What I'm Bringing to the Picnic: Browned Butter and Miso Crispy Rice Treats

Think crispy rice treats are boring? They don't have to be! These treats get a sophisticated makeover with the sweet and savory flavor combination of browned butter and miso.

We are well into June and summer is just a few short weeks away. And that means it's picnic season!

When it comes to picnics, my favorite meals to pack are simple ones. Give me a loaf of crusty bread (don't forget a knife!, although rusticly-torn bread also adds a little bit of charm), some cheese, and freshly sliced tomatoes, and I'm a happy girl indeed.

But if you know me at all, you know that I am a big fan of dessert. Nothing bums me out more than a special meal that doesn't end with some sort of sweet treat. (Perhaps I should schedule a sugar intervention? Hmmm ... Nah.)

Now, I don't expect (or even most times want) something elaborate. Heck, even just a delicious morsel of chocolate often does just fine. But for a picnic, finger-friendly bars are the way to go. These Browned Butter and Miso Crispy Rice treats definitely check all the boxes. They are sweet, of course, but also have a deepened flavor from the nuttiness of the browned butter and umami savoriness from the miso. While they might be a little fancier than the recipe straight from the cereal box, they are just as easy to make.

And let me tell you, they are deliciously addictive. You will be the star of the picnic or potluck if you bring these to the table.

Browned Butter and Miso Crispy Rice Treats (printer-friendly version)
makes twelve 2-inch squares

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white or yellow miso
1 10-ounce package mini marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal

1. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking as the butter begins to foam, then turn clear and golden, and then light brown bits start to form on the bottom and the butter gives off a nutty aroma. (I like to gently swirl the pot by hand to help the butter brown evenly.)
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla and miso paste. The mixture will foam slightly on the addition of the liquids.
4. Then stir in the mini marshmallows and continue stirring until completely melted. If the mixture is not hot enough to melt the marshmallows, turn the heat on low and stir until the mixture is smooth.
5. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the crispy rice cereal. Once evenly coated, quickly spread the mixture into the prepped cake pan, using a spatula to press it evenly into the pan. Let cool completely before cutting into bars with a sharp knife. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

What's Baking: Blueberry Crumble Bars

With less than a month to the official start of summer, I'm starting to put some important dates on my calendar -- that is, the start of the strawberry, cherry, and blueberry seasons -- so that we don't miss any opportunities to pick our own. Last summer, D and I had a great time road-tripping across the state on the weekends to seek out fresh berries. Some were eaten fresh, some were canned as pie filling, and a whole lot ended up frozen whole in the freezer.

The blueberries that star in this crumble bar recipe were picked last summer in Bayfield, Wisconsin. (We will definitely be making a return trip to Blue Vista Farm this summer.) The berries freeze beautifully, and with no need to thaw, make this recipe a breeze to bake.

I made these blueberry crumble bars to share at a recent gathering of friends and they were quick to disappear from the potluck table. I'd say that's a pretty good sign that these little bars taste just as good as they look.

I made a double-batch to accommodate a large crowd, but this recipe is easily halved if you have fewer mouths to feed. It's also easily adaptable to any fruit you have on hand, though you may have to adjust the cooking time for firmer fruits such as apples.

Bring on berry season! 

Blueberry Crumble Bars (printer-friendly version)

makes 24 bars

2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups (plus up to 2 tablespoons more if necessary) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen), divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until small clumps form. If the crumb mixture seems too damp, stir in an additional two tablespoons of flour. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepped baking dish.
3. Spread two cups of blueberries over top the crust. Sprinkle with cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Then add the remaining blueberries and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Sprinkle evenly with the reserved crumb topping.
4. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool. Chill in the fridge for slightly crisper bars. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.

What's Baking: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars

Today I am featuring the cookies I baked for the 2014 Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. This event, which is in its fourth year, brings together food bloggers from around the world with one mission -- to swap delicious cookies. This year, the swap again partnered with Cookies for Kids' Cancer to raise money for pediatric cancer research.

Each participant was matched with the names and addresses of three other food bloggers. Our instructions were to send each of our matches a dozen cookies; in return we'd receive a dozen cookies from three different bloggers too. I received delicious orange cranberry chocolate chip cookies from Aly of Cooking in Stilettos, tasty Kris Kringles (sugar cookies rolled in crushed almonds and topped with a cherry) from Ace at The Toasted Sprinkle, and the most adorable gingerbread men from Teri at The Freshman Cook. The cookies were all delicious and I have to admit, they didn't last very long in our house.

