Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars

We did our yearly apple picking last week and as usual we bought way too many apples for just eating them as a snack.  Of course the morning we decided to go to Eastmont Orchards for our apples and pumpkins it was 46 degrees so we could have been going to cut our Christmas tree down.  But the sun was out and it was a beautiful crisp Fall day.  Luckily Owen and Maddy had hats and gloves to wear so there little ears and fingers were warm.

This recipe is from The Kitchen McCabe.  The making of the caramel apples took a very long time but the recipe was delicious with the shortbread bottom.  A little scoop of ice cream or a squirt of whipped cream would be perfect on these.

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 very large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced 1/8" thick
1-1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" x 13" pan with a large sheet of parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides of the pan for easy lift out.  In a stand mixer mix together the flour and powdered sugar.  Add butter to mixer in large cubes.  Mix until ingredients just form a dough.  Do not over mix.  Pat 2/3rds of the dough into the parchment paper, smoothing out the top until it is evenly spread throughout the whole pan. Reserve the rest of the dough for the top.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking make the caramel apples by mixing together the water and sugar in a saucepan and heating on medium heat mixing occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Bring the sugar to a boil by turning the heat up. 

When the sugar has caramelized to an amber brown color, add the apples and stir constantly.  The apples will release liquid when they hit the caramel and cause it to harden in places.  Continue stirring as the caramel will melt back down in a minute or two.  Continue to cook on high until the liquid released has been cooked out and the caramel is thick again.  Add the cream and butter stirring constantly.  The mixture may froth but continue cooking until it settles back.  Once the mixture is glossy and smooth remove from heat.

Pour the caramel apple mixture over the cooked shortbread.  Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the top of the caramel apples.  Bake for 15 minutes or until caramel is bubbling and the crumble is lightly golden brown. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting or overnight if possible.   The longer they sit the easier they are to cut into squares.

Enjoy!!

Oatmeal Apple Butter Squares

The girls and I have followed Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats on her food blog since the beginning. So when we saw she had a cookbook coming out we knew we were going to be buying it. The day after Seriously Delish arrived Sam decided to make two of the 150 recipes in the cookbook with another 15 bookmarked to make soon. These bars did not disappoint with a hint of peanut butter and an extra caramel drizzle on top.  If you are wondering what to do with your apple butter besides spread it on toast give these bars a try.  The whole wheat flour can easily be substituted with white all purpose flour or you can do 1/2 of each I would guess. The cookbook has a little bit of everything with 8 different sections from breakfast to snack time items, stuff to sip on, salads, soups and vegetable sides. The other dish we tried so far was Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps and we loved them. The dipping sauce was amazing and we will be using the sauce on other things soon.

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond milk (1/3 cup in original recipe)
1 cup apple butter

Crumble:
1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Drizzle: (I added - not in original recipe)
15 caramel squares
1 tbsp milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray and 8 x 8 pan with PAM.  In a small bowl combine the oat, flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add peanut butter and brown sugar.  Beat on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and beat the mixture until combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients.  Slowly add the milk and continue to mix until a dough forms.  Remove the dough from the bowl and press it into the baking dish.

Spread the apple butter over the top of the dough.

For the crumble combine the oats, brown sugar and flour in a bowl.  Add the butter and vanilla extract and crumble it together with your fingers until the butter is distributed.

Sprinkle the mixture over the apple butter.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely before cutting into squares.

If you want to add a little more sweetness to it drizzle caramel sauce over the top.  Prepare caramel sauce by melting caramels with a little milk and stir either over the stove or in the microwave.

Enjoy!!




Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

Pistachio Butter Dark Chocolate Bars

My youngest daughter went through a phase last month.  She wanted to make different kinds of nut butters. She had bought some in the past from Whole Foods but wanted to make her own.  I wasn't even sure what they were until we had 3 jars of nut butters in the refrigerator - cashew, almond and pistachio. I found out that they can be used in place of peanut butter. So I tried each of them out on my breakfast english muffin for a little change. And who doesn't need a little change with their breakfast items? When we saw this recipe from Kevin & Amanda's we were very excited as we already knew all we needed to about making pistachio nut butter. This has to be made first and then is added to the rest of the ingredients. We thought these were delicious and if you are a pistachio lover like we are I know you will love them too!  

Ingredients:
2 cups (10 oz) shelled salted pistachios
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1-3/4 cup flour
1 bag dark chocolate chips (12 oz)
1/2 tsp sea salt (if desired)

Directions:

Place 2 cups shelled salted pistachios into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 10 minutes until smooth and creamy. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with foil, then coat generously with PAM.

