Raising the bar

I'll admit it's hard to sit down and type out a blog while the holidays are steadily approaching and I have a laundry list of gifts to create and bake, but I have a newly developed plan with this blog I tell you! I must remain dedicated, even if it appears no one is reading.... I guess it's more just discipline for myself anyway, isn't it? It's just fun to share and feel supported I guess... Anyway, this whole Earth Balance Bake-off, mixed with many other ideas swirling in my dreamy head, has created a new idea!


I, Mickey Walker, want to publish my very own cookbook! (squeal!) Well, rather, a Bakebook of sorts :) I've kinda been wanting to make a dessert book for years, but never really seriously thought about it, until now. It seems to me that anyone can publish a book, no matter how great or how bad they are! So, my friends, on that note, I'm going to take a stab at it and see what lies ahead down the twisty, unknown, ambiguous road! I trust it fully and I'm very excited about the new venture, amongst all of my other ventures....
I just hope that road ahead looks something like this.....


not this.....


Onto other news, this weeks bake-off challenge was the oh so loved, dessert bar. Again, where to begin???? Brownies, blondies, cheesecake bars, 7 layer, pumpkin spice this and oat crumble that.... Somewhere in my pondering I thought of doing some kind of pecan bar. Definitely holiday friendly and so incredibly delicious, they're bound to turn out lovely and a great contender. I ended up doing a crunchy shortbread cookie bottom topped with a caramel mixed with crushed pecans, then topped with a layer of melted dark chocolate. Ohmygodtheyweresogood! I was VERY pleased with the outcome, needless to say....
You can find the link to them here if you'd like to see/try out the recipe. If you do, please let me know what you think! Here's a few pics of the process.....

shortbread dough, before and after pressing, then poking to vent


toasting the pecans, then the finished pan of goodness




the lovely end result, so perty!


Tomorrow is my baking day for the cookie challenge, I'm still not sure what to make.....maybe it'll come to me in my dreams tonight! mmmmm, cookie dreams......