DATE BARS

Date Bars
This is the recipe from Candace. She use to bring them to Pacific Yurts.  They are super yummy!
 
Filling:
 
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 1/2 cups sour cream (I use plain yogurt)
1 tsp maple extract (I use vanilla)
3 egg yolks
 
Base & Topping:
 
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
 
Heat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  In med. saucepan  combine all filling ingredients.  Cook over med. heat until thickened slightly, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and beat with a hand mixer for a few minutes to break up the dates a bit more.  It doesn't have to be completely smooth.  Set aside.
 
Mix all base & topping ingredients.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups for topping.  Press remaining oat mixture evenly in bottom of greased pan.  Add filling and spread evenly over base.  Then sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups over the top.  
 
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until top is a light golden brown.

BREAKFAST BUNDT CAKE

BREAKFAST BUNDT CAKE

We liked this.  Scott wouldn't try it because he thought it was weird with the blueberries.  I told him fine..more for us :-)  It taste like a doughnut.  We  liked it better cold.  Kept in fridge.

1 box white cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup melted butter, cooled
¾ cup buttermilk or milk
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 3.4- to 3.9-oz. pkg. vanilla or white chocolate instant pudding mix
1 ½ cups blueberries

Maple Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
2–4 tablespoons milk
Decoration
5 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped for decoration


1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a Bundt pan.

2.   Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps; set aside.

3.   In a large bowl, combine eggs, butter, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.

4.   Add cake mix, cinnamon, and instant pudding mix; stir until combined.

5.   Fold in blueberries.

6.   Dump batter into prepared Bundt pan and spread evenly.

7.   Bake for 38–50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

8.   Let cool in pan, then turn out.

9.   Maple Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, butter, maple flavoring, and 2 tablespoons milk together until smooth. If too thick to pour, add more milk.

10.  Pour glaze over cooled cake and top with chopped bacon. 

MAPLE BARS

Maple Bars

http://djsfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com.br/2010/11/maple-bars.html

These were easy to make and so so yummy!  Pretty sweet maybe try cutting back on the sugars next time.  1/2 a batch was just right for 6 big bars.  Perfect FHE refreshment.  Would be fun to try a chocolate frosting as well.

I am re-posting this recipe as I have tweaked it just a bit. I decided adding the cinnamon to the milk isn't the best thing to do, it clumps. Instead, whisk into the flour and then add to the yeast mixture. Also I'm increasing the flour to 5 cups... seems I always have to add more. And I'm adding 1/8 teaspoon salt to the frosting.... Salt enhances flavors and takes that "too sweet" out of the frosting just a bit. I made these for work yesterday and added diced cooked bacon to the top! Delicious!

I was snowed in yesterday morning and couldn't go to work!! So I thought 'why not bake?' And one of my favorite things when I worked at the Bakery was Maple Bars! MMMMMM... I ran across this recipe on http://www.recipezaar.com/. So I thought I would give it a try!! It was yummo !  I think next time I make them I will cut the dough into 3 strips and then in six pieces for a little smaller bar but they were good, and not too heavy. I also like the fact that these are baked, not fried! I suggest eating with hot chocolate or a tall glass of milk. mmmmmmmmmmmm!!

Maple Bars
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)
4 Tablespoons  granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2  (1/4 ounce) envelopes yeast
2 large eggs, beaten
5 cups flour (might need a bit more)
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Maple Icing
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons mapleine (found by the flavor extracts and seasonings) or maple extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the dough:
In a medium saucepan scald milk; add shortening, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a large mixer bowl, add the lukewarm water and the yeast (remember the water should be just lukewarm, too hot and it will kill the yeast) Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the yeast and water and whisk to combine. Let sit for about 5 minutes until it starts to bubble and become foamy.

After the yeast is foamy and the milk mixture is luke warm. Add the eggs to the yeast and stir to combine, then add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture. Whisk the cinnamon into the flour and gradually add to the yeast mixture. You may need to add more, you want the dough slightly sticky but not too sticky.  Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. I let my kitchen aid do the kneading for about 5 minutes.
Spray another large bowl with non-stick spray, place dough in the bowl and let raise for an hour or until double in size. 

