Tag: dessert bars

appetizers · Breads · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Cooking With Ginger

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We have a young chef who comes into our community once a month who is absolutely wonderful. Not only does she bring us amazing recipes, but she is funny and just livens up the people who show up. You come away laughing and in such great moods, it is just a great class to attend. Last week she made 4 really good recipes of which I have already made one. It will be one of our staples from now on. Open Faced Caprese Sandwiches. She also gave us the recipe for Butterscotch Peanut bars, Watermelon-Feta-Basil Salad and a summer mixed drink which I will post tomorrow. But today I am posting the Caprese Sandwiches and Butterscotch Bars.
I bet when you read the title you thought this post would be all about recipes which included ginger. Fooled YA!

Caprese Sandwiches
1 Roma Tomato, sliced into four slices
2 tables chopped fresh basil (or more depending on how many slices of bread you are using)
Fresh Mozzarella log, sliced thinly
4 slices of Italian Bread or baguette
Balsamic Reduction *Found it at some Walmarts and also Trader Joes
Butter and Olive Oil

Preheat oven broiler or toaster oven
Gently spread olive oil or softened butter on one side of the bread. Place in oven to lightly toast.
On opposite side of buttered or oiled bread, with a pastry brush, place olive oil on the dry side of the bread that has not been toasted. Place tomato slices on top of bread. (If you are making more than 4 slices of bread, use another tomato)
Top with slices of mozzarella. Again, use enough slices to make however many slices you need.
Place bread onto baking sheet and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and starting to bubble.
Top with chopped basil and sprinkle with the balsamic reduction. You may want to sprinkle each slice with sea salt.

Butterscotch Peanut Bars
This quick and easy bar to make taste similar to a Pay Day candy bar.

Bar
1/2 cup butterscotch flavored baking chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup salted Spanish peanuts or salted peanuts
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Glaze
1/4 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teas shortening

Melt butterscotch chips, peanut butter and butter oven low heat in small saucepan, stirring constantly 3-5 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
Stir in peanuts and marshmallows. Pour into a buttered 8″ square pan. Cover and place in fridge 30 min or until set.
Melt chocolate chips with shortening in a small saucepan or microwave until chips are melted. In 15 second intervals. Sir after each interval. Drizzle over the cooled bars and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
Cut into bars and keep covered in fridge.

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Lemon-Blueberry Crumble Bars

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In the middle of August, when we struggle to find a spot of shade and a refreshing cold drink, our thoughts go to anything light and cool. On the outside of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese box ,(the 3 lb box)this recipe caught my eye.

We are having some new friends over tomorrow night for dessert and since Randy mentioned that he is in the mood for a pecan pie, I found a recipe for a pecan pie cheesecake. So thus the 3 lb box of cream cheese. Will be posting that new recipe after I get it baked this afternoon and can take a picture. In the meantime, this crumble bar sounds easy and yummy, so wanted to post it this morning. After I make it back to Costco for more cream cheese, will be making this.

1/2 cup butter

1 box (2 layer size) yellow cake mix (I love Duncan Hines brand)

2 eggs, divided and at room temperature

16 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons juice from 1 or 2 lemons (usually takes me 2 to get that much)

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and allowed to dry on paper towels

Heat oven to 350.

Line a 13×9″ baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Microwave butter in large bowl until melted. Add dry cake mix and 1 egg to melted butter; beat with mixer until blended. Press 2/3 of this cake mixture onto bottom of baking pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add remaining egg, zest and juice. Pour over crust; top with blueberries. Pinch small pieces of the remaining dough between your fingers; press lightly into cream cheese layer.

Bake about 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely . Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

Makes 12-15 servings (or if you are in our family, would make about 4)

 

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Southern Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake Bars

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Yum…these are addicting and as I am thrilled that Paula Deen announced her 20-City Tour yesterday, I thought I would post a recipe that I found in her Chocolate Celebration special edition magazine, to welcome her back.

Makes 2 doz bars
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter
2 cups finely chopped pecans, divided
2 (8oz) bars cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs, divided
4 (1 oz) squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 teas vanilla
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13″ baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil.
In medium bowl, combine the flour and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Cut in butter (the 1/2 cup), with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped pecans.
Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar; beat on medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add 1 egg, beating until combined. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth; pour over prepared crust.
Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.
In another medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup brown sugar, corn syrup, 1/3 cup melted butter and remaining 3 eggs. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups pecans. Pour oven cream cheese mixture.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center is set. Let cool in pan completely before cutting into bars.

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

YUM!!!!

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Filling

2 packages (8 oz each) softened cream cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 can (12 oz) Evaporated Milk (not sweetened condensed)

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup (6oz) Nestle Toll House Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in medium bowl; press onto bottom of a 13×9″ baking pan. Set aside

For filling, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla. Set aside.

Microwave morsels in medium bowl on medium high power for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 15 second intervals until most morsels are melted. Stir to melt them completely until smooth. Stir 1 cup cream cheese mixture into the peanut butter chocolate melted chips.

Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Pour chocolate mixture over cream cheese mixture. Swirl mixtures with knife pulling the plain cream cheese mixture in swirls with the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack and then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Cut into bars.

Makes 15 bars

 

Desserts

Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Yesterday I had an Christmas Cookie & Chat Open house. These cheesecake bars were the hit of the day. It’s interesting to me that each year we do this, there seems to always be one item that gets all the attention. Last year it was the Meltaways and this year, the Cheesecake Bars. Out of over 40 ladies who attended, more than half wanted the recipe. So here it is. It combines the flavor of cheesecake and pecan pie, which truly is a great combination.

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

2 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teas vanilla

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter, (1 stick) melted

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and 3/4 cup of the brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Press mixture evenly in bottom of a 13,9 inch baking pan, bake for 10 min. Set aside to cool while preparing the cream cheese mixture.

Beat at medium speed until smooth: cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla until combined. Pour over cooled crust and bake for 12-14 min. Remove from oven and cool while preparing the pecan mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter and eggs. Stir in the pecans. Pour over cream cheese mixture and return to oven and bake for about 40 min, or until middle feels “set” to the touch. Cool and place in fridge until ready to cut into bars. If leaving in fridge, be sure to cover the bars, after they have cooled completely.