chewy caramel popcorn and pretzel bars

the goods:

12 cups plain popcorn (from 1/2 cup kernels or 2 microwave packages)

4 cups coarsely chopped small salted pretzels

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss together popcorn and pretzels. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is amber in color, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour in cream (mixture will sputter). Immediately add marshmallows; stir until melted.

Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and quickly stir with a rubber spatula to coat. Transfer mixture to dish and use a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray to press evenly into dish.

Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

apple-raisin cookies

the goods:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

ground cloves

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons whole milk

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced small

1 cup raisins

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and pinch of cloves. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. With mixer on low, beat in half the flour mixture, then milk, then remaining flour mixture. Beat just until combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold apples and raisins into dough.

Drop dough in 2-tablespoonful mounds, 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet.

Bake until cookies are firm around edges, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks.

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Transfer to a zip-top bag. Snip a very small hole in one corner and drizzle glaze over cookies.

apple and cranberry pandowdy

the goods:

crust:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

filling:

3 Rome apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch slices

4 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 cup cranberries

1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Make crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly, but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add 1 tablespoon more ice water). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.

On a floured piece of parchment, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Refrigerate until firm, 20 minutes.

Make filling: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together apples, cranberries, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, and salt. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish; dot with butter.

Tear or cut dough into pieces (around 3 inches square). Lay dough pieces, overlapping slightly, over apple mixture.

Brush dough with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake until crust is browned and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

apple and sour cream coffee cake

the goods:

crumb topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

batter:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for cake pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for cake pan

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 Winesap or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced medium

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make topping: In a medium bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, pecans, oats, cinnamon, and salt. With a pastry cutter or your hands, blend until butter is incorporated and mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make batter: Butter and flour an angel-food cake pan or a Bundt cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition. Add sour cream and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat just until combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in apples and pecans; transfer batter to pan.

Top with crumb topping and, with a butter knife, gently fold some of topping into batter.

Bake until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack, 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack and let cool.

peanut butter-chocolate rice crispy treats

My husband actually told me that these were the best rice crispy treats he has EVER had!

the goods:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 cups puffed-rice cereal

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1/4 cup chopped, salted peanuts (optional)

Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large pot, combine marshmallows, peanut butter, butter, and salt. Cook over medium, stirring, until melted, about 4 minutes. Add cereal and stir to combine.

With a wooden spoon greased with cooking spray, press half the cereal mixture into dish. Spread half the melted chocolate on top. Repeat with remaining cereal mixture and chocolate.

Sprinkle with peanuts if desired.

Cut into squares.

blackberry-swirl pound cake

the goods:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

6 ounces blackberries

1 and 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature

whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving an overhang; butter parchment. In a food processor, puree blackberries with 2 tablespoons sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1 and 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Transfer half the batter to pan and dot with 1/2 cup blackberry puree. Repeat with remaining batter and puree.

With a skewer, swirl batter and puree together. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Lift cake out of pan and place on a serving plate; let cool completely before slicing.

apricot cheesecake bars

the goods:

18 graham crackers

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

10 ounces apricots (about 4), halved, pitted, and cut into eighths (if out of season you can use canned)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, process graham crackers, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Wipe processor bowl clean.

With a flat-bottomed 1-cup measuring cup or glass, press crumbs evenly into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake until crust is firm, 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325 degrees.

In a small saucepan, bring apricots, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt to a boil over medium-high, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is shiny, 10 minutes. In food processor, puree apricot mixture, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream on medium until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and beat to combine. Add eggs and beat until smooth, scraping down bowl as needed.

Pour cream-cheese mixture into cooled crust and smooth top.

Randomly drop small spoonfuls of apricot puree on cream-cheese mixture.

With a skewer, gently swirl puree.

Bake just until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan on rack, then refrigerate until chilled and firm before cutting unto squares, 2 hours.