Make 'Em and Hide 'Em!: Peanut Butter Fingers

 

Before Christmas, I was lamenting the "death" of the snail mail Christmas card. Perhaps I should have taken a lesson from Mark Twain. You might recall his famous line: "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

By the time Christmas arrived, we did get some cards. I appreciated every single one.

One card from a college friend offered an "assignment" of sorts. Along with a brief update of life, she included a recipe. Becky said this:

I'm pretty sure you have every recipe known, but I thought you might get a kick out of this one from my Mom's recipe box.

I've never been one to turn down a recipe - or a challenge. How could I resist the handwritten note by Becky's mom at the end of the recipe?

Cool; cut into bars and hide 'em!

That made me laugh. And surely it gave me a preview for the tastiness of the recipe. So I made Peanut Butter Fingers from Becky's mom and served them as one of the cookie selections for the Core meal I did this past week. 

I should have taken a photo earlier in the evening when I still had full containers, but it still shows the variety available.

 

I only had four of the bars left over at the end of the night.

 

In case you'd like to try them too, here's the recipe. 

Peanut Butter Fingers

From Becky Miller's mom 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup flour

1 cup quick oatmeal

**

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

2-4 tbsp. evaporated milk 

 

Cream butter, 1/3 cup peanut butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla and salt and blend until well incorporated. Add flour and oatmeal; mix. Spread in greased 13- by 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. (I baked it 20 minutes.)

 

Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips. (I used mini chocolate chips.) Let stand for 5 minutes. 

 

In the meantime, combine sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 cup peanut butter and the evaporated milk. Mix well.

 

After the 5 minutes are up, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the cookie layer. Then drizzle peanut butter mixture over the chocolate. 

 

Cool; cut into bars and hide 'em!

 

Notes:

• I had chunky peanut butter in my cabinet. My attempts to use a decorator tube to actually drizzle the peanut butter mixture were not as attractive as I wanted for serving away from home. So after my drizzle, I lightly spread out the peanut butter drizzle on the bars. 
• While the topping was still wet, I also sprinkled with Peanut Butter Mini M&Ms - again, just making them pretty for serving. You can find the PB Mini M&Ms in the candy aisle at bigger grocery stores. 
• I only used 2 tablespoons of milk. This may depend on humidity, etc.  
• Becky's mom didn't indicate how many bars this recipe made. But, since she called them "fingers," I cut them into narrow bars.  

 

 

Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

 

When you're looking for "fancy" cookie recipes, you don't necessarily spend a lot of time in the "bar cookie" realm. But the Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies came highly recommended.

Jill made them for a work event and said they were fairly quick and easy, yet had elements of fancy. She found it on one of her favorite baking blogs, Sally's Baking Addiction. Those two "recommendations" were enough for me to add the wedge-shaped cookies to my cookie trays for the August bridal shower.

The Chocolate Pistachio Cookies are on the right side of the tray. (Sorry for the bad church basement lighting.)

 

The simple recipe is "fancified" with melted chocolate, finely-chopped pistachios and a sprinkle of sea salt. That simple dash of salt is enough to tickle taste buds in a sea of sweet choices. Not that the cookies aren't sweet. They are. The salt just adds another dimension, along with the salted pistachios.

Give them a try. And let me know what you think!

  Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies 

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

 

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

2 1/4 cups flour

2/3 cup finely-chopped pistachios

Topping

1/3 cup finely-chopped pistachios

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

Sea salt to sprinkle

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang around the sides to easily lift shortbread out. Set aside.

 

In mixer bowl, beat the butter on high speed until completely smooth. Add sugars and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla, salt and flour and beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed as the mixture combines. Add 2/3 cup of finely-chopped pistachios. Dough will be crumbly.

Press 1/2 of the dough into each of the prepared cake pans, pushing it down well. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top and around the edges.

Remove from the oven; cool for 10 minutes. Use parchment paper to carefully remove shortbread from the pan. While the shortbread is still warm (not hot), cut each pan into 12 wedges. Allow to cool completely.

