No bake peanut butter bars

Finally! We've had temperatures in the 70s and I could not be more happy!  I am completely adapted to typical Seattle weather.  I grew up in a very hot climate, but everyone had air conditioning, and lots of people have swimming pools.  When you don't have all these wonderful things to help you beat the heat, you start to get a little cranky.  However, I have a cure for this crankiness....no bake peanut butter bars!  No need to turn on your oven and only 6 ingredients separate you from this tasty treat.   

These bars taste very similar to Reese's peanut butter cups. Who doesn't love a Reese's peanut butter cup? Did I tell you about the blizzard I recently had? Reese's peanut butter cup pie! Um, yeah...awesome.  Peanut butter cups, pie crust, peanut butter chunks.  I typically get a mini size, but this time I went for small (wanted a large) and didn't have a single ounce of guilt about it.  I hope you have a DQ near you because this blizzard is worth every last bite. If you don't immediately have access to a DQ, make these bars.  I can't decide if I prefer them at room temperature, or right from the fridge.  I may need to make another batch for more research.  

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter + 4 Tablespoons reserved

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

In a medium bowl combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, 1 cup peanut butter.  Once combined, press into 9x13 pan.

Using your microwave, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter, stirring at 30 second intervals.  Spread over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour prior to cutting.  

*I kept the pan in the fridge because of the warm temperatures.

*I think you could easily cut this in half and use a 9x9 pan, but I don't know why you would want to.

I hope you're making these right now....or eating that blizzard.

Here's another great no bake cookie recipe.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

These blondies did more than just make my stomach happy. They clued me in to a little known (to me) fact about Darling Husband.  The Snickerdoodle is his second favorite cookie!  I have know this man almost six years and have never heard him even mention snickerdoodles!  This was life-changing.  I make a lot of cookies, and this is only the second time I have made something along the lines of a snickerdoodle.  One would think if your spouse liked them so much, you would know and make them regularly.  His favorite cookie is chocolate chip and you can't really argue with that.  I'd say it's safe to guess most people really like chocolate chip.  Snickerdoodle in second place? That was a shocker! However, these bars might have also boosted my love for snickerdoodles.  They were dangerously easy to make and my whole house smelled amazing.  They have that blondie texture: soft with a little bite.  Cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top gives a nice little crust.  I think I would even be more tempted to bake these before regular snickerdoodles.  Perhaps I haven't given enough credit to this tasty cookie.  It's not my second favorite (chocolate chip) but I'll have to add them to the rotation.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

from Brown Eyed Baker

2 and 2/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Coat 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside.

On medium speed, with your hand or stand mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.  Scrape the bowl as needed, beating until fully combined.  Gradually add the flour mixture, until just combined, careful not to overmix.

Spread the dough evenly into prepared pan, batter will be thick.  I used a spatula to spread evenly.  Combine the 2 Tablespoons sugar with the 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of batter.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

I love these bars for fall.  Snuggle up with these and a nice warm drink and you can't go wrong.  You also just might learn something about the cookie preference of someone you love!

Nordy Bars

Have you ever had a Nordy Bar?  I had never heard of them until I was searching the Internets for a way to use up some butterscotch chips.  I have however, heard of Nordstrom.  Growing up in a small-ish town, we didn't have a lot of places to shop, but we DID have a Nordstrom. I have lots of memories of going shopping there as a kid.  Many, many pairs of stirrup pants were purchased there.  I remember my mom could just write a note saying it was okay for me to use her credit card!  
I made these goodies for my sugary sweet book club friends. These bars are not sugar-free.  They have butterscotch chips, marshmallows, and chocolate chips.  I cut them small, so they were guilt-free!
Nordy Bars
makes one 9x13 pan
1/2 cup butter
1 12 ounce package butterscotch chips
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (I mixed milk and semi sweet)
2 cups mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350.  Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the edges for easy removal.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter.  Add butterscotch chips and brown sugar. Stir until melted.  Remove from heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Add eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, set aside to cool. Once cool, stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Spread evenly in pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Bars will be soft and gooey when you take them out, but will set up as they cool.

I ate a lot of these bars.  Looks like I'll be making a trip to Nordstrom to pick up some new pants.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

So sorry about my long absence here on the blog!  We just moved into our new home and only got our Internet set up last week!  A week without Internet is just the worst! Thank goodness I have my trusty Iphone!  We've had a lot going on, and I'll fill you in on the new place, but here's a quick recipe.  This is the first thing I baked in my new kitchen!  I probably should have made something super impressive and delicious.  Honestly though, this was pretty delicious.  P and I enjoyed it for breakfast for a couple days.

