June 9: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Bars

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Bars

Filling:
1 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened rhubarb
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon key lime juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Crust:
1 1/2 cups (6.8 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 tablespoons (6 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9x13 metal pan with nonstick foil.
2. Make the filling: Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and lime juice in a large saucepan. Cover; cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook, stirring constantly, for about another minute, or until the rhubarb has thawed and the sugar is dissolved. Add the cornstarch and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce is bubbly and translucent. Remove from the heat.
3. Make the crust: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Add the oats and pulse to mix. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture for the topping; press the remaining crumb mixture onto the bottom of the pan. Spread the filling over the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely in the pan. Lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 32 bars.

I switched to doing it by hand because my food processor wouldn't fit any more ingredients

1 1/2 cups crumb reserves

I used fresh rhubarb

Thoughts: These bars taste exactly how they sound like a pie. I was very surprised that they were delicious. Patrick and I both loved them. If you have a food processor that is too small, then just use a large mixing bowl. My food processor holds 4 cups, which I am finding out might be too small because this has happened to me a couple times where the food is overflowing. So I just transferred everything to a large mixing bowl and stirred it by hand. I didn't read the directions correctly so I added the cornstarch at the same time as everything else for the filling. I couldn't find frozen rhubarb so thanks to a fellow schoolmate, she gave me some from her garden.

March 3: Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Crust
12 tablespoons (6 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (9 oz) all-purpose flour

Filling
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup key lime juice (bottled is fine)
1 tablespoon lime zest
1/2 cup (2.25 oz) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Softened raspberry preserves, for garnishing

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9x13 inch metal pan with nonstick foil, or line it with regular foil and spray the foil with flour-added baking spray.
2. Make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium speed until creamy. By hand or using the lowest speed of the mixer, stir in the flour. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
3. Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add the sweetened milk, eggs, and lime juice and zest and mix on low speed. Stir in the flour and salt. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Let cool in the pan for at least an hour and then chill. If you've lined the pan with foil, grasp the foil, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 32 bars. Garnish with the preserves. Store in the fridge.

The dark brown sugar is in the container. I had to borrow some from my mother-in-law.

Addition of the zest and key lime juice

This is after it baked for 20 minutes and it looks the same as it did before the oven!

Before

After. Same pictorial result as the crust

Apparently I didn't mix it as well...

This highlights my lack of artistic ability

Thoughts: Sunday is my day to bake the "Cookie of the Week" knowing full well that I work on Sundays and I usually have a TV Night with my family. This week I worked and then we went to socialize with friends so I didn't get started on this recipe until 10pm. I was 1 egg short and had to run to the store so I really got a late start. So I took a couple of shortcuts that worked out 50/50 (See picture). I only let it cool for about 30 minutes before putting it in the fridge overnight. I took a lick of the batter and it was so sour! I was not feeling good about it, however, the next day we tried about a bite and it was not as bad.  It is probably my least favorite so far.