Blueberry Banana Brandy Bars (B4s)

The brandy give these "brown bag" bars a little kick and depth of flavor often missing from some banana cakes.  And, I knew that blueberry and brandy would be a great pairing.  Super easy and a great way to use up those ripe banana sitting on your counter! 

So, funnily, I was watching ~briefly~ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory last night, and just so happened to stumble into the part of the movie where Violet Beauregarde eats the complete dinner gum, replete with blueberry pie.  Before Willie could convince Violet not to sample and even spit out the gum before dessert, she enjoyed her meal only to find as she started "chewing" on dessert that she was becoming a blueberry!  Remember Violet (from the original movie)? 

Violet sure learned her lesson...This is the part when the Umpa Lumpas show up to roll her away.  I never liked Violet...Just too bossy!  And, I will admit, I turned off this Johnny Depp version of the movie almost immediately after the start of the Umpa Lumpa disco scene...I mean, really? 

OK, back to my B4 bars...I found this recipe in my King Arthur baking book, under "Brown Bag Banana Bars."  The name does not do these "cake" bars justice.  Packed with poppy seeds and with a texture that has a nice "crunch" from the cornmeal.  I added blueberries, which were in the fridge, for a fresh and bright addition.

Easy to make, moist and full of banana and blueberry flavors: one of my favorite combinations.  And, the brandy gives them a nice smooth flavor...

Delish!

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Pi Day Pie Blog Hop! Brandied Apple Pie with Cheddar Crumb Topping

It's Pi Day!  We are happy to be participating in an annual holiday that only math geeks may appreciate...Today is 3.14...Get it?  Pi Day!  In case you were wondering, Pi ( π or 3.14159265...) is the number that is derived when you divide the circumference of ANY circle by its diameter.  For the math geeks in the room that's:

Our local blogger buddy, Dorothy, at CrazyforCrust was the inspiration for today's posts.  She's a math geek, we are math geek...We are PROUD math geeks!  Math geek girls ROCK!! 

We are sharing posts from other  π-minded bakers today.  Go on, hop on over for some GREAT π's and tarts!!

Crazy for Crust
Apple Galettes by Kristin’s kNook
Baltimore Bomb Pie by Something Swanky
Grasshopper Thin Mint Pie by The Domestic Rebel
Banana Split Brownie Pie by BruCrew Life
Irish Banana Cream Pie by Shugary Sweets
Apple and Apricot Tart by Trilogy Edibles
Reese’s Fudge Pie by Mandy's Recipe Box

The brandy in this pie gives it a velvety sweetness...Almost silky.  Elegant, too.


I'm sharing this recipe over at Cake of the Week's 
Baking with Spirit Challenge: Dark Spirits.  

Hop on over to Cake of the Week to see even more 
booze-inspired baked goodies!  

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Brandied Apple Pie - and Better Crust with Brandy!

Following my experiment with vodka pie crust, I decided to continue exploring these newfound possibilities of turning out perfectly crispy pie crust - with booze!

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This time, the variable was brandy. I used the same base pie crust recipe, from Martha Stewart. I followed these instructions, except that I used brandy where it called for water. The resulting pie crust was a little wetter and doughier (before baking) than the crust I made by substituting vodka for the water. I'm not exactly sure why this is; the alcohol contents were the same (I used E&J brandy, which is 40% alcohol by volume, and Skyy vodka, which is also 40%). I'll have to consult an actual scientist on this one...oh Ellen...

Peach Upside-down Cake

A sure sign that it's finally summer is the myriad of beautiful, fresh produce at the farmer's market. I'm fortunate to have one right outside my building once a week. Every Wednesday, the office smells like strawberries and kettle corn, and the elevators are full of cheerful folks clutching reusable canvas tote bags filled with organic treasures, and sharing tips about which booth has the best prices on cherries and what, exactly, to do with bok choy.


I ventured down to the market last Wednesday on the excellent advice of my fabulous coworker Nancy, in search of my very favorite summer yield: peaches. After my pineapple upside-down cake post, Nancy suggested a creative (and boozy) variation: peach upside-down cake, with brandy.

In the beginning...Something Italian, of course!! Cucidati

Cucidati: a fig cookie, Sicilian in origin, generally baked during the holidays.  I made mine on xmas eve and xmas day.  One day to make the fixins' and the next to roll, shape, bake and ice.  These are of an adult genre, hence the use of BOOZE, and have ~like~ 8 ingredients in the filling, including brandy or rum!  I call them Fig Newtons on Steroids.  Follow this recipe for excellent results.  I've posted the website for Marie, a great Italian cook in Chicago (love that town...) and an inspiration to me as I continue my quest to become Italian.  :)

Here's the link to Marie's web site (fabulous!!) for step-by-step instructions, and follow the directions to the link for the recipe:

http://prouditaliancook.blogspot.com/2008/12/cucidati-italian-fig-cookies.html

Here is a picture (not mine, but you get the idea):