Cherry Almond Bars

Cherry Almond Bars

Base

1 2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter

Topping:

1 2/3 cup almond meal*

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon milk

3/4 cup melted butter

8 ounces of Cherry jam Or what ever jam you want 

sliced almonds for topping

* I did not have almond meal, I used my food processor and pulsed the almonds until  finely ground. 

Preheat oven to 350

In the food processor, fitted with the steel blade, pulse flour and powdered sugar till well blended.  Cut butter into bits. Add to flour mixture and pulse till the mixture looks crumbly and sticks together

Press into a 13x9 pan. I dipped my fingers in powdered sugar so they would not stick to the dough.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. I pricked the dough with a fork so it would not shrink up

While fresh out of the oven, add the jam.

While the base is baking, make the almond layer

Mix almond meal and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time till well blended.

Add the almond extract to the milk, and add the milk mixture to the melted butter, then slowly pour into the egg almond mixture with the mixer running on low. 

Carefully pour this over the jam covered base. Do not let base cool too much. 

Bake, still at 350, for 20 minutes. 

Remove from oven, it will be very jiggly,  sprinkle the almonds on the top and put it back into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes

Let cool for at least 45 minutes, before cutting.  Cut into bars and enjoy! 

Makes 36 bars

Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cookies

Fresh Plum Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup water

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup Italian Plums, diced small (to about the size of raisins)

Preheat oven to 400

Line Baking sheets with parchment - with the plums, you really do need this

Cream butter and shortening in the bowl of the electric mixer. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.  Sift all together before adding to creamed mixture. Blend well. 

Stir in oats and nuts. Then fold in fresh Italian plums.  

Use the medium scoop and drop onto parchment lined baking sheets

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. 

Makes about 3 dozen. 

These are a great cookie, they go fast! 

You can add a little more ginger and use peaches in the recipe. 

Buttermilk Sprinkles!

Buttermilk Sprinkles!

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 butter

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

4 teaspoon vanilla

4 1/3 cup flour

4 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

Sprinkles of your choice

Preheat oven to 425

Line baking sheets with parchment

Cream butter and sugar, add sugar. Beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Add alternately with the butter milk, beating till just combined. 

Using the medium scoop drop onto the parchment lined baking sheets.  Then add sprinkles of your choice!

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown

Makes 40 cookies

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Peanut Butter and Jelly!

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 stick butter (8tablespoons)

1/3 cup white sugar and more for rolling

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup jelly (or more)

Preheat oven to 350

Line baking sheets with parchment

In a small bowl,  whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside

In the bowl of the mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add sugars,

and beat until well combined. Mix in egg and vanilla. 

Add flour and beat until smooth

Using the medium scoop, scoop out balls of dough and roll in the extra sugar. I used about 1/2 a cup to get everything rolled in. There was some extra

Put the sugar coated dough balls onto parchment lined paper

Take your thumb, or rounded end of a wooden spoon and make and indentation in the cookies

Bake about 10 minutes.Remove from oven 

They will look like this. Using the round end of a wooden spoon (you really do not want to touch the cookies now) push down where you indented before. 

At this point you can fill with jelly or wait. If your jelly is a little loose, fill now.  

Return cookies to the oven for 6 minutes or so. Until all browned

Let cool on sheet for a few minutes. If you have not filled them before, fill before removing from sheet, just to set the jelly a little bit.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.