Date Nut Bars

Things must get so hectic at Christmas that I forget to write about my Christmas cookie traditions.  I know I planned to because I found pictures of them on my phone!  This recipe is one that my mother made up until her last Christmas, when Rob baked them for her.  I've continued, and this easy bar cookie is found on the plates of cookies and candy I give to my friends neighbors every Christmas.  Thanks to my sister-in-law, Mary, for asking for it, which caused me to realize I had yet to include it here.  As I was writing it I realized it was one of those recipes mom did by sight, so no times were included.

Date Nut Bars

Heat oven to 350

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour plus 4 Tablespoons flour
4 egg whites
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 cups of chopped walnuts
2 cups of chopped dates
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Powdered Sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Cut butter into brown sugar and 2 1/2 cups of flour.  (I use the food processor)  Press in to a cookie sheet and bake  until light brown.

Beat egg whites until stiff.  Mix in 4 T. of flour along with remaining ingredients.  Spread over top of cookie base and bake until brown on top.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut into squares.

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S'mores Cheesecake Bars

 I really wanted to make homemade marshmallows and make the s'mores in the August issue of Sunset.  Ease of preparation got the best of me and I made these instead.  I also used semi-sweet chocolate chips for all the chocolate called for and piped the melted chocolate on the top in a sandwich baggy whose corner I snipped. 

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup marshmallow cream
2 tsp. cocoa powder
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

For the topping:
1½ cups mini marshmallows

chocolate chips, melted (optional)

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line an 8×8″ baking pan with foil; spray lightly with cooking spray.  Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl.  Stir together with a fork until well combined.  Press the mixture in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.  Bake 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack while you prepare the filling.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚ F.

To make the filling, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and marshmallow cream.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 1-2 minutes.  Blend in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and eggs until incorporated.  Stir in the melted chocolate until well blended.  Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake about 30 minutes, or until the center is just set (does not jiggle when shaken gently.)  Remove from the oven.

Evenly top the cheesecake layer with the mini marshmallows.  Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, just long enough so the marshmallows begin to melt into each other.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack.  Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the tops of the marshmallows.  (Alternatively, this can be done underneath the broiler with a very watchful eye.) Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.  Transfer to the refrigerator and chill 2-3 hours before slicing and serving.

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Source: Annie's Eats

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

I know that Mark shouldn't be eating these, I did use low fat cream cheese though.   I decided to try for a Father's Day treat and send the bulk of the leftovers home with Kaci, good solution!  I don't usually make bar cookies that only make a 8 X 8 pan, but these are so rich that that was plenty!  I didn't want to run to the grocery store, so I bought organic graham crackers at Andy's Market,  I was surprised at how much less sweetness that they had than those in those I usually purchase at the grocery store.  Something similar is probably available at Whole Foods.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups of graham crackers crumbs 

5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:

5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 

1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed 

3 tbsp white sugar 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp vanilla 

3/4 cup of flour 

1 cup of chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:

10 oz cream cheese, room temperature (I used low fat, and tasted good to us)

1/4 cup of white sugar 

1 large egg, room temperature 

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing a little overhang, then spray the paper and dish with cooking spray.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until mixed thoroughly. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place into the oven and bake for 6 minutes. Remove pan and set aside to cool. DO NOT TURN YOUR OVEN OFF.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. Beat the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, and vanilla together using a mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the flour to the butter mixture until just combined then add the chocolate chips and mix. Set aside.

For the cheesecake filling, place the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla together into a bowl then beat, using a mixer, until creamy and smooth. Carefully spread the cheesecake batter onto the prepared crust.

Using your hand to form clumps (I made clumps of about 1 tsp), distribute the cookie dough evenly in clumps on the top of the cheesecake batter until you use all of the dough.
Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top (cookie dough) feels dry and firm and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Lift bars out by the overhang; slice and store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature. 

Pintable Recipe
From For the Love of Cooking

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars

I had planned to show before and after photos of my garden this afternoon.  The rain changed all that.  I'll have to share the before now, and the after tomorrow if the weather cooperates.

I spent hours a few nights ago trying to remember where I had found this recipe, which I wanted to make for our last day of work luncheon.  We traditionally have a salad lunch on the day after the student's last day.  Now that I'm no longer baking desserts at home I have to jump at the opportunity to bake and take!  Note to self:  bookmark all recipes you might make, don't plan on remembering where to find them!

Ingredients:

For the oatmeal layer:

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup salted honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the chocolate layer:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup salted honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.   Grease the sides of the pan with butter.

To make the oatmeal cookie layer, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Whisk to blend.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until it is soft and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Mix in the oats and peanuts with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.

Reserve 1½ cups of the mixture.  Place the remaining dough in the prepared pan and press over the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

To make the chocolate layer, combine the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir occasionally until the mixture is warm and the chocolate chips and butter are melted.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and peanuts.

Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oatmeal cookie layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula.  Crumble the remaining oatmeal cookie mixture and scatter evenly over the top of the chocolate.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.  Cut into bars as desired and serve.

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From Annie's Eats