finals.

the best treat for finals week?

look below:

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I use fat-free)
* 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup peanut butter chip
* 1 cup vanilla chip
* 1 cup broken salted pretzel (thin pretzels are preferable)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Melt butter in 13x9" pan in the oven.
3. Remove from oven and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter.
4. Mix well and press firmly into bottom of pan.
5. Pour condensed milk evenly over crust.
6. Sprinkle chips over condensed milk (each flavor individually, or mix them together in a bowl first).
7. Sprinkle broken pretzels over chips, and press everything down firmly with a spatula or fork.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes (edges should brown a bit).
9. For best results, cool in pan completely before cutting into bars.

"Call it Education...

It was somewhere in between you gave me some sound advice but I wasn't listening."

So say the Modest Mouse lyrics, which remind me of my Grandma trying to teach me cooking skills as a kid. Alas, being the stubborn and unwilling to learn kid that I was I ignored all my Grandma's wisdom and decades of culinary skills and now I have stooped to learning from food shows.

Alas, in order to save you from the same mistakes that I have made I am here to tell you the top four educational cooking shows!

4. Take Home Chef -- Host Curtis Stone
Why? Because the Aussie hottie "picks up" women in the grocery store and convinces them to "take him home" and cook dinner for their significant other. Its educational because Stone takes the women through the grocery store to pick out quality goods and then demonstrates step-by-step how to prepare and cook a gourment meal. When? varies depending on day/time
Channel? TLC
Grade? B-


3. Good Eats -- Host Alton Brown
Why? If you can take the cheesey nature of the show, Alton Brown can really teach you a technique or two in preparing traditional dishes. Its like Bill Nye the Science Guy meets Home Economics.
When? Monday - Thursday 8pm/7c
Channel? Food Network
Grade? B+

2. Giada at Home -- Host Giada De Laurentiis
Why? Without fail, everyone loves Italian dishes. Giada shows quick and easy ways to make Italian meals ranging from pizza and ravioli to lasagna and swordfish penne. She gives ready pointers as well as mini Italian lessons.
When? new episodes Saturday 1pm and Mondays 4:30pm
Channel? Food Network
Grade? A-

1. Barefoot Contessa -- Host Ina Garten
Why? Her back to basics lessons give the audience hints to all things easy. Garten resides in the Hamptons so her cooking reflects the laid-back atmosphere.
When? new episodes Saturdays 1:30pm and Sundays at 1pm
Channel? Food Network
Grade? A

Happy Easter!

Every year, PEEPS are by far my favorite Easter candy treat.

And, coincidentally, the Washington Post holds a "Peeps Show" contest every year as well.

The outcomes are amusing, I invite you to take a look at the pictures.


There has been some earth-shattering news in the Peeps world this year...

introducing:

The Tulip Peep.

Now, my boyfriend is Dutch and undoubtedly he will fall in love with the Peep Tulip.


What I'm not so sure about is the "mousse Peep." A chocolate peep that is shaped like a bunny.

The question is, why change? Peeps have always been marshmallow and sugar flavored....why add chocolate to the mix!?

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Cupcakes Doubletake.

Okay, so last week in the "sweet treats" week of blogs, I talked about Georgetown Cupcakes and their lavish deliciousness.

I have another cupcake bakery, or as many like to call it, "cupcakery" that I was notified about by a fellow sweet tooth.

Oh, and its local.

CUPCAKES ACTUALLY is located nearby in good ole Fairfax Corner (across from Chipotle to be exact).
The first words on their website reads: "Okay. We admit it. We are snobs. Cupcake snobs."

Now, that is my kind of place.

Cupcakes Actually opened up early this year in a prime location, making their snob-ish decadence something you can't miss. Hailing from the Detroit suburbs, Cupcakes Actually's cupcakes are the creations of the owner Sue and her love for frosting and cake batter.

There are three "classic" kinds of cupcakes that Cupcakes Actually produces and they are (dare I say it) better than Georgetown Cupcakes'...and closer.

• Actually Dipped Chocolate (devil's food cake topped with buttercream and dipped in chocolate fudge...OMG)
  
• Actually Dipped Caramel (vanilla cake topped with buttercream and dipped in caramely goodness)
  
• Actually Dipped Peanut Butter (devil's food cake AND peanut butter icing AND chocolate fudge...to die for.)

Some other interesting choices are "Let's Stay Awake, Cupcake (A rich, chocolate mocha cupcake, iced with a coffee buttercream)," "Razzmatazz (vanilla cake blended with a raspberry purée, iced with a rich raspberry buttercream)" and "Italian Stallion (butter cake, traditional iced with Italian butter cream)."

I gotta go get me some cupcakes.

PIE.

Not just any pie. Mom's Apple Pie Company's RASPBERRY AND PEACH PIE!

YUM.

Mom's Apple Pie Company, located in Occoquan, is nestled in the quaintest of riverfront areas and is housed in...well...an old-school house.

Their pie is banging.

My girl Emily hooked me up with a pie from them to do a little taste testing.

The taste testing will commence this evening and the detailed resulted will be posted on here tomorrow.

Stay tuned for the pie taste-off.