frozen peas and cook for the next 3-4 minutes. Add rolled oats and toast for 5 minutes, to develop a lovely nutty flavor. While it's cooling down, prepare the wet mixture. In a bowl add, eggs, milk, water, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, grated gouda or cheddar cheese, and ground oats combined with baking powder, and mix it well. Now, add the vegetables and toasted oats and stir well together. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Grease your baking dish with some butter and pour the mixture in. Bake at 350F (180C) for 40 minutes. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut into 6 equal pieces and serve with spoonful of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of hot sauce.

Photo & recipe courtesy of How To Cook Smarter

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3 Low-Tech Cookers Worth The Money

If you have a stovetop you're all set, so why buy extra cookers? 

Well, because the following 3 appliances do their jobs of cooking their specific food better than pots and pans on top of a stove. Plus they're low-tech and super cheap, which makes their respective ease and efficiency worth considering. Let's take a look:

1) An Egg Cooker - When I first saw egg cookers on the market I thought how ridiculous to buy a special gadget to boil eggs, but I've changed my mind! The reason is you can cook either hard, medium, or soft boiled eggs perfectly every time. Not so in a pan of boiling water on a stovetop, where the results of getting the eggs cooked just right can be mixed. Cooking time is less using the egg cooker also because you use far less water. You pour a small amount of water into the egg cooker which quickly brings the water to a boil. A see-through cover lets the eggs steam until the water disappears which activates an alarm telling you the eggs are done. To clean, just raise the parts with tap water as they get steamed, not dirty. 

Egg cookers come in mini, small, medium, and double-decker sizes corresponding to how many eggs you need to cook at once. They'll also make a custard, though I don't plan to utilize this function.

2) Rice Cooker - Again initially I thought what's wrong with just simmering rice in a pan on a stovetop? Nothing ... but a rice cooker steams the rice perfectly every single time and you can serve it in the very same cooker. I selected the Progressive Prep Solutions Microwave Rice Cooker over a pug-in-a-wall option. It makes up to 6 cups of tender flawless rice and can be tossed in a dishwasher. The rice is as fluffy as using plug-in models. Six cups of rice is enough for many recipes, but if you need to cook more rice, bigger units are also sold.

3) Mainstays 12" Nonstick Electric Skillet - I made Salisbury Steak with mushroom and onion gravy for 4 people in the skillet and it turned out just like it does on a stovetop. I let our dinner keep warm by lowering the pan's setting to 150 degrees F while we ate our 1st serving. You can sauté, sear, roast, braise, and steam family-sized meals in the 4 1/2 quarts pan. The skillet is ideal for entertaining as it sits on a countertop and is easy for guests to help themselves to seconds. Best of all, the electric skillet and its tempered glass cover top are dishwasher safe minus its easily removable temperature control component.

After a neighbor's fire in 2019 left our entire NYC apartment building without cooking gas for 8 months, an electric skillet would have come in handy for making one-pan dinners. We got tired of snacks, cold cuts, and eating out, which also got costly.

Wow, 3 economical simple cookers to make home-cooked meals better and more convenient. From cooking to serving dish to dishwasher!

🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪🍔🥖🥪

👺Just for fun, here are 3 gadgets that tend to be a complete waste of money: 1) a George Foreman grill, 2) a sandwich maker, and 3) a breadmaker as you'll rarely reach for them. Tasty hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and a loaf of bread can be made as easily or consistently on a stovetop or inside an oven without special gadgets -- the reason you'll stop using them. I had a small George Forman grill. It grilled burgers no better than a frying pan on a stovetop, but I had to wash a special catch-the-meat-juices tray that is placed under, in front of it, so I gave it away. I never bought a breadmaker as I knew from experience you don't need one, and the devices seem to produce small loaves. When I bake bread I like sandwich-sized slices.

