Lotsa great bars being posted. How about we group then in one great thread? Of course I will start off with the present title holder:

TOH Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars and peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour oats, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes.

Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over bars.

Makes 3-4 dozen.

The PB bars may be the reigning #1 bar but it's not going to hurt my feelings a bit to have it surplanted by something that tastes even better! Can't go wrong with that, now can we! Come on guys, did out that bar that puts the PB bars in the shade!!!

And that should have been DIG out that bar recipe! I swear, I despair of what's happening to my mind these days! Early senior moments I guess!

So join the bars wars ladies, and topple the #1 bar off it's throne. Come on, I dare ya!

Gaudrey's Nutty Butterscotch Bars

Crust:
1-1/2 cups plain floour
3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 stick of butter or margarine
Glaze:
1/4 cup white Karo syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup mixed salted nuts

Combine flour and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter until like coarse crumbs. (You also can process these 3 ingredients in a food processor until like coarse crumbs.) Press into the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350° until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. While the crust bakes, combine syrup, remaining butter, water, and butterscotch chips. Bring to a boil. Stir for 1 minute and remove from heat. If some of the nuts are very large, cut these into quarters. Sprinkle nuts over the baked crust. Drizzle evenly with the syrup. Return to oven and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes longer. While still warm, cut into 30 squares. Cool completely. You can vary these by varying the type of salted nuts you use. I have done them with all cashews, all toasted pecans, sliced almonds, and my DH's favorite, red-skinned salted peanuts, skins and all.
NOTE: If the nuts have a lot of salt, you may want to pour them into a wire strainer and shake them gently 2 or 3 times to remove any excess.

BLACK BOTTOM CREAM CHEESE BARS

~~CRUST~~
1 C flour
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
3/4 C semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

~~FILLING~~
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 C butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 TBS vanilla

~~GLAZE~~

1/4 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 TBS vanilla
2 t water
1 to 2 t water

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press mixture in bottom of ungreased 9 inch square pan or 11 x 7 inch pan. In large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients; blend well. Spread over crust. Bake for 38 to 43 minutes or until edges are light golden brown and set. Cool 30 minutes. Melt all glaze ingredients. Drizzle over warm bars. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, before serving. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator

These are Honeycat's...Grand prize winner TOH

Very easy and sooooooo good!



APPLE PIE SQUARES

CRUST

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup shortening (Crisco)
4 egg yolks
2 Tbls. lemon juice
½ cup water

FILLING

7 cups finely chopped apples
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
4 Tbls. all-purpose flour

ICING/GLAZE

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbls. milk
1 Tbls. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Chop apples in food processor or by hand. Add remaining filling
ingredients and set aside.
For crust, mix flour, salt and baking powder together. Cut in shortening as for piecrust.
Add slightly beaten egg yolks, lemon juice and water to form dough. Handle just enough
to incorporate all ingredients well. Divide dough in half. Roll one half to fit a 10x15"
jellyroll pan, making sure dough goes up the sides to the top edge of pan to hold filling.
Trim excess dough. Spread with apple filling. Roll out second half of dough to fit over
top. Trim excess dough. Prick top crust at intervals to vent steam.
Bake for 50-60 min. until nicely browned. Cool on rack and ice while still slightly warm -
icing will shine.
NOTE: It is correct that the lemon juice is in the crust and icing but not in the filling.
Check out picture on page 27 of
oct/ nov 2002 issue.
enjoy! take care.

This is the best bars that I have ever tasted. Hope you try them

I made these for a large gathering and everyone raved about them. They were a huge hit.

Rich chocolate chip toffee bars
2 1/3 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c packed light brown sugar
3/4 c butter
1 egg slightly beaten
12 oz. pkg. choc chips,divided.
1 c chopped nuts
1can (14 oz.) sweet condensed milk
1-3/4 cup(10oz. pkg) skor english toffee bits. divided
grease 13/9 baking pan. stir flour and brown sugar. cut in butter. add egg, mix well. stir in 1 and 1/2 cup choc chips and nuts.RESERVE 1 1/2 cups mixture. press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. bake 10 min. pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over hot crust. top with 1 1/2 c toffee bits. sprinkle reserved crumb mixture and remaining 1/2 cup chips over top. bake 350- 25-30 min. or until golden. sprinkle remaining 1/4 c toffee bits on top. cool completly. about 48 bars.

About 15 years ago I got this recipe from "The Coffee House Cookbook," courtesy of UC Davis Magazine, and we fell in love with them. We were so obsessed we made pan after pan! Then, like many fads, it fell by the wayside and has been collecting dust in the cookie recipe folder. But all the talk of the TOH Peanut Butter Bar recipe popularized so well by Jaxon made me think of it.

It has virtually the same ingredients except a slight variation in amounts, but the most important thing is to look at the technique on the topping/glaze. They sprinkle the chips on AFTER it comes out of oven, let them sit and soften, then spread melted chips and pour glaze and marble the 2 together. Boffo!

Ecstasy Bars
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter, divided use
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons evaporated milk

Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan and set aside.

Combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar together until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the peanut butter and mix thoroughly. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix until just combined. Spread the dough into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

Remove the crust from the oven and immediately sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Wait for a minute or two, then spread them evenly across the dough as they melt.

