Blueberry Oat Bars

Last night I volunteered to provide baked goods at our schools' Amnesty Coffee House. The event features baked goods, jewelry, shirts, CD's, bags, live music and more! We donated all the profits to an organization of our choice. Anyways, when it came time for me to decide what to make, I knew I wanted to make something that was light, filling, and did not have chocolate. As much as I love brownies and cupcakes, sometimes I feel like they are overdone. I know when I go to an event I feel like the choices when it comes to the baked goods section are often very limited. Thats when it came to me that I should make some type of a fruit bar. I remembered that Starbucks had a really yummy blueberry oat bar that is only available certain times of the year. After doing some research, I found this Blueberry Oat Bar recipe on GroupRecipes.com and knew it would be a good option at a coffeehouse. I have to say, they were quiet a hit with people and I got some great compliments. Try these wonderful treats if you want to bring some variety to the normal ho-hum chocolate spread at your next event.

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cup Quaker Oats, uncooked (I used quick, but old-fashioned works too)

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts) 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, melted (meaning, melt the already measured butter) 

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen because they were cheaper)

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

2 teaspoons lemon juice 

1. Heat oven to 350 F

2. Cover a 11x7-inch baking pan with aluminum and grease it. 

3. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, nuts, baking soda and salt in a bowl. 

4. Add the melted butter and combine with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. 

5. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture. Press the remaining mixture onto the bottom of the baking dish. 

6. Bake for 10 minutes. 

7 . Meanwhile, combine blueberries (if using frozen ones make sure you have thawed and strained them), granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of your water in a medium saucepan.

8. Bring to a boil, simmer for 2 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon water, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small bowl (like one you eat cereal in) and mix well. ***if you have never worked with cornstarch before you will be very befuddled when you do this. When mixed with water cornstarch becomes a solid and a liquid. If you try to force your spoon into the mixture it will turn solid but if you slowly ease it in it acts like a liquid. Here is a link to a funny segment on the Ellen Degeneres show about Corn Starch.

9. Gradually stir the corn starch mixture into the blueberry mixture. Cook and stir for about 30 seconds at which point the mixture will turn into thick consistency. 

10. Spread over the partially bakes base and sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture. Gently press topping on blueberries. 

11. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown 

12. Lift aluminum out of dish and cool on wire rack. When ready cut into bars. Store tightly covered. 

Makes about 16-24 bars depending on how small you cut bars. 

Image source and recipe source: Group recipes 

Sweetened Whipped Cream

While making homemade whipped cream one day, I realized that it tasted kind of plain. I am not a fan of store bought whipped cream so I figured there was some way of making homemade whipped cream taste sweeter. After doing some research and trials, I came up with this great recipe for homemade whipped cream. Its perfect on pies, like my homemade Apple Pie, or even simple desserts like a bowl of strawberries. This recipe is as easy and only has 3 ingredients and 3 steps so I know anyone can do it....even my baking challenged friend Madlyn :) 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups well chilled heavy whipping cream 

          (found near milk section in grocery stores)

3 tablespoons sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In the mixing bowl, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer set on low speed, begin beating the cream. Gradually increase the speed to high. 

2. Beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. To test, turn off the mixer and lift the beaters. If the cream makes soft little peaks that flop over slightly, it is ready. Be careful not to overbeat, or the cream will separate and begin to resemble butter. 

3. Use the whipped cream immediately, or cover and refrigerate. 

 

"Sweet as Apple Pie"

There is nothing better than a warm homemade slice of Apple Pie. Lets face it, when you hear those two words all you can think of is a buttery flaky crust and sweet fragrant apples melting in your mouth with a cold scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream or whipped cream. The Apple Pie is an American Tradition. It's the pie that brings the family around the table at Thanksgiving or the pie that is served with red white and blue plates at the Fourth of July beach party. It's the pie that your Grandmother always made when you visited, and she somehow knew the recipe by heart. The Apple Pie is so versatile and is yummy for anytime, not just a holiday or family gathering. I hope you will enjoy my take on this delicious American Tradition and try it for yourself! 

Ingredients:

for the pie dough 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) very 

        cold butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces 

1/2 very cold water 

for the apple filling 

6 large tart apples

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon lemon juice 

     

1. First make the pie dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the granulated sugar, and the salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until well blended. 

2. Drop the diced butter pieces into the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender (can be found at any grocery store) work the butter and the flour mixture together by rocking the pastry blender back and forth and up and down using a chopping motion. Keep in mind that the butter needs to be really cold! After a few minutes the mixture should looks like course crumbs with few pieces of butter still visible. 

3. Pour ice cold water over the mixture and stir together until the mixture becomes moist crumbs. Dump crumbs onto a clean and floured work surface. Divide into two equal piles and using your hands, press each pile into a flat disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

       

4. Make the apple filling: Using a vegetable peeler, peal each apple and then cut into about 8 pieces. Each piece should be about 1/2 inch thick to ensure plenty of apples for each slice of pie! Pile the slices in a bowl and add the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir until blended.  

5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. 

6. Sprinkle the work surface with the remaining cup of flour. Unwrap 1 disk of the dough and using the rolling pin flatten out the top a bit. 

7. Sprinkle more flour on the top and on the rolling pin and begin to roll out the dough. Start in the center of the dough and roll towards the edges. Repeat this until the circle is about 14 inches in diameter and about the same thickness throughout. Don't worry if its not a perfect circle because its going to be on the bottom of the dish anyways.

8. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and carefully transfer onto your 9-inch pie dish (I used a pyrex dish). Using your fingertips, gently press dough into the dish. 

9. There are many different options for the top of an apple pie. You can create a lattice design or a full top with slits, or basically anything that your heart desires. This was my first time making a homemade pie crust so I found that my second disk of dough was very dry. I improvised by making a crumble top pie. To do this I basically pulled apart the dough and dropped it over the apples. I then sprinkled 1/4 cup sugar on the top to give it some more texture.

   

10. Bake the pie until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender, about 1 hour. Test the pie by inserting a knife in the top. The knife should glide easily into the slice. Remove pie from the oven and cool on a backing rack until ready to serve. 

11. When ready to serve the pie should still be warm. Top each slice with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and ENJOY! 

 

Update!

Hello everyone. I haven't posted in a few days because I have been bogged down with homework. I just wanted to let you know that I have created and email for this blog. This means you can email me your suggestions or any comments or questions you may have about a recipe. 

The email is, ConfessionsofaBakeaholic@gmail.com 

Feel free to email me anytime you want and I will get back to you ASAP!