Do you have funny vocabulary passed down to you by your goofy parents? I have so many! Words like “chesterfield” and “curmudgeon” are terms that should only rarely sneak into conversation. But in my family, they are are totally normal!

When in doubt, invent the word you need, right? Well my family thinks so. For example,  have you ever shared something like a trail mix with a friend, and they wind up eating only the m&ms or the best treats from the bag? It’s infuriating! Alas there is no word in the English language (apart from plain RUDE) for the devilish habit of sneaky food selection. Until now! My family has coined one…

We call it hygrating. The word stems from the mining process of high grading, when you take only the highest grade gold during a mining operation. We must have somehow picked up the term from our dad, who happens to be a geologist! Now you know what to say when your buddy takes all the cheesies from the bridge mix.. Quit hygrating the Cheetos!!

I have to admit, growing up there were a few school yard moments when my siblings and I would get called out on our quirkiness. Occasionally we’d toss around phrases like “oh you silly billy” or “you nincompoop” to classmates only to have snickers in response. In moments like these, I’d turn a deep shade of scarlet but nowadays I relish in the hilarity of it all. What the heck is a nincompoop anyways!?

Here’s another one: whenever someone says “Wunderbar!” I hear my Dad’s hearty voice in my head (complete with a theatrical German accent of course.) He used that word a ton when we were little! Wonderbar or vunderbar (as spoken by the Germans) simply means marvelous, or spectacular. I can’t think of a better way to describe today’s dessert, because the squares I have for you are nothing short of a spectacle.

The Vunderbar: A crunchy, dense peanut butter dessert topped with a drizzling of milk and dark chocolate. If you’re like me and can’t get enough of PB& Chocolate, this dessert is heaven in the shape of a square. Yum.

Vunderbar

Yield: 24 bars. Refrigerate: At least 2 hrs or overnight. Supplies: 9 x 9 inch pan.

Ingredients:

Base

4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs*
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 cups Rice Crispies
1 cup large-flake rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup butter
1 cup dark chocolate chips

*I used Romany Creams cookies.

Finish
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs, icing sugar, Rice Crispies, oats and salt. Set aside.

2. In a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the peanut butter and butter. Pour over the chocolate crumb mixture. Use a spatula or large spoon to mix until well combined. Press the mixture into the prepared pan firmly and evenly. Smooth the top with a bench scraper or offset spatula.

3. In a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the dark chocolate chips. Pour over the base and spread evenly. Tap the pan on the countertop to help smooth and level. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill.

4. In two separate saucepans over low heat or in two separate bowls in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, melt the milk chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter. 

5. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and use a small spoon, or the small piping bag to drizzle the melted chocolate over the chocolate layer in a haphazard fashion. Have fun with it! Repeat with the melted peanut butter.

6. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

7. Carefully remove the slab from the pan, and cut into approximately 2 x 1 inch bars. Make sure to use at least a 10 inch knife to avoid cutting and dragging the knife across the bars.

Recipe Credit: Butter Baked Goods recipe by Rosie Daykin.

So, do you have any funny family vocabulary heirlooms that have been passed down through the generations? I’d love to hear what they are!

All this talk of family couldn’t be better timed. It’s Family Day Long Weekend in BC this Fri-Mon! What are your plans? I’m hoping to go to the island for some quiet time with my adventurous, outdoorsy older sister.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead full of sunshine, peace and relaxation.

PS: On the topic of vocab, here’s something fun. Ever wondered how many words you really have stashed away in your noggin? Take the quiz to find out!

PPS: Words only Canadians understand.

Love,

Blue Owl