It's finally starting to feel like fall in the central California valley. The temps have dropped, summer annuals are being replaced with fall/winter plantings, the leaves are slowly turning colors. We even got a little rain, which did so much to clear the air from the effects of the summer forest fires and recent almond harvest. I've been lazy (I justify that by saying I've been busy) and not started any fall decorating, or even bought a single pumpkin, but my baking has definitely taken on an autumn twist!
I love apple butter, each year I make 2 or 3 batches of crockpot apple butter. It's easy to make and the house smells wonderful while it's cooking. I saw this bar recipe on the Half Baked Harvest Instagram page and quickly bumped it to the top of my "things to bake" list. Not only do they contain apple butter and apple slices, but also all the familiar fall spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg. I'm a sucker for anything with streusel in it. The streusel mix serves two purposes in this recipe, pressed down into the pan and baked, it becomes a soft buttery crust with the remaining becoming the glorious crumbly topping that I love. This is a great fall treat, perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashion oats
1/2 cup pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks ( 1 cup) cold salted butter, cubed
Filling:
1 cup apple butter, homemade or store bought
2 honey crisp apples, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9x13-baking dish with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon, until the oats are mostly ground. Add the cold butter, pulse until a crumbly dough forms.
Press 1/3 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced apples with the male syrup, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Spread the apple butter evenly over the pre-baked crust. Arrange the apples in an even layer over the apple butter. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 streusel dough over top of the apples. Return to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble is a light golden brown.
Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Ever since social media has arrived on the scene, with sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, my cookbook buying has dwindled to almost nothing. I've also eliminated a lot of my collection as I hardly used them. This blog now serves as my personal cookbook, I rarely turn to recipe cards, cookbooks, or newspaper clippings; I just come here to find our family favorites. My Pinterest boards are filled with recipes, many of which I know I will never get around to making! Anytime I get a whim for something I just do a search and, voila!, recipes abound everywhere.
I was perusing Instagram while parked outside my granddaughter's school, awaiting the end-of-school bell. I came upon a posting by Half Baked Harvest for these bars. Chocolate chips? Peanut Butter? Yum! I instantly knew what my granddaughter and I would be doing that afternoon!
Baking with kids is always an experience. She is really into being a teacher these days so she wanted her "class" to observe our baking session. She set her dolls up in a line and I had to act like a baking instructor and explain each step of the procedure. It took longer to make the bars than it should have but she was entertained and happy. That's what Nanas are for!
These bars are so easy to make. They are basically the standard Toll House cookie recipe in a bar form with the addition of a layer of peanut butter. We couldn't wait for them to cool off and were eating them while still warm. The peanut butter was oozing everywhere but they were so good! A big glass of cold milk is a must with these!
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars
2 sticks ( 1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour and baking soda and beat until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread 1/2 the dough into the prepared dish. Dollop, and then gently swirl, the peanut butter into the dough. Top with the remaining 1/2 dough. (Don't worry if the dough doesn't fully cover the peanut butter, it will spread during baking). Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until just set in the center. Let cool and cut into bars.
Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest.
If you followed my escapades on Sunday you know that I bought a flat of boysenberries and made all sorts of things, jam being one of them. I'm a firm believer that jam isn't just for toast or peanut butter sandwiches. You can make jam cakes, put a dollop in the center of muffins before baking, on top of thumbprint cookies, warm and use as a glaze for meats, put in salad dressings. Today I made a bar recipe with my boysenberry jam.
This bar is sweet from the jam and buttery from the crust and crumbly top. You can easily substitute any kind of jam which makes it quite versatile. They are made in the bowl of a food processor thus easy to make and easy to clean up! Not to mention they melt in your mouth. They remind me of a berry crisp, with the crumbly topping. This recipe is adapted from one by The Pioneer Woman.
Lightly pulse the ingredients until the butter is blended and crumbly.
Pat half the crumbly mixture in baking pan; top with jam (isn't my jam gorgeous?)
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the preserves and press lightly.
Let cool completely (if you can, your kitchen will smell wonderful!) and cut into squares. The combination of the sweet jam, streusel topping and cinnamon is fantastic. I've been told the squares can be wrapped in plastic and frozen. They never last that long in our house!
Boysenberry Bars
Preheat oven to 350.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not the quick kind)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1 jar (about 12 ounces) fruit jam or preserves
Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang. Spray parchment with non-stick spray or coat with softened butter.
Put all the ingredients except the butter and jam in the food processor and pulse until everything is blended together. Add the butter cubes and pulse until blended and crumbly. Press half the mixture into the prepared pan. Spread with the jam. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the jam and press lightly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until light brown. Let cool completely and then lift bars out of pan and cut into squares. (You can also omit the parchment paper and leave the bars in the pan for serving).
Join me Friday at Rattlebridge Farm for more great recipes! 
