So naughty, but oh so good...

Yesterday I gave a peek at some Mexican Chocolate that I used to bake up something. Jeff asked for something he could take in for Cinco De Mayo - the recipe may not be really traditional, but it worked for us!

Mexican Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars contains the chocolate in the base crust and also in the filling. Mexican chocolate is sweet, dark, has a hint of cinnamon and is a bit grainy from visible sugar crystals. These bars start with a dense crust made in the food processor of chopped toasted pecans, chopped mexican chocolate, and fresh white bread that is held together by melted butter. The thick filling of this exceptionally rich bar contains more chopped toasted pecans, robost dark corn syrup, sweet dark brown sugar and small chunks of bittersweet chocolate. A tiny amount of flour, some eggs and the rest of the sinful melted butter keep everything bound together.

These bars cut remarkably cleanly - I was a little nervous because I thought I may have overcooked them, but as I pulled them apart, I was very happy with the result. I don't think I would make these unless I was taking them to a party or if there would be plenty of people to share them with... I have very strong willpower when it comes to food, but the alluring smell that comes from these bars alone had my mouth salivating for a taste.

I felt like we needed to go easy and have a clean healthy dinner tonight, so I made Creamy Spinach Lasagna. Nutty whole wheat lasagna noodles are layered with marinara, smooth mozzarella cheese and a thick white sauce mixed with caramelized onions, garlic and spinach. This is definitly a dish you will want to set plently of prep time aside because there are a few steps to bring this together. I layered this earlier in the day and let sit in the refrigerator until I started to heat the oven. The lasagna has a noticeably fresh taste and is considerably filling as a main dish. We thoroughly enjoyed this fine meat-free dish.

Recipes
Mexican Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
Creamy Spinach Lasagna