I feel like I've been running ninety to nothing for several months now, and the disturbing thing for me is that I don't feel like I have it all together like when I was younger.
Like last year when I was only forty.
Moving, projects, life, a brush with death, and, oh yeah, launching my photography business last month have really worn me down. (Live in the area and have a senior? I would love to do their portraits. Pick me! Pick me!)
So hubby and I decided to get away for a few days to the ginormous town of Excel, Alabama, and spend some much needed quiet time at Beulah Camp, where I was without the internet for four whole days.
It's okay. I'm fine. Really.
FYI: It actually does a soul good to be without the internet for a few days.
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| Atticus Finch will always hold a special place in my heart. |
And since Excel is really close to Monroeville, we took a little excursion over there to check out that historic little town. Monroeville is home to Pulitzer prize winning author Harper Lee, and the town was used as a model for the fictional town, Maycomb, in her book To Kill A Mockingbird. Both Richard and I were under the impression that the entire movie was shot there, but our bubbles were busted when we were told that it was actually filmed in Hollywood. They did, however, use the Monroe County courthouse as a model for the courthouse set that they constructed in Hollywood for the movie.
Well bummer.
We still had fun being all tourist-y, plus we had a really good lunch at the Courthouse grill.
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| This is a picture of me for my dad. My dad just recently discovered my blog. Hi Dad! |
I did manage to find some time to experiment in the kitchen recently, though. These bars are a version of the the Brown Sugar-Biscoff bars I did a while back. They have a gooey middle and kind of a crackly top, like lemon bars. I had to restrain myself.
-My daughter said they should be sweeter. I disagree. I liked them the way they were. But if you'd like a sweeter bar, I suggest increasing the sugar in the filling by 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
-These were puffed and set at about 25 minutes in my oven, which is much less time than the Biscoff bars took in the oven in my old house. Start checking them at about 23 minutes.
Nutella Bars
Crust:
1/2
cup butter, softened
1/4
cup sugar
1
cup all-purpose flour
1/8
teaspoon salt
Filling:
3
large eggs
1
cup sugar
1/2
cup Nutella
1/2
cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine crust ingredients on low to medium speed just
until mixture is evenly mixed and moist.
(It will start clumping together.) Dump into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan
that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Press mixture onto bottom of pan in an even
layer. (Use wet fingers if mixture sticks to skin.) Prick 6-8 times with a fork, then bake for 15
minutes or until golden brown around edges.
Meanwhile, beat the ingredients for the filling on medium
speed until smooth. When crust is done,
pour mixture evenly over crust and bake for 25-30 minutes or until middle is puffed
and just set. Cool completely on wire rack before cutting into bars.
*Increase sugar in filling by 1/4 to 1/2 cup for a sweeter bar.
Posts
Hi Lorie's Dad! Welcome!
ReplyDeleteLorie, you look pretty in that picture! Your hair looks blonde.
These bars look great. I want to make them. I've been eating so many sweets lately, though. I need to cut down.
I would hire you to do my senior pictures! Your photography is amazing!
above all things, your pictures are spectacular! And the recipe is perfectly creative.
ReplyDeleteWauw, they look very good! :)
ReplyDeleteLouise
oh wow do these look good! I saw them on foodgawker and just had to click over! Yum :)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, so yummy! These look so delicious, and great photos!
ReplyDeleteOh these look so yummy! I have a jar of nutella sitting in my pantry and I have been wanting to do something with it, but I was never sure what. I usually just end up dipping a butter knife into it and licking it off...
ReplyDeleteAlso, props for taking an internet break! I do that every now and then and it feels so wonderful!
Lorie,
ReplyDeleteYour vacation looks so interesting. Great photos.
I like just about any cookie with a shortbread base so I'm thinking these bars would be just the ticket for my tastebuds.
Good luck with your photography business.
I only can think up one word to describe this "amazing"
ReplyDeleteI've made these three times now. A huge hit, every time! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us. This is so easy, too! What a bonus, to such a tasty and unique treat.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why pictures aren't included in the "print" option on this site -- very few (if any?) cookbooks are printed without pictures now.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous--the print option is designed to only include text. I just changed some of the features on my blog, though, and if you want to save one of the Nutella bar pictures from the post for your own personal reference, you now can, but keep in mind, it is low resolution and will not print well.
DeleteLorie, I just found your food blog on Pinterest, and think every one of your recipes
ReplyDeletelook and sound delicious !! The stories that accompany each are special too. Thanks.
Norma
I've got a batch of these in the oven now, and I'm sure they'll be delicious, but I did have one question about the recipe: in your notes, you state that you can increase the sugar in the filling by 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup, but in the ingredients list of the recipe you list 1 cup of sugar for the filling. Which is correct? (I went with 1/2 cup btw). Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI think she means add anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup for a sweeter bar. I can't see adding even more so I'd stick with the 1 cup, unless you used 1/2 cup total and thought it was good?
DeleteJessica--I meant increase the filling by 1/4 to 1/2 for sweeter bar and I did not make that clear. So sorry! I am correcting that now.
DeleteCan't get a top like that, how do i do that?
ReplyDelete