Topping:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stopping and stirring after each time, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the shortbread ends into chocolate and sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped pistachios and sea salt. Allow chocolate to completely set before storing. 

Caramel Bars

Having to provide cookies for a reception is a great excuse to try one of those recipes I've printed off and left cluttering up my kitchen counter.

I organized the South Central Community Foundation grants award night on Monday for Stafford County. As I told others who are bringing cookies, let's look for something a little more out of the ordinary than your standard chocolate chip.

These buttery, caramely cookies definitely qualify. And they taste like fall, too ... like caramel apples without the apple. OK, that may be a stretch. But they are really good.

I also made coconut macaroons for one of my offerings. (I used fall-colored candy discs and then topped with fall leaf sprinkles to add some pizazz.

I ended up making four different kinds of cookies. (It's not that I don't trust people to show up with their 2 dozen cookies, but I'm one of those people who doesn't want to serve a skimpy cookie platter. And here's the recipe for the decorated cookie bar in the middle of the tray - Blonde Brownies.)

I like to use vanilla bean paste in my cookies, and I did that with these, too. It's expensive, but you can't beat the flavor in this bar cookie ... or in anything else.  If you can't find the unwrapped caramel bits (pictured in the top photo), you can unwrap a 14-ounce bag of caramels.

Enjoy!

Caramel Bars

Adapted from Butter with a Side of Bread blog

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
11-ounce bag caramel bits
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray. I sometimes skip the parchment paper when a recipe calls for it, but it's worth it to add it for this recipe to avoid the caramel sticking to the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and powdered sugar. add sour cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla until combined. Mix in the flour and salt; combine until it forms a soft dough. Press half the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place other half of dough in the refrigerator. (Just come close. I usually end up with a little more in the bottom of the pan. It will be OK!)

Bake crust in preheated oven to 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned. While the crust is baking, combine caramels, heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 90 seconds at 70 percent power. Continue heating at 70 percent power for 30- to 45-second intervals until the caramels are melted and you're able to form a smooth caramel mixture. Take care not to burn!

Pour melted caramel mixture evenly over the hot crust. Remove remainder of dough from fridge and crumble over the top of the caramel. Return to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the top is firm.

Cool completely before cutting into small squares.

Oreo Blondies: Definitely TREAT!

'Tis the season for trick or treat. These Oreo Blondies definitely fall in the "treat" category. The "trick" will be figuring out how to limit your intake once you get a whiff (and bite!) of these bar cookies.

I belong to a Farmers Wives group on Facebook and someone shared the recipe for these Oreo Blondies after making them to include in meals to the field during fall harvest. Farmers wives have a reputation as good cooks, so I was already intrigued. But then I noticed that this particular farmer's wife happened to be my niece, Paige.

She gave them rave reviews, even calling them her "find" of the fall harvest season.  With an endorsement like that, I decided to make them for a tailgate party we went to after the K-State football game last weekend.

I know homemade Halloween goodies are frowned upon in most circles. Was the whole razor-blade-in-the-apple story fact or urban legend? Or was it "leaked" from a candy company who wanted to sell more hermetically-sealed mini treats during the Halloween rush?

It's not like I get any Halloween visitors anyway. If I bought a bag of candy, it would just sit there tempting Randy and me. So, on the off-chance I have a Halloween visitor or two, I just might wrap up a homemade treat. (Yes, those kind of treats sit around tempting Randy and me, too. Let's not get hung up on that, OK?)

Since we live 11 miles or so from town, we don't get much Halloween foot traffic. But, on the off chance that someone drops by, I just might have a homemade treat. Back in my Halloween excursions trick or treating for UNICEF, my favorite treat was a homemade popcorn ball from my Grandma Neelly. Homemade treats weren't out of the ordinary back then. (No, I wasn't of the generation that walked to school 3 miles one way through snow, but it's starting to sound like it, isn't it?) I promise I'll label any homemade Halloween treats with my name and phone number. These bars aren't wicked. Then again, maybe they are, if you're counting calories.

