Pear Cinnamon Streusel Squares

This recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens; The Ultimate Cookie Book. You can use apples with this recipe as well. I did not have cinnamon chips so I used milk chocolate chips. This is a wonderful bar for a snack or a dessert you can serve company. Next time I would reduce white sugar to 3/4 cup as I did find them a bit sweet.

Pear Cinnamon Streusel Squares

Ingredients:

Base:

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups large flake oatmeal
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup butter

Custard:

2 eggs
1 cup sugar(Next time I would use 3/4 cup)
2 tbsp. unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups chopped pears (peeled and cored)(or apples)
3/4 cinnamon flavor baking pieces (used milk chocolate chips)
Powdered sugar icing

Powdered sugar:

In small bowl stir together 1 cup icing sugar and 1 tbsp. milk. Add milk until drizzle consistency.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.
Lightly grease 9 X 13 baking dish. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Using pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Take out 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
Press the remainder into the bottom of the 9 X 13 baking pan.
Bake for 15 minutes.

In mixer bowl add eggs and white sugar and beat until smooth and sugar is dissolved.
Add 2 tbsp. flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just to combine.
Remove bowl from mixer and stir in pears (apples) and add cinnamon chips(or whatever you choose to add)
Spread this mixture gently over hot base.
Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over pear mixture.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
Cool in pan on wire rack.
Cut into squares.
Drizzle with Powdered sugar icing.

Giant Honey and Oat Cookies

I have picked another cookie from Betty Crocker's Ultimate Cookie Book. This is a soft cookie with a lovely hint of honey in it. Would definitely make them again. I used the honey we bought from Hergott's Cider Mill.

Giant Honey and Oat Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup honey
3 egg whites
4 cups large flake oatmeal
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.
Grease cookie sheets
Mix sugar, butter, honey and egg whites in mixer bowl until combined.
Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls about 3" apart onto cookie sheets.
Bake 11 to 14 minutes. Until edges are light brown.
Centers will be soft.
Cool on sheet for 3 minutes.
Remove sheet and place on cooling rack.
Store in air tight container.
Makes about 2 Dozen cookies.

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

On my tours of the thrift stores I have been finding some good cookbooks. The Latest one Betty Crocker's Ultimate Cookie Book has some great looking recipes in it. This one caught my attention because you toast the nuts and oatmeal. The cookie is outstanding. I will be making them again.

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups large flake oatmeal
1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.
Spread oats and nuts onto a jelly roll pan (15 1/2 X 10 1/2 X 1"). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Cool.

In your mixer mix brown sugar, butter until light and smooth.
Add vanilla and egg, beat until well blended.
In small bowl whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
Stir in oat mixture and flour mixture.

Using a medium ice cream scoop, drop onto un-greased cookie sheet, 2" space between cookies.
Bake for 8 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and place on cooling rack.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.