Raspberry Cream Cheese Bars

Ahhhh....sigh. I just came home from ten glorious days of visiting my family in Utah with my tiny son, which equates to never cooking, never cleaning, frequent swimming, even more frequent eating and plenty of visiting and playing with my oodles of family members. They are divine. It really was quite the glorious week. Naturally, on the day before I left, my sweet Grandmother Ruth made me a special Sunday dinner in which I got to choose the menu. She made my old favorites - chicken pillows with homemade cheese sauce, buttered carrots, roast potatoes, her special rolls...but I won't bore you with those delicious details. To top it off, we were treated with these blissful raspberry cream cheese bars.

Raspberry cream cheese bars. Where to start?

• They are served cold, which is quite refreshing in these hot summer months.
• They have raspberries.
• They have cream cheese.
• Even though the recipe didn't call for it, Grandma topped them off with fresh whipped cream, because...well, it's whipped cream.
• I was in Heaven. And you will be too.

Even if you aren't able to finish off a ten day vacation with these bars, I will tell you what - they still make a great finisher. They would be a great way to finish off your own Sunday dinner or a Fourth of July BBQ. You could even mix some blueberries in there and get your patriotism on. So many options. So much delectible fun.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Bars

1 package Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

1 square butter, softened

2-8oz. cream cheese, softened

2 TBLS flour

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 can raspberry pie filling

Fresh raspberries, for topping

Whipped cream, for topping

1. Turn oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan.

2. Cut the butter into the sugar cookie mix with hands until resembles a crumble. Set aside 1 cup. Press the rest of the crumble into pan and pat down. Bake for 5-6 minutes.

3. Combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla in a bowl. Pour on top of cooled crust.

4. Pour raspberry pie filling over cream cheese. Sprinkle with remaining crumble. Bake 25-35 minutes or until appears golden.

5. Let cool; refrigerate if desired.

6. When ready to serve, top with fresh berries and whipping cream.

Recipe source - adapted by Ruth Clark via ldsliving.com

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

It's summertime and we're feeling fine! Although we are melting. Is anybody else melting?? It is just so hot! One can simply not be slaving away in a hot kitchen when the sun is beating down all around you. But you also don't want to go too long without a treat. The solution? No. Bake. Peanut Butter Bars. They are easy, fast, and oh so delicious. They are perfect for a potluck or BBQ. I recommend them chilled with a cold glass of milk. Bon Appetite!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup salted butter (melted)

2 cups keebler graham cracker crumbs (yes, they come already in crumbs! no smashing required)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 (12 oz) bag milk chocolate chips

1. Combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugars, peanut butter and vanilla in bowl. Stir until well combined and creamy. 

2. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 pan.

3. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time until melted, about 1-2 minutes. Pour over peanut mixture and spread with a spatula.

4. Refrigerate at least one hour. Cut and enjoy!

Recipe slightly adapted from http://www.iheartnaptime.net/no-bake-bars/

Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This Friday night:

1. Make Pumpkin bars.

2. Pour yourself some apple cider.

3. Snuggle up.

4. Watch a Halloween movie.

You're welcome.

Pumpkin Bars

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Creme Pumpkins

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add eggs and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture. Beat until blended. Pour batter into a greased 12 x 17 cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Top with creme pumpkins.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

2-4 TBL water

Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add half of the powdered sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat until fully incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar and water until desired consistency is reached. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy. Spread onto cooled pumpkin bars.

Frosting recipe from: thesisterscafe.com

4th of July Red Velvet Brownies

I realize it is now the 5th of July and these brownies were made for the 4th of July - red, white and blue treats are really the essence of a good Independence Day. The good news is, treats are a good way to celebrate any day, so enjoy them whenever you like! Red treats also come in handy for Christmas, Valentine's and horror films.

1/2 cup butter
2 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
red food coloring gel - I used a whole tube, but I'm not positive this was necessary.
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Melt butter and chocolate together in small, heatproof bowl. Stir until combined and very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
2. Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food coloring. Add chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Add flour and salt and stir just until combined.
3. Pour into 8x8 greased pan and spread in even layer.
4. To prepare cheesecake mixture, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Distribute the cheesecake mixture in 8 dollops over batter in the pan. Swirl in with knife or spatula.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until brownies and cheesecake are set.
6. Top with blueberries (or strawberries or nothing!)

Yum yum.

Original recipe: Baking Bites

Week #1 - Chewy Pecan Diamonds

Ingredients:

Crust

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/3 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Topping

1 1/4 c. (packed) brown sugar

1/2 c. light corn syrup

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

4 c. coarsely chopped pecans (about 14 1/2 oz)

1/2 c. whipping cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 13x9x2 inch pan with foil. Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in processor. Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together. (If you don't have a food processor a blender or beater will do.) Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan. Bake crust until set and light golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand while preparing topping. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour hot topping over warm crust. Bake until caramel is darker and bubbles thickly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool completely in pan (topping will harden).

Lift foil out of pan onto cutting board. Using heavy sharp knife, cut crust with nut toppinto into 1 1/2x1 inch diamonds. (I admit, I did not cut mine into diamonds, just squares. I feel that I can safely say that taste was maintained.)

-Recipe from Epicurious