Apple Toffee Blondes

Truthfully, I have never really been a "fall person." While it certainly brings good things like football, it always hinted at the horrible, un-named season that follows. One of the reasons that we live in Arizona is that neither of us does cold well. 

Nonetheless, fall is a little different down here. The color of the leaves on the trees don't ever change (at least seasonally). I still wear shorts whenever I am not at work, and our weather change means we may not quite hit 100 degrees everyday (for a couple months anyway). While I really don't mind the heat, I am ready for the change. October weather here is beautiful, and I am looking forward to doing a little fall baking once my darn test is over!

I actually made these bars with my mother back in March when I was visiting. I've been saving the recipe/pictures since then because apple baking always reminds me of fall. The recipe comes from Shelly at Cookies & Cups. I haven't done any "official" fall baking yet this year, and in re-looking at these pictures, I am thinking I may have to make these again.

When we made these, Mom and I added 2 apples to use up the ones she had in the fridge. I wouldn't recommend this as there were just too many pieces of apple in the bars. The other thing that we did that I wouldn't recommend is that we prepared the frosting ahead of time. The brown sugar frosting sets quickly, and it is much easier to spread (and looks much nicer) if the bars are cool and ready to frost when you make it. 

Despite the scrappy looking frosting, the bars were really good. If you hadn't guessed from the toffee and the frosting, these bars are definitely really rich! Nonetheless, they are a fun and delicious introduction to fall as we change seasons in just a few days. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Apple Toffee Blondes
From Cookies & Cups

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup peeled, chopped Granny Smith apple (1 medium)
1/2 cup toffee bits

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray.

Cream 2/3 cup butter and 2 cups brown sugar together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stirring until just combined. Fold in the apple pieces and toffee bits until well distributed. Spread in the baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center appears set. Cool completely before frosting.

Once the bars are cool, melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan. Add the brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes. Stir in powdered sugar with a whisk. Frost the bars immediately. Let the frosting set completely before cutting into bars.

SRC: Sugar Cookie Bars

Well... it's been awhile since I've been on here. I am happy to report that I finished up my residency at the end of June, certificate and all. Hoping that means that I'll be cooking a little more regularly (and I think I'm not the only one). I think the hubs is ready to hand the kitchen back over to me!

What better way to get back into the swing of things that with a SRC reveal day? My blogger for this month was Raina from Connor's Cooking. Raina has a fun variety of recipes from stir-fries to baked oatmeal, and I still want to try many of these! In the end, I ended up listing to my sweet tooth and chose to make her sugar cookie bars. 

This recipe makes a sheet pan of cookies, and it turned out to be the perfect recipe because I have been receiving a few hints that I should bring some treats into work. Even in the sheet pan, the bars end up nice and thick, staying soft throughout. I needed to bake these for about 20-22 minutes, but I am just realizing now that I baked them at 350 rather than 375 degrees. Either way, it works well.

My only suggestion for the future would be to adjust the frosting recipe (possibly adding a little more powdered sugar) as mine tended to get a little bit too soft when kept at room temperature. Then again, it is July in Arizona and refrigerated cookie bars taste pretty good :)

Thanks for a great recipe Raina. I look forward to seeing your posts in the future! 

(Printable Recipe)

Sugar Cookie Bars
Adapted from Connor's Cooking (Originally from www.loveandoliveoil.com)

Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4-5 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk (I used almond milk)
food coloring, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing one at a time until well combined. Mix in vanilla. In a separate  bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture until just combined. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet (10x15-inch) with nonstick spray. Gently spread the dough over the sheet. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the edges of the bars are just beginning to brown. Place on a wire rack to cool.

While the bars are cooling, beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with a little milk. Mix until smooth and spreadable, but sturdy. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Spread over the cooled cookie bars (only after they are completely cool). Cut and enjoy!

White Chocolate Oatmeal Crunch Brownies

They say opposites attract. I don't know how much I agree with that on the relationship front, however in food, opposites are often epic. A perfectly baked cookie with a crunchy edge, but still soft in the middle. The sour cream often added to balance a bit of spice. Sea salt sprinkled on top of a homemade caramel. I am sure I could keep going with these food opposites (and make myself really hungry in the process!).