I used regular Oreos, but if you are someplace where you could get the orange-stuffed Oreos, it would provide an even more festive bar!

Oreo Blondies

From Six Sisters Stuff

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi sweet)
1 cup white chocolate chips
16 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces

In mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing together until well blended. Add in dry pudding mix, and mix until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and Oreo pieces.

Spray a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Put batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes. Don't overbake; cook until the center is set, but it's still gooey. Let cool and cut into squares.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck hosted by these bloggers. Click on the link for recipes for more goodies, main dishes and more from cooks across the country. 

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Brownies for a Crowd

Long, long ago, I did a column in The Hutchinson News called "Cook of the Week," which featured cooks and their favorite recipes. Even though it's literally been 25 years ago, I still get comments once in awhile from people who loved that newspaper feature and who religiously saved those tried-and-true recipes from good cooks. 

One of those Cooks of the Week was Minnye Weers. When I knew Minnye, she lived at Stafford's Leisure Homestead. She was known as the Cookie Lady. She used the kitchen in the activity room at the rest home and baked hundreds of cookies. She baked for other residents. She baked for special events. She baked just to bake.

Minnye has been gone for years, but I still use one of her recipes fairly regularly. Because it makes a large 11- by 15-inch sheet cake pan of brownies, it's one of my go-to recipes when I need a big batch  - whether it's for lunches to take to the field, a potluck or other event where chocolatey goodness is the flavor prescription! (We are planting wheat right now, so I am elbow-deep in taking meals to the field - some days, both noon and evening meals.)

Her Brownies for a Crowd recipe was included in one of the Stafford Oktoberfest cookbooks. And, speaking of Oktoberfest, it's this weekend in Stafford! This recipe from an Oktoberfest cookbook would be great for welcoming family back home or if you need a pick-me-up while decorating that class reunion float.

Photo from Oktoberfest Parade 2015

The last couple of times I've made them, I've added variety to the basic recipe by sprinkling different toppings on the batter before I bake. That way, it's like I'm getting two (or more!) different kinds with just one bake.

In the photo above, I used mini M&Ms on one portion of the batter and a praline crumble on the other half. But the possibilities are endless ... as are the taste variations!

Let me know what you come up with, too!

Brownies for A Crowd

Recipe from Minnye Weers,

Stafford Oktoberfest Cookbook

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups oil
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. water
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. cocoa

Cream together sugar and oil. Add vanilla, water and eggs, mixing well. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Put into a prepared 11- by 15-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies test done.

Optional:  If you'd like, you may add different "sprinkle on" ingredients to the top of the batter before baking - like mini M&Ms, Butterfinger bits, toffee bits, Andes Mint bits, peanut butter chips or other similar items. If I'm not adding a topping, I often throw in some mini chocolate chips to the batter before baking these brownies.

I also like using this Praline Topping to sprinkle on top before baking. 

Praline Topping (Optional)
1 1/2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all the praline ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the brownies before baking. Note: This amount of topping covers only half of the 11- by 15-inch sheet cake pan. Leave the other half plain or use another add-on on the remainder.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Cowboy Blondies

The race has been on to get the freezer stocked with cookies for wheat harvest. Kind of like Noah's Ark, I package them 2 X 2 in plastic bags and corral them in a 9 X 13 pan in the freezer, ready to pull out for suppers during harvest.

Cowboy Blondies made the "round up" this year. I remember Cowboy Cookies from an old church cookbook. They were drop cookies with coconut, oatmeal, and chocolate chips. I did my usual big drop cookie bake, tripling a tried-and-true recipe, dividing the dough and mixing in different add-ins to make a kaleidoscope of cookie flavors.

But I also made this new-to-me version of the old classic Cowboy Cookie drop cookie. Besides the traditional Cowboy Cookie ingredients, this version also has white chocolate chips. I like the convenience of bar cookies: Spread the dough in a pan and you're done. No filling, then washing, a bunch of cookie sheets.

