A "Joy the Baker" Week

This week I made not 1, not 2, but 3 different recipes from the Joy the Baker cookbook!  Being my spring break, I had a little extra time on my hands to dabble in the kitchen.  Of course, I neglected to photograph my baking endeavors, but recapping via blog seemed like the next best option.

Recipe #1 - Chocolate Brownie Cookies with White Chocolate and Roasted Macadamia Nuts
These cookies were rich, decadent, and delicious.  Fresh out of the oven they appear slightly underdone, but I trusted Joy's notes and resisted the urge to bake for a few additional minutes.  Proved to be the right choice, as they were the perfect consistency when cooled.  In making again, I think I would add more white chocolate chunks and slightly less macadamia nuts.

Recipe #2 - "Man Bait" Apple Crisp
I brought this dessert to a double date dinner at a friend's house.  It was delicious!!  I really enjoyed Joy's suggestion of mixing Granny Smith and Fuji apples, the Fuji flavors added a touch of sweetness that I appreciated.

Recipe #3 - Single Lady Pancakes
I decided on this recipe Saturday morning upon the discovery that our pantry box of Bisquick pancake mix had a mere tablespoon or two remaining.  Feeling the craving for pancakes, I turned to Joy's recipe, and doubled it to accommodate my husband and my hungry appetite.  "Married lady pancakes," perhaps?  I made some slight changes to this recipe, substituting 1% milk for buttermilk (since I didn't have any on hand), and I added 2 mashed bananas and 3/4 cup chopped pecans.  Who knew homemade pancakes were so easy?!  I'll never buy Bisquick again!

All in all - 100% success with all 3 recipes, can't wait to test out some more!  Thanks JOY!

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