Bon Appetite at home!🍷

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Do It Youself Meal Plans Are Cheaper

As we move into the Spring people think about dropping a few winter pounds, and I understand why some of them turn to meal programs like Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. (The latter is the least expensive of the two.) There's no guesswork. Every bite you eat is packaged for you. The cooking and cleanup are light. It's convenient and nutritionally balanced, and if you follow it, you'll drop the weight. Years ago (around 2009), I tried Nutrisystem for 30 days. I wasn't hungry on the diet and remember dropping down to 118 pounds. As a younger woman, my loftier standard of my ''ideal weight'' was much lower. I was a size 6 - 8 for many years (without starving!). Today I'd love to step on the scale at the weight that I started with before dropping down to 118 pounds. THAT number + 20 pounds would be my ideal weight today!:)

At the same time, we also don't want to gain 10 additional pounds each and every year so our weight becomes unhealthy. Unfortunately, even without stringently high (or should I say low?) standards, you can't let yourself go! No, no, never, never, uh, uh, uh.

Today I'm going to discuss the well-known Nutrisystem meal plans. If you were to buy similar food independently and are disciplined not to cheat, but follow the plan, including its portion sizes, you could reduce the cost of the diet significantly. Moreover, I remember not liking all of the Nutrisystem meals, yet ate them because of the expense and my commitment to losing weight.

Breakfasts were a combination of protein shakes, dehydrated scrambled eggs (add water and microwave), protein muffins, and protein bars.

Here's what I think you could substitute:

* 1 dozen fresh eggs

* You're favorite high protein, low sugar meal bars - Clean and Pure Protein bars are examples. Look for at least 15 grams - 20 grams of protein with low sugar per bar.

* Protein shakes - Look for 25 grams - 30 grams per serving with low sugar and minerals. Consider buying protein powder (over liquid shakes) and adding it to skim milk for savings. Also try different brands like Premier Protein, Aldi or Trader Joe's house brands for greater savings.

Lunches consisted of canned soups and you could eat fruit or vegetable sticks that you furnish.

THE SAVVY SHOPPER has recipes for a variety of homemade soups, but this post is about convenience.

So you could buy the healthy choice varieties of any number of soups at your supermarket. Read the labels carefully focusing on low calories, salt, and at least 20 grams (30 grams if you can find it!) of protein. I will give Nutrisystem credit for sending chunky protein-rich soup, trickier to find with supermarket canned soup.

Dinners were frozen meals: meat (beef, chicken, or pork), carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, or pasta), and a vegetable, such as broccoli or peas and carrots).

Look for the many wholesome options of supermarket-carried frozen dinners. They'll likely cost less than what's on Amazon, but I'll link those for educational purposes. At the supermarket, most are half the price of a Nutrisystem frozen meal. I happen to like a brand called Healthy Choice, but there are other options also at the supermarket. Aim to find 17 grams - 30 grams per frozen dinner with 250 - 500 calories per serving. You may have to supplement some meals with a glass of milk to bump up the protein.

Snacks I liked the Nutrisystem protein chips and protein bars. The cookies and cake were good too. I was allowed 2 snacks per day. Protein chips are expensive everywhere. What's more, you don't get much in the costly bag. Consider skipping them as snacks for an ounce of cheddar (or your favorite cheese) on a saltine cracker to lower the price. Still, I'm not against expensive protein chips if they help on a diet. Spend the bucks as needed to succeed. 

I disliked Nutrisystem's dehydrated eggs. The pizza crust was as dry and flat as a cracker (which subsequently may have improved to taste like most frozen pizzas). Nutrisystem's vegetable patty on a bun was not good in taste or texture, and I thought their frozen pasta dinner entrèes were insufficient and expensive. I'll take a lean real hamburger over a Nutrisystem patty any day. It's easy to grill a raw beef burger on a stovetop. Add a slice of onion, tomato, and lettuce with ketchup, and thank me later.

Supermarkets offer all of the above meals for less than $5 - $10 each of the Nutrisystem entrèes. You'll spend far less money plus only have to eat the dishes you like!

When you buy Nutrisystem you still must buy extra fresh fruit and vegetables as they aren't packaged and mailed to you.