This recipe is from Anna at Cookie Madness. These bars have a bit of that opposites going for them in both texture and taste. The bottom layer is baked twice - first to set up and secondly after adding the top layer. The result is a sweet, soft bar with a salty, crunchy crust. Deliciousness. I love white chocolate, so other flavors aside, these are right up my alley.

My only regret with these. That I didn't try them sooner. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

White Chocolate Oatmeal Crunch Brownies
From Cookie Madness

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut 
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

Brownies:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 oz. white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Either spray an 8x8-inch pan with non-stick spray or line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy removal of the bars after baking.

For the crust, mix the dry ingredients in the first set together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Pour in the melted butter, and mix to combine. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the brownies, melt the butter and white chocolate together on the stove or in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and egg together until light in color. Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Add the dry ingredients, milk, and vanilla. Stir just until no flour streaks remain.

When the crust finishes baking, add dollops of dough across the pan. Carefully spread out the batter to cover the crust without disturbing the crust. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Cool completely.

SRC: Nutella Brownies

I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I am new to the Nutella camp. Like only a couple weeks new. I swear I had tried it before. My impression then was indifferent. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything I would go crazy over. Let's fast-forward to the present - I bought a small jar a couple weeks ago for a baking group assignment. I am not sure what has changed, but man that stuff is addicting!

My new obsession played in perfectly to my blog assignment for this month's Secret Recipe Club. Erin, of Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts seems to have a similar obsession. She's even made homemade Nutella, and I can't say I blame her! Erin has a great blog and must be a woman after my own heart with her list of desserts. I think I could have made each of them, but there was no getting past these Nutella brownies.

Similar to Erin, my brownies ended up on the longer side of the bake time. Despite taking what seemed like a long time to bake, the brownies emerged soft and gooey in the middle with the perfect crispy edges. Erin describes them as super fudgy with lots of Nutella flavor and I would have to say that I agree. My husband would tell you that they made great ice cream sundaes, but I can vouch for them being delectable on their own too. Enjoy! 

(Printable Recipe)

Nutella Brownies
Adapted from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Nutella
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.

Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well. Add salt, cocoa powder, and Nutella and mix in slowly. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake 25-35 minutes (mine took the 35 minutes). The brownies will cut better once cool, but they make great ice cream sundaes while warm.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

It is hard to believe, but I actually have many more dinner recipes than dessert recipes sitting in my files waiting to be shared. I feel like this is a complete 180 from when I started the blog where almost all my posts were dessert related. You'd never know I have a sweet tooth :)

Despite the odds, I am bringing you a dessert recipe today. In fact, a classic dessert recipe in that. These actually came about one night because the hubbs was wanting to make a cookie ice cream sundae. Not wanting to spend too long baking on a weeknight, I remembered these cookie bars. Perfect.

So, if you find yourself in a rush needing a dessert for a certain holiday next week or just have a killer chocolate chip cookie craving. Look up these bars. I promise they'll be well received. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
From Mel's Kitchen Cafe (adapted slightly from Cook's Illustrated) 

Ingredients:
2-1/8 cups (10-1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
12 Tbsp. (1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup (7 oz) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3-1/2 oz) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups (1 pkg) chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, if desired for easy removal from the pan. Spray either the pan or foil with non-stick cooking spray (whichever you are using).

Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from the sides of the pan, 24-28 minutes. Do not overbake, if needed err on the side of slightly underdone. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. If using the foil, you can remove the bars from the pan by lifting up on the foil. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Butterfinger Blondes

I swear these bars must have some kind of crack in them. I am only partially kidding. I made them, so I know all the ingredients that were included. Don't worry, there really isn't any crack listed in the ingredient list. Nonetheless, there was something in these bars that just kept me going back for "a little bit more." 

I ran across these beauties on pinterest (love that website by the way). As far as I can tell, the original idea was from Shelly at Cookies and Cups. These bars are one of those recipes that have made the rounds around several blogs and for good reason. They are so good! Make them as soon as you can and send me one please! 

I think I'm off to convince the hubby that we need to hand out Butterfingers as Halloween candy this year... I know exactly what I am doing with extra :) Enjoy! 