While we haven't started harvest yet, I've had to pull a few bags from the freezer for suppers during alfalfa swathing and other pre-harvest chores. Lasso this recipe for harvest - or, if you're not headed to the field - just whip it together for a weekend or week-day treat.

Cowboy Blondies

Adapted from Bite Me More

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 10- by 15-inch with cooking spray. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture, combining well. Add chocolate chips, oatmeal and coconut. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25-26 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool and cut into bars.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Meringue-Topped Chocolate Chip Bars

Where has May gone? For teachers and their students who are counting down the hours until the end of school, perhaps it's moved less swiftly. But, I look at the calendar and I see that June is barreling its way toward me. With June, comes a four-day church meeting in Topeka, which I hope gets finished up before harvest starts.

While television weatherpeople have started complaining about the rain and cooler temperatures, I'm thankful that the more moderate weather may have helped me avoid a head-on collision of church obligation and farm duty.

But, before we say goodbye to May, we have Memorial Day coming in little more than a week.

Memorial Day weekend just isn't the same as it was back when I was a kid. We still do the annual cemetery tour with my parents, putting flowers on loved ones' graves. We also try to meet Randy's sister and family to decorate graves for their family.

Look closely to see the rainbow in the clouds!

But back when I was grade school age, we sometimes had a picnic in Lemon Park in Pratt with Grandma and Grandpa Leonard and often with my Great Aunt Helen and Great Uncle Mike Stauth before we'd make the cemetery rounds.

As a kid, I didn't think about the preparation that went into toting a meal to the picnic shelter. I just looked forward to playing on the playground equipment and the novelty of eating a meal outdoors.

These days, we usually let a local pizza parlor do the cooking for us. And, as the chief cook around here, that's fine with me, too.

This recipe for Meringue-Topped Chocolate Chip Bars would be good at a picnic or for an after-the-cemetery-tour snack. They 'd be a fun treat at a camp-out with family or friends. They'd even be a little fancier chocolate chip bar to include on a cookie platter for a special gathering.

I found it in Calvary Baptist Church's most recent cookbook. It's a recipe from Alda Hildebrand, who always brings home her fair share of the ribbons in the open class division at the Stafford County Fair. The crunchy meringue top is the perfect way to offset the chewy cookie layer underneath.

Meringue-Topped Chocolate Chip Bars

Recipe adapted from Alda Hildebrand

Calvary Baptist Cookbook: Celebrating Our Heritage

Bar Cookie:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
Topping:
2 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
Chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg yolks, water and vanilla, mixing well. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a prepared 9- by 13-inch pan. Set aside.

Topping: Beat egg whites. Gradually add in brown sugar, beating well, until a meringue forms. Spread over cookie batter. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped nuts, if desired. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Milky Way Blondies: National Chocolate Day

Trick or treat? When it's got the ooey-gooeyness of chocolate, caramel and mini candy bars, how can it be anything other than a treat? (Except when you get on the scale, I suppose. Then it's definitely a trick.)

Today is National Chocolate Day. Why anyone needs an excuse for chocolate is beyond me. And, with Halloween just days away, chocolate is practically one of the food groups. 

I know that homemade trick or treat goodies are frowned upon in this day and age. With visions of razor blades and pharmaceuticals, every parent wants hermetically-sealed store-bought candy for their little goblins. Or they want clementines and toothbrushes. (At this time of year, I'm always nostalgic for my Grandma Neelly's popcorn balls. That was my favorite goody from our Byers United Methodist Church Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF outings.)

But if you have a Halloween gathering, fall festival, tailgate or Royals watch party for which you need a treat, these Milky Way Blondies could be the perfect choice. Just like that glittery crown for your little princess or the cape for your Superman, these candy-filled blondies are the finishing touch for a sweet dessert spread.