Nutrisystem is great at teaching people what they should eat in a day; selecting food with adequate protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber; eating a variety of food; learning portion control; and eating when you're hungry. Also, you should and do consume 1/3 of your daily protein requirements with each meal.

Helpful tip: If you desire to follow the Nutrisystem/Jenny Craig diet on the cheap: Go to the supermarket and buy a full month's supply of alike meals + snacks to follow the plan faithfully. Do not stray from the plan. When you subscribe to the more pricey trademarks, the companies send you a box of food you eat for the month. This will put you in the same mindset for less.

Savings versus Convenience: Finally, if you don't mind paying 3+ times the money, you avoid the work of picking Nutrisystem meal equivalents at the supermarket. The food is shipped directly to your home. Nice! I enjoyed the convenience for a short time. But. After 30 days I decided I didn't need a meal plan, as I had good eating habits and didn't mind shopping or cooking. Sometimes cleaning up seems like a repetitive chore though.

Good luck! Losing weight is hard. The older you are, the tougher it is. Cutting calories is never fun. From time to time, we all go through it. "It's a marathon, not a sprint!"

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Waldorf Salad With Leftover Chicken or Turkey

Originally when the Waldorf-Astoria's maitre'd hotel, Oscar Tschirky, created the Waldorf salad in 1896 for a New York City charity event, the recipe only contained 3 ingredients: apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Contemporary recipes of what was once a simple salad on a bed of lettuce turned the dish into a light meal by adding either turkey or chicken, grapes (or raisins, or dried cranberries), and walnuts. Some cooks prefer pecans.

Photographed above (with the recipe below) is my version made with Thanksgiving leftovers:

Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

2 cups white meat - turkey or chicken, finely chopped 

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 medium apple, finely chopped - A green apple is usually suggested. I had a New York State apple.

1/2 cup of red grapes, finely chopped - Green grapes are used like a green apple to keep the color of the salad green, but I don't care about the color although I do love granny smith apples:).

1/4 cup of walnuts, finely chopped

3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons of light mayonnaise (Don't use fat-free as it is tasteless.)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1) Using a chef's knife, finely chop the ingredients, one by one, but you can also chop them into larger chunks if you wish. I favor finely chopped to make a creamier salad and sandwich spread that stays on the bread.

2) Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pepper, and taste to determine if you need the salt. I omitted salt because I cooked the bird with salt.

3) Chill and let the flavors marinate before eating as a salad or sandwich between 2 slices of rye or grainy bread.

Bon Appetite!

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Types Of Potatoes

Photos courtesy of Markets at Shrewsbury: Fingerling potatoes. Click the link for more potato facts.

Although I rotate the starches I eat to include whole grains, corn, sweet potatoes, and pasta (as I do within other food groups) in an effort to consume a varied and balanced diet ... it's really white (as opposed to sweet) potatoes I love the most and could eat daily as I never get tired of them! Is my English and German ancestry the reason why?

Russet (or Idaho)

A potato is a tuber root vegetable, a perennial in the nightshade family. There are nearly 4,000 types of potatoes in nature. They are categorized by their content of starchy compounds to solid-to-water ratio and texture. Potatoes are classified as 1) starchy (i.e., mealy or floury), 2) waxy, or 3) all-purpose.  

Below are several varieties of potatoes commonly found at the supermarket: 

1) Starchy potatoes - Have high solids, amylose starch, and low moisture. Russet (a/k/a Idaho potatoes), Goldrush, and Long White are three examples of starchy potatoes. They are good baked, mashed, or fried, mm, like French fries. They pick up moisture and lose their shape when boiled. Personally, I don't think that's a bad thing in a vegetable medley as it thickens the broth! I also like to use Russet in American potato salad mish-mashed with eggs, onions, and celery.

