Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

My lovely, sweet and beautiful niece Elyse turns 13 today (blink.blink.). It's insane to think about the time that has passed but I'm so excited to see her take on life as an awesome teenager. Not sure what to make her for birthday baking, I decided 13 warrants a bit of sophistication. Instead of candy or chocolate overloaded sweets, I went for a classy combination of white chocolate and dried cranberries in a moderately sweet blondie with a crunchy edge and a slightly chewy center. This version is delicious and celebratory in a subtle way. Plus, in a pinch, you can toss a scoop of ice cream and maybe some caramel sauce on top and make a lovely blondie sundae.

Brioche French Toast

I adore French toast--it's definitely one of my favorite breakfast foods. But I rarely make it at home because it doesn't ever turn out the way I want it to: perfectly fluffy inside and a touch of crisp outside with a sweet, cinnamon finish. Mine is usually soggy and the cinnamon clumps together so only the first few pieces get the spice, which is always spotty and heavy. But last week I was in Aldi (of all places) and spotted a beautiful loaf of chocolate chip brioche. For real. Aldi. As soon as I saw it, I thought--French Toast! I hemmed and hawed for a second and then took it as a sign that yes, I need to master this dish. Dave and I were thrilled with the result--it was exactly the type of challenge I needed. Fluffy? Yes. Sweet and subtle with cinnamon and nutmeg? Yes. Grilled to a perfect exterior crisp with no soggy interior? Yes. Now I just a have to stalk Aldi for brioche in order to make it again!

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Bread

Sometimes, usually when ordering soft-serve ice cream, I can't decide if I want chocolate or vanilla. I mean, chocolate is always a yes, but occasionally I like the idea of vanilla. But to go all vanilla means I get no chocolate, which seems kind of wrong in a lot of ways. Which is why I thank my lucky stars for the genius that invented the swirl. The clean, fresh sweetness of vanilla without sacrificing the rich goodness of chocolate all in one delicious treat. Which is exactly the best description for this quick bread. A perfectly tender crumb with all the loveliness of both chocolate and vanilla, not to mention a pretty little swirl when you cut off each slice. It might seem like twice the work since you need to make two batters, but you get two loaves out of the deal, so there's a nice return on investment (yes, I supposed you could split the recipe in half, but then you won't have a loaf to share with someone).

M&M Snack Cake Bars

Part cake, part bar, all delicious. These bars are all that's right in the world and were super simple to put together after I got our little guy down for the night. My evening baking time is limited since we have a pretty regular routine getting Logan to bed, so finding quick recipes that can be completed in the time before I hit the pillow is imperative. And this one isn't only quick, but delicious. The bars are soft, but not overly cakey. Like the perfect cross between cake and cookie and blondie. Perfect texture and not crumbly. Now the base is perfect for just about any sort of mix in, but really chocolate chips and mini M&Ms solidifies these bars as a great snack. The only thing better would have been to add sprinkles (it is cake after all) and get some funfetti action up in these tasty treats. There's always next time.