Peanut Butter Chewy Brownies

Submitted by Lisa

I got this recipe from the Penzeys Spices spring 2012 catalog.  (great spice store!) I made them last night and half the pan was gone this morning.  Similar to a blonde brownie in texture but with the peanut butter in there it has a ...peanut butter taste!

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
2/3 c softened butter
1 1/3 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  In medium bowl, cream together the peanut butter and butter.  Gradually blend in the sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Mix until light and fluffy.  Mix in the dry ingredients and stir until blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.  Cool completely then cut into squares.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars

submitted by Lisa

I know, it is a sad little picture.  I seriously need to take a photo class...or maybe

get a better camera.  (I am thinking I can't blame it on the camera though!)

This is the first time I have made these and while they were well liked, I would have liked the caramel to taste a bit richer.  But I am biased ....being that I make my own caramel and am quite fond of it!  The steps are easy and not too time consuming so if you are looking to try something new, this is a good start.

Ingredients:
For the Shortbread Layer:
2 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c sugar

For the caramel layer:
1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 c sugar
4 tbsp corn syrup
2 cans sweetened condensed milk

For the chocolate layer:
8 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick)
sea salt or fleur de sel for sprinkling

Directions:

To make the shortbread layer, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.  In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir with a fork to blend, and set aside.  In the bowl of an rmixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 1 to 2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed blend inthe dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the caramel layer:  Combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring constantly.  Continue simmering and stirring until the mixture turns an amber color and thickens slightly.  Pour the mixture over the shortbread layer, smooth the top, and allow to cool completely and set.  (I chilled at this stage to ensure that the caramel layer would not melt when the warm chocolate was added)

To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Pour evenly over the caramel layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.  Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and then sprinkle with the salt.  chill, covered, until ready to slice and serve.

Source:  Annie's Eats

Butterscotch Oatmeal Bars

Often when I decide to make a dessert, I immediately think of something chocolate.  Not always, though.  There are times I let slip in a cream cheese lime pound cake or a caramel apple cheesecake or the like.  And I always enjoy those non-chocolate desserts immensely.  Not necessarily more than chocolate, but in a different way. So when I was in one of those non-chocolate moods, which my husband really appreciates since he doesn't care much for chocolate (pity!), I saw these yummy bars.  I knew I had some butterscotch chips in the pantry just waiting to be used, so I whipped up a batch of these lovelies.  And they were delicious!  I don't make butterscotch desserts often, but it was a really fun and tasty detour from the usual.  And the oatmeal gave these bars a nice chewiness.  Give them a try - they're a perfect autumn treat.

*Makes 18-24 bars

Bars:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze:

1/4 cup butterscotch chips

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon water

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, letting the foil hang over the each short edge by one or two inches. Lightly grease the foil with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Place the 3/4 cup butterscotch chips in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and let the butter cook until golden brown in color, about 10 minutes, taking care not to burn. Pour the hot butter over the butterscotch chips and whisk together until melted and smooth (Have patience!  It will come together). Whisk in the brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, just until incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top, spreading the batter evenly to the edges. Bake the bars until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 16-18 minutes.

While the bars bake, place the 1/4 cup butterscotch chips, brown sugar, water and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes on 50% power. Whisk to combine well.

Drizzle the glaze over the warm bars. Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil overhang and cut into squares. Serve.

Source: melskitchencafe.com

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

When my husband and I were dating he loved hearing the Minnesota accents of my family and would try to mimic them.  Unfortunately for him, by the time we had met my accent had faded considerably and just wasn't quite strong enough for him. However, when I'd mention making either a "hot dish"  (that would be Minnesotan for "casserole") or "bars" (Minnesotan for any finger dessert baked in a pan), he would break out his pretend Minnesota accent and poke fun at me, trying to strike up a conversation about one of those previously mentioned dishes.  But luckily for him, he didn't take the teasing too far, since he wanted me to actually offer him some of that yummy food I was making!


It's good to have a decent lineup of different bar recipes so that you're not bringing the same thing as your neighbor to the church picnic, neighborhood block party or work function.  Or maybe you're just dessert crazy like my 5 kids and you want to try something new. Either way, these were definitely worth making. The kids loved these and so did about 30 neighbors at a farewell party for one of our friends. They were so gooey and delicious, and I'm not even a huge marshmallow fan.  I really liked the topping - peanut butter, melted chocolate, rice krispies.  Eat it with a spoon!

As I was making them, I decided to change them up a little bit.  I couldn't stop thinking that they would be even more delicious with graham crackers in the topping.  Sort of like a smore with peanut butter.  And while I think that the rice krispy version is super yummy, after tasting both of them my favorites were the ones with the graham crackers.  To make them, I just eyeballed it and crunched up a bunch of graham crackers into the melted chocolate/peanut butter mixture (no rice krispies in that batch).

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

Yield: 24 bars 

For the Brownie Base:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Toppings:
1 bag (10½ ounces) miniature marshmallows
1½ cups chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter (don’t use natural peanut butter)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1½ cups Rice Krispies cereal (or equivalent broken up graham crackers!) 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
2. For the brownies: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter and ¾ cup of the semisweet chocolate chips. Stir occasionally while melting. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl , whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Stir the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in the dry sifted ingredients and mix well. Fold in the remaining ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the corner of of the pan comes out with moist crumbs.
5. Remove the brownies from the oven and immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over them. Return the pan to the oven for 3 more minutes.
6. Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and tablespoon of butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cook in 30 second increments until completely melted. Remove from heat, add the Rice Krispies and mix well. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.
7. Spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting.

Note: I used crunchy peanut butter and loved the extra peanutiness (is that a word?) that it added. Also, I found that it was much easier to spread the final layer (the chocolate/peanut butter/crunch), if the marshmallows had cooled and firmed up a bit. And drop the chocolate mixture in blobs all over.  That made spreading much easier.  Otherwise you're in danger of a big, gooey marshmallowey mess.  With chocolate mixed in.  Hey, that actually doesn't sound so bad!

Source: Adapted from browneyedbaker.com who adapted it from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody; originally from Buttercup Bakes at Home by Jennifer Appel

Banana Bars

Submitted by : Lisa

I just love this recipe. It isn't like banana bread. It is light and delicious and very versatile. It suggests putting it into a jelly roll pan 10x15 size. I have never done that. I have put it into a 9x13 pan, an 8 inch spring form pan and put it on a pedestal, and now I am making them into cupcakes.

The kids love them, but more importantly the adults love them. I got this recipe from a co-worker and truthfully I don't know where she got it from.

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened

1 1/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup mashed bananas (top off with applesauce if you don't have enough banana)

1 8 oz carton sour cream

2 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Grease and lightly flour 10x15 inch jelly roll pan. Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar; blend in eggs, vanilla, bananas and sour cream.

Combine the dry ingredients; stir into the creamed mixture just until blended.

Spread in prepared pan.

Bake until bars test done with a wooden pick, about 25 minutes. Cool

Spread with cream cheese frosting....recipe follows

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 3 oz package cream cheese, softened

3 tbsp soft butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Beat until smooth. I like to serve it chilled, but it doesn't need to be.