Red potatoes

2) Waxy potatoes - Are high in moisture and sugar, but low in starch (here called amylopectin). Waxy potatoes include red potatoes, fingerlings, new potatoes, golden, and baby potatoes. They hold their shape when boiled, so they work well in soups, stews, and for making scalloped potatoes or German potato salad. Ideally in German potato salad, you slice and hope the slices hold their shape, yet in our family, we use whatever variety of potatoes, waxy or not, we have on hand. We want dishes to be delicious but aren't foodies. A foodie would use the right type of potato.:)

Blue potatoes

3) All-purpose potatoes - Are medium in starch and therefore fall between starchy and waxy potatoes. They are suitable for most recipes as they hold their shape better than starchy potatoes and are good for roasting, making potato salad, pan-frying, boiling in soups, and gratins. You can bake or mash them also, although they are less fluffy than starchy potatoes. Examples include Yukon Gold, White, Blue, and Purple potatoes.

Potatoes are rich in vitamin B6, potassium (in fact higher than bananas), and dietary fiber. What's more, like most brightly colored vegetables Blue and Purple potatoes are packed with antioxidants, containing 2 - 3 times more antioxidants than white potatoes.

Yukon Gold potatoes (left) and white potatoes (right)

Over the years I've leaned towards buying Russet potatoes, but have eaten red, golden, fingerling, white, and blue potatoes. Hey, does a bad type of potato even exist? I volunteer to try as many of the 4,00o potato varieties on earth that come my way!

Yellow potatoes

What's your favorite potato? Our family eats potatoes in one form or another with most of our dinners (over rice, corn, or pasta -- which we eat less often). How about yours?

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Macy's Black Friday Specials: 10 Awesome Gifts For $10 or Less

Bell de Mar Button Pearls

If you're a high earner it's fantastic to buy loved ones expensive gifts. How lovely for people who have the means to give generously to others. It's equally vital to remember that Christmas was once not the over-the-top commercial holiday it's become. At one time people were content to exchange inexpensive treats like fruit, chocolates, or homemade gifts. So if you're on a tight budget this year don't fret, it really is the thought based on what you can afford that counts. 

Since I promised to create gift guides this year from Macy's Early Access Black Friday Specials I'll select 10 Awesome Gifts for $10 or Less:

1) Bell de Mar Cultured Freshwater Button Pearl Earrings - A very decent size 8-9mm with sterling silver (a precious metal) posts and backs. However according to many reviewers, the backs are flimsy and loose, so plan to use alternate posts you already have in your jewelry box or enclose a few rubber backs in your gift box for your giftee, so when worn an earring won't fall out. Despite their ill-fitting backs, I still think the earrings are an amazing buy and I'd be lying if I say I don't want a pair of pink pearls for myself! I only own white pearls! The button-shaped pearls are available in ivory, pink, grey, and black. Sale price: $8.12.

2) Art+Sound True Wireless Earbuds - The earbuds have a "crystal clear" sound, a comfortable fit, and many positive reviews. Fabulous time to buy them! Sale price: $9.99

3) Art & Cook 2-Speed Immersion Blender - Often I wish I had an immersion blender so I could insert it into a pot on the stovetop instead of pouring soup into a blender to cream it. Less cleanup! At $9.99.

4) Thermal Shirts - for men or women - For layering. Winter is coming! Nice to have warmth without bulk! Sale price: $9.99

5) First Aid Ultra Repair Cream - 2 ounces - A stellar skincare brand in limited edition holiday scents with serious moisture to treat dry skin. Hand/body creams make fabulous emergency gifts if you need a hostess gift or for an extra visitor at your gathering. Sale price: $9 {In the past I've also fallen back on quality scented room candles as an emergency gift which Macy's is offering for $10. A Christmas ornament can be a winning hostess gift.}

 6) Thirstystone Printed Coaster Set - Every home dweller needs stylish coasters to protect their furniture from drips and rings from drinks. There is an assortment of brands, designs, and colors. The sale price for a set of 4: is $7.99.

