Do you know nutmeats? | Orange Chewins Bars

Before I tell you the conversation that led me to the discovery of nutmeats, let me give you the background on our Orange Chewins. Straight up, these brown-sugared, orange slice candy-filled, coconut, crackly crusted bars are not my favorite. But they are one of my sister Heidi’s favorite Christmas treats that my mom makes.

My sister travels a lot in her corporate trainer job and doesn’t get much time to spend at home, this means no time to bake and a lot of time being exposed to candy bars with a 7-year gas station shelf life. So, being the (sorta) nice sister that I am, I wanted to bake Orange Chewins for Heidi one weekend when she was coming home.

But I didn’t.

Then during our family Christmas, my mom asked me if I had made them for Heidi that one time a couple of months back.

With my sisters, mom, and step-mom sitting around the tables, I said, “No, I didn’t make them because there was an ingredient in the recipe that I didn’t know what it was.”

My mom asked me what it was and I said I couldn’t remember – just that it was something that I wasn’t familiar with.

Perplexed, my mom said, “There’s not anything unusual in them – brown sugar, eggs, orange slices, coconut…”

But I knew that there was something on that recipe card that stopped me from baking Orange Chewins for Heidi that weekend. So I dug into my cupboard and pulled the card from my wooden recipe roll-top file.

“Nutmeats!” I exclaimed. “There are nutmeats in there and I don’t know what that is.”

“Those are nuts. Just the insides of nuts,” my mom said.

“Oh, THAT’S what they are. You can tell it’s an old recipe because they are just called nuts now,” I said trying to recover an ounce of scratch-baking pride.

Pecan Pieces (a.k.a. pecan nutmeats)

A few weeks later, I baked Orange Chewins for the first time. But by that time, the coconut I had was gone. So I substituted oatmeal and sent them off to Heidi’s. She liked them that way so much that she said she’ll bake them that way from now on. I liked them this way too because I don’t like coconut, which is probably why I never really like these. Either way, coconut or oatmeal or a little of both, these could become a favorite at your house.

I thought it would be nice to share a family recipe that isn’t as widely recognized as grandma’s chocolate chip cookies.

But secretly, I’m hoping there’s at least one person out there who reads this and says, “Ha, I wouldn’t have known what nutmeats are either.”

Orange Chewins Bars

3 eggs well beaten

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups orange slices (Heidi uses floured kitchen scissors to cut them easily into bite sized pieces. I toss the pieces with sugar to keep them from sticking to each other.)

1/2 cup chopped nutmeats (pecan pieces, chopped walnuts, etc.)

1/2 cup coconut OR 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

2 cups flour

1. Beat eggs until foamy with the water.
2. Add vanilla, gradually add brown sugar  and salt. Beat well and then add orange slice candy pieces, coconut, nuts & flour. Mix well.
3. Pour into greased 15 x 10 x 1 pan. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.
   
4. Cut before completely cooled.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Read Full Post »

Your IT guy knows how to make monster cookie bar strips

He’s been holding out on you. No, it’s not about monster (strip) bars, your IT guy knows how to bake! His secret is out – and from one big, bad batch, you can make a 10-pound pan of golden brown monster bars and at least two dozen Monster cookies easily mistaken for small pizzas jammed with M&M’s, oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate chips.

For the sake of privacy, we’ll call him Rich. Ok, maybe it wasn’t his idea to cut the bars into strips and triangles, but Rich was the one who brought these to work in 2007. And I’ve only used his monster cookie recipe since.

I recommend you use a sturdy, wooden spoon toward the end of the mixing process in this recipe. If you try to whip these up with nothing but your electric mixer, it’ll start smoking like a hot summer night’s fire pit.

I like to make a pan of bars and roll the rest of the dough into big cookie balls and put them in the freezer to bake another day. (Use a cookie scoop so you are making similar sizes.) Line the balls of dough on a large cookie sheet(s) and put them in the freezer. Don’t let the cookies touch each other. Once they are frozen, you can put the cookie balls in plastic containers or plastic freezer bags. When you want fresh-baked Monster Cookies, grab how many ever you want from the freezer and thaw. Then bake as usual at 350° for approximately 12-16 minutes, depending on how large they are.

Monster Cookies, Bars and Strips

2 sticks softened butter

2-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

2 cups white sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 teaspoons baking soda

6 eggs

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla

9 cups quick-cooking oats

2-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3-1/4 cups plain M&M’s

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pans. If you want to use all your cookie dough at once, you can make one 13×9 pan of bars (baking time takes about 20-25 minutes) and at least two dozen large cookies (baking time takes about 12-16 minutes). Or, you can make two 13×9 pans of bars. Or, if you only want cookies, you can make at least six dozen large cookies or even a few more dozen if you make them smaller.

1. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream softened butter and peanut butter together.
2. Add white sugar and brown sugar, beating until well combined.
3. Add baking soda.
4. Add eggs and beat well.
5. Pour in the corn syrup and vanilla. Continue mixing until everything is incorporated well.
6. At this point, you should be able to add at least a few cups of the oats and still use your mixer. But once the dough gets too heavy, stop using the mixer and continue adding oats stirring the batter with a wooden spoon. Use your sexy arm muscles.
7. Stir in the M&M’s and chocolate chips.

If you are making bars, spread half of the dough into a 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden brown. If you take the pan out before they turn golden brown, the middle will not be done.

For cookies, baking time depends on how large you make them. Place on cookie sheet. Using the back of a spoon, gently push down the dough a little but so that they spread out instead of baking in one mound. Bake at 350° for 12-16 minutes, or until golden brown. I like to sprinkle just a tiny bit of pink Himalayan salt or sea salt on mine when they come out of the oven.

That’s it! Now you’ve got enough monster cookies, bars, and strips to share with your favorite IT guys. And gals.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Read Full Post »

{Desk-hopping Cosmic Caramel Oatmeal Bars}

The recipe for these gooey, candy-topped oatmeal bars has been playing musical desk drawers since 2007. It showed up five years ago when my day job office put together an employee cookbook.

A student employee, John, brought the recipe card to work to submit to the cookbook. He has since moved on within the company but the recipe has stayed in my work group ever since, moving from desk drawer to desk drawer, even between buildings.

I added peanut butter to the crust but you could skip it if you want. And be creative with the toppings. Butterfinger pieces might be an excellent choice in place of M&M’s. You could even add chopped nuts or crushed pretzel pieces to add a salty crunch.

The original recipe was called Pizza Bars, but that seemed a little too plain for these hyped-up, caramel bars loaded with chocolate and oatmeal. So, they have a new name now, along with a new home — my recipe box, and yours.

Cosmic Caramel Oatmeal Bars

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut  butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cup flour

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 package caramels

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup mini M&M’s

1 cube vanilla almond bark

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a jelly roll pan. Unwrap caramels and place in a small saucepan. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine soda, salt, flour, and oats. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Press mixture into greased pan.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. While it’s baking, melt sweetened condensed milk and caramels over low heat in a small saucepan. Stir constantly as it burns easily. Remove from heat once creamy.

Pour the caramel over the baked crust. Toss the chocolate chips onto the hot caramel and let sit for a couple of minutes, just until the chocolate is soft. Gently spread the chocolate over the bars. Top with mini M&M’s.

In a small bowl, melt almond bark and oil in microwave, stirring until smooth. Drizzle with a fork over the bars. Let cool for a couple of hours before cutting. Store in an airtight container. Do not store in the refrigerator as the caramel sauce becomes hard.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

What toppings would you add to make these your own creation?

Read Full Post »

{Candy-coated Chocolate Oatmeal Bars}

Since a few of you don’t jump up and down drooling for peanut butter and chocolate, I made you a peanut butter-less version of Reese’s P.Bitty Bars. You get the same gooey chocolate middle and crumbly oatmeal layers, minus the peanut butter. Besides, I really needed to use up a bag of red and green M&M’s before I bring home Halloween candy.

Creamy chocolate filling:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

Oatmeal Dough:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 cups old-fashioned oats, or quick-cooking oats are fine too

1/2 cup M&M’s mini baking bits (You can use regular M&M’s, just chop them up.)

Preheat oven to 350. Line 13×9 baking pan with non-stick foil, letting ends extend over edges. Or, simply spray baking pan with cooking spray.

Over low heat in a small saucepan, slowly melt chocolate and sweetened condensed milk, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Set aside to cool while you make the dough.

In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Beat until fluffy. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating just until combined. Stir in oatmeal. Mix will be crumbly. Firmly press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the pan.

Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the dough.

With a pastry blender or with your hands, mix M&M’s baking bits into the remaining dough and then sprinkle over the chocolate. Lightly press the mixture into the chocolate so that once baked, the topping doesn’t fall off when you cut the bars.

Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly brown. Cool completely. If you used a foil-lined pan, pull the bars out and cut into squares on a cutting board. Otherwise, cut bars in pan. Store in an airtight container.

Read Full Post »

Reese’s® P.Bitty Bars

Sometimes, there’s not a long story to tell. I made bars and I called them Reese’s P.Bitty Bars because they are so good there should be a rap song about them. I brought them to a hockey party and now I wish I had kept some at home.  

The bottom and top crumble layers are made with creamy peanut butter, oatmeal, and butter. There is a gooey chocolate layer in the middle, with mini Reese’s candies tucked neatly inside.  

Get ready, bake! Preheat oven to 350°. Beat 3/4 cup softened butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until well blended.

 

Beat in eggs and vanilla.

 

Stir together flour, oats, salt, and baking soda.

 

Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.   

Batter will resemble cookie dough. Set 2 cups of the batter aside.

Press remaining dough into a greased 13×9 inch baking pan.

