Rhubarb Bars

This is one of my favorite times of year because there is an abundance of rhubarb. I wanted to come up with another way to use rhubarb other than the typical pie, jam, or sauce. So this is what I came up with. Who doesn't like bars?

 What you need:

Filling:

2 cups fresh rhubarb

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 sugar

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Crust/Topping:

1 1/2  cups flour

1 1/2 oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 tsp baking soda

Chop rhubarb into medium sized pieces.

In a medium sized pan combine sugar, cornstarch, water, and rhubarb. Cook until it becomes thick (about 10 minutes), take off the heat, and add vanilla.

 In a mixer combine butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and baking soda. Mix until it comes together and it is about the size of peas.

Gently press 3/4 of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Then add the rhubarb mixture on top of the crust. Finally evenly top the rhubarb with the remaining crumble.

 Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. ENJOY!

Blueberry Almond Scones

The idea for this recipe came from The Pioneer Woman recipe for vanilla bean scones. Looking at the recipe I thought these would be amazing. However, vanilla beans are very expensive (around $10.00 each) and the recipe called for 2 of them. So, I decided to adapt the recipe using things that I had. I figured they would be equally as yummy! Blueberries and almonds are something I always have in my freezer, so I thought I would give them a try. I have to say that they turned out just delicious. The tart blueberries, the crunch from the almond, the flaky biscuit, and the sweet glaze are a perfect combination!

What you will need....

 Scones:

3 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks (1 cup) cold butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp vanilla

1 egg

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp vanilla

What to do:

In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add chunks of the cold butter (I just  sliced both sticks into 8 slices).

If you have a pastry cutter this would be the time to use it, however I do not but I just used a whisk (it worked just great). What you are looking to do is to incorporate all the butter into the flour and sugar mixture, almost until you can't tell the butter is there.

When everything is mixed will, combine the cream, vanilla and egg together.

Make a well in the dry mixture and pour the wet into it. Use a fork to combine everything together.

After the mixture forms a ball and comes together add the almonds and blueberries. At this point I used my hands to mix, the blueberries are delicate so you don't want to mix too hard.

 On a floured surface dump dough and roll out into a 1/2 inch rectangle and cut into desired shape. I did triangles, but you could use a cookie cutter if you want a more perfect look (I like the rustic look)!

 Bake on a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and let cool on a cooling rack.

While the scones are cooling mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together to make the glaze.

 When scones are cooled dip them into the glaze and put them back on the cooling rack and let them set! If you want to omit the glaze they are very good without as well! ENJOY!

Banana Bread

This is the best banana bread recipe. If you prefer nuts in your bread omit the chocolate chips and add nuts, but seriously don't omit the chocolate chips.

What you need:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 mashed bananas

4 eggs

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

1 package of chocolate chips

What to do:

In a large bowl mix  all the dry ingredients together along the the chocolate chips( this is so the chips don't settle at the bottom of the bread) and set aside. 

In another large bowl, cream together the shortening and the sugar.Add eggs one at a time until blended. Add mashed bananas and mix well.

In batches add the dry ingredients into the wet until everything is mixed well. 

 Butter and flour pans that you are going to use or make into muffins. This recipe makes 4 mini loafs and 12 muffins or 24 muffins or 2 large loafs. you choose, they are tasty either way.

 

Place in a 325 degree oven and bake between 30 and 45 minutes until golden brown and a tooth pick comes out clean. ENJOY!

Lemon Bars

This is my Grandma Harriet's recipe. I don't have a lot to say about it other that these bars are unbelievable!

What you will need:

Crust:

1 cup butter

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

What to do:

Mix ingredients together, the mixture will be a little in the dry side. Put into a 9x13 pan and press down evenly. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup lemon juice and zest (this is about 2 or 3 lemons-juice and zest)

While the crust in baking, mix all the filling ingredients together. When the crust is done, pour filling on top and place back into the 350 degree oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Frosting:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 tbsp milk

While the bars are baking mix frosting together. This is a thin frosting but sets up very nicely when the bars are completely cooled.

 After the bars have cooled, pour frosting over top evenly and place in the fridge. These bars are best served chilled. ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has a recipe for chocolate chip cookies whether it was passed down from their Grandma or they got it from the church cookbook. I have to say this recipe is the best I have ever had, I'm not just saying this because it came from my Dad...it really is true. You will have to try them yourself. This makes a huge batch of cookies, 5 dozen huge. Bake half and put the rest of the dough in the freezer, bake them all and share, or just bake them and eat them all!

What you will need:

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 cups butter (that is correct 2 CUPS of butter....this is why they are so good)!

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 packages of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer, add eggs one at a time and blend until smooth, then add the vanilla.

 In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients together; the flour, baking soda, and salt. I always add the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients because it keeps the chips from settling to the bottom of the cookie.

Now that you have both dry and wet ingredients, mix the dry, add 1/3 of the dry mixture into the wet and combine them, continue to do so until everything is mixed well. 

I drop spoon fulls of the batter on a cookie sheet  and bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

 ENJOY