Blueberry Bars - By Valerie

 In honor of Father's Day, and our wonderful Daddy who LOVES blueberries,

we decided to post one of our favorite blueberry recipes!

We make these bars often, because they are so delicious, easy and fairly nutritious!  :-)

The original recipe calls for a can of blueberry pie filling,

but we like to make the filling from scratch with frozen Mossyrock blueberries!

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Recipe Ingredients: (We one and half this recipe so that we can make a 13 X 9 size pan)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (21-ounce) can blueberry pie filling (See recipe below for our homemade recipe.)

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Mix all ingredients and cut in butter.  Reserve 2 cups of crumb mixture for topping.
3. Press the remaining mixture into an ungreased 9-inch baking dish. Bake crust for 5 minutes; remove and add blueberry pie filling into the pan. Top with the reserved crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until top is crisp. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Makes 16 bars.
Source:  CooksRecipes.com

Blueberry filling Recipe (We times this by 8 for a 13 X 9 pan ;-)

1 cup blueberries
2 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. corn starch
1 Tb. lemon juice
2 Tb. water

Put all ingredients in a medium pot.  Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until blueberries are soft and syrupy. 

Oatmeal Raisin Bars- By Valerie

I found this recipe in a cookbook from the library.  These bars quickly became a family favorite!  They are so good.  Anyone that likes oatmeal raisin cookies will LOVE these. :)  Enjoy!

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) sour cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups raisins
CRUMB MIXTURE
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed

1.  In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.  Stir in sour cream until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in a small amount of hot filling into egg; return all to pan, stirring constantly.  Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.  Remove from the heat.  Gently stir in raisins.  Cool to room temperature without stirring.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.  Cut in butter until crumbly.

3.  Firmly press 3-1/2 cups crumb mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.  Spread with the raisin filling.  Sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture.

4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Yield: about 3 dozen.

Source: Taste of Home (Shop Smart, Eat Great) Cookbook

Banana Bars ~ By Victoria

 

These moist and flavorful banana bars are certainly a favorite around here, even for Daddy who won’t eat bananas plain! J They are super easy to make and this is a great way to use over-ripe bananas!

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 bananas, mashed
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream shortening and sugar, then add milk, vanilla and bananas.   Mix flour, baking soda and salt together.   Add to wet mixture and stir just until moistened.

Pour into greased and floured jelly roll pan.   Bake for approx. 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Glaze (We double this)

2 TB. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
2 TB. milk.

Source:  This recipe was handed down from our beloved Gma Jerke, who went to be with the Lord Dec. 7, 2013.  We took the photo on a table runner she gave us a few years ago.  : -)
 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Blondies ~ by Valerie

We sisters do love to bake!! 

So it is a good thing that our menfolk particularly enjoy a good homemade dessert

every once in a while!

We have made a similar bar recipe in the past, but thought we'd try this new recipe,

and the family agreed that they like this bar better!

So here it is!   

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Blondies:
Ingredients
Blondies:
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Cheesecake filling:
2 8-oz packages cream cheese
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
Directions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup white sugar. Beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; blend into the sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, and set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 1/4 cup white sugar. Mix in the 2 remaining eggs. Spread 1/2 of chocolate chip dough in the bottom of a greased 9x13" pan. Pour cream cheese batter on top of dough.  Drop pieces of the remaining chocolate chip batter over filling. Don't worry if there are gaps (the batter will spread). Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned on the top. Let them cool completely before cutting into bars (I refrigerated them).
Recipe slightly adapted from: All Recipes

Then, we found it on: Six Sisters Stuff website