Peanut Butter Temptations

Peanut Butter Temptations

Gluten-free

1 stick butter, room temp

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

48 mini peanut butter cups

1/3 cup chopped peanuts as garnish

Gluten-free:

Replace flour with sorghum flour and add 3 tsp of dried egg whites.

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Stir in dry ingredients until blended. Chill 1 hour.

Shape dough in 1 inch balls. Press into mini-muffin tins lined with paper liners. Bake 350F for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup into each hot cookie. Top with chopped peanuts when chocolate is melted.

Makes 3-4 dozen

Notes:

• I purchased 4 mini-muffin pans for this recipe. Fill two and place them in the oven. While they are cooking, fill the other two pans. When the first two are done, take them out and place the other two pans in the oven.

• I place the pans in the 'fridge to cool them faster.

Apple Crumble Bars

Apple Crumble Bars

These bars run a very close second to the classic American apple pie. However, not only can you use apples in them, you can also try making them with ripe quince or firm pears for variety.

MAKES ONE 17  1/4-BY-11 1/2-BY-1-INCH PAN

2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon Crumble

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly coat a 17  1/4-by-11 1/2-by-1-inch jelly-roll pan with nonstick vegetable spray. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the pan, taking care that it fits neatly at the sides and corners. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle. Begin beating on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, or until light and creamy.

With the motor running, gradually add the cup brown sugar, beating until very light and creamy.

Add the egg, beating to incorporate. When blended, slowly beat in the reserved flour mixture. When the dough is well blended, remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the paddle clean.

Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and, using your hands, carefully press it into a thin, even layer.

Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar with the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place half of the apples in an even layer over the dough. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and then with the cinnamon-sugar. Top with another layer of sliced apples. Sprinkle the crumble over the top in an even layer.

Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden, the apples are bubbling, and the crumble is lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool.

When cool, use a serrated knife to cut into bars.

Store in a single layer, airtight, at room temperature for up to a week.

Cinnamon Crumble
1 cup (4 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (4 ounces) light brown sugar
2/3 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

Combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs are formed.

Store, airtight, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to a month.

Ron's Notes:
It's like a apple pie in a bar.
We used Better Batter to make them gluten-free and it worked out well.
The cookies are rather fragile, though.

Applesauce Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting

Applesauce Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting

24 cupcakes

1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Frosting
1/3 cup butter (do not use margarine)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons skim milk

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups or grease cups with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, applesauce, butter and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed, beat in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg just until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from muffin cups. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly and watching closely, until butter just begins to turn golden (butter will get foamy and bubble.) Remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes.

With electric mixer on low speed, beat in powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk until frosting is smooth and desired spreading consistency, adding 1 or 2 more teaspoons milk, if necessary. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes (if frosting begins to harden, stir in an additional teaspoon milk).

Ron's notes:
The recipe made only 21 cupcakes.
We used Better Batter and it worked out very well to make them gluten-free.

Raspberry Banana Ice Cream

4 bananas (frozen)
1 pint raspberries (also frozen)

It turns another nice shade of pink and it's very tasty.  Almost no banana flavor.  The raspberries really overpower it nicely.

Boysenberry Banana Ice Cream

The name doesn't sound very good, I know, but it tastes great.

Today I did the banana ice cream recipe, but I added 1 oz of the freeze dried boysenberries from nuts.com.

Wow!  Little banana taste but plenty of boysenberry flavor.  The container I got has 2 oz, so I have enough for another batch when I get some leftover bananas.