Gluten-Free Mint Bars

 

Crust:
1 stick unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp GF vanilla
1/2 cup GF flour (I used Bob's)
1/2 cup almond flour
pint of salt
Mint icing:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cups confections' sugar
2-6 Tbsp heavy cream
1-1 1/2 tsp mint extract
Glaze:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9 inche square pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and blend. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients, blending well. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes and cool completely.If you want Nuts you can add them  when blending the dry ingrediants.

For icing, cream butter and sugar. Add mint extract and just enough cream to make icing thin enough to spread. Spread over cooled crust.

For glaze, melt chocolate and whisk in butter. Spread over icing. Allow to harden before cutting.

Lemon Bars

½ cup or 1 cube butter
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Mix these ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Bake for 15 min. at 350 degrees.

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 TBSP. lemon juice
½ tsp. baking powder
2 rounded TBSP whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached white flour ..

Mix these ingredients together very well. I use my Kitchen Aid for this or a hand mixer would work well too. Pour this onto the hot crust when it comes out of the oven. Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes more. Cool and sprinkle with extra powdered fructose if desired. Cut into bars and serve.

Birds Nests

In a large glass bowl combine
¼ cup butter
¼ cup peanut butter
¼ cup chocolate chips
Microwave until melted.
Add 4 ½ cups marshmallows and microwave until melted, about 30 seconds more. Stir until blended. Then mix in 4 ½ cups chow mein noodles. Butter your hands and shape mixture into little nests. Set them on wax paper and add candy malted eggs or jelly beans. They will set and dry a bit after they cool so they’re not so sticky. One recipe makes about 18 nests.
If you double this recipe (we always do) you’ll need two bags of noodles. These are a fun and easy treat for the children to make. We have also made them for a bird themed birthday party, and they would also go along great with any bird study. Buy some extra ‘robins egg’ malted eggs now while they are available if you wish to make them again later in the year.

Sticky-Fingers Bars

For the crust

16 tablespoons (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
4 Snickers bars (2.07 ounces each)

For the filling

3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Golden Syrup (substitute light corn syrup, if desired)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt

For the topping

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted

To prepare the crust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth and creamy. Add flour and peanuts, mixing just until combined. Scoop the dough into a 9" x 13" baking pan coated with nonstick spray - press dough down to form an even layer over the bottom of the pan.

Place pan into the oven and bake until the crust is golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and place pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Slice Snickers bars into 1/4" thick pieces. Arrange the top of the crust evenly with the sliced Snickers, leaving roughly 1/4" between the pieces of candy bars.

To prepare the filling

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla and salt. Pour mixture over the crust - place pan into the oven and bake until the center is set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

Drop dollops of the peanut butter over the top, then use an off-set spatula to spread it to an even layer. Scatter the top with the chopped peanuts. Randomly drizzle melted chocolate over the chopped peanuts. Place pan into the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Makes about 25 to 30 bars.

Killer Kahlua Brownies

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons Kahlua
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) white chocolate chips
6 ounces (about 1 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together cocoa and baking soda - whisk in 3 tablespoons butter, whisk in boiling water and Kahlua. Whisk in sugar, egg and remaining butter until smooth and combined.

Add flour and salt into the bowl, stirring just until combined. Fold in white and bittersweet chocolate chips. Scoop batter into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray, then spread the top smooth with an off-set spatula. Place into the oven and bake until the brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan or a toothpick placed in between the center and the edge comes out with a few moist, fudgy crumbs attached, about 26 to 30 minutes. Remove and allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.

Makes about 9 to 12 brownies.

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

 (Adapted from Canadian Living)

For the filling

3 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

For the crust and topping

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh grated orange zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes

To prepare the filling

In a medium saucepan, add blueberries, sugar and juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Whisk into the blueberry mixture and bring back to a boil - cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and place mixture into a medium bowl - place plastic wrap directly on surface and place into the refrigerator until it has cooled, about 1 to 2 hours.

To prepare the crust and topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, sugar, orange rind and salt. Add butter cubes and using a pastry blender, cut butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Scoop half of the mixture into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray - press mixture down to form an even layer. Remove blueberry filling from the refrigerator and spread over the top. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Place pan into the oven and bake until the top is lightly golden, about 45 minutes. Remove and place onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes about 16 servings.