With a stand mixer, mix pistachio butter, softened butter and both sugars on medium for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  If your pistachios are unsalted add 1/2 tsp salt.  

Add flour and mix on low speed until blended.

Stir in dark chocolate chips.

Drop into prepared pan.  Spread out with spatula or fingers.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until top starts to brown. Let bars cool before cutting into bars.  Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.  

Enjoy!!

Biscoff Brown Sugar Bars w/Cookie & Cocoa Swirl Topping

It's the middle of July already. YIKES!  Slow down summer please!  This month's Secret Recipe Club assignment is Little Bit Of Everything. She is a midwestern woman who is in her 50's like me who likes to cook and travel and save spoons like my grandma used to do.  She has a bunch of great recipes but desserts are usually what catch my eye and this one did because of the Biscoff spread in the recipe. I topped them with a little of Trader Joe's Cookie & Cocoa Swirl to give them just a touch of chocolate flavor.  I always like to add chocolate in somewhere if possible.        

Ingredients for Biscoff Brown Sugar Bars:

Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt

Filling:
3 large eggs
1-1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup biscoff spread
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Topping:
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Cookie & Cocoa swirl

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine crust ingredients on medium speed just until mixture is evenly mixed and moist.

Spoon into an 8 x 8 pan that has been sprayed with PAM.  Press mixture onto bottom of pan in an even layer. Press into pan with fingers.  Wet fingers if mixture is too sticky.  Prick uncooked crust 6-8 times with a fork than bake until golden brown around the edges about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile beat the eggs, 1-1/4 cup light brown sugar, biscoff spread and all purpose flour on medium speed until smooth.

When crust is done pour the mixture evenly over the crust and bake for another 30 minutes or until middle is set.

Cool completely.  Cut into squares.

Microwave 1/2 cup of the cookie and cocoa swirl spread if desired for 30 seconds.  Spread on top of each bar and let the topping set before handling.  You can sprinkle each bar with powdered sugar instead if you desire.

Enjoy!!

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

For the last four years I have had a good excuse for making so many chocolate desserts. I have made most of the them to send to my youngest daughter and her roommates at school. Sam loves anything chocolate. Of course I never sent her all the desserts that I made.  I always had to keep a few here because I love chocolate just as much as she does and so does her Father. Well time flew by and she is done with school and finished all her exams last Saturday.  She will be graduating in a few short weeks and moving back home by the end of the month. Now she will be my baking partner as we both love to bake and I will not have to pack them up to ship them to Maryland anymore.  She and her roommates loved these bars.  I saw them on Pinterest and these are adapted from www.livingbeyondmeasure.com.        

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 eggs

2 cups brown sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3-1/4 cups oatmeal

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix butter, eggs and brown sugar in bowl of stand mixer.  Add vanilla and milk.  Slowly incorporate the flour, baking soda, salt and oatmeal.  Mix well.

Spread 3/4 of the cookie mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Make chocolate fudge mixture by cooking over medium heat in a saucepan:  condensed milk, butter, chocolate chips and vanilla extract.  Stir continuously until everything is melted.

Pour chocolate mixture over top of oatmeal mixture.  Drop spoonfuls of the cookie mixture over top of the fudge.  It won't cover the chocolate layer completely.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  I put aluminum foil over the top for the last 5 minutes so the top cookie layer would not get too brown.

Let the bars cool before slicing.

Enjoy!!



Linked at: http://www.thecountrycook.net/

Valentine Almond Blondies

Happy Valentine's Day!

It has finally stopped snowing here.  I think we have over 17" of snow with more snow on the horizon for tomorrow.  I plan on spending some of my day seeing my two grandchildren and giving them big hugs and kisses. What a lucky Grandma I am!  I have never made blondies before because I love chocolate so brownies are always my first choice but these have a good flavor too.  The recipe is adapted from allrecipes.com.  These are quick enough to make a batch today.  Enjoy your weekend!  

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, melted
1-3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup valentine M & M's

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13" x 9" pan with PAM.  Melt butter and brown sugar in saucepan over medium heat stirring until smooth.

Set aside for 5 minutes so it will cool.  Add eggs one at a time stirring after each addition.  Add almond and vanilla extracts.  Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add 1/2 of the chocolate chips and M & M's. Stir until blended.

 Pour into prepared pan.  Sprinkle rest of chocolate chips and M & M's over top.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Cool before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!!



Linked at: thecountrycook.net