The original recipe called for mini Milky Way bars, so I suppose you could "appropriate" a few out of your little ghost's treat bag. ("Steal" is such an ugly word.) But I used a package of the Milky Way Bites. They are already unwrapped and the perfect miniature size - making them ready to toss into the blondie batter. And, just in case there's not enough gooey goodness, you throw in some more chocolate chips and caramel bits.

Any of the candy bite flavors could be substituted. You like peanut butter and chocolate? Use the mini Reece's PB Cups, along with some peanut chips and chocolate chips. Do you prefer Snickers? Use those, along with your favorite ad-ins.

Trick or treat? I vote for treat!

Milky Way Blondies

Adapted from Crazy for Crust

2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup caramel bits
1 cup chocolate chips
1 bag unwrapped Milky Way Bites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9- by 13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture. By hand, stir in caramel bits, chocolate chips and Milky Way Bites. Press into prepared pan.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown, taking care not to overbake. The center will still be jiggly when you take them out of the oven. They will firm up as they cool. Cool completely before slicing into 24 squares.

You may substitute other candy bites for the Milky Way. You may use different flavors of chips - from butterscotch to cinnamon to white chocolate. (For example, use the mini Reece's Peanut Butter unwrapped bites with peanut butter chips.) The possibilities are endless.

Two by Two: You'll Want S'More

Kind of like Noah's Ark, I package cookies two-by-two to get ready for wheat harvest. A few weeks ago, I made (and doubled) my basic drop cookie recipe. Then, I divided the dough into four parts and threw in different add-ins for variety. (Click on the link to see some of our favorite combinations!)

I packaged them two-by-two and put them in snack bags in the freezer. Then, I can pull out the cookies I need each day for special evening meal deliveries.

But when I saw a bar cookie recipe for Peanut Butter S'Mores Bars, I decided to add to my arsenal of freezer goodies.

The familiar summertime taste of marshmallows and chocolate is bolstered by peanut butter in the dough, as well as peanut butter chips nestled in the oozy, marshmallowy goodness.

For more ideas for harvest treats or meals, you can use the search engine on Kim's County Line, found in the upper left of the blog. Type in "cookies," "bar cookies," "salads," "main dish," "Mexican," "beef," etc. I only publish the recipes that we've tried and given good reviews! (But you don't have to be a farm family to enjoy some of these tried-and-true favorites!)

Peanut Butter S'mores Bars

Adapted from Six Sisters Stuff

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet - your preference)
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 3/4 cups miniature marshmallows

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10- by 15-inch pan with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Cream well. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.

Add dry ingredients, just until blended. Fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips and marshmallows.

Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. (Ovens vary. I just got a new oven and things take longer to bake. With my old oven, 20 minutes would have been too long, so know your oven.) They will seem a little gooey, but they set up when cooled.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I left "oatmeal" out of the title. But I think pretty much every other bar cookie ingredient is wrapped up in the title of these bars.

Yep, it has the new (relatively new) caramel-filled chocolate chips and caramel topping, plus peanut butter in the bar and in the frosting glaze. (You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter. Since chunky is what's in my cabinet, that's what I used.)

It has a sprinkle of coarse salt, if you're into that kind of thing. (If you're not, just leave it off.) I guess it would no longer be salted caramel, but that's OK, too.

And it has the ease of a bar cookie instead of standing there making drop cookies. Even my farmer, who isn't necessarily a PB fan, deemed these tasty. Put them on your list of treats to make for a Memorial Day gathering next weekend!

 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Adapted from Inside Brucrew Life

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup caramel topping
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup quick oats
1 cup caramel-filled chocolate chips

Glaze
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp. caramel topping
3 tbsp. milk
Coarse ground sea salt

For cookie bars:  Cream butter and the sugars. Add the egg, vanilla, peanut butter and caramel. Blend until well combined. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture; mix well. Stir in oatmeal and caramel-filled chocolate chips. Spread in a prepared 13- by 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 minutes. Don't overbake!

Cool for 5 minutes. Stir together glaze ingredients. Spread over hot bars. After completely cool, cut into 24 bars. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired, before serving.