7) Holiday Lane Shine Bright Collection - Ornaments start at $2.99. In the USA it's protocol for a boss to give employees holiday gifts, but employees aren't expected to reciprocate because bosses make higher salaries. It can be awkward giving a boss a gift, but you can play it safe with either a lovely ornament or homemade Christmas cookies and a festive card. This eliminates dilemmas like wondering how much to spend; is the gift too personal, or appropriate? {I once brought homemade Christmas cookies in a tin to the office that my managing editor at Time ate during Christmas week, until he said, "Oh, please don't bring any more cookies in, I can't gain more weight!" I've published my cookie recipes throughout the blog.}

8) A set of peppermint, cinnamon, and vanilla-flavored lip balm. $8.93.

9) Art & Cook Coffee and Spice Grinder - For the serious home cook or serious coffee drinker who likes to grind her/his own spices or beans. $9.99

10) R.H. Macy & Co. Chocolate Rum Cake - A premium blend of cocoa and dark rum with the flavor of butter syrup tossed in. Cheaper than a cup of coffee and a slice of gourmet cake at a cafe! 1 lb weight. Sale price: $9.99

Nobody should max out their credit cards for the holidays. Instead, give friends and family your time! With a little thought and the help of a Macy's Black Friday sale, you can find perfect gifts that are thoughtful and budget-friendly.🎄

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Pilfered From The Internet: Pico De Gallo & Joy Bauer's Buffalo Dip

Photo credit: All over social media - You figure it out.

Recently this recipe popped up on my Facebook feed, piquing my interest and appetite. I must eat some! The Mexican-inspired recipe is all over the internet and seems to have been around since the 1950s so I have no idea who to give credit to, and there's a debate going on that it's plain ole salsa. 

I agree with the camp who thinks the recipe needs lemon juice, salt, and pepper, so below is the recipe I'll make. Be sure to give the recipe that was on my Facebook feed below, over to the right, a glance too. It looks to be one of those dishes everyone can improvise and adjust to his/her own tastes and spice tolerance. I can also see tossing some fresh or frozen cooked corn and/or celery into the mix.

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients:

6 tomatoes - I often buy plum tomatoes so I'll likely use 10 to 12.

3 jalapeno peppers - I like hot (although they will be less hot if you remove the seeds and aren't cooking them). Also, feel free to use fewer jalapenos for milder heat. In variations of this recipe, people substitute banana peppers, poblano chiles, or serrano peppers, listed in order of their hotness. Jalapenos fall after poblano chiles in hotness on the list.

1 large onion, chopped - I'll eyeball the amount as I like onions and might use more.

1 cup cilantro, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried garlic

1 tablespoon cumin - I'll reduce the cumin to 1 teaspoon. I like it, but a little goes a long way.

3 lemons or limes, juiced

1 teaspoon salt to start with, then taste if more is needed.

1 teaspoon pepper = 24 turns of the peppermill (or chili powder)

Directions:

1) With a sharp knife, dice all the ingredients medium fine (eyeball them, not too big or too small) and toss them into a mixing bowl. 

2) Spice, mix, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you're lucky enough to have a tomato garden, this recipe is for you! You'll know exactly what to do with your abundance of tomatoes in late summer.

After making the Pico de Gallo if you desire to keep it for longer than a week, I suppose it could be tossed into a stockpot to blanch for 5 minutes to can in Mason jars. Although far from an expert, I don't see why not.

Golly, I'd love to dip my spoon into the overflowing jar at the top of the blog! It's waiting to be eaten!!!😋

🌶🍅🍽🍽🍽🍽🌶🍅🍽🍽🍽🍽🌶🍅🍽🍽🍽🍽🌶🍅🍽🍽🍽🍽🌶🍅

This weekend I made Joy Bauer's Buffalo Cottage Cheese Yogurt Dip, a healthy condiment you can use as a vegetable/chip dip, sandwich spread, or to flavor chicken. Usually, I use low-fat mayonnaise, or hummus as a sandwich spread with ham, beef, or turkey, but this is cheaper and packed with protein, so in the future, I might keep a batch of it in the refrigerator. I'll save the more costly hummus for snacking on crackers. If you're curious, Buffalo sauce derives its name from Buffalo, New York.

