pecan pie bars

I got this recipe from my friend Mary's beautiful baking blog, Delightful Bitefuls. Her blog is loaded not only with amazing "sweet treat" recipes, but also stunning photos of all her creations! Everything I've made from Delightful Bitefuls has lived up to the name, and these pecan pie bars are no exception!

My husband's favourite pie is pecan, and these bars are a perfect short-cut to avoid the hassle of making and rolling out a pie crust. These are the last of my pecans that I brought from home (can't buy them here) and I plan on enjoying every last bite! Oh yes, and sharing.

Pecan Pie Bars

*from Delightful Bitefuls

3/4 C. butter, softened

1/2 C. icing sugar

1 1/2 C. flour

3 eggs

1 C. sugar

1 C. light corn syrup

2 T. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. pecans, coarsely chopped

For crust, beat butter and icing sugar together in a bowl. Slowly beat in flour until mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom (and slightly up the sides) of a 9x13" baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

For filling, beat remaining ingredients, stir in pecans, and pour over crust. Return to oven for 35-40 minutes, or until filling is set.

Let entire pan cool on wire rack before cutting into squares. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy! And thanks, Mary!

oh henry bars

Chocolate, peanut butter, and peanuts over an oatmeal crust. These are supposed to be eaten chilled, but I snuck a bite while they were still warm. And boy were they good. They can be refrigerated or frozen and they last a long time either way (except for the part when they get eaten).

Oh Henry Bars

1/3 C. butter

1/2 C. brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

2 C. oats

80 g. (about 3 oz.) milk chocolate

1/3 C. peanut butter

1/4 C. peanuts

Cream butter and brown sugar.

Mix in vanilla and oats.

Press into greased 9x9" pan, and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Melt chocolate and peanut butter together. Stir until smooth. Stir in peanuts.

Spread melted mixture over top of crust and let cool.

When almost cool cut into squares. Refrigerate until set.

Enjoy!

apples: 2 recipes

I LOVE apples. We can't buy them in our local market, but when we go to Kampala I always make sure to buy a bag of apples - most of which I enjoy eating cut up with peanut butter on them! So good. Recently, though, I've been a bit more creative with my apples and made a couple scrumptious apple recipes!

RECIPE #1 - Oma's Platz

If you're mennonite, you know what platz are. If you're not mennonite, you need to make these so that you can experience the goodness of platz! I was craaaaving these last week, and thanks to the internet, my mom sent me the recipe and I could make them the next day. I've always enjoyed my mom's variations of platz - especially apple and rhubarb - but this was my first time making them myself. They're SO easy! I used apple, but I think you can really use any fruit you like. I'm pretty sure blueberry would be deliiiiicious.

Oma's Platz

3 C. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 C. sugar

1 Tbsp. instant yeast

1/4 C. oil

3/4 C. water

1 egg

Mix 1 cup flour, salt, sugar and yeast. In a separate bowl, mix oil, water, and egg, and add to dry ingredients.

Gradually add remaining 2 cups flour, kneading dough.

Put in a greased bowl and let rise until double.

Spread on a large cookie sheet. Press in pieces of apple (or other fruit of your choice) and cover the entire pan with the following crumb mixture:

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. flour

1/4 C. butter (cut in)

Bake at 350 for about 15 min, or until lightly browned on the bottom.

RECIPE #2 - Apple Spice Muffins

This recipe needs no explaining, except that it is an easy breakfast recipe that tastes GOOD and is easy to grab and go! I made these this afternoon because we won't be home for breakfast tomorrow, and I already can't wait to have one with butter and jam in the morning!

Apple Spice Muffins

*Adapted from "My African Cookbook"

2 C. flour

1/3 C. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 C. chopped apple

1 egg

1 C. skim milk

3 Tbsp. melted butter

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

Mix in apple, egg, milk and butter.

Spoon into lightly greased muffin tin.

Bake at 400 for approximately 15 minutes.

*Makes 12 muffins.