My three batches of cookies went to Heather of Join Us, Pull Up a Chair; Meagan of A Zesty Bite, and Donna from dang that's delicious. Like last year, I again had a hard time deciding what cookies to bake for this year's swap. I experimented with a couple of shortbread recipes, but I wasn't too excited by the results. With time ticking down to the cookie shipping deadline, I decided to bake up a double-batch of my favorite cookies from last year -- the chocolate chip cookie dough billionaire cookie bars that Christina of Stracciatella sent me.

These cookies actually originate from The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook written by Lindsay Landis of Love & Olive Oil, who also happens to be the co-founder of this cookie swap. These cookie bars are truly decadent. And while they may take a bit of time to put together, the end result is totally worth it.

I made a few simple changes to the original recipe. First, since I had some caramel sauce already on hand, I used it for the caramel layer rather than melting together 7 ounces of soft caramel candies and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream that the original recipe calls for. And because the cookie bars aren't rich enough (ha ha!) I also added a white chocolate drizzle to the dark chocolate topping. Go big or go home, that's what I always say. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars (printer-friendly version)
makes 20+ bars

For the shortbread layer:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

For the caramel layer:
1/2 cup easy bourbon caramel sauce (see separate recipe post)

For the cookie dough layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the chocolate coating/drizzle:
4 ounces (1/2 cup) dark chocolate melts
4 ounces (1/2 cup) white chocolate melts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 square baking dish with parchment paper (it should overhang the dish on at least two sides) and set aside.
2. To make the shortbread, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars at high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Add the flour at stir at low speed until just combined. The dough will be very crumbly. Turn the dough out into the prepped baking dish and press the dough firmly into the pan. Use a fork to poke holes across the surface of the dough. Bake the shortbread for 18-22 minutes, or until the sides are golden brown and the surface is firm to the touch. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.
4. Pour about 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce over the (still warm) shortbread layer. Use a spatula to evenly coat the shortbread layer with the caramel.
5. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator and allow the caramel layer to set, this should take about one hour.
6. Meanwhile, make the cookie dough layer. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and beat to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then add the flour mixture to the mixer and stir at low speed to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Use a spatula to evenly spread the cookie dough on top of the hardened caramel layer. Place the baking dish back into the refrigerator to allow the cookie dough layer to set slightly.
7. Melt the dark chocolate and white chocolate melts in separate bowls in the microwave (melt in 15-30 second increments). Use an offset spatula to spread the melted dark chocolate over top the cookie dough layer. Then use drizzle the white chocolate over top the dark chocolate, using whatever pattern you choose. Place the baking dish back into the refrigerator and allow to set completely.
8. Carefully remove the cookie bars from the baking dish and place onto a cutting board. Then use a sharp knife to cut the bars into one or two inch squares.

(lightly adapted from a recipe in The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook by Lindsay Landis)

What's Baking: Samoa Cookie Bars

When I traveled down to Chicago last weekend, I of course could not arrive empty-handed. So, the night before I left (and before I started packing, albeit for me, that's usually a 10-minutes-before-departure activity) I headed into the kitchen to bake up a treat.

I'm not sure exactly how I settled on making samoa bars -- although it was probably a Pinterest-related decision. I knew I wanted to make some sort of cookie bar, as they are typically much easier to deal with than baking individual cookies. I'm not really a crazy samoa Girl Scout cookie fan (if I had to choose, I'm more of a thin mint kind of girl), but I do like the combination of toasted coconut, chocolate, and caramel. Since I had all of the ingredients on hand, samoa cookie bars seemed like the right way to go.

And, oh man, it's kind of dumb how delicious these bars are. They are perfect for sharing with friends (or eating in the car on a five-hour road trip...), and really are a breeze to make.

