Last weekend I was entrusted with a very important task...to make some treats for a tea party. Now, I've been asked to make goodies before (at least once a week), but this time the event was very dear to my heart, my daughter's baby shower! Yes, I am going to be a first time grandma....a seriously young grandma :-), but a grandma nonetheless. These are very exciting times and as you can imagine, the treats had to be stellar....

Mama-to-be had a few treat requests, mostly involving chocolate. Those were easy for me. Chocolate and I are old friends. But I needed to add a something for the citrus lovers in the group and Lemon Bars seemed the logical choice. First though, I had to research.

The perfect lemon bar...sweet, lemon-y gooeyness on top of a buttery shortbread crust.

I searched the Internet for the perfect recipe. Sweet, but not cloying. Lemon-y, but not too tart. In the end, I mashed up a couple of best. One was Ina Garten's recipe and the other, Ree Drummond's recipe. The result? Perfection.

The BEST Lemon Bars

Lemon-y, sweet, gooey, and beautiful. These lemon bars are truly the best!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup flour
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and the sugar until light. Stir in the flour and salt until the mixture just comes together. Turn into the prepared pan and press the dough evenly on the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Cool.
3. While the crust cools, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour evenly over the cooled crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until set. Cool completely. Generously dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares or triangle.

Next up...Pink or Blue? Reveal Cupcakes spill the beans!

K Bars

Yum

Comfort food. It's different for everyone. From mac 'n cheese to meatloaf to Zwieback cookies, I've heard from many people about what kinds of food are considered comfort foods. This much is certain---whatever your comfort food is, it probably started out as a childhood favorite. So it is for one of my comfort foods, the K Bar.

Funny, I always thought the K Bar was unique to the Midwest. Indeed, it seems that the name K Bar (also known as the Special K Bar) is mostly used in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In other parts of the world, there is a similar bar that is called a Scotcheroo. From what I can gather, the recipe is the same but for the use of Rice Krispies rather than Special K. To me, that is a huge difference.  

Those of you who have never heard of a K Bar might be surprised to see that Special K cereal is used for something so decadent. Indeed, when I tried to research the history behind the K Bar (I came up with nothing), most references were to the Special K Diet Bars (which, in my opinion, pale in comparison). My sister insists that they were invented by the mother of one of her childhood friends. She says that the recipe won a contest with the cereal company. I've heard more far-fetched stories, so maybe there is some truth to the rumor. Kellogg, after all, is the name behind the Scotcheroos recipe. Perhaps they swapped out the cereals when Special K went the diet route. Of course, others who grew up with K Bars will insist that members of their own families created this, and who would I be to argue? Best to leave the history piece alone and serve up a slice of your own deliciousness.

Don't most good things start with peanut butter?

Even among K Bar enthusiasts, there exist variations of the recipe. I like mine pretty gooey, so I cut back on the cereal a bit. Does anyone really want them to be dry? And the frosting on mine is a combination of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. I imagine the Scotcheroos were named for said butterscotch chips.

K Bars

Printable Recipe

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

5 cups Special K cereal

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

Place cereal in large bowl and set aside.

Combine sugar and corn syrup in medium sized heavy saucepan. Heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture just comes to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.

Pour mixture over cereal and carefully stir with a rubber spatula.

I like using the foil pans. After all, you'll probably be bringing these to a potluck or a gathering of some sort...too dangerous to keep at home. 

Spread mixture in a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips evenly over the top. Place in a 300 degree oven for just a few minutes until chips are soft.* Use a knife or spatula to spread chips together and frost bars.

Allow frosting to set, and cut into 24 to 36 bars.

*Alternately, melt the chips together over low heat or in microwave and then spread over bars. I like the less messy route.

I chilled mine to set this time, because it was warm in the kitchen. This makes it pretty hard, so let it sit out for a few minutes if you decide to do this.

What's your comfort food?

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

The fruit flies were starting to gather around my brown bananas the other day. Do you know how hard it is to get rid of them? The fruit flies, I mean. Seriously, where do they come from? It seems like they spontaneously erupt. Eww. The bananas, on the other hand, were easier to deal with. A little flour, some butter, and a load of cream cheese frosting, along with those bananas, resulted in a little something called "banana bars".