Buffalo Cottage Cheese Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

Photo: Joy Bauer's website

1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons hot sauce

2 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Optional ingredients - what I added to Joy Bauer's original recipe: 

1 teaspoon dried garlic

1/2 of teaspoon onion powder

a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, next time I'll use white vinegar

A sprinkle of Worscheshire sauce

A sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Extra salt to taste

Directions:

Toss all the ingredients into a food processor and blend.

I love how healthy the dip is, however, when I tasted it finished, it was too bland. The hint of heat was fine, but to give it more zest I experimented by adding the above optional ingredients. After you make the original recipe, taste and adjust it to your own liking. 

Next time I prepare the dip, I'll replace the lemon juice with white vinegar because it's traditional in real Buffalo sauce. Frankly, Joy's Buffalo dip doesn't taste as good as hummus or low-fat mayonnaise but it's certainly healthy and packed with protein. I think the dip is worth keeping and experimenting with to improve its flavor. Perhaps adding a little low-fat mayonnaise and Dijon mustard or Wasabi or American horseradish to the mix is the answer (reduce if you can't eliminate the mayonnaise).

Now that these condiment recipes are on THE SAVVY SHOPPER we can return here instead of searching all over the internet to make them time and again.

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Canada's Nanaimo Bars

Oh, Canada, why have you been holding out on me?

These classic Canadian cookie bars popped up on my Facebook feed. They are named after Nanaimo, British Columbia, but I've never heard of them. They look so delicious I've decided to make them! After googling the recipe to find that other recipes call for custard powder, another food item I've never heard of and won't find in my supermarket, I decided to go with this 12 Tomatoes recipe adapted from Classic Cooking. I like the white chocolate flavor in the custard layer. Another version of Nanaimo bars suggests making a coffee-flavored custard, also tasty! You choose. I'll go with white chocolate the 1st time.

Nanaimo Bars - 12 Tomatoes version:

Ingredients:

Photo: 12 Tomatoes - FB

Bottom Layer --
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups graham crackers, finely crushed
8 oz sweetened coconut, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)

Pudding Filling -- 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup heavy cream 

2 tablespoons white chocolate instant pudding mix

2 cups powdered sugar

 

Photo: 12 Tomatoes

Chocolate Topping -- 

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - See my tweak - step 6.

4 tablespoons salted butter 

Optional: ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions: (From 12 Tomatoes with my tweaks in blue font).

1) Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. (It works in a buttered 9x9-inch baking pan equally well. I think the crust is better without parchment paper.)

2) Melt 1 stick of cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder, salt, and brown sugar, remove the pan from heat, and whisk until mixture is well-blended.

3) Slowly whisk in the beaten egg and mix constantly until the egg is incorporated. Return the pot to the stovetop over medium heat and cook until the chocolate mixture has thickened, stirring frequently, for up to 2 minutes.

4) Stir in vanilla extract, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and graham cracker crumbs. Once blended, pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes.

5) Beat 5 tablespoons unsalted butter with heavy cream, and instant pudding powder until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar until a creamy mixture comes together. Spread the cream filling over the top of the chocolate base layer and recover with plastic wrap. Return the pan to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Photo: BBC

6) Melt chocolate chips with butter in a microwave-safe bowl, cooking in short increments of time and stirring until melted and smooth. Add salt, if using, and stir until blended. (See my tweak below👇). Spread chocolate topping over top of the cream filling. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes or until the chocolate has completely set. My chocolate ganache is pure and simple without sacrificing flavor: Melt chocolate chips or broken dark chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl with a tiny amount of any fat milk. Remember you can always add more milk, but can't remove it, so start with less. You don't need the butter or salt to make chocolate ganache. After melting, stir well and pour the ganache over the 2nd layer. Cover and refrigerate.

7) To serve, cut into squares. Store in an airtight container. If stacking your Nanaimo bars, place a layer of parchment paper in between each layer. Don't stack the cut bars as thy're moist because of the middle layer of pudding. It won't end well! 

Makes 16 bars. Refrigerate any leftovers and return the next day to eat the batch up! Let's not lie and pretend otherwise.

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