(Printable Recipes)

Butterfinger Blondes
Adapted slightly from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients:
Bars:
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. coarse salt
2 cups coarsely crushed Butterfinger bars (approximately 15 fun-sized bars)

Butterfinger Buttercream:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup coarsely crushed Butterfinger bars (approx 4 fun-sized bars)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs, one at a time and mix until incorporated. Mix in vanilla. On low add the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the crushed butterfingers. Spread in a 9x13-inch baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. The bars will still be a little "wiggly" when you take them out of the oven. That's okay. You want them to be soft not crunchy. Set on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. 

For the buttercream, cream the butter and shortening together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low. Once it begins to mix in, increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth. Spread on the cooled blondes. Sprinkle the remaining crushed Butterfingers on top.

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats

I am way behind the times on the cake batter trend, but I am actually okay with that. I figure that as long as I can still hop on the train that I haven't completely missed it :)

I hold a special place in my heart for rice krispie treats. As simple as they are, I have always loved them. Ask my mom. Apparently I tried to "run-away" once when I was younger but decided to come home because we were having rice krispie treats for dessert. True story. They also single-handedly helped me get through college. My roommates and I would make them in a big bowl in the microwave and dig-in with a fork. No pan or set-time included. We made them quite a bit. Movie tonight? Let's make rice crispies. Finals week? Add some m&m's. You get the idea. 

As you may imagine, when I saw the idea for cake batter rice krispie treats on Jessica's blog, I knew I had to make these. Were they good? No explanation needed, and they may have spurred a interest in other cake batter-flavored treats. Cake batter ice cream anyone? Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats
From How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
1 (10 oz) bag marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup yellow cake mix
6 cups rice krispies cereal
assorted sprinkles

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until the begin to melt and mix in vanilla. Add in cake mix one spoonful at a time and stir until combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray (I like an 8x8 or 9x9 to make them thicker) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting.

May Cookie Carnival: Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars

This month's Cookie Carnival was guest hosted by Krista from Meet the Swans. I was really excited to get the recipes for this month because they both looked great. When you are choosing between these strawberry-rhubarb bars and homemade ice cream sandwiches, it can be a hard choice! In the end, I probably will not get around to making the ice cream sandwiches before the end of the month, but I am definitely saving that recipe for later in the summer!

The bar recipe is originally from Better Homes and Gardens, and I went with this one since I love rhubarb in desserts! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate any fresh rhubarb since moving to Arizona, so I went the frozen route and it worked just fine although I had to boil my mixture for much longer than 10 minutes to get it to thicken. I stayed true to the ingredients called for in the recipe, but used my food processor to mix the dough together because I was feeling a bit lazy. In the end, I think this "chopped" up the oats a little more than the recipe intended, but the crumb layer still turned out really well. 

One thing that is unique is that the recipe calls for ground ginger that is mixed in with the filling and into a ginger glaze that tops the bars. I sneaked a taste of the glaze before I added it to the bars and wasn't a huge fan, but on top of the bars, all the flavors melded together wonderfully. In fact, my husband's exact comment was, "Wow. These are good. Really good." Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Strawberry-rhubarb Bars
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
Bars:
Non-stick cooking spray
1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Ginger Glaze:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
3-4 Tbsp. orange juice or milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with foil, allowing the foil to extend over the edges of the pan. Coat the foil with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a bowl, stir together the oats, flour, and 3/4 cup sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (alternately you can use a food processor). Remove 1-1/2 cups of the oat mixture; set aside. Press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake 20 minutes.

For the filling, in a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, 1/3 cup sugar, water, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Cook and stir over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until mixture is thickened and bubbly (May take longer. Just keep going until the fruit starts to break down and the mixture begins to thicken). Stir in chopped strawberries. Remove 1/2 cup of filling. Cover and set aside. Spoon remaining filling over the hot baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture (you may have to crunch this with your hand to make "crumbs" if you used a food processor). Lightly press the mixture down into the topping. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes more or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly. Cool in a pan on a wire rack. 

For the ginger glaze, in a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, ground ginger. Add the orange juice/milk slowly until it reaches drizzling consistency. Set aside. Lift the bars from the pan using the foil and carefully pull the foil away from the sides. Cut into bars. Just before serving, top each bar with a spoonful of filling and drizzle with the ginger glaze. 