Banana bars are really banana cake in a bar form. They are made in a 15" pan, so, in theory, they can feed a crowd. Or three people. They are a nice diversion from banana bread. The following recipe is adapted from one I found in a Taste of Home magazine.

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-3/4 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, yogurt, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in bananas.

Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.

For frosting, in a bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually beat in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve desired consistency. Frost bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Amazing what a little banana can do for cake.

Be sure to mix in the baking soda really well--you don't want that to clump together and taste icky.

The batter will be fairly thick....

.....but it spreads out nicely. Don't forget to butter and flour your pan.

Enough to feed a small army. Or three people.

The edges baked up a little crispy. Hmmm...it looks like someone picked a little off of the side.

The cream cheese frosting may be the best part. My husband followed me around until I gave him the bowl and spatula to lick.

Even better than Sara Lee. I know this, because my husband told me...

Rhubarb Slices with Buttered Almond Glaze

It's been awhile and I won't bore you with the details of my absence. Suffice to say that it has been hot and bothersome in these here parts. Recently, however, I was lucky enough to have a new double-oven range delivered to my kitchen. Thanks to Mixing Bowl and Frigidaire, I was the winner in the Frigidaire's Ultimate Recipe Contest on MixingBowl.com! I know the first thing I should have baked was the winning recipe, Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Cookies, but I've been getting some requests for a rhubarb dessert. So, let it be rhubarb!

Rhubarb Slices with Buttered Almond Glaze

Printable Recipe

Filling:

1 pound rhubarb, fresh or frozen, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust:

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup butter flavored shortening

2/3 cup cold milk

1 egg yolk (reserve the white for brushing on the crust)

Glaze:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb with 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to simmer and continue to cook until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Stir the beaten eggs into the cooled rhubarb mixture and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. With a fork, cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Beat the egg yolk into the cold milk and slowly add it to the flour mixture, stirring it together until it forms a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface  and gently knead a little more flour into it if it is too sticky (avoid handling it too much, or the crust will be tough).

Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle a little flour on a piece of parchment paper or a silpat and roll out one half of the dough into a large enough rectangle to cover the bottom and sides of the 9 X 13 inch pan. Turn the dough into the pan and gently press it into place. Prick several holes into the dough with a fork.

Beat the egg white with a fork until frothy (add a couple drops of water if desired). Brush about 1/2 of the egg white over the crust.

Spread the rhubarb mixture evenly over the crust. Roll out the other half of the dough and carefully place over the rhubarb mixture. Prick the crust to vent and brush the remaining egg white over the top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Remove to a cooling rack. Drizzle with glaze while still warm. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if desired.

For the glaze, simply blend the melted butter, almond extract, powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon milk together with a fork until it is smooth. Add additional milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Since I just had to try out the range right away, I grabbed a pan and fried an egg. I have to confess that my air conditioning was on the blink and the heat index outside was hovering around 113 degrees....so I waited until nightfall to turn on the oven. The little one on top is perfect for just one item---and it doesn't heat up the entire house (not that it would have made much difference, lol).

If you look close, you can see the condensation on the pan. It was quite warm, so I didn't bother with cutting fresh rhubarb--I confess to using frozen.

Feel free to double the filling. I wanted to be able to pick the slices up by hand, so I just used less rhubarb. I also just pushed the crust halfway up the pan.

Rhubarb is actually considered a vegetable and it is very tart. If you prefer a sweeter filling, it is OK to add a little more sugar.

These slices are just a variation of my Strawberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie, and my original recipe for Apple Pie Slices. The dough is a bit denser than traditional pie crust and it allows for portability--really important if you want to pick up a piece and run! My next try at this will be with peaches...stay tuned.