While the chocolate is melting, combine in a separate bowl the powdered sugar, remaining peanut butter and evaporated milk. Beat together and spread onto the melted chocolate, forming a marbled pattern.

Allow the bars to cool and then cut.

Makes 24 bars.

Adapted from “The Coffee House Cookbook,” courtesy of UC Davis Magazine.

My friend sent this recipe to me last year; I only got around to it yesterday! I can't believe I missed a whole year of these stunning bars. If you like white chocolate, raspberry and almond flavors, you have now achieved Nirvana.

Raspberry Almond Bars

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 (11- or 12-ounce) package (2 cups) white chocolate morsels, divided use
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and sugar a 9-inch square pan. (Alternatively, you may use a 10-inch round pie dish.)

In a medium bowl or glass measuring cup, melt butter in microwave on high power for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the white chocolate morsels; set aside and let stand. Do not stir.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar and beat until light lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in white chocolate-butter mixture. Add flour, salt and almond extract and mix at low speed until combined. Spread 2/3 of batter into prepared pan. Batter will be sticky. The best way to spread it in the pan is to use an offset spatula if you have one.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Remove from oven to wire rack. Leave oven heat on.

Heat jam in microwave in small bowl on high power for 30 seconds, stir and spread jam over warm crust. (Again, use an offset spatula if you have one.) Stir remaining morsels into remaining batter, and drop by spoonfuls over jam layer. Sprinkle with almonds. (Clumps of batter will spread during baking to cover the top.)

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. (If you have baked it in a pie dish, cut into slim wedges.)

Makes 36 bars, or 12 wedges.
Serving note: If you have made this in a round pan and are cutting it into wedges, serve it with sliced fresh peaches for a pretty company’s-here presentation.

Now ladies here are the best bars, try them and you will see what I am talking about.

The absolute best bar has to be PECAN TOFFEE SQUARES. These always go fast at gatherings and are always requested.They are crunchy, gooey, chocolatey- what more could you ask for!

1pkg. Pillsbury Moist Supreme yellow cake mix
1 stick butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
FILLING:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1tsp vanilla
1 egg
6oz chocolate-coated toffee pieces(we use Heath bites candy and chop them)
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 inch pan. In large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, and egg; mix well with pastry blender or fork. Press mixture in bottom of pan. Bake for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine condensed milk, vanilla, and egg; mix well. Stir in toffee bits and pecans.
Remove pan from oven; pour filling evenly over warm base. Return to oven; bake an additional22-30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Cut into bars. Store in refridgerator.
36 bars

I recommend refridgerating before cutting because you will have a much cleaner-looking bar.These are great for holidays or bake sales. Bring the recipe with you because everyone will be asking for it.

Now we will have to wait for someone to try all three recipes and see what they say about them. The fight is on. LOL

Catsgalore

Posted by: Germanlady Posted on: 6/1/2003 1:38:02 AM
#R1621597


ALMOND BARS
(submitted by Sandy Kerrison)

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter (no substitutes), melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 t. almond extract
Confectioners' sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon colored. Add the butter, flour and extract; mix well. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 2 dozen

Have a good weekend everyone!
Germanlady

Chocolate Caramel Nut bars

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (12 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Caramels
1/3 cup whipping cream or half and half
1 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts or peanuts

Preparation
BEAT butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt; beat on low speed until crumbly. Press into 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
BAKE at 350°F for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks. Cover with foil. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Spread chocolate evenly over top.
MICROWAVE caramels and cream in microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until caramels begin to melt. Stir in walnuts. Gently spread caramel mixture over chocolate. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

I made this recipe up so the measurements are not exact. Very easy and soooo good! =)


1 box of brownie mix prepared according to package directions and baked in a 9 x 13 dish
8 oz creamcheese softened
2 cans of Comstock Cherry Pie filling
1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk
2 - 4 Tbs sugar

After baking brownies allow them to cool to room temperature. Beat the softened creamcheese until smooth, adding a little bit of milk at a time. You want a creamy spreadable consistancy. Add in sugar to taste and blend well. Spread over cooled brownies then top with cherry filling. I used a can and a half of the cherries.

I just tried this recipe from my Country Woman magazine. It was so good. It took 2nd place in their apple contest a few years back. This is the ONLY recipe I take to funeral dinners, church functions, etc.

Apple Snack Squares

2 c. sugar
2 eggs
3/4 c. veg. oil
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
3 3/4 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. salt
3 c. diced, peeled, tart apples
3/4 c. butterscotch chips

In bowl, combine sugar, eggs and oil; mix well. Stir in flour, bak. powder, salt, and cinnamon. Batter will be thick. Stir in apples. Spread in a greased 9 x 13. Sprinkle with chips. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

I'll throw in my pan of yummy's for what it is worth! Love them!!!!

SPECIAL "K" CEREAL BARS

1 cup sugar
1 cup light kayro syrup
l cup peanut butter
6 cups special K cereal

Heat and mix together the first three ingredients - stir in cereal till covered. Spread in a 9X13 pan (hands are a great tool for this- along with a spatula)

Melt together 1 bag of butterscotch chips and 1 bag of semi-sweet choc. chips (average size bag). Spread over the cereal mixture.

You won't want to share these!

Marcia