February Cookie Carnival: Cosmo Cocktail Cookie Bars

The Cookie Carnival is a pressure-free monthly baking group hosted by the wonderful Tami at Tami's Kitchen Table Talk. Each month, Tami finds 2 cookie recipes - 1 regular recipe and 1 kid-friendly recipe - and as members, we bake along as often as we can. It has been a couple months since I have baked along with these gals, but I'm glad to be back. I love this group because Tami always seems to find cookie recipes that I'd never choose on my own. Because of this, I've enjoyed lots of cookies that I never would have chosen on my own!

The recipes for this month were Cosmo Cocktail Bars and Vanilla Shortbread Hearts. I didn't get a chance to make the Vanilla Shortbread Hearts, but we loved the Cosmo Cocktail Cookie bars. The basic idea of the bars reminds me of a lemon bar. They have that classic shortbread crust with the fruited topping sprinkled with powdered sugar, but the lime zest in the crust and the cranberry-orange topping definitely make them both unique and delicious.

I made the crust for the bars in my food processor, so the process of putting the bars together couldn't have been simpler. Despite this, I still managed to forget the 1/4 c. flour that is suppose to be added to the filling, so I was glad to see that my bars set-up in the middle. This may be evidence that these bars are even "fool-proof." My only intentional change was to omit the vodka since my husband had plans to take them to work. I know that the alcohol "cooks-off," but I just felt better leaving it out in this case. I do have a question about these type of bars. Does any one know how to avoid the "foam" that always ends up on the top of my fruit layer? It doesn't affect the taste at all, but I think the bars are much prettier without it.

Try these out and check out Tami's blog in the next couple days for the February cookie round-up! I know that we'll be making them again (with the correct amount of flour this time) next time I need to bring a dessert. 

(Printable Recipe)

Cosmo Cocktail Cookie Bars
Adapted from the McCormick website

Ingredients:
2-1/4 c. flour, divided 
2/3 c. powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1 Tbsp. lime zest
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. (1-1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into pieces
4 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 can (6 oz) frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp. McCormick's orange extract
1 Tbsp. vodka (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with a piece of foil that hangs over the edges to create "handles." Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

Add 2 c. flour, powdered sugar, lime zest, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the pieces of butter in one at a time and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press the mixture evenly into the foil-lined pan. Bake 20 minutes or until the edges of the crust begin to turn golden brown.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the granulated sugar, cranberry juice concentrate, remaining 1/4 c. flour, orange extract, and vodka (if desired) until well blended. Pour evenly over hot crust. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is set. Cool pan on a wire rack. Use foil handles to remove baked dessert from the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Yield: 36 bars per recipe (I got 24 bars)

Butterscotch Brownies

Does anyone else have a "go-to" recipe stash. Sure, I probably have hundreds of to-make recipes saved blogs, websites, magazines, and cookbooks, but I also have a stash of a few recipes that I turn to when I need to know exactly how things are going to turn out. You know, those recipes that you have that you've made so many times that you could probably estimate down to the minute how long it's going to take from start to finish. Yeah, this is one of those recipes =)

These bar cookies are one of my favorite desserts from my childhood. They actually came from my grandmother and were also one of my mom's favorite cookies when she was growing up. Back then my grandma made them into individual cookies.  However, somewhere along the way my mom turned them into a bar cookie recipe, and I like them in that form. The crust along the outside of the pan is my favorite part. 

The cookies are unique in that they start by cooking the butter and sugar together on the stovetop to give the base of the cookies a deeper butterscotch flavor. The picture above is about what the butter-sugar mixture will look like when its cool. Waiting for the mixture too cool before you add the eggs may be the only bad thing about the recipe (not that I speak from experience or anything). After that, the rest of the recipe is a breeze. The dough can end up quite thick at the end, but just gently pat it into your pan, bake, and enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Butterscotch Brownies
From Mom

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. shredded, sweetened coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, cook butter and sugar over low heat until bubbly. Cool until slightly warm (so that you don't end up cooking the eggs by accident). Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each one. Add vanilla and mix. Stir in flour and coconut. The dough will be thick. Gently pat into the prepared pan. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until the bars just start to brown around the edges. Allow the bars to cool slightly, but cut into bars before they reach room temperature. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Caramelitas

