PB & Chocolate Chip Bars

So I had a full jar of peanut butter hanging around and decided to find something fun to do with it besides dip apples. Ta Da! What could be better than something like this? Again, this is such an easy recipe and so good! Most of the ingredients were already 'in house'......I just had to get the brown sugar and chocolate chips. These are a fun little bar!

PB & Chocolate Chip Bars

Makes 12 pieces

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup peanut butter
1 stick light butter, softened
3 TBSP 2% milk
1 large egg
1 TBSP vanilla extract
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

You can see that I'm an 'equal opportunity shopper'!

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or pan. Set aside.

Don't forget to spray in your dishwasher to avoid having to clean the overspray off your counters!

 

Mix together all of the ingredients EXCEPT the chocolate chips with an electric mixer until well combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread the dough evenly in the sprayed pan.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes on a cooling rack. Cut into 12 bars and enjoy!!

Fresh out of the oven!

 

Enjoy!

Later!

Loving Life!
Jan

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken Part 2

A while ago.....and if you search on here you'll find it....I did a whole chicken in the crock pot and it was good. This one is too! It was a toss up.....chicken soup or this way. Obvious which one won! This is really easy. Pictured are the spices I used, but you can use whatever spices you like. Remember....a recipe is only a suggestion!

 

CROCK POT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN PART 2

My plate with chicken rice and what you don't see are pickled beets (that recipe is on here too)
 

1 whole fresh chicken

Any spices you want to make a 'rub'

Get whole chickens while they're on sale and freeze them!

Wad up 4 pieces of aluminum foil and place in the bottom of your crock pot.

Remove gizzards and set aside for future use or discard.

Mix spices together; rub the spices on the outside of the chicken.

Place the chicken in the crock pot on top of the pieces of foil and cook on low for @6 – 7 hours or high for @5 hours. Do NOT put any water or oil in the crock pot.

Fall apart tender and juicy!

Enjoy!

 

Later!
Loving Life!
Jan

Lemon 'Pudding' Cake

Well, I haven't done this in a while! Since hurting my ankle, it's been a long journey to being able to be on my feet for more than a few minutes without being in pain. With the help of a VA doctor (yes, for those who didn't know, I am an Army Veteran) and the brace she instructed me to wear, I'm almost back to normal (whatever that may be)! I know I said I wasn't going to be using Splenda anymore, but I am because I need to get my weight back under control. Tough thing for anyone to admit, but the poundage found me! While I'm NOT following 'that plan' anymore, I am being more careful about my portion control and what I'm eating.....and I've decided it's time to enjoy some baked goods again -- my own, NOT the sugary stuff in the stores. Soooo.....here's my first venture in baking in a long, long time. When I tell you I picked a wonderful recipe to tweak and share, I am not lying!! And it should be called Lemon Meringue Cake because that's what it tastes like. The bottom of this is, tho, like a lemon pudding and the top is a meringue-y cake. Oh, just go make it! You truly won't be sorry!!! 

 

LEMON 'PUDDING' CAKE

Makes 9 Servings

Mine! And it was good!
 

 

4 large eggs, separated

zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 TBSP light butter, melted
1 cup Splenda granulated (or sugar)
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ cups 2% milk

Place a large roasting pan on a rack in the center of the oven. Fill it halfway with water. Preheat oven to 350° with the pan of water in the oven.

 

 

Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with butter flavor spray (or you can butter the pan).

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter.

In another bowl, stir together the Splenda (or sugar), flour and salt.

Whisk half of the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then half the milk, then the rest of the flour mixture and then the rest of the milk (be sure to whisk after each add).

Whip the egg whites until light peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.

Pour the batter into the baking dish. Place the baking dish carefully into the water in the pan in the oven. Bake 45 minutes until the top is a golden color.

 

Carefully remove both pans from the oven and then remove the pan with the cake from the water. Let cool completely.

MY SPIN: This can be eaten 'as is' at room temperature. Or you could serve it with a dollop of fat-free whipped topping and a few blueberries. If you don't use it all, you'll need to refrigerate it and it would be delicious cold.

Enjoy!

Loving Life!
Jan