I love quick and easy breakfasts and these bars fit the bill. Very few ingredients and only 1/4 cup brown sugar!  Perfect to share with the little ones.  I, of course, like to spread mine with a little extra peanut butter.  These were simple enough that I could do most of the work while the baby ran around the house.  A little yogurt on the side and we were satisfied till lunch!  Great to eat on the go for those who are too busy to sit down to breakfast.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

1 and 1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare 8x8 square baking pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.

Mix together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Add in the vanilla, milk, and egg. Stir together.  Finally add banana and peanut butter.  Stir until ingredients are fully combined.  Pour into baking pan and spread evenly.   Bake for 20 minutes.  Cut into squares and enjoy!  Store in airtight container for up to three days.

Baby approved!  Looking forward to sharing more treats with her, and you, from our new home and kitchen!

Heartland Turtle Bars

These bars are not necessarily a good thing to eat during bikini-season.  They are full of butter and chocolate and caramel and more butter.  I may have been eating the oatmeal crumble by the spoonful.  Yep, that good.  I made these for our caramel-themed Bakin' Friends goodies last month.  They were so amazingly simple, yet so completely satisfying.     

My love for the bar cookie is strong.  Sometimes when you make cookies, you may be too impatient to roll out the dough, taking the time to bake sheet after sheet.  With a bar cookie, you toss it into a pan and wait by the oven.  I also appreciate how easy it is to just slice off "one more bite" from the pan.  Somehow I feel better about eating 20 little slices, compared with 20 little cookies. 

I love the way the chocolate and oatmeal crumble go together.  The caramel flavor is slight, but it is a nice complement.  All the ingredients are simple, you probably have them waiting for you in the cupboard.  I was so tempted to make another batch, just so I had one to keep and one to mail.  This is one of those recipes I know I will make time and time again, if only just to enjoy that crumbly oat topping!

Heartland Turtle Bars

from the Baked Explorations cookbook

Topping and Base:

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 and 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

1 and 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Caramel Filling:

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides. I always give my parchment paper a coat of cooking spray.  

Topping and Base:

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.  Use your hands to rub in the brown sugar till combined.  Add the oats and stir.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the melted butter, stirring until all ingredients are wet.  Spread about 2/3 of the mixture across the bottom of the pan, enough to cover the entire base, and bake for 10 minutes. Leave oven on, but remove pan to let oat mixture cool.  Once cool sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.

Caramel Filling:

In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt brown sugar and butter together.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for one minute

Remove pan from heat and stir in the cream.  Pour onto the chocolate and pecan layer.  Use a spatula to evenly spread the caramel.

Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture on top and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until top is golden brown.  Let bars cool completely before serving.

Anyone who gets a taste of these bars will be grateful.  Make these for summer parties, toss into kids lunchboxes, eat the entire pan yourself, there's really no wrong way to enjoy them!

Blondies with peanut butter and M&Ms

Friends, ever have one of those days? Weeks? Months???  I hear ya! Trust me, I know people have much, much bigger problems than I do.  I know this.  Which is why my day can be simply made better with peanut butter.  Baking makes me feel better.  Eating makes me feel best.

Just to give you a little insight...you know that baby I have?  Little Miss P?  

Well the other day, she was in the car.....by herself....with my keys.

I was outside....doors were locked....AAA had to help us.  

See my dilemma?  I had to have blondies.  I also had to have wine, but that was later that evening.  I had some M&Ms that I got for a steal after Easter.  Yep, throwing those in.  Also, of course, peanut butter.  I was having a DAY people!  I needed peanut butter.

Make these if you're having a day, or if someone you know is having a day.  And don't you dare feel bad about eating the whole pan.

Blondies with Peanut Butter and M&Ms

adapted from my Betty Crocker cookbook
1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 cup M&Ms
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.    Remove from heat and add brown sugar. Once that is combined stir in peanut butter.  Set aside and let cool.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
Stir eggs and vanilla into the peanut butter mixture.  Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.  Don't overmix.  Fold in M&Ms.  ( I saved a few to press right into the top of the dough) Spread evenly in your pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.  I would not bake for more than 30 minutes.  Allow to completely cool in pan before cutting into squares.  I like to use a pizza cutter for cutting bars.

Blondies are just so simple to make.  You don't even need softened butter. You can run into your kitchen and make these right now...and I don't know why you wouldn't.  Don't you feel better just thinking about it?
On a completely separate note, have you heard Google Reader is about to meet its demise?  I'm bummed because I've used it for quite a while to follow all my favorite blogs.  I know people have desperately been searching for a substitute.  I have decided to use bloglovin'.  I like it so far and can even read on my iPhone using their app!   
Check it out or let me know what reader you have switched to!
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