Blondies....the "un" Brownie

It was sometime last year that my friend Shane (Culinary Alchemy), over at BakeSpace, posted a recipe for his delectable blondies. It kinda went viral..... at least it did with the folks we chat with at BakeSpace. I was a little unsure about them, however, since I'm a brownie lover..... I wasn't so sure I would like something so un-chocolate. Michele (My Italian Grandmother)  added some chocolate chips and called them "Blondies with Low Lights" and raved over them. Finally, I broke down and made a batch....and another....and another. Guess what? I like them better than brownies. Who'd a thunk it? Check out Shane's original blog post: Blondies- The UN-Chocolate "Brownie"  I almost followed his recipe:

Blondies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Dark brown Sugar
2 Large eggs
1 large Egg Yolk
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/4 cups AP Flour
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
(optional) 1/4 cup Heath Toffee Chips

Directions:

Line a 13x9 pan with parchment.

The parchment paper is critical. Let it hang over the edge of the pan, so you can lift them out, cut them, and put them back in to store. I don't know about you, but I always have a problem with the parchment paper curling up, so I spray the bottom of the pan with some cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a sauce pan, melt butter.

Stir in the brown sugars, stirring until "melted' and the mixture just begins to bubble (This is similar to making a Pecan pie)---heed the "just begins to bubble" part. If it cooks too long, your blondies will be as hard as a rock.

Oops...I only had light brown sugar so I added a tablespoon of molasses. It's OK if you use all of one kind of brown sugar....I've made them both ways---both yummy.

Whisk eggs and yolks together with Vanilla.

Pour in the eggs in a steady stream, while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.

OK...I did have a few scrambled eggs in there. It was all good in the end.

In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.

Fold Flour into the egg mixture.

Fold in Pecans and toffee chips (if using)

Here's where I differed just a bit from the recipe. I used about a cup and a half of pecans and I used about a cup chocolate covered toffee bits. Subtle "low lights" , if you will.

Spread into the pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes (5 minutes less for dark pans)

Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

Lift via parchment and cut when cooled.

If I'm bringing these to work, I put them back into my pan and cover with the lid. Easy...plus no one puts knife marks in your pan if they are already cut. :)

I guarantee you'll be making these again.

Rhubarb Cake with Custard Filling

Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have a co-worker who brings me fresh produce from her sister's farm? This year, the sister has an abundance of rhubarb that she was nice enough to share, not once, but twice so far---two big bags! The first bag was easy to polish off. I made the Strawberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie, some Strawberry-Rhubarb Cupcakes, some loaves of Rhubarb Bread and a couple of pies. I even had to buy a few extra stalks at the grocery store. The second bag is a little tougher to finish up....I really should chop it up and freeze some for when I can't find it anymore.....but, first, I have to bake up a little more rhubarb goodness. I searched the Internet and found this recipe. The custard filling was the selling point for me.....

Rhubarb Cake with Custard Filling

Original Recipe Found Here (go ahead and give this site a little love--the recipes look pretty good!)

CRUST

- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup shortening - butter flavored
- 2 cups quick oats

FILLING
- 8 eggs
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- dash salt
- 6 cups fresh or partially thawed frozen rhubarb
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - cut into small pats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients with fork or pastry blender. Reserve 1 cup.

I think next time I'll use butter instead....

So far so good...pretty easy stuff.

Chopping the rhubarb is my least favorite activity. Peeling off some of the outer skin makes it a bit easier, but I still had a few "strings"

Don't forget to set aside that one cup of topping!

Place the rest in bottom of 9x13x2 pan. Press down.

In large bowl with whisk or hand mixer, beat eggs; add in sugar, flour and salt. Mix well.

Add rhubarb, stir to mix.

 Slowly pour filling on top of crust.

Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture; dot with butter.

Bake 1 to 1 hour 20 minutes, until custard is set in the center.

Addicting, to be sure....

I was kind of proud of myself this time around...I made very few changes (I only added a little vanilla in to the custard mixture). The result is pretty good, with a tart/sweet custardy filling, although this is more of a bar than a cake. I imagine that the sugar could be cut down a bit in the filling, especially if you like it to be more tart, and I have seen a version of this recipe with a meringue topping (something that would not go over well at my house). With 8 eggs and all of that sugar, you want to make sure to keep the pieces small, but all in all, I'd say it's a keeper!