chocolate

Bready or Not: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Posted by Beth on Mar 27, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, cake, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

These are not mere blondies. No, these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars are practically cake.

Seriously, this could work as a birthday cake for a chocolate-peanut butter lover. These bars are THICK and loaded with goodness.

This recipe makes a full 13 by 9 pan, so there’s plenty to share. As dense as each bar is, you probably don’t want to cut them large.

Bars like this freeze very well, too, so you can stash some away to enjoy later.

I can’t help but wonder how this recipe would be with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups chopped into it, too. I should try that sometime.

Recipes are stories. There will always be other ways to twist them into something new and enjoyable.

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Bready or Not: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

These luscious bars are thick, cakey, and delicious! If there's no Greek yogurt handy, sour cream makes for a good substitute.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, cake, chocolate, peanut butter

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups peanut butter chips 1 bag
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

• Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13X9 baking with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
• In a big bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary.
• Add the vanilla extract and vanilla yogurt next, followed by the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. Fold in the peanut butter chips and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and the peanuts over the top and gently press them in.
• Bake pan for 30 minutes or until the center passes the toothpick test. Let cool completely. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
• Store in a sealed container at room temperature or in the fridge. Freeze bars between waxed paper in a sealed container to make them last even longer.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Bacon-Toffee Cookies

Posted by Beth on Mar 20, 2019 in bacon, Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies, pork | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Bacon-Toffee Cookies

Bacon, chocolate, and toffee complement each other in these incredible Bacon-Toffee Cookies.

Fact: My Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies (originally shared at the Holy Taco Church lo those many years ago) is among my most popular recipes.

This recipe is different. The previous take makes a crisper cookie, while these are chewier with some extra sweetness and crunch from the Heath toffee pieces.

This recipe makes a lot, too: about 70 cookies if you use a teaspoon scoop!

That sounds like a lot, but my husband’s co-workers inhaled them, so I don’t know how well they keep beyond a day. One of those good/bad problems to have.

Modified from Fall Baking 2016 by Better Homes & Gardens.

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Bready or Not: Bacon-Toffee Cookies

These cookies mix salty and sweet in a chewy cookie. Using a teaspoon scoop, the recipe produces about 70 cookies.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bacon, chocolate, cookies

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Heath bits
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6 thick-cut bacon slices chopped up

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Ina large bowl, beat butter and shortening together until turning fluffy. Add brown sugar, baking soda, and salt, followed by the eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour.
• Stir in the Heath bits, chocolate chips, and bacon. Use a teaspoon scoop or spoon to dollop dough onto baking sheet, spaced out to allow for minor spreading. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are just turning golden. Cool for five minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
• Store cookies in a sealed container.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: No Bake Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars [Gluten Free]

Posted by Beth on Feb 27, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, chocolate, gluten-free, healthier, no-bake dessert | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: No Bake Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars [Gluten Free]

I’m here to set you up with a breakfast or snack bar that is delicious and mostly healthy. Plus, these No Bake Chocolate Almond Bars can be tweaked for several dietary needs!

If you need gluten-free, use GF rolled oats. If you need dairy-free, use different chocolate chips. If you have nut allergies… well, you could probably use all-purpose flour and a different nut butter or even Biscoff spread, but I haven’t tested that mod myself.

Though I did test this recipe. A lot. Because it kept coming out tasty, but still a bit off.

The first try, I used milk chocolate chips, which is always my preference in cookies. To my surprise, I found the end result to be too sweet.

The second try, I became quite frustrated when pressing the base layer into the pan. It was a big sticky mess.

Therefore, by the third try, I knew what to do. Use semisweet chips. Chill the oat mixture from the time it is mixed. I also found that these bars were fantastic to freeze; just use waxed paper between the stacked bars.

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Bready or Not Original: No Bake Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars [Gluten Free]

Tweak this recipe to be gluten-free by using GF rolled oats--and it can even be dairy-free by using select chocolate chips! Plan to assemble this recipe over a few hours as you must chill the ingredients between each step. Also, best to avoid milk chocolate this time around, or the bars will be excessively sweet. Use semisweet or dark chocolate instead.

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Keyword: bars, chocolate, gluten free

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

Crust

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup almond butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or semisweet
• 1/4 cup almond butter

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together all of the crust ingredients. The mixture should be sticky and clump together. If it's not cohesive, add more almond butter; if it's too wet, add some more oats and/or almond flour. Chill bowl in fridge for an least an hour.
• Line an 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
• Press half of the crust mix evenly into the bottom of the pan. A piece of waxed paper or parchment and a heavy glass make it easier to compress as much as possible. Place pan and bowl in fridge for another 30 minutes.
• In the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop, melt together the chocolate chips and remaining almond butter. When they become creamy and smooth, remove from heat. Pour the chocolate to completely cover the oat layer. Chill for another hour.
• Dollop the remaining oat mixture atop the hardened chocolate. Again, compress contents into pan as much as possible. Chill another 30 minutes.
• Use the foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Slice. Keep bars for up to 3 weeks in the fridge, in a sealed container with waxed paper between the layers, or freeze for up to a month.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Oat and Toffee Grahams

Posted by Beth on Feb 20, 2019 in Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Oat and Toffee Grahams

These Oat and Toffee Grahams are a delicious, unique kind of fast-fix homemade candy bar.