Back to school season has been a little weird this year for me. It's actually the first year in 20 years that neither I nor my husband are really going "back to school." My hubby graduated in May, so he's completely done. I haven't actually graduated yet, but I'm already 4 months into my last year of clinical rotations. Your 3rd and 4th year of pharmacy school kind of run together with only a week break in between, so while I'm "in school," I never really had to go "back." I am not jealous because after 20 years I definitely don't miss those late nights studying!  I only have 3 more (big) exams left after graduation for licensing, and then I hope any remaining exams will be few and far between =)

With everyone headed back to school, these cookie bars would make a great after-school snack (or after exam treat...) for the student(s) in your life. I made these back at my parents' house this weekend with my Dad to take as treats for the lake. The recipe comes from a lady that we know from the lake who first brought these cookies the end of the summer "festival" they have every year. They were a big both at the festival and on our little trip. Out of the whole pan, we came back with only a couple.

While making the bars, I noticed that the crust/topping was really crumbly. It did stay together when it was packed, so I just ended up squeezing the pieces together in my hand before sprinkling it on top to get larger pieces of crumbs. The bars were a little crumbly when cut but held their shape well, so I think they are just intended to be a little more crumbly. My only other modification was to leave out the pecans as most of my family (me included) prefers their desserts without nuts. Lastly, we melted caramels with the evaporated milk for our caramel topping. The substitution comes from the recipe as written, however I have not tried it. Not sure what I think about using flour in the caramel?

Enjoy! 

(Printable Recipe)

Oatmeal Caramelitas
Adapted from Lin Willett

Ingredients:14 oz. pkg. caramel candies
1/2 c. fat-free evaporated milk
(can substitute a 10oz. jar of caramel topping mixed with 1/4 c. flour)

2 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1-1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth. Cool slightly.

Combine remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Mixture will be crumbly. Press half the crumbs into the bottom of a greased 9x13" pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Carefully cover the chocolate chips with the caramel mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top. You may have to press it together to get larger crumbs. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Chill 1-2 hours then cut into bars.

SMS: Chocolate Brownie Bites

This week's SMS bake was hosted by Tiffany from A Spoonful of Laughter and a Heap of Love. Her pick was a classic one - chocolate walnut brownies. I promise that my original intent was to make this recipe as written. Melissa's recipe is a simple one with only a handful of ingredients, but somehow I managed to go off on my own tangent. 

For various reasons including traveling for a wedding and baking in my mother's kitchen, I ended up with chocolate brownie bites instead. Due to the ingredients we had on hand, I needed to halve the recipe and the only pan we had smaller than a 9x9 was the mini-muffin tin. Thus, the brownie bites were born.

I suppose all well-used cookbooks end up looking like this? Whoops... =)

Because I used a different pan, I decreased the heat to 325 degrees. My mini-brownies baked for about 12 minutes, but I checked them often at the end to make sure they weren't over-baked. The end result? These little babies were good, and the fact that they were mini made them that much easier to pop in your mouth! The texture was definitely more fudgey than cakey which we like. My family definitely enjoyed them, and I can assure you that we will be making these again in both the mini and traditional form! Thanks for the great pick Tiffany!

Head over to the SMS blogroll if you want to check out how the other bakers' brownies ended up!

Lemon Raspberry Bars

You'll have to excuse the pictures for these bars. They really don't do them justice. This was the other recipe that I took to the 4th of July barbecue, and I wasn't able to take pictures of them until we got back home. Luckily, I still had three (LITTLE) pieces left to make somewhat of a photo.

I saw these bars on Two Peas and Their Pod and knew that they would be perfect for summer. Maria has much better pictures on her blog, so head over there if you want to see what the bars really should look like :-) The rest of her blog is also great so check it out!

The crust of these got a little moist sometime through the course of the barbecue. I'm guessing this had to do with coming in and out of the fridge throughout the day? It wasn't a big deal and didn't affect the taste at all. 

