Raspberry-Almond Cookie Bars

Remember the Old World Raspberry bars that I posted in April?  Well, here is another near cousin of those and I think I like them better.  They are a great cookie to make on the spur of the moment because you usually have all of the ingredients on hand.  Another amazing recipe from the girls at Our Best Bites.

2 ¼  cup flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, decrease to ½ teaspoon)
1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
¾ cups raspberry preserves, homemade is best
1 tablespoon coarse turbinado or raw sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8×8 pan with a parchment sling (lay an 8″ strip of parchment across bottom of pan so it hangs over each end, and then lay another the opposite direction.  Alternately you could just line the pan with foil, or simply spray with non-stick spray.  Lining the pan makes it easy to remove the bars and cut.)

Combine flour, white and brown sugars, oats, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Cut butter into chunks and add to bowl along with beaten egg and almond extract.  Turn mixer on and let mix until the mixture comes together into a cohesive dough that looks like coarse crumbs.  Remove 2 cups of dough (about half) and set aside.  Press remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Spread preserves on top, avoiding the very edge of dough.  Take remaining dough and crumble on top of preserves in an even layer.  If desired, sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until slightly golden brown on top.  Cool completely before cutting into squares.

The only problem with this recipe is it makes an 8x8-inch pan.  I always double it and put it in a 9x12.

California Dreaming Salad

This is a copycat recipe from a restaurant called California Dreaming

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup honey
1 T. mustard (scant- not all the way full)
2 T. apple cider vinegar

Salad:
Lettuce
Crumbled bacon
Diced ham
Shredded cheese
Diced hard boiled eggs
Diced fresh tomatoes
Slivered almonds

Whisk together dressing ingredients and chill for an hour.  In separate bowls serve lettuce and toppings.  Top lettuce with desired toppings and dressing, then enjoy!

Serve with rolls or croissants and honey butter for an easy meal.

Old World Raspberry Bars

These yummy bars are easier than they look and taste like a rich pecan shortbread with a raspberry filling.  I got this recipe from Amber Balli Sargent - a bar that is always popular.

Crumb mixture:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup pecans, chopped

2 ¼ cups flour 

Filling:

¾ cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine the crumb mixture ingredients by creaming the butter and sugar then add the egg and pecans.  Mix in the flour.  Mix at low speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and flour is incorporated.   Set aside 2 cups of the crumb mixture.  Press the remaining crumb mixture into a 9x9-inch pan.  Spread the  to within ½-inch of the edge.  Crumble the 2 cups of crumb mixture over the preserves.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly golden brown.  Cool completely; cut into bars.  Makes 16 bars.  These are so good that it is a good idea to double and bake in a 9x13-inch pan.

Grandma Nelson's Potato Salad

Jake's very favorite - this recipe is a request from Brianne.

6 potatoes, boiled

6 hard-boiled eggs, reserve one for garnish

¼ cup onion, finely chopped

2 sweet pickles, chopped

1 ¼ cup Miracle Whip

2 T. sweet pickle juice

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 T. prepared mustard

Dash pepper

After boiling the potatoes, remove the skins and dice into a large bowl.  Chopped eggs, onion, and pickles.  Combine Miracle Whip, pickle juice, sugar, salt, prepared mustard and pepper.  Stir dressing into the potato mixture.  Add a little extra Miracle Whip if it is not moist enough.  It will absorb a bit as it chills.  Place in serving bowl and garnish with sliced egg, a sprinkle of paprika and a bit of parsley.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.  Serves 8.

Coconut Pecan Italian Cream Cake

Prep: 50 min. Bake 20 min if have 2 ovens...three 9 inch pans don't all fit into my oven so may need double oven batch) + Cooling. 
Makes: 16 servings
From TasteofHome.com Feb/March 2015 magazine pg. 53 recipe, photo from magazine below
pic on the left (pink right strawberry cake I want to try as well since I LOVE HOMEMADE cake)

CAKE:
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

FROSTING:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
5 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
2-4 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream (just used a can of spray cream in my fridge)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup toasted flaked coconut, optional  (toast in oven watch carefully burns easy!)

1) Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand @ room temp 30 min. Preheat oven to 350. Line bottoms of three greased 9 inch round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper.

2) in a large bowl  (used Bosch) cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.  Fold in coconut and pecans.

3) With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form.  Gradually fold into batter.  Transfer to pans.  Bake 20-25 min. or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans.  Cool completely on wire racks.

4) For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and enough cream to reach spreading consistency.  Spread frosting, between layers and over top and sides of cake.  Sprinkle with pecans and if desired coconut.  Refrigerate leftovers (I never do though...??)

Per serving 667 calories (worth it) 36g fat, 18 g sat. fat, 128 mg chol, 402 mg sodium
no wonder I gained a few extra pounds at doc visit this morning!!

not the best cake froster, but it turned out quite nice for my first try...

I'll have to get another 9 inch pan - 3 layers is fun

Dutch Pancakes

Call them what you want, crepes, German or English, at our house they are Dutch pancakes.  That is what my Grandpa and Grandma Mines called them  With a name like Mines you would think they would call them German pancakes.  (Especially since I don't have Dutch ancestry)  When I would stay at my grandparents for a few days, Grandpa would always make Dutch pancakes for breakfast. Served with syrup, powdered sugar or jam and rolled up they make a yummy breakfast.  My favorite!

John and Lizzie enjoying the Dutch pancake tradition!

Dutch Pancakes

1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water - plus maybe a tablespoon or two more
Butter

Heat up a skillet/fry pan on medium.  Mix the egg, flour and water until a fairly thin consistency. Melt about a teaspoon of butter and pour in a pool of pancake batter, roll the pan around until it fills the pan and let cook for a few minutes.  Flip it over and let it cook for a minute more.  Serve.  One egg makes 2 - 3 pancakes.

Easy Ranch Cheese Ball

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 ½ T. ranch dressing mix

3 green onions, chopped

Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Chopped nuts, pecans or toasted almonds

Mix all ingredients together.  Shape into a ball and roll in chopped nuts.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Serve with your favorite crackers.  

From the blog: It's Always Autumn
Heather brought this Sunday and it was delicious.  It disappeared!  Ashley Olson made it first from Pinterest and it's so delicious - no need to look further ~