Valentine Treats: Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars & More

Looking for a quick and easy Valentine's Day treat? If something has "snickerdoodle" in the title, it has promise, right?

My Mom is the queen of snickerdoodles. For Valentine's Day, she'll often pipe pink-frosting hearts on top of her traditional snickerdoodle cookies. Frosting flavored with a dab of almond extract makes everything taste even better - even snickerdoodles (which are pretty tasty all on their own)! 

When I saw the recipe for Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars, I decided to make my church friends the guinea pigs for something new. Our United Methodist Women make and sell cinnamon apple butter each year for the fall bazaar. So it's a bonus to find a recipe where I can use even more of our apple butter.

I'm always a fan of time-saving bar cookies since they don't have to be individually dropped on a baking sheet. They went over well at the church meeting, and I stuck some in the freezer so I can pull them out and "recycle" them for Valentine's Day.

But they are easy enough for you to pull together quickly as a special treat for your special someone(s) for Valentine's Day on Saturday. (There are some other ideas for Valentine's Day at the bottom of this post.)

Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Bars

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup apple butter
2 tbsp. sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 13- by 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until well creamed. Add eggs and vanilla, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Combine salt, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and flour. Add dry mixture to creamed mixture, and mix well.

Reserve 1 1/2 cups dough. Press remaining dough into prepared pan. Spread apple butter evenly over the dough layer. Drop remaining dough as evenly as possible over the apple butter. It won't cover it completely.

Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until edges are set and center is just slightly loose. Don't overbake.

Allow to cool before cutting into 24 squares.

***

Here are some other ideas for Valentine treats:

Homemade Pretzels

Decadent Chocolate Torte

Chocolate Chip Truffles



 Cake Ball Truffles


 Caramel Chip Bars

My Valentine would prefer a blueberry pie.

Either traditional blueberry ...

or crumb-topped!

There are lots of other tried-and-tested dessert recipes here on Kim's County Line for everything from snack mixes to drop cookies to bar cookies to cakes to pies. I don't post them unless we like them! There is a search function at the upper left of the blog. Or, you can always ask. Just post a comment here or email me at rkjbfarms@gmail.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tailgate Treat: Butterscotch Bars

I've been going to K-State football games since I was in elementary school. I've known the words to the K-State alma mater since I was about 10. I could probably say the words to the pre-game Ceremony of Allegiance right along with the stadium announcer.

While "Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up! K-S-U!" has been part of my game day experience for decades, eating at tailgates has not.

We didn't have to arrive early at the stadium when I was a college student in the 1970s. There were plenty of seats. We hiked from the Derby dorm complex and could spread out once we got through the gates. We certainly weren't elbow to elbow, packed into the stands. As the daughter of a true sports fanatic, I grew up staying to the end of ballgames, no matter what. Things like that tend to stick, and I always stayed to the bitter end. And it usually was bitter: Back in the '70s, it was a rarity to win a football game.

Tailgating definitely wasn't a "thing" back in the '70s. My, how times have changed! Now the parking lots at Bill Snyder Family Stadium are filled with tailgaters galore.

When did tailgating begin? I turned to the American Tailgaters Association for the answer:

One of the first tailgating events was first documented during the Civil War, although participants, in all likelihood, were not sharing recipes or playing a friendly game of horseshoes. The event took place in 1861 at the Battle of Bull Run. At the battle’s start, civilians from the Union side arrived with baskets of food and shouting, “Go Big Blue!” their efforts were a form of support and were to help encourage their side to win the commencing battle.

Although this event was a far cry from tailgates today, this is one of the first historical events of passersby cheering on an event. This day also is important in that it documents food being used to celebrate a specific event. Many historians believe that, despite the civilians’ enthusiasm, even for the time, cheering on a war wasn’t exactly considered kosher … or safe. But, despite the dangers that these “fans” may have endured, the rituals they displayed have a direct correlation to the tailgating that is practiced today.

