Bird's Nest Bites

A Cook & Garden, Together In The Pacific Northwest

Cookies & Bars

Pumpkin Pie Bars with Gingersnap Crust and Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Love Fall.  Love pumpkin. Not that crazy about pumpkin pie. No matter how hard I try, my pumpkin pie is usually a disappointment.  In fact, after nearly 35 years of fruitless attempts I have only received one compliment from Neeners.  It was several years ago on Thanksgiving Day, and time for dessert.  Neeners very reluctantly took a piece, tasted it, and said “Good pie this year…..Finally”.  Since I didn’t bother to write down the recipe I made up that day, replicating it is an impossibility.  So we will punt – how about some Pumpkin Streusel Bars?  Gingersnap cookie crust, rich and creamy pumpkin pie filling, and a buttery streusel topping with just a touch of cinnamon.  This recipe makes nearly the equivalent of two pumpkin pies, so feeding a crowd is a cinch. Perfect for a tailgate, potluck, or Thanksgiving dinner.

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Nutty Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Bars

 

It all started because I needed to come up with something fast for our first football tailgate gathering of the year.  Hmmm…thoughts circled around a bar cookie of sorts, but it had to be something I could tuck into a Ziplock bag for munching on during the game (you know, if it went on FOREVER).  I saw a recipe for Pecan Bars…close, but not exactly hitting the spot. Hey, wait a second!  Let’s capitalize on what’s right in our own back yard.  Did you know that Oregon is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the world?  All the more reason to give them a spin.  And so, the Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar was born.

A thin and rich crust that will remind you a little of shortbread.  But the star of this show is the hazelnuts, and there are a ton of them.  First lightly oiled, salted, and roasted, and then roughly chopped and stirred into a magical combination of, among other things, brown sugar and milk chocolate.  This will blow your mind and I’m not kidding.  To make it even easier, all of this can be made in one bowl.  No mixer.  No food processor.  Just you, a bowl and a spoon.  Have at it.

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Rhubarb Crumb Bars

 

They say good things come to those who wait, and I think we’ve all waited long enough for Rhubarb Crumb Bars. Truth be told, these guys are really more like crumb cakes than any resemblance to a cookie-type bar.  The bottom layer is a whole lot like a pound cake batter, which makes it tender, rich, and quite buttery I’m not afraid to say.  Add a layer of ruby red rhubarb for a nice, tart center, and top the whole works with a brown sugary crumb topping.  They are sturdy, pack and travel well, but also are right at home at a bridal shower or graduation party.  The recipe comes together in three phases, so let’s get going!

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Cashew Butter Cookies with Roasted & Salted Cashews, Oatmeal & Coconut

Do you ever crave a cookie that’s just a little out of the ordinary?  Me too.  A trip to the pantry and a little lucky imagination yielded these guys.  Big cookies that are chewy and moist on the inside, brimming with oatmeal goodness and just a touch of coconut.  The winning difference here, though, is the cashews.  Cashew butter is in the dough to provide a subtle, nutty background flavor.  But then – we pile in two cups of double roasted and salted cashews, cut into good sized chunks to ensure you get a big burst of cashew flavor every time you take a bite.  The result is a little new, a little familiar, and a whole lot addictive.

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Lemon Bars

I’m blaming the creation of these Lemon Bars on my mother, Neeners, who is 87 but don’t tell her I told you.  I arrived at her house the one day to pick up a watch I needed to borrow.  She looked up and said “You’ve come empty handed.  Where is my treat?”  Since I often spied bakery lemon bars lurking in her kitchen, I hoped this would do the trick.  These Lemon Bars have a crisp shortbread crust and creamy, tart lemon topping.  She got a few.  I ate the rest.  Oh, I later found out she took some to a restaurant and used them to tip the waitress.  Luckily they are easy to make since she appears to be using them for currency. Here’s another recipe that can be made from start to finish in a food processor.  If you don’t have one, doing it the old fashioned way is nearly as easy….

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Winter Citrus Bars with Tangelo & Blood Orange

I’ve always loved Lemon Bars, but lately could not get the concept of creating an Orange Bar out of my mind. I was determined to try my hand at them while citrus season is still in full swing, but the concept in my head took some trial, and many errors, before it was fit to print. I knew my first attempt didn’t quite hit the mark, but sent several over to my 87 years young mom, Neeners, who snorted, “Do not spend any more time on those. Move on to something else – they were horrible and I threw them out”. Does this paint the same picture of parental nurturing and support in your mind, as it does to mine?  Neeners’ quite accurate review just made me all the more determined, and after another attempt or two, now think these bars are well worth making – a crispy shortbread crust, topped with a creamy, slightly tangy orange layer that has been brightened with the flavors of both tangelos and a colorful blood orange. Neeners has declared these bars as ‘Sumptuous’, which is what she calls everything she likes, but nevertheless it’s a far cry better than her first review.

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Double Chocolate Cookies with Salted Almonds

 

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and that spells CHOCOLATE to me.  This cookie has it all..dark dutch cocoa, extra-dark chocolate chips, and home roasted almonds that have been sprinkled with sea salt to boost everything over the top.  Put them all together and they spell love, and that’s what Valentine’s Day is all about.  Love for our special someone, family, friends…and cookies.  Speaking of the love of cookies, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Milton.  Milton swims laps in the mornings when I’m doing the same, and we’ve developed a friendship across the water during breathing breaks.   Milton swims laps at least an hour a day, will celebrate his 80th birthday this year, is a cookie fanatic, and in fact has just baked his 200th batch in less than two years – I know this because  I’ve seen his spreadsheet…. Milton is a baker after my own heart, and goes full throttle with every cupboard and drawer in the kitchen wide open while his baking his creations.  Check out more on Milton at the bottom of this posting – then you can see some of what he’s been up to.  For now, let’s talk a little more about these Double Chocolate cookies…
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Pumpkin Bars with Gingersnap and Pretzel Streusel

Here we have the ultimate pumpkin experience, a creamy filling with lots of pumpkin, given that extra kick of richness by adding cream cheese. The crust and top are full of fall flavors and crunch, thanks to gingersnap cookie crumbs and chopped pretzels. This is just right for sitting in front of a roaring fire, watching the rain come down, and sipping your favorite hot beverage, which may or may not include caffeine and/or alcohol.

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Easy Lime Bars with Toasted Coconut Shortbread Crust

I made up this recipe in my head for the most part, and knew that it would have to pass muster with Tricia, my blogger partner, before we would publish.  I was nervous….cut her a bar…and waited….  Finally she pronounced “These bars are so good I would eat them until I threw up”.  High praise, so that tale regarding bodily functions you probably could have lived without hearing leads us to where we find ourselves today: sharing this recipe with you.  These bars are tart, sweet, and addictive. Add a crispy shortbread crust with tons of toasted coconut and they are irresistible. To top that all off, they are super easy to make. The crust and filling can both be put together in your food processor if you happen to have one laying around. The Candied Limes are just something fun to horse around with, and are certainly optional for this recipe.  Sprinkle  these guys with powdered sugar right before serving and you’re home free….unless you are like me and then you will grab the whipped cream and smother the top of the bar with it. The creamy sweetness of it just kind of makes the world a better place, if you know what I mean. …

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