Key Lime Bars

Crust:

5 ounces animal crackers
3 T. packed light or dark brown sugar
Pinch table salt
4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Filling:

2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 T. grated lime zest, minces
Pinch table salt
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup key lime or regular lime juice

Garnish (optional): 3/4 cup shredded sweetneed coconut, toasted until golden and crisp

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut about 12-inch length extra-wide heavy duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 7 1/2 inch width. With folded sides facing down, fit foil securely into bottom and up sides of 8- inch square baking pan, allowing excess to overhang sides. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.

2. TO MAKE THE CRUST: In workbowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds(you should have about 1 1/4 cups crumbs). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, ten to twelve 1-second pulses (if large sugar lumps remain, break them apart with fingers). Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1-second pulses. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.

3. TO MAKE THE FILLING: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).

4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

5. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using, and serve. (Lestovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.)

Baked Oatmeal

1 cup oats, uncooked
1/4 cup Splenda granular
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. saltg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup nonfat half-and-half
1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 T. margarine, melted
1 t. vanilla

Topping:
1 T. brown sugar, packed
1/2 T. Splenda granular
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. chopped nuts

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 1 qt. baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl combine the oate, Splenda, raisins, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. In a small bowl combine milk and remaining liquid ingredients. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir. Pour into baking dish.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. While baking, prepare topping: Combine brown sugar, Splenda, cinnamon, and nuts. Sprinkle on topping and bake for additional 15 minutes or until center puffs slightly and is firm to the touch.

Note: I use 2 - 14 oz baking dishes instead of the 1 qt. dish. I bake it for 20 minutes, add the topping and bake for 10 minutes more.

Yummy Yummy Peanut Butter Cookies

2 C all-purpose flour

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 1/4 C (packed) dark brown sugar

1 1/4 C granulated sugar

2 sticks (1 C) salted butter, softened (NO MARGARINE)

3 large eggs

1 C creamy peanut butter

2 t vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Mix well with wire whisk. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, blend sugars using electric mixer set at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping sides of the bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla, and mix at medium speed UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.
• Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed. DO NOT OVERMIX.
• Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, 1 1/2 inches apart. With a wet fork, gently press a crisscross pattern on top of cookies. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes (I usually turn sheet 180 degrees halfway through) until cookies are slightly brown along edges. Transfer cookies immediately to a cool, flat surface with a spatula.

Butterscotch Brownies (Jane)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon molasses
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecans, broken or coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butterscotch chips (optional)


1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. Beat the butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer or with a wooden spoon until cream and smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and molasses. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture on high speed (or vigorously by hand) until it is very smooth.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and stir on low speed or by hand until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down sides of bowl and finish mixing batter. Stir in nuts and optional chips. Transfer batter to buttered pan. Spread top with a spatula to make it smooth and even.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning pan halfway through. Start checking after 23 minutes. When done, the center of the mixture whould be firm but still moist, the top will be cracked, and the sides will start to pull away from the pan. Let cool in pan and then cut into squares.

Makes 16 squares.

A personal note: When making bar cookies (like brownies) I usually line the bottom and sides of pans with foil letting there be an overhang on at least two sides making handles. I would then butter the foil if the recipe calls for buttering the pan. After baking I let the bars cool in the pan and then lift the entire pan of bars out (using the foil handles) before cutting.

Simple Crusty Bread (Jane)

In a large bowl or plastic container, mix 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in 6 1/2 cups flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel (or parchment paper) sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour 1 cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well-browned about 30 minutes. Cool completely. Yields 4 loaves.

Pasta Carbonara (Angie)

1 pound pasta (bowtie, rotini, penne)
1/4 pound pancetta or bacon, chopped
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup white wine
2 egg yolks
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Boil pasta in abundant boiling water (salted). Cook to al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil if using pancetta. Brown pancetta or bacon for 2 minutes then add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 more minutes. If there is a lot of grease from the bacon try to remove most of it. Add wine to stir up pan drippings.
3. In a seperate bowl beat the egg yolks then add about 1/3 cup pasta water to the eggs and stir.
4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with the pancetta and wine. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg. Remove skillet from heat and add a big handful of cheese, lots of freshly grated pepper and salt to taste. Toss until all the egg mixture has been absorbed by the pasta and has thickened. Serve.

Glazed Cinnamon Biscuits (Angie)

Ingredients:
2 C. all-purpose flour
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
6 T. butter, divided
3/4 C. milk
1/4 C. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
5 t. milk
1/8 t. vanilla

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
2. Cut in 4 tablespoons of butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until moistened.
3. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead gently 8 to 10 times.
4. Roll into an 11x8 inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Melt remaining butter and brush over dough.
5. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over butter. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with long edge. Cut into 12 equal slices.
6. Place cut side down in a greased 8 inch round pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes until golden.
7. Combine glaze ingredients and spread over warm biscuits.