Prepare the chocolate layer: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat.

Stir in cocoa and white sugar.

Add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk; stirring constantly over low heat until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Spread chocolate mixture evenly over oatmeal dough in the pan.

Sprinkle the mini Reese’s candies over the chocolate.

Crumble the reserved two cups of dough over the candies.

Bake 25 minutes or until the top is lightly brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. These take a few hours to completely cool, so make them a day ahead of when you plan to devour share them.

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 cups packed brown sugar, light or dark

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick butter)

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/3 cup white sugar

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups (10 ounce package) Reese’s Mini Pieces

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat 3/4 cup softened butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, oats, salt, and baking soda; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Batter will resemble cookie dough. Set 2 cups of the batter aside. Press remaining dough evenly into a greased 13×9 inch baking pan.

Prepare the chocolate layer: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in cocoa and white sugar. Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk; stirring constantly over low heat until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Spread chocolate mixture evenly over oatmeal dough in the pan. Sprinkle the Reese’s candies over the chocolate. Crumble the reserved two cups of dough over the candies.

Bake 25 minutes or until top is lightly brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Read Full Post »

{Caramel Apple Nut Bars}

Caramel. Apples. Oatmeal. If you’ve already taken your annual trip to the apple orchard and like me, gotten carried away with how many apples you “needed” to buy, this is a delicious way to use one apple at a time. A special request from my little sister—our favorite Caramel Apple Nut Bars from Betty Crocker.

2 cups flour

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1  1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1  1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened (I always use REAL butter)

1/2 cup caramel topping (I’ve also used 1 bag of KRAFT or Brach’s caramels melted w/ 1/4 cup evap milk)

3 Tablespoons flour (omit if using bag of caramels)

1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped (1 cup)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (I grind in a cheese grater)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350˚ and grease bottom and sides of 13 x 9 pan. Or use non-stick foil to line the pan. In a large bowl, beat the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter with mixer on low speed or mix with spoon until crumbly. Press 3 cups of mix in pan. Bake 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix caramel topping and 3 tablespoons of flour. (Or if using caramels, melt caramels with 1/4 cup evaporated milk and omit the flour.) Sprinkle apples and pecans over partially baked crust. Drizzle with caramel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.

What ways do you enjoy the flavor of caramel apples in the fall?

Read Full Post »

Chocolate Chip Crunchewy Cookies {AKA Cap’n Crunch® Cookies}

Cap’n Crunch® cereal  in a cookie? I know, I know–it sounds strange, but back in May when C&H Sugar posted this recipe on Twitter, I knew I HAD to try it. These have some of my favorite ingredients: chocolate, toffee bits, oatmeal, peanut butter and cereal! I made a double batch for my son’s 9th birthday party and all but a few were eaten by the end of the night (the cookies, not the kids). They were a big hit with the kids and adults. This weekend I had a chance to make them again.

Full recipe and ingredient list below. Beat the first six ingredients until it’s creamy. For better mixing, bring your egg to room temperature before beating.

Mix the flour, soda and salt together before adding it to the creamy mixture. Please note: I used half the amount of salt that it calls for in the recipe. The first time I made these, I could “taste” the salt in them so this time, I used half as much. They are even better this way. And, it’s probably the only time in my life I’ve gone easy on the salt…

And now, it’s time for the Cap’n Crunch®! Add the three cereals: Cap’n Crunch®, Oatmeal (not instant) and Rice Krispies® cereal (sorry about that Krispies, I haven’t even mentioned you until now. You are the “star” in your own treats so let’s give the Cap’n the spotlight in this one, okay.)

By now the dough is getting pretty stiff so you’ll want to stir the last two ingredients–chocolate chips and toffee pieces–with a wooden spoon or spatula. The recipe calls for mini chocolate chips but I didn’t have any so I used regular. I do suggest using mini though if you can because the dough is really chunky and it’s easier to shape using mini chips.

And now the dough is ready to put on the pans. This dough is crumbly so instead of dropping the dough by spoonful, they hold together better if you roll them into a ball and then lightly flatten the tops with a spoon. You want to make sure you do that because these cookies don’t spread out at all while baking so you’ll end up with a “mound” instead of a cookie. Yep–learned that from experience.

Chocolate Chip Crunchewy Cookies

3/4 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt (orignal recipe calls for 1 tsp salt)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, not instant

1/2 cup Rice Krispies cereal

1 cup Cap’n Crunch cereal

1 (12 oz pkg) mini chocolate chips (1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1/2 cup toffee bits

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter cookie sheets or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In bowl of electric mixer, combine first six ingredients and beat on medium speed until creamy. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and combine. Add oats, Rice Krispies, and Cap’n Crunch and mix. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Using a spoon, slightly flatten the tops of the cookies. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the sheets for two minutes; then cool completely on cooling rack. Makes 3 or 4 dozen. I make mine a little smaller and get 4 dozen.

Read Full Post »