Fluffy Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

CRUST:

1/4 C. oat flour (I just used oats ground in my food processor)

1/4 C. wheat flour - I actually used a little less than 1/4 c. then filled the rest of the cup with....

2 Tbsp ground flax

1 C. raw almonds, ground to a fine meal in a food processor)

1/4 C. light agave nectar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp canola oil

TOPPING:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 C. light agave nectar

2 large egg yolks

Juice & freshly grated zest of 2 lemons

1/2 C. barley flour (I used all-purpose)

1 C. evaporated milk

3 large egg whites

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8x8-in baking pan with canola oil spray. (This actually made REALLY thick bars, so if you prefer your lemon bars to be thinner, I'd use a 13x9-in pan.)

To make the crust, mix all the crust ingredients together in a bowl. Press the crust mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Set aside.

To make the topping, in a large bowl whisk together the butter, agave nectar, and egg yolks. Add the lemon juice, zest, flour and evaporated milk. Whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer set on medium speed for approximately 1-2 minutes, until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture until combined. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top begins to turn golden and the filling is set. 

Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack completely before cutting into bars. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe taken from "Baking with Agave Nectar"  by Ania Catalano. Adapted by Jen.

Grandma's Brownies

Ingredients:

2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Butter

1 tsp Vanilla

3 eggs

8 Tbsp cocoa in a 1 C. measuring cup, fill the rest of the cup with all-purpose flour, plus one more cup of flour.

If needed, add few drops of water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9 in pan.

Mix together until blended. Don't mix too much!

Bake for about 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe by my Grandma B.

Agave Nectar Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. cooked white rice

1 1/2 C. skim milk

1/4 C. Agave Nectar

1/4/ tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the rice, milk, agave nectar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in beaten egg. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

Notes: You may add 2/3 C. raisins when you add the egg, if you desire. You may also sprinkle this with cinnamon. 

Recipe from Jen

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake

Gingersnap Crust Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable spray

1 1/2 C. ground gingersnap cookies

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 Tbsp (packed) golden brown sugar

Crust Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 9-inch springform pan with 2 1/2-in-high sides with nonstick spray. Stir ground cookies, butter and sugar in medium bowl until moist clumps form. Press cookie mixture firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Wrap outside of pan with 3 layers of heavy-duty-foil. Bake crust until firm and beginning to darken, about 14 minutes. Cool crust. Maintain oven temperature. 

Caramel Topping Ingredients:

1/4 C. plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided

1 jar (12-1/4 oz) caramel ice cream topping

Toffee bits, if desired

Topping Directions:

In a small bowl, stir 1/4 C. flour into the caramel topping. Set aside 1/3 C. caramel mixture for garnish. Drizzle remaining caramel mixture over crust; sprinkle with toffee bits, if desired.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

4 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 C. (packed) golden brown sugar

2 Tbsp butter, melted

5 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 1.4-oz English toffee candy bars, chopped

Cheesecake Directions:

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in butter, then eggs, 1 at a time, until just blended. Beat in vanilla. Pour batter over crust in pan. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake cake uncovered until filling is puffed around edges and moves slightly in center when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes (I found that to be way too long, so I'd check it at about 50 minutes). Remove pan from water; remove foil. Place hot cheesecake uncovered in refrigerator overnight. 

Directions For Remaining Topping:

Spoon remaining caramel over top of cake just to edges. Garnish top of edges with chopped English toffee. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. 

Enjoy! 

(Recipe adapted from Epicurious and Taste of Home.)

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

1 Peach per person

Contents of zip-type bag #1:
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup granulated sugar

Contents of zip-type bag #2:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
4 tablespoons cornstarch

Pile up 25 to 30 charcoal briquettes in a firepan and let burn until they are barely covered with ash (about 20 minutes).

Peel 1 peach per person (in season), or use canned peaches off-season. Mix contents of bag #2 with 2 cups water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar and thicken the syrup. Place peaches into the mixture and bring to a boil again.

Mix bag #1 with enough water to make a sticky dough. About 3/4 cup water. Squeeze dough onto hot peaches in Dutch oven. Cover with the lid. Place Dutch oven on 5 or 6 hot charcoal briquettes and about 15 briquettes on top of the lid. Don't peek, and bake for 20 minutes. Blow ash off lid before carefully lifting the lid to check doneness.

