Blueberry Tart

I have this lovely friend. Her name is Emily, and we've known each other since we were six. Now, Em has many, many talents - so many I surely couldn't name them all - but cooking is really not one of them. To her immense credit, though, she's been working on it. She even made muffins from scratch all by herself the other day. I was so proud! :)

Anyway, she was hanging out with me the other day, and so I decided we'd kill two birds with one stone: she could learn how to make a tart, and I would get an assistant. Sounds perfect!

What's really perfect, though, is this tart. It's like a blueberry pie, with all of the goodness of a pie but the elegance of a tart. And it has a secret, too - a few pieces of sweet peach hiding in all those gorgeous blueberries. Along with some ice cream, it makes the perfect cozy summer dessert.

Strawberry Oreo Creme Dessert

It's been so nice this past week, with temperatures in the mid-70s, that I can almost imagine it's already summer! My roommates and I wanted a cool, creamy dessert this weekend in honor of the balmy weather, and so I came up with this not-too-sweet layered confection using strawberries, since they are in season right now.

Considering I was sort of cooking by the seat of my pants, it came out quite splendidly. The only thing I would do differently is to leave out the cinnamon that I dashed in a little too generously, which I have reflected in the recipe below. If you're looking for a springy dessert that is decadent without being too rich and cloying, this is your new best friend - especially since there's absolutely no baking involved!

Cherry Chocolate Bars

Have you ever had one of those days where you just need to bake something? No? Well I do, perhaps more than I care to admit, and today was one of them. I was tired of studying for finals, tired of the dreary, rainy weather that made me have to cancel my hike with a friend. But baking makes everything better! Trust me on this one.

I had set my mind on making Swedish Almond Bars, but we were all out of almonds. Also I was running low on Swedes, although those are optional. They really improve the flavor though... (insert laughter here).

So I decided it was improvisation time. Oh wait, that happens every day around here because I fail at keeping a well-stocked pantry. But sitting there on the shelf was a lovely bag of dried cherries, just begging to be used. "Eat me!" they cried. You know you're in trouble when the produce starts to talk to you.

A Long Delay and Cheater Cake

 

Let me begin by saying that I am woefully ashamed of myself. I haven't posted anything to Birds & Brownies for nearly 6 months, and to anyone who actually reads this blog, I'm very, very sorry. Life is a little crazy! I've been applying to grad schools, trying to get through senior year, navigating some choppy seas in the relationship department... it's been a wild ride. 

Baking and birdwatching have been a little low on the priority list lately. But life is calming down a little and I'm starting to get the itch to make some delicious food again! Being at school, opportunities to cook - and available ingredients - are a little thin, but I've been trying to get back into the swing of things. I found the perfect excuse to bake a cake the other day when I decided the cast of the play I'm currently in, Vinegar Tom, needed a pick-me-up after a grueling week of rehearsal. What's better to lift spirits than a sunny lemon cake?

Bird-Worthy Brownies

What better way to start a new blog than by making the title recipe?

Brownies. One of my favorite desserts of all. They're chewy, gooey, fudgy, and - most importantly of all - brownies are undeniably chocolatey. Not only is chocolate good, I'm firmly and utterly convinced that it is also necessary for life on Earth. Really.

There are hundreds of brownie recipes floating around on the web, and on little paper slips in people's recipe boxes. Some of them are more gooey, others more cakey. Some have caramel and some have peanut butter. Some even have cheesecake baked in. They're all delicious. But sometimes, you just want a plain, no-frills brownie. Do you ever feel like that? Cut the almonds and pine nuts, forget the coconut and candy bar pieces. Put a hold order on that cream cheese, because it's time for a simple - but delectable - brownie.