Back to basics

Yes, yes I had a baby.  You may have guessed that from the last million posts.  But I've been doing other things and learning things too!  Like there is almost always something on TV at any hour of the day that I can watch!  It goes something like this.  Conan is on at 10pm, then at 11pm on Adult Swim, there is Family Guy, American Dad and Robot Chicken in some sort of order. "Frasier" is on the Lifetime network and the WE network between the hours of 1 and 4am, then "I Love Lucy" comes on at 5am.  And these are the thing you learn when you have a very small child and you are up most of the night while they nurse and you try to keep your eyes open by any means necessary.  But after a point, you sleep.  And then things slowly get back to a new normal.  And you actually have time to cook, wash some dishes, fold some laundry and bake, all thanks to amazing things like baby swings:

And things like bouncy chairs:

And then sometimes this happens:

But God bless the swing, the Johnny Jump Up, and the Bouncy Chair.  These life savers let you not only do a few things hands free, but sometimes they also have this amazing effect: on your child:

And you can get some stuff done!  Like baking.

You thought this entire post was going to be pictures of my baby.  And while there is nothing in the world I love more than my daughter and her father, a close second would have to be a good rainy day, with some show tunes blaring that I can sing along with loudly, and getting my bake on.  I made these a few months ago and I'm only now getting around to posting about them, but I made variations on this recipe virtually all summer.  This recipe is super simple and so full of flaky buttery yumminess but with a few alterations, you can make it a really healthy dessert.  Or second breakfast. Or first breakfast.  I have to thank our dear friend and neighbor Lauren, who made us one of these soon after Elinor was born, and I loved it so much I demanded to have the recipe.  And you know, I keep coming back to the fact that yes, she may have done time in the slammer, but Martha Stewart will always hold a special place in my heart.  That and I always envision her played by Ana Gasteyer from SNL, doing her topless Christmas special, wearing a dickey.  If you haven't seen this, you must stop reading and go to Hulu now and watch it.

Aren't you glad you watched that?  You're welcome.  So while I love Chocolate like anyone who breathes air on the planet (excluding those of you who are allergic to it like my dear friend Becky.  I'm so sorry.) the way to my heart is really a good fruit/crumble/crust combo or anything lemon flavored.  I have always preferred pie to cake and pumpkin pie was often my birthday cake as a child.  I was a strange child.  So this recipe is the perfect easy summer (or anytime) recipe to answer the call of butter/fruit/crust cravings.  Both versions are delish, it just depends what you want the outcome to be; buttery flaky decadence or a healthy, lower fat options that you can eat an entire pan of and feel slightly less guilty.  You pick.

Raspberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars ala Martha Stewart (and with my alterations to make a healthier option.) 

What you will need:

3/4 Cup almonds, raw
1/2 Cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour (for the healthy version, use whole wheat or half whole, half white)
3/4 cups sugar (or the healthy version, I used brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (whatever.  I just used normal sea salt.)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted (now this is the big difference.  For a healthy version, one time I used 1/2 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce, the second time I used 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce.  Both worked beautifully and so I'd say use whatever you have on hand.)
10 ounces frozen raspberries (okay, you know me.  I don't measure this junk.  And it can be any fruit, and it doesn't have to be frozen.  Frozen is easy and mindless so once I used frozen mixed berries, another time I used fresh peaches, whatever!  In fact, I bet apples would be lovely with the fall season being upon us and all.  Or maybe even canned pumpkin!  mmmm....)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 1 inch overhang on two sides (this makes clean up so super easy, parchment paper is my new favorite baking thing.  I use it on cookie sheets all the time!)  In a food processor (or in my case, I broke out the vita mix) pulse almonds until finely ground (which should equal about 1 cup, but again, I threw in some extras too.)  In a large bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, cornmeal, flour, sugar and salt.  Add butter and stir until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

 

Press about two thirds of the dough into dish.

Scatter raspberries (or whatever fruit you are using) over top and crumble remaining dough over raspberries. 

Bake until top is golden brown, 35-40 minutes (when I made the healthy alternative, I baked it a little longer.)  Let cool in dish on a wire rack before cutting into 9 bars.  If you don't let it cool, you may end up making this face.  Or you may make this face if your mom takes way too long between feeding you bites of your favorite meal of avocado because she is trying to do too many things at once.  Whatever. Eat, share, or horde it all for yourself, and enjoy.