Looks aside, these bars were great! My mom occasionally makes this pink lemonade dessert that I love. The ingredients are completely different, but the flavors are similar enough to make these the raspberry lemonade version. Another plus. These bars are simple. Ridiculously simple. The only thing I would change is to use the graham cracker crumble only on the bottom. I had some trouble pressing it up the sides of the pan, and I ended up liking the middle pieces much better anyway. I'll post the recipe below as it was written, so you can choose to change it or not based on your preference.

 
So if you've got an event coming up this weekend or you're just a lemonade lover, try these bars out! I'm in agreement with Maria - you'll be the star of the show =) 

(Printable Recipe)

Lemon Raspberry Bars
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
zest of 1 lemon

For the filling:
2 large egg yolks
1 (14oz) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
6 oz. fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until well combined and all the graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press the crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Stir until the mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries being careful not to break them to avoid pink bars. Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes or until just set. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Cut into the bars and serve. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

June Cookie Carnival: S'mores Sandwich Bar Cookie

It's been a couple months since I've participated in the Cookie Carnival, so I'm glad to be back. This month, Tami sent us two recipes - this thumbprint cookie recipe from Cooking Light and s'mores bar cookie meant as a recipe to make with the kids. You can tell from the title which one I made =)  My husband and I do not have any children (unless you count pets), so I'm just going to say that the "kid" in me thought this recipe might be kind of fun. Besides, I'm technically still in school for another 10 months anyway, and who doesn't love s'mores =)

 

 

Making these bars was pretty simple. I don't have any complaints. I actually found these cute red, white, and blue marshmallow stars at the store that I thought would be fun if you wanted to take these bars to a 4th of July picnic this summer.  Mine went with me to work one Saturday, and I came home with two little pieces that were just barely big enough for a picture. Like I said previously, who doesn't love s'mores.

If you have kids or just still consider yourself a kid like me, try these out. They definitely make for a fun afternoon project. Stop by Tami's roundup after the first of the month to see how the cookies or bars turned out for the other bloggers! 

(Printable Recipe)

S'mores Sandwich Bar Cookie
From Hershey's website

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/3 c.all-purpose flour
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
5 Hershey's milk chocolate bars 
3 c. miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

Beat butter and sugar together until well blended in a large bowl. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half the dough in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Arrange unwrapped chocolate bars to completely cover the cookie layer, breaking as needed to fit. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the chocolate; scatter the remaining bits of dough over the marshmallows, forming a top layer. Bake 10-15 minutes or until the marshmallows are just lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack and cut into bars.

March Cookie Carnival: Mint Cream Cheese Bars

 

The cookie chosen for March's Cookie Carnival was a Hershey's recipe for Walnut Mint Bars. The green color of the bars fell right in line with St. Patrick's Day, so these bars seemed perfect for March!

When making the bars, I left the nuts out of the crust layer - hence the name mint cream cheese bars. I like nuts on their own. I just tend not to be a fan of them in my food. In most recipes, they really aren't an integral ingredient, and the same proved true here. The bars worked just as well without them.

Other than that, I stayed true to the recipe.  The verdict on the taste was alright. I've seen the blogs of a couple other carnivalers, and it seems that the mint flavor was pretty mild for many of us. I used the peppermint extract instead of creme de menthe, so I don't know if that made the difference? 

Despite the mini-mint flavor, I really liked the idea of the bars. They came together really easily and seem like they would support other flavors well. I'm finding myself wondering what they would be like in a citrus variety with zest included in the crust layer? Head over to Tami's blog in the next couple days to check March's round-up and join up with us for April!

(Printable Recipe)

Mint Cream Cheese Bars
Hershey's Kitchens

Ingredients:
1/2 c. (1 stick) plus 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1-1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers, crushed)
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. peppermint extract or 1 Tbsp. green creme de menthe
green food coloring (optional)
chocolate almond bark

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1/2 c. butter in the microwave or on the stove top. Stir in crumbs, sugar, and cocoa. Press firmly on the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch pan.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and cornstarch in a small bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, then the egg, and peppermint extract and food color. Pour carefully over prepared crust.

 Bake 25 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Melt 2 squares chocolate almond bark and decoratively drizzle over the bars. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator. 

Yield: 24 to 36 bars