I told one of my roommates yesterday that I’ve made the executive decision to try to bake something new every week. With the corollary that she and my other roommate, Sophie, will help me to eat whatever I’ve made, along with a portion of the MD/PhD class. I really do have a sweet tooth, it seems, and having dessert every day, whether it be as simple as a scoop of ice cream with some strawberries or something more elaborate has become crucial. My roommate was not too happy with this decision, proclaiming “But Joanne, not all of us run 20+ miles a week!” To which I responded, One slice of cake a week is not going to kill you. A wise and true statement on my end, if I do say so myself. Plus what she doesn’t know is that almost everything I make has been healthified in some way, so it’s never actually as bad as she thinks. But neither she nor anyone else has noticed yet, so I don’t plan on cluing them in. What they don’t know won’t kill them…in fact, it might even make them healthier.

Speaking of running. Today was a 14.5 miler. For the next three weeks, Park Avenue will be closed on Saturdays and so we were able to run up and down Manhattan from City Hall to 72nd Street un-impeded by cars. In fact, Team In Training was the official “opener” of Park Avenue so if anyone watched NY1 or a local news station this morning (in NYC) we may have even been on it.

How fast was my run, you might ask? I averaged a 7:30 pace! It was like running on crack and I’m not quite sure how it happened. (Okay I’m a little sure that it had something to do with me putting my right foot in front of my left and then vice versa at an alarming rate.) My running partner, Matt, didn’t show up this morning (TSK TSK) and so I had to run with other people. They claimed we were going to be keeping an 8:00 pace which is a little fast for me but I figured we would naturally slow down. WRONG. They just kept going. And going. And going. And so I just kept going. And going. And going. Doing it made me realize that I may actually qualify for the Boston Marathon with my time (as a female between the ages of 18 and 24 you need to finish a marathon in 3 hours 40 minutes)! How awesome would that be?!?!? So that is my new goal.

My fundraiser on Thursday went SOOO well! I charged $10 at the door to get a wristband, which then got you reduced prices on a variety of drinks. To prepare, I put up fliers all over my building and all over Sloan-Kettering’s research facilities and in my New York Sports Club (thanks again to the manager!). I ended up making $500! A lot of random people from Sloan-Kettering/Cornell ended up coming, as did all of my friends, and I even got some random bar-goers to donate. My mom even came! The night was karaoke-filled and a ton of fun. Pete, the bartender and owner of For Pete’s Sake is one of the most awesome guys I’ve ever met. He basically let me have free reign of the place which is something that usually doesn’t happen at these things. I will definitely be holding any and all future fundraising events there, and of course stopping in for karaoke and a beer every Thursday. In addition, one of my uncles also donated $500, so now I am over halfway to my goal! This all actually seems feasible now and I am SOOO thrilled. If any of you want to donate, the link is now featured on the side of my blog, so click away.

Now that I’ve bored you to death with running updates (sorry I can’t help it…this is all I think about), I will get on to the good stuff. Mascarpone cheese was on sale at Whole Foods last week and I picked it up and said, okay I can do something with this. I didn’t want to make tiramisu or cheesecake because those would require a lot of ingredients. So when I found this recipe for mascarpone blondies on Simply Recipes, I was thrilled. I think they tasted more like cheesecake bars than blondies but who cares so long as they taste good! I would imagine you could substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone for a cheaper version of this baked good.
Lemon Mascarpone Blondies
Serves 12, adapted from Simply Recipes

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
8 oz mascarpone
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp baking powder
a pinch each of baking soda and salt
1 cup flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 8×8 inch pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar.

2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and applesauce and whisk together.

3. Add the lemon juice, zest, and mascarpone and mix until smooth.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix thoroughly.

5. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares when cool.

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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21 Responses to Lemon Mascarpone Blondies

  1. Palidor says:

    Congratulations on your running! You can qualify for Boston – I’m sure of it. I’ll be rooting for you all the way. 14.5 miles? You are just as crazy as me!

    The blondies look great. I like your idea of using mascarpone cheese. BTW, I have an award for you on my blog.

  2. katey says:

    those look really good!!!!!

  3. Mari says:

    Congrats on your fundraising success!!!! I am so happy you had a great turn out =)…sorry I didn’t make it but I kept my promise =)

  4. Amy says:

    If dessert had any nutritional value, I would exist on nothing else.

    These look delish!

  5. girlichef says:

    What a great idea…lemon and mascarpone is such a luscious combo! YUMMY 😀

  6. Maris says:

    This sounds like a perfect combination! I love brownies and blondies of any kind!

  7. Marcia says:

    Wow, holey cow that’s an amazing pace. I’m short, stocky, and well…old, so I get really pleased when I can drop below a 9:00 mile.

    Those look really good. My spouse loves lemon, hates chocolate…might have to try them.

  8. Donna-FFW says:

    What a fantastic goal.. the Boston Marathon. Good for you. Doubly good on the fundraiser.

    These blondies look utterly fantastic, lemon and marscapone must be so delicious in these. Lucky roomates.

  9. those look delicious! and congrats on the fund raising and running, you’re such a star!

  10. Your blondies look awesome! Congrats on your fund raising. I strongly believe that you will reach your goal soon. Keep it up!!!

  11. Talita says:

    Sounds amazing! Great combination of flavors!

  12. She-Fit says:

    This dessert looks great. Congrats on your fundraiser! I’m so happy for you!

  13. Pam says:

    I’m so glad your running is going well!

  14. Reeni? says:

    Yay for the fundraiser! That’s great news – and the same with your run. Awesome time! The bars looks so scrumptious – love mascarpone!

  15. burpandslurp says:

    Wow, Joanne! You are a speedy little thing, aren’t you! I wish I was as fast and strong as you!
    And YAY for the awesome fundraiser! I’m so happy for you!
    Oh, and obviously, that bars look absolutely GORGEOUS. I feel like you slipped in that mascarpone just to indulge my cheesy and savory side 😉

  16. Miranda says:

    🙂
    These blondies look incredible.
    What a unique and wonderful combo.

    Congrats on the marathon.

  17. Natashya says:

    The blondies look great, I love mascarpone.
    Congrats on your successful fund-raiser!

  18. Way to go with your running speed. My husband will love these blondies…thanks

  19. Karine says:

    These blondies looks creamy and so great! 🙂 I love lemon for dessert..

  20. You know how sometimes you look at a recipe and you know it is just right. That is what happened here for my husband. I have no doubts he will love this. I have to use cream cheese so I am glad you mentioned it.

  21. Laura says:

    OK the minute I saw mascarpone and blondie–along with lemon–in the same sentence I knew I would be trying these. but first I ahve a question, sicne you compared them to cheesecake–are they as fragile/messy as cheesecake squares or does the blondie component, i.e., the flour I guess :), make them a little easier to eat? I have toddlers and need to know what I am getting into.

    Alas I do not run btu I hear you on needing something sweet every day. 🙂 Thanks for the kind words on my blog, btw, I hope you submit something some time!

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