Healthy Brownies

(I will probably swap some ingredients to health it up some more:)

~~~37 CALORIE BROWNIES!!! NO JOKE!!!~~~

3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (I used vanilla)
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Old fashioned rolled oats (like Quaker)
1/2 cup Truvia (or any natural/stevia based sweetener that pours like sugar)
1 egg
1/3 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a square baking dish (I used 8"x 8"). Combine all ingredients into a food processor or a blender, and blend until smooth (about 1 minute). Pour into the prepared dish and bake for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 large squares. MMMMMM.......

perfect bar cookies for a crowd

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Cafe

3 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened (can use coconut oil*)

1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup + 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs

3 cups chocolate chips (I usually mix up whatever I have, milk, semi-sweet, white – yum!)

​

 PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

Grease 17 x 12 – inch half-sheet pan

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.  

 

http://www.thesisterscafe.com/2013/08/perfect-chocolate-chip-bar-cookies-crowd 

Chocolate Chip Macaroon Bars

(***note from me: I made this the first time with the full amount of sugar and it was sickening....I've cut the recipe back by 1/2 cup of sugar; 1/2 into the crust, 1/2 into the topping blend)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup plus 2 T. all-purpose flour, divided

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed and divided

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together butter, one cup flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Pat into the bottom of a 13 x 9 greased baking pan.

Bake at 325* for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, blend together remaining flour, brown sugar, 

eggs, salt, pecans, coconut, vanilla and chocolate chips.
Spread mixture onto baked crust.

Bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Cut into bars when cool. 

Makes 2 dozen

Sweet, chewy, crunchy and delicious! 

http://grammasinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/03/chocolate-chip-macaroon-bars.html

Oatmeal Caramel Cookie Bars

http://luluthebaker.blogspot.com/2010/10/carmelitas.html

 32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
*A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.
**If you want to use homemade or store-bought caramel sauce in place of the caramel/cream mixture, use 1 1/4 cups of sauce.
***To make a 9x13" version, simply double the amounts.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tablespoon(s) pumpkin-pie spice
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 cup(s) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 1 large egg
  
• 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup(s) canned pumpkin puree
• 1 package(s) (12-ounce) semisweet chocolate chips       
•  
•  
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
• Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares. 
•  
• http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-squares-recipe-mslo0911 
•  

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 cups HERSHEY’®S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 
  FILLING:
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture until blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
• Set aside a third of the dough for topping. Press remaining dough into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Spoon over crust.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of reserved dough over filling. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen.

The Ultimate Date Bars

So, this recipe was really really yummy!!! I was short a bag of dates, so I revamped the recipe a bit, and I bet it was even better than the original!! Since I know there are many nut phobs out there who don't want to see even a single nut out there touch their desserts, I'll post the original recipe as well as my own version:

-Date Filling (below) (walnuts, dates, sugar, water)
-1 cup butter, softened
-1 cup brown sugar
-1 3/4 cup flour
-1 1/2 cups quick cooking or old fashioned oats
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt

Prepare Date Filling; cool.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter and brown sugar in large bowl with a spoon (I used my Kitchen Aid on slow stir cycle). Stir in remaining ingredients. Press half the oat mixture in ungreased rectangular 13x9 pan. Spread with filling. Top with remaining oat mixture; press gently into filling.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until light brown. Cool 30 minutes (we tried it earlier, warm--holy moly yummy warm:)

Date Filling:
-2 packages (8 oz each) pitted dates, chopped (I replaced one bag of dates with a cup of chopped walnuts)
-1/4 cup sugar (I used 1/8 cup)
-1 1/2 cups water (I used 3/4 cup)

Mix all incredients in 2 quart saucepan. cook over low heat 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. (*in my revised version with half the dates, I let it thicken, and added the chopped walnuts at the last minute.)