Recipe by Recipe Goldmine

Norwegian Rommegrot

I am 1/4 Norwegian and despite having many traditional Norwegian foods (such as WONDERFUL Lefse) I didn't get to try Norwegian Rommegrot until a few years ago at a church Christmas party. Oh man! It is one of the unhealthiest things I have ever eaten, but it is sooooo good! I found a recipe online and decided to share it with you. I can't remember where I got this recipe or I'd share that info with you. If you decide to try this - I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:
1 qt. milk (I have found whole milk to work best)
1 c. half and half
1 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
Brown Sugar and cinnamon

Directions:
Heat milk and half and half; do not scorch; set aside.
In large, heavy pan, melt 1 cup butter and add flour, cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in milk, cook, stirring frequently until mixture bubbles and thickens.
Stir in sugar.
Pour 1/4 cup melted butter on top.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Serve warm.
Makes 1/2 gallon.


NOTE: This may be kept warm and served from a crock pot. Use low heat. Add butter, sugar and cinnamon after mixture is put in crock pot. Rommegrot is traditionally served at Christmas.

Agave Nectar Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:
1 cup unpopped popcorn seeds
1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light agave nectar
1 small package jello (dry)

Directions:
Bring sugar, agave nectar, and jello to a boil and pour over popped corn.


Makes about 2 dozen balls depending on size.

To store: Wrap in saran wrap and tie closed with a ribbon.

Recipe by Jen!

Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese frosting, but I have to say - this recipe was really good! You really need to get the book that I get some of these recipes from! So far, everything I've tried has been delicious!

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
12 oz cream cheese, low-fat Neufchatel cheese, or a combination of both
3/4 C light agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
Add the agave nectar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
Beat well until smooth and fluffy.

(Recipe taken from "Baking With Agave Nectar" by Ania Catalano [copyright 2008 by Ania Catalano]) 

Carrot Cake

Saraphina hates chocolate (I know - crazy, isn't it?!) so she requested Carrot Cake for her 13th Birthday. I've been trying to reduce the amount of sugar that we all eat, so I gave this recipe a try. OMGoodness! It was so deliciously moist that we had ZERO left-overs when the party was over! The frosting is also on my blog - Cream Cheese Frosting and is made with agave nectar as well. If you try this - let me know what you think! I want more - I only got a half a piece - so I might have to make some more with the extra carrots I have this week!

Ingredients:
3 C. finely grated carrots (about 15 medium carrots)
1/2 C. unsweetened shredded coconut
2 C. Sprouted  spelt flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 C light agave nectar
3 large eggs
1/2 C canola oil
1 C. nonfat plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
(Recipe calls for 1/2 C. raisins and 1 C. walnuts, chopped - but I don't like either of those in my cake, so I left them out)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 9-in cake pans with canola oil spray.
Mix together the carrots, raisins, coconut, and walnuts in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
In a food processor, blend the agave nectar, eggs, canola oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract for about 1 minute.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to blend.
Add the carrot mixture and stir until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the layers comes out clean.'
Let cool in the pan, then invert onto a platter.
Frost the cake with your choice of frosting. (The Cream Cheese Frosting on my blog is excellent and is from the same cookbook.)


(Recipe taken from "Baking With Agave Nectar" by Ania Catalano [copyright 2008 by Ania Catalano])

Bellagio Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:
8 Tbsp Bellagio Chocolate (found at World Market)
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 C. Milk (I have found that Whole Milk works best)
2 C. Powdered Sugar


Directions:
Mix Bellagio Chocolate into softened butter.
Stir milk and powdered sugar with an *electric mixer.
Chill before using.


* You must use an electric mixer or the frosting won't thicken as it should.


You can also use the Mint Bellagio Chocolate for a mint chocolate frosting. I like to do this at Christmas time and we use it as our birthday cake for Jesus!

Crazy Cake (Dairy-Free)

Ingredients:
2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
½ C. Cocoa (I use regular cocoa)
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ C. vegetable oil
2 tsp vinegar
2 C. cold water
1 tsp vanilla


Directions:
(This is called crazy cake because technically, you’re supposed to mix it in the 9x12 cake pan, but I usually mix it in a bowl.)

Mix dry ingredients together and add liquids. Blend and beat very little. (Break up any large lumps of flour/cocoa, but there can be some lumps in it.)
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes in an un-greased 9x12 cake pan.

Awesome when topped with Bellagio Chocolate Frosting! I make this cake at Christmas as our birthday cake for Jesus.

Recipe by my dear Grandma B!

All-American Apple Pie

Ingredients:
6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
3 Tbsp sprouted spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 C. light agave nectar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp unsalted butter or nonhydrogenated butter substitute, cut into small pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F
In a large bowl, toss together the apples, flour, lemon juice, agave nectar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and butter and mix well.
Pour into your favorite unbaked pie crust.
Top with the second crust and seal with fluted edges. Cover the edges with small pieces of foil to prevent burning.
Using a sharp knife, cut 4 slits in the top of the piecrust to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust turns golden.

Taken from "Baking with Agave Nectar" by Ania Catalano
Copyright 2008 by Ania Catalano