The base consists of graham crackers. (I know, what a shock considering the name of the recipe.)

On top of that you mix up a homemade filling with oats, butter, sugar, and a few other things, and it bakes up into a kind of toffee layer.

Then you add the chocolate chips on top–bake it a minute, long enough to melt the chips–even out the layer and add some almonds. Ta-da!

I expected the end result to be crunchy. To my surprise, the crackers actually softened in the baking process. The end result was delightfully chewy.

These are sweet, sublime, and chewy, with crunchiness only from the almonds. They are just a great combination of flavors and textures.

Modified from Brownies & Bars Magazine.

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Bready or Not: Oat and Toffee Grahams

This recipe uses graham crackers as a shortcut base for a sheet pan of homemade candy bars! The end result is chocolaty, sweet, and surprisingly chewy.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, chocolate

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 12 graham crackers whole rectangles
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup butter melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 sliced almonds or chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil and apply nonstick spray. Arrange graham crackers in a single layer side by side. They will not cover the entire surface of the pan.
• In a large bowl, stir together the oats, white sugar, brown sugar, and flour. Stir in the melted butter, egg, and vanilla until just mixed. Spoon the oat mixture atop the graham crackers, covering them completely.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is bubbly. Sprinkle all of the chocolate on top. Bake for another minute. Use an uneven spatula to smooth the softened chocolate to cover the graham crackers. Sprinkle on the almonds.
• Cool in pan. If slow to set, place in fridge until firm. Use a knife or--recommended--both hands to break the bars into pieces. Store in a sealed container with parchment or waxed paper between the layers.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Chocolate Crumble Bars

Posted by Beth on Feb 13, 2019 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, chocolate | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Chocolate Crumble Bars

I always like to do a chocolate recipe near Valentine’s Day, and this year I present to you a recipe for easy, delicious Chocolate Crumble Bars.

I tend to regard crumble bar recipes with suspicion, because many times they do indeed crumble when cut. I was very happy these bars were cohesive.

They are also incredibly good. The shortbread-like base is the perfect complement to semisweet chocolate chips.

Plus, there’s just something satisfying about a good, basic crumble topping. But then, I always preferred crumble topping on apple pies rather than a closed crust as well.

I suppose I’m just a crumbly person.

If you’re also a crumbly person, give these a try! They are easy to make and oh so good.

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Bready or Not: Chocolate Crumble Bars

These bars look gorgeous with their marbled-dough tops, but they're also chewy, chocolaty, and delicious. Plus, they're easy to make, with basic ingredients!

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bars, chocolate

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy, followed by the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix until it turns crumbly, scraping the bowl as needed. Place 2 cups of the crumbs in the pan. Use floured fingers or a piece of waxed paper and a heavy glass to compress the crumbs evenly.
• Bake pan 11 to 15 minutes, until edges of base layer are turning golden brown.
• Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk in a large microwave safe bowl [or, alternately, do this on the stovetop]. Zap about 30 seconds, stir well, then try another 15 seconds--watch very carefully! It can turn molten, fast. Once it can be stirred smooth, add vanilla extract. Spread over the hot crust.
• Stir remaining cup of chocolate chips into the reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle this over the top of the chocolate layer.
• Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until center is set. Cool completely in pan.
• Use the foil to lift contents onto cutting board. Slice. Store bars in a covered container, waxed paper or parchment between the layers, at room temperature.
• OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not Original: Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Posted by Beth on Feb 6, 2019 in bacon, Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, chocolate, pork | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These soft, chewy blondies are savory, sweet, and amazing–and my original creation.

The year 2018 was awful in a lot of ways, but it offered one bonus: frequent sales on bacon at my regular grocery stores around Phoenix. I developed quite a strategic stockpile.

I then realized, hey, I should try baking bacon into more sweets. After all, my bacon fat chocolate chip cookies are among my most popular recipes.

I didn’t have a lot of free time, though. I wanted something to bake up fast, without a lot of fuss. Therefore, cookies were out. I wanted bars.

To my surprise, I couldn’t find an existing recipe that appealed to me. I decided that if I wanted soft, chewy bacon and chocolate chip bars, I needed to develop my own recipe.

That’s exactly what I did.

This is a recipe that utilizes sweet and savory together, and it’s a must-bake for any bacon lovers.

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Bready or Not Original: Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These soft, chewy bars combine sweet and savory by using bacon and bacon fat along with loads of butter and chocolate chips.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: bacon, bars, chocolate

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 14 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 2 Tablespoons bacon fat
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips divided
• 4 slices thick-cut cooked bacon chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9 pan with foil and grease with butter or nonstick spray.
• Cream together the butter and bacon fat. Mix in the sugars until pale and fluffy, then add the vanilla and eggs.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips along with the chopped bacon.
• Press dough into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
• Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool until room temperature. Use foil to lift contents onto cutting board for easy slicing. Keep stored in sealed containers at room temperature or in the fridge.
• OM NOM NOM!