My Wildcats will be doing battle tonight against the Auburn's War Eagle cry, but there shouldn't be any muskets involved. There will be, however, tailgating food. Among them, these Butterscotch Bars. They aren't purple, so I dressed them up with purple muffin cups.

Besides being a nationally-televised game, it's Harley Day. Let the excitement begin! Go 'Cats! Beat Auburn!

Harley Day - 2011 - I'm a spectator ... not a participant!

Butterscotch Bars

(with chocolate chips and marshmallows)

Adapted from A Farm Girl's Dabbles blog

1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9- by 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine butterscotch chips and butter in a glass measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute on 70 percent power; stir. If not melted, continue cooking on 70 percent power in 30-second intervals until smooth, taking care not to burn. Put melted butterscotch in mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Spread into prepared pan using a flat metal spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, taking care not to overbake. The edges should be browned nicely, and the center not quite set. They firm upon cooling.

For more tailgating recipes, check out this link from the K-State Alumni Association.

For more tailgating snacks from Kim's County Line, click on this link for more K-State themed ideas and here for our experience at a University of South Carolina game. 

Purple-Ribbon Cookies: Snickerdoodle Brownies

I went to the Kansas State Fair yesterday and didn't get my camera out until the grandstand show. I watched other people take cell phone photos of the giant pumpkins. I contemplated trying to get a shot of the butter sculpture through the glass reflecting another bevy of fairgoers snapping away. I didn't get a photo of the winning Governor's Cookie Jar or the Best of Show quilt. I didn't click away at the State Fair train as it rounded the tracks or snap a shot in the beef barns.

But as I shivered during the grandstand show with Aaron Watson and Jack Ingram, I kept glancing over at the midway rides which created a track of color as the lights bounced off the metal grandstand bleachers. And I finally got my camera out of the bag for a few shots. 

If Kinley and Brooke come to the fair next year, I'm guessing the camera will be a lot busier. But this year, I had more photos of the state-fair-purple-ribbon-winning Snickerdoodle Brownies that I'd made in my own kitchen earlier in the week.

The recipe comes from "Favorite 4-H Recipes" compiled by the Stevens County 4-H Council. (Thanks, Amy, for the gift!) As I was looking for a bar cookie recipe to take to the field for corn harvest earlier this week, I chose the Snickerdoodle Brownie recipe. You can't go wrong with a purple-winning fair recipe, right?

It would probably be more accurate to call it a "blondie," since it's not a chocolate brownie. Instead, it has a ribbon of cinnamon-sugar running through the center.

The recipe calls for an icing, but it's not a requirement. If you don't frost them, you can see the cinnamon-sugar layer bubble up to the surface in a few places.

I like bar cookies because they are quick to put together and throw in a pan. That's handy when you're already making two meals to take to the field for harvest.

Take this state-fair-winning 4-H recipe for a whirl in your own kitchen!

 Snickerdoodle Brownies

From Favorite 4-H Recipes: Steven County 4-H Council

Cookies:
2 1/3 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Cinnamon Mixture:
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cinamon
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a larger bowl, mix together softened butter and sugars  until well blended. Add one egg at a time, blending, then add vanilla. Add the flour mixture; blend well.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread evenly, using an off-set spatula. Make the cinnamon mixture; sprinkle evenly on top of the batter in pan. Using the remaining batter, drop by teaspoon-size dollops over the top of the cinnamon mixture, covering all the pan, as best you can. You will be able to see some of the cinnamon mixture peaking through.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven. Don't overbake. (The original recipe called for 25 minutes, but my oven bakes hot. It only took 20 in my oven, and next time, I'll check them a couple minutes earlier than that.)

Cool completely for at least 1 hour. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over the brownies. (I used a decorator tube on part of the bars to make them pretty for a photo, and then I just spread the glaze over the remaining bars to take to the field.)

I modified the icing recipe to include butter because it's better with butter, don't you think? If you want to use the original recipe, use 2 tablespoons of milk, rather than one tablespoon each of butter and milk.