Samoa Cookie Bars (printer-friendly version)
makes 32 bars

For the bars:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the topping:
2 cups coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened)
10-12 ounces chewy caramels, unwrapped (or you could use 1-2 cups of homemade caramel sauce)
3 tablespoons low-fat organic milk
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6-8 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers (you could also use bittersweet chocolate chips)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet or 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
4. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. The dough will have a crumbly texture.
5. Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet or baking dish. Use your fingers or a rubber spatula to spread the dough into an even layer. (If using a baking sheet, the dough will likely not fill the sheet completely; form the dough into a roughly rectangular shape about 1/2" thick.)
6. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the dough is set and golden-brown in color. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Spread the coconut flakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
8. Place the dark chocolate melting wafers (or chocolate chips) in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-45 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth. Carefully flip the cookie crust over and "paint" the melted chocolate onto the cookie with a pastry brush. Once evenly coated, place the cookie crust in the freezer for 10 minutes to help the chocolate to set.
9. Place the caramels, milk, and salt into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until completely melted. Stir until smooth. Fold in the toasted coconut.
Dollop the coconut mixture on top of the cookies. Use an offset spatula to spread the coconut mixture evenly over top the cookie layer. Drizzle with the remaining melted chocolate.
10. Place in the refrigerator to set, then cut into bars with a sharp knife. The cookie bars can be refrigerated or frozen, or kept at room temperature in an airtight container.

(adapted from this Baking Bites recipe)

What's Baking: English Toffee Bars

One of my favorite aspects of the holiday season is baking cookies (to the detriment of my waistline, I'm afraid). Back in the day during my childhood, our typical Christmas cookie output included roll-out sugar cookies, cookie-gun (aka spritz) cookies, snickerdoodles, and peanut butter blossoms, just to name a few. One of my favorite decadent cookies that my Mom would bake were English toffee bars. What's not to love about a rich shortbread cookie topped with melted chocolate and nuts?

Luckily, my Mom included the recipe for English toffee bars in the cookbook full of recipes from friends and family that she put together as one of our wedding gifts. I only made one slight change to the original recipe by subbing in chopped hazelnuts for chopped walnuts (honestly, I think any chopped nut would do). Though these cookie bars are relatively simple to put together, they taste like you spent all day in the kitchen. And since the recipe makes 24 bars, there are plenty to share ... and plenty to stash away at home, too.

English Toffee Bars (printer-friendly version)
makes about 24 bars

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I like Guittard)
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (leaving an overhang on the narrow ends) and set aside.
2. With the use of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Add in the flour in two batches, stirring between additions, and then mix until smooth.
4. Turn the dough out onto the prepped baking sheet. Use your (clean!) fingers or a spatula to press the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4" thick. (If you are using a typical baking sheet, the dough will not completely fill the pan.) Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the baked dough. Use an offset spatula or thick knife to spread the melting chocolate evenly over top the cookie. Sprinkle evenly with the chopped hazelnuts.
6. Place in the freezer for about five minutes to allow the chocolate to set and then cut into bars. (The chocolate won't be completely set, but letting the chocolate harden slightly will make the cutting process less messy.) Then place back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set completely if you are in a hurry, or if time allows, just let the bars cool on a wire rack.
7. Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature.

What's For Dessert: Browned Butter Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

 

We had friends over for dinner the other night, so I figured that would be a great excuse to try another round of coconut chocolate chip cookie bars. After making last week's version, which featured a graham cracker crust, I knew I wanted to try a cookie-based recipe this time around. Back in January I made a batch of walnut and chocolate chip blondies, which I think better-replicated the texture of the yummy bars we had during our farm tour (the original inspiration for these bars). In looking for a blondie bar recipe, I came upon one from Brown Eyed Baker that looked pretty spot on.

Whenever a dessert recipe calls for melted butter, I typically take it one step further and brown the butter. Browned butter gives these cookie bars a deeper, more intense buttery flavor. (I've seen it described as a "nutty" flavor; it seems kind of "caramel-y" to me.) The addition of chopped pecans provides the bars with a little more crunch, and of course, you can't go wrong with the combination of chocolate chips and coconut flakes. These little cookie bars were a hit with our guests and I have to admit, though I usually send dessert leftovers with D to share with his work colleagues, I couldn't bear to part with these delicious bars this time around. This browned butter coconut chocolate chip cookie bar recipe is definitely going in the "must-make-again ... soon!" pile.