Punch down and roll out into a large rectangle about 1 inch thick.

Cut into rectangles, I cut the rectangle in half, and then each half into 6 pieces to make 12 bars, then place on a greased baking sheet. Let raise for about 30 minutes.

While bars are raising,  preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bake the bars for 7 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown, Watch carefully. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before icing.

Make the icing while the bars are raising:

In a small saucepan mix butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to boil for medium heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Add the mapleine, salt and powdered sugar and blend well with a hand mixer. Add a little more powdered sugar if needed (I added about 1/4 cup more).  I didn't add more sugar (see note above) but I did need to add more milk.

Spread on maple bars and enjoy!  Sarah and I did!!! Yummo!

SYRUP

ORANGE SYRUP
Lisa made/served this at the Women's Day Breakfast 2015.  I didn't try it but everyone loved it - wish I would have.

1/2 c butter
1/2 c frozen concentrate
1 cup sugar

Mix all together in saucepan.  Melt over medium-low heat.  Stir occasionally.

HOMEMADE SYRUP

We love this syrup. It is in the McCleve 2nd edition pg 12.

3/4 c. water

1/2 c. corn syrup

1/2 tsp. Maple flavoring or vanilla

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

Bring to a boil. Serve warm.

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

Recipe from allrecipes.com.

This is so good. Was heavenly on pumpkin pancakes.  This is Jackson's favorite syrup.

Here’s a buttermilk syrup recipe I’ve posted before that would be so yummy with pumpkin pancakes!

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. buttermilk
1 Tablespoon White Karo Syrup

Combine into a saucepan and boil 5 min., then remove from heat.

Add:
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda – syrup will double in size when baking soda is added

Stir well and serve over pancakes.

COCONUT SYRUP

Love the hint of coconut.

http://valleyviewward.blogspot.com/2011/11/retreat-recipes.html

1 cube butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

Boil for 1 minute and add:

1 tsp. coconut extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

Carmamel Syrup

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2012/09/swedish-pancakes-and-caramel-syrup-recipe.html

This is so yummy!  We liked it better the next day - and the day after that :-)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup buttermilk (Now I never have buttermilk on hand, so I use this substitution:  Put 3/4 of a Tablespoon of white vinegar  in a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill to 3/4 full with milk… let it sit for 5 minutes and then you’re good to go!)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup real butter
• 2 TBSP corn syrup
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Combine “buttermilk”, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a 4 quart pot.  Bring mixture to a boil adn reduce heat to low (just make sure it’s still bubbling).  Cook, stirring very frequently, for 7-9 minutes or until the syrup reaches a rich golden brown.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Trust me, you’ll LOVE this syrup!  I gave some to a friend and she and her family put a little in their oatmeal each morning (great idea for using the leftovers!).

NUTELLA SYRUP

Scott isn't a huge fan of all the "special" syrup I make, but he LOVED this one.  It was part of the recipe for Strawberry Buttermilk pancakes.  Haven't tried those yet, but would like to sometime.  They sounds yummy. 

http://picky-palate.com/2013/02/13/strawberry-buttermilk-pancakes-with-nutella-syrup/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PickyPalate+%28Picky+Palate%29

• Nutella Syrup
• 1 stick/1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 heaping tablespoons Nutella

Place butter, sugar and buttermilk into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until melted. When mixture starts to boil reduce heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Syrup will bubble and rise. Remove from heat and stir in Nutella until melted. Drizzle over pancakes.

Cinnamon Syrup
This came from Laurie Evans.  Very tasty!

Mix and bring to a boil in a good size pan:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 T Karo
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cube butter
Take off heat and add 1/4 tsp baking soda.

MAPLE - PEANUT BUTTER SYRUP
This is from Our Best Bites pg 142.  No one else really liked this but not sure why.  I LOVED it!
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup REAL maple syrup

Heat peanut butter 30 seconds in the microwave.  Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine.  Heat in microwave another 30 seconds, whisk, then set aside.

PEANUT BUTTER SYRUP
I wasn't going to keep this recipe because I thought it was just okay, but Scott loved it!

2/3 c sugar
1/2 c water
1/3 c peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Bring sugar and water to a full boil.  Remove from heat stir in everything else.