Mixed nut bars

NUT BARS  

Crust

1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cup cold butter, divided

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

TOPPING:

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, cubed

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted **

1 cup salted cashews

1 cup pistachios

1 cup salted roasted almonds

You can use two cans of mixed nuts in place of the listed nuts.

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with foil, letting ends extend over sides by 1 in. Grease foil with 1 tablespoon butter.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in remaining butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg until blended (mixture will be dry). Press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Boil 2 minutes, without stirring. Stir in butter and cream; return to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute or until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in nuts. Spread over crust.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until topping is bubbly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Lifting with foil, remove from pan. Discard foil; cut into bars. Yield: about 3 dozen.

No bake pineapple dessert

 4 cups vanilla wafer cookies

 6 tablespoons butter, melted

 1 can (20 ounce) crushed pineapple, undrained

 1 cup plain yogurt

 2 boxes (3.4 ounces each) vanilla instant  pudding

1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip thawed

Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

Blend the cookies in a food processor until finely ground or crush with rolling pin, cookies in sealed plastic bag;  place in bowl and add in the melted butter and blend until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

In a large bowl mix together the crushed pineapple including its juices, the  yogurt, and both boxes of the vanilla pudding powder, until completely combined. Spread evenly over the cookie layer.

Spread Cool Whip topping evenly over the pineapple layer.

Refrigerate until completely chilled, serve the next day for best results.

Slice and serve!

Pork Chops in mushroom bourbon sauce

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons bourbon

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 boneless pork loin chops (6 ounces each)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

4 teaspoons minced fresh basil

In a large skillet, saute' mushrooms and onion in 1 tablespoon oil and butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat. Add wine and bourbon; cook over medium heat until liquid is evaporated. Add chicken broth and cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally; keep warm.

Sprinkle chops with salt, paprika and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and water. Place flour and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip pork in the flour, egg mixture, then bread crumbs.

In a large skillet, cook chops over medium heat in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes on each side or until crisp and juices run clear. Stir basil into mushroom sauce; serve over pork. 

Found on TOH

Old Fashioned Oatmeal cookies

1 stick plus 6 Tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar

1/2  c sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3 c quick oats, uncooked

1 c raisins

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Store tightly covered.

Bar Cookies: 

Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered.

Coconut cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup flaked coconut

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs; mix well. Gradually add water and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture. Fold in coconut. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets; flatten with fingers into 2-1/2-in. x 1-in. oblong shapes. Press lengthwise with a floured fork. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Carrot Cake Bars

Preheat oven to 350 º

Cake

1¼ cups unsweetened applesauce or oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

Next

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Then add…..

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut (optional)

1 cup chopped nuts optional

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup crushed pineapple not drained! {use the pineapple in it's own JUICE not syrup}

Pour into a lightly greased or parchment lined 10x17-inch jelly roll pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely!

Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ c butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until nice and smooth.

Spread on top of the cooled cake bars and serve.

Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

CrockPot Rice Pudding

No heating up the oven in the heat of the summer, I put the crock pot outside on the patio. Mmmm warm rice pudding topped with a sprinkling of  cinnamon and sugar. :)

3 tbsp. butter

6 cups whole or 2% milk (no skim milk – it’s too watery)

2 cups Minute® White Rice (uncooked)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. brown sugar

Grease the inside of a 4 quart slow cooker with butter. Be sure to get the sides too. Set aside the butter for use again in just a minute. Note: You can use a round, oval or casserole-shaped slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours (stirring occasionally while cooking.)

When the rice is tender, it is ready.

Stir well, then top with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Cooking times may vary slightly when using different shaped slow cookers.

Delicious Fruit salad

Ingredients

1 can(s) fruit cocktail drained (we like chunky tropical) drained, 15 oz.

1 can(s) crushed pineapple (small can, drained, 8 oz.)

1 can(s) cherry pie filling, 21 oz.

2 bananas sliced

1 can(s) sweetened condensed milk, 14 oz. ( I omit this, it brings the sweetness over the top)

Mix together Cool Whip, sweetened condensed milk and sour cream.

Add the fruit cocktail, pineapple, cherry pie filling and bananas.

Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours. Serve.

Pineapple Lemonade

Pineapple Lemonade

1 Cup Country time Lemonade Mix

3 Cups Cold water 

1 Can of chilled pineapple juice ( 46 oz)

2 Cans of Sprite or any lemon lime soda

Stir, chill, serve and enjoy.