DESSERT BARS RECIPES

I saved a bird today.

That sounds heroic, doesn’t it? 🙂

It was a horrific experience, I tell you. But let’s start from the beginning.

It was a beautiful day. Gorgeous blue skies, not a cloud in sight, with a warm, lazy breeze in the air. Try to keep the kids indoors! No way! They have their shoes on before you know it. Ready to dig in the warm sand of their sandbox, swing carefree on their swings. Pure bliss…

Suddenly, the happiness is interrupted by birds’ chirping. And not the good-morning-it’s-a-beautiful-day kind. It sounds like a fight! For life! It gets louder and louder! Terrified Intrigued by the sounds, I look towards the source. Oh, the horror!

Our black lab is galloping towards a group of birds fighting ( probably for a piece of worm ), grabs one and heads back towards me! With the bird! In it’s mouth!

The birds are chirping even louder! Now our girls are screaming!

I grab the dog by it’s collar and try to make him let go of the bird! “Not infront of the kids!” – was my only thought. I had no idea what I was doing. I think I might have yelled something at the dog, try to shake the bird out of his mouth. As soon as I saw the bird on the ground, I held the dog with all my strength! Until the bird disappeared under the fence.

I know it’s in his nature to be a hunter. He is a lab after all. But I just didn’t want my girls to see it! I remember my parents’ dog bringing his trophy to show. Few times it even happened to be our neighbor’s chickens!

Anyways, the bird ran away in one piece. Chirping all the way – probably cursing the dog.

So I made Carmelitas.

Because baking calms me down.

And a gooey caramel-filled bar will make you forget how terrified you were just a moment ago. 🙂
When you see how easy they are to make, you will be whipping them up in no-time!

Place all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Stir it all in.

Add the melted butter.

Stir until all is combined.

Reserve half of the oat mixture.

Press the rest onto the bottom of your dish.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crust.
( Sorry for the blurry photo 🙂 ).

It’s still bubbly!
Cool completely before cutting.

Carmelitas


1 c all-purpose flour
1 c rolled oats
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c ( 1 stick ) butter, melted
1/2 c caramel sauce ( see note )
1/2 c chocolate chips ( you can use up to a cup if you want more chocolate in your bars )

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10″ x 6″ or 8″ x 8″ square baking dish. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients ( flour, oats, sugar, soda and salt ).
Pour in the melted butter and stir until it all comes together.
Reserve half of the mixture.
Press the rest onto the bottom of your prepared dish.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Pour the caramel sauce over the chips.
Sprinkle the rest of oat mixture over the top.
Gently press it down.
Bake for 22 – 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Cool completely before cutting.

It’s the third Thursday of the month.

What does that mean?

It’s the Improv Challenge time!!

As a participant, you have to make something that will include two assigned ingredients.

This month the two ingredients were: peanut butter and jelly.

A perfect pair for a baker, if you ask me.

As of recently I am on a bars roll, I went with cheesecake bars for the challenge.

They are delicious and will satisfy any pb&j lover. Yum!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars

makes 16

for the crust:
1/2 c butter, softened
1/3 c powdered sugar
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c oatmeal
1/4 c Cheerios, crushed

Grease a 8″ x 8″ square baking dish. Set aside.

Beat the butter for 2 minutes.
The butter has to be really soft. It whips better.

Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add the flour and mix it all with a spatula or a wooden spoon.

Add the cereal and oatmeal and mix it all until combined.

Press the dough into your prepared pan.
It will be sticky so be patient.
Note: I highly recommend using parchment paper or a aluminum foil to line the pan with. It will make it easier to get the baked bars out onto a platter. I will certainly do that next time. 🙂

Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
Leave the oven on the same temperature.

for the filling:
1 8oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 c peanut butter
1/4 c granulated sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp jelly ( I used my homemade cranberry jam )

Beat the cream cheese until creamy.

Reserve about a 1/2 c of soft, whipped cream cheese.
Mix it will 3 Tbsp of jelly. Set aside.

To the rest of the cream cheese, add the peanut butter and beat until combined.

Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Like this. 🙂 Yum!
Now go, give your Hubby a spoonful to taste.
He will love you for it.
Trust me. 🙂

Add the egg and mix well.
Add the vanilla and milk and mix again.
Add the flour and stir with a spatula or a wooden spoon.

Spread the cheesecake filling over the crust.

Spoon out the jelly cream cheese mixture and swirl with a spoon.
Bake 18 – 20 minutes. It will appear set and start to come off on the sides.
Cool for 30 minutes on the counter and then transfer to a fridge and cool about 2 hours.

Voila! PB and J cheesecake bars to enjoy. 🙂
You can warm up a little bit of jelly in a small bowl in a microwave and drizzle if over the bars before serving.

If you are interested in participating and joining the Improv Challenge group, contact Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.
I hope you do, because it’s always lots of fun!

Enjoy!

The winner of the Dessert Decorator Pro was announced yesterday.