Cooking
Page 82 in the old book / page 128 in the new book
A crunchy oatmeal and pecan cookie base topped with a brownie-like layer. I have to admit - these look and sound good. But there was a clear consensus this week among the cookie panelists and myself, and that was that these cookies were only so-so. The contrast in textures just didn't work.
They were easy enough to make, though. Neither the oatmeal base nor the brownie topping require the use of a mixer, though I chose to use the mixer to prepare the base. The oatmeal mixture is pressed into the pan, baked briefly, and then topped with the chocolate mixture and returned to the oven. I lined the pan with parchment so I would be able to easily lift the whole thing out of the pan after baking.
Chocolate, oatmeal, pecans, easy to make, and nice to look at. So much potential... and such a letdown.
Suzanne: "If I wasn't one of Cathy's tasters, I would have taken the bottom oatmeal base off, thrown it away, and devoured the rest of the brownie. My palate (Phil's favorite word) didn't care for the texture of the oatmeal with the brownie. Rating - 3.0"
Denny: "Good. Rating - 3.0"
Laura: "I like the Brownie top (yummy!) and I like the Oatmeal Pecan bottom, but not so much as a combined dessert. Rating - 3.0"
Phil: "More like two cookies – oatmeal & pecan transplanted onto a classic brownie. Found myself liking them better separately than in combination. Rating - 3.3"
Overall rating by the panel - 3.1
Next week - Viennese Chocolate-Walnut Bars
Nutrition Facts
- Mondays With Maida - Pecan Chews
Page 110 in the old book / page 149 in the new book Typically these bar cookie recipes have each called for one or two sticks of butter. I did a double-take when I looked at the list of ingredients for these Pecan Chews - they have no butter in them....
- Mondays With Maida - Light Rocky Roads
Page 90 in the old book / page 134 in the new book Light Rocky Roads consist of a thin brown sugar cookie with nuts (I used walnuts) topped much like the Dark Rocky Roads with marshmallow, chocolate, and more nuts. The Light Rocky Roads have a thinner...
- Mondays With Maida - Dark Rocky Roads
Page 88 in the old book / page 132 in the new book I thought I would enjoy these cookies more than I did - another one that was a little too sweet for me. The cookie consists of a brownie base topped with marshmallows, pecans and a chocolate glaze. I...
- Mondays With Maida - Chocolate Mint Sticks
Page 80 in the old book / page 126 in the new book I thought these were fantastic, but not everyone agreed with me. If there's one thing I've learned in my cookie project thus far, it's that people may be open to trying all kinds of new cookies,...
- Mondays With Maida - German Oatmeal Cookies
Page 60 in the old book / page 94 in the new book These are soft, slightly spicy oatmeal cookies loaded with raisins, dates, pecans, and chocolate chips. Making these cookies was easy and uneventful. Maida Heatter's note that accompanies the recipe...
Cooking
Mondays with Maida - Dutch Chocolate Bars
Page 82 in the old book / page 128 in the new book
A crunchy oatmeal and pecan cookie base topped with a brownie-like layer. I have to admit - these look and sound good. But there was a clear consensus this week among the cookie panelists and myself, and that was that these cookies were only so-so. The contrast in textures just didn't work.
They were easy enough to make, though. Neither the oatmeal base nor the brownie topping require the use of a mixer, though I chose to use the mixer to prepare the base. The oatmeal mixture is pressed into the pan, baked briefly, and then topped with the chocolate mixture and returned to the oven. I lined the pan with parchment so I would be able to easily lift the whole thing out of the pan after baking.
Chocolate, oatmeal, pecans, easy to make, and nice to look at. So much potential... and such a letdown.
Suzanne: "If I wasn't one of Cathy's tasters, I would have taken the bottom oatmeal base off, thrown it away, and devoured the rest of the brownie. My palate (Phil's favorite word) didn't care for the texture of the oatmeal with the brownie. Rating - 3.0"
Denny: "Good. Rating - 3.0"
Laura: "I like the Brownie top (yummy!) and I like the Oatmeal Pecan bottom, but not so much as a combined dessert. Rating - 3.0"
Phil: "More like two cookies – oatmeal & pecan transplanted onto a classic brownie. Found myself liking them better separately than in combination. Rating - 3.3"
Overall rating by the panel - 3.1
Next week - Viennese Chocolate-Walnut Bars
Nutrition Facts
- Mondays With Maida - Pecan Chews
Page 110 in the old book / page 149 in the new book Typically these bar cookie recipes have each called for one or two sticks of butter. I did a double-take when I looked at the list of ingredients for these Pecan Chews - they have no butter in them....
- Mondays With Maida - Light Rocky Roads
Page 90 in the old book / page 134 in the new book Light Rocky Roads consist of a thin brown sugar cookie with nuts (I used walnuts) topped much like the Dark Rocky Roads with marshmallow, chocolate, and more nuts. The Light Rocky Roads have a thinner...
- Mondays With Maida - Dark Rocky Roads
Page 88 in the old book / page 132 in the new book I thought I would enjoy these cookies more than I did - another one that was a little too sweet for me. The cookie consists of a brownie base topped with marshmallows, pecans and a chocolate glaze. I...
- Mondays With Maida - Chocolate Mint Sticks
Page 80 in the old book / page 126 in the new book I thought these were fantastic, but not everyone agreed with me. If there's one thing I've learned in my cookie project thus far, it's that people may be open to trying all kinds of new cookies,...
- Mondays With Maida - German Oatmeal Cookies
Page 60 in the old book / page 94 in the new book These are soft, slightly spicy oatmeal cookies loaded with raisins, dates, pecans, and chocolate chips. Making these cookies was easy and uneventful. Maida Heatter's note that accompanies the recipe...