Browned Butter Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 large or 24 small bars

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 heaping teaspoon Maldon salt flakes
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, browned, and cooled to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup coconut flakes, plus 1-2 tablespoons more to sprinkle over top the bars
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8"-square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt flakes. Set aside.
3. In small sauce pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Continue to cook until most of the foam has disappeared, the crackling has subsided, and brown flecks appear on the bottom of the pot. (I like to "swirl" the pot over top the burner to prevent the butter from burning,) Pour the browned butter into a heat-safe bowl (being sure to scrape out the brown bits) and let cool to room temperature.
4. Combine the brown sugar and cooled browned butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at high speed until light and creamy, about 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Slowly stir in the flour mixture, then stir in the coconut flakes, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped baking dish. Sprinkle coconut evenly over top the batter.
6. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

(adapted from this Brown Eyed Baker recipe)

 

What's Baking: Strawberry-Rhubarb Cream Cheese Crumble Bars

Oooh, another dessert recipe! What are the odds? Turns out the odds are pretty high 'round these parts. Now that all kinds of fresh fruits are appearing in the local grocery stores, I am ready to embrace all sorts of summertime crumbles, crisps, and cobblers. Recently, Brenda at a farmgirl's dabbles posted a recipe for her Mom's Rhubarb Cream Cheese Bars, which inspired me to make a strawberry-rhubarb version.

I am still on a strawberry kick and constantly have at least a pint on hand in the refrigerator. When we were in Northern Michigan over the Memorial Day weekend, I harvested several stalks of rhubarb from a neighbor's garden (at his encouragement, of course!). Rhubarb has only just now started to show up in our local natural foods store, though most of the stalks I've seen thus far have been pretty green. (When choosing rhubarb, I look for stalks that are bright red in color and firm to the touch.)

Though the name might be a handful, these strawberry-rhubarb cream cheese crumble bars are actually quite simple to make. To lighten them (slightly), I used neufchatel rather than cream cheese, which has a slightly lower fat content than regular cream cheese. I am a ginger fiend, so I added ground ginger into the pastry dough and candied ginger into the crumble topping -- if you are not as big a fan of ginger flavor, you can omit these additions, or use a different spice of your choice.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cream Cheese Crumble Bars (printer-friendly version)
makes 16 bars

For the dough and crumble topping:
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-2" pieces.
2 teaspoons candied ginger pieces [optional]

For the rhubarb and cream cheese filling:
8 oz. neufchatel cheese, softened [if you prefer, you can use cream cheese]
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped rhubarb [about 2-3 medium size stalks)
1 cup chopped strawberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper (making sure that it overhangs two opposite sides) and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and ginger. Use a pastry blender to cut in the softened butter until the dough resembles pea-sized crumbles. Press half of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepped baking dish. Stir the candied ginger (if using) into the remaining dough crumbles  and set aside.
3. Add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until just combined. With the use of a rubber spatula, fold in the rhubarb and strawberries until just combined.
4. Spread the filling over top the crust. Top evenly with the remaining crumble mixture. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Chill in the refrigerator to make cutting the crumble into individual bars easier. Store any remaining crumble bars in the fridge.

(adapted from this a farmgirl's dabbles recipe)

What's Baking: Blueberry Crumb Bars

While at Golden Harvest the other day, I couldn't resist picking up a quart of Michigan-grown blueberries, even though I already had a pint of blueberries in the fridge. I knew I wanted to make some sort of baked good with them -- but I also wanted to stray away from the typical blueberry coffee cake that I always make. A quick search on Smitten Kitchen (one of my favorite blogs), and I had my recipe to try. I made a few small alterations to the recipe (originally from AllRecipes), and the resulting crumb bars are full of blueberry-goodness with just the right amount of sweetness and savory cinnamon flavor. Now I just need to resist the urge to eat the entire panful in one sitting...

Blueberry Crumb Bars (printer-friendly version)
about 36 small bars

For the fruit filling:

1 quart blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

juice of one lemon

1/2 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

For the dough:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

zest from one lemon

1 cup (two sticks/16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13"x9" baking dish. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour.
4. Mix in the lemon zest.
5. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Add in the egg and also blend in with the pastry cutter. Dough will be crumbly.
6. Pat half of the dough into the prepped baking dish. Top with the blueberry filling. Sprinkle the remaining dough crumbles over top of the blueberry layer.
7. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the top of the crumble is just beginning to brown. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill. These crumb bars are easier to cut after they have been chilled.

(adapted from this Smitten Kitchen recipe)