Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars Recipe

It's National Cheesecake Day - let's celebrate!

I'm hungry - let's eat!

SPH Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
inspired by a recipe in Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine
August 2011 issue

2 packages Glutino chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 package unflavored Knox gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup boiling water
8 oz. room temperature cream cheese
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter, melted
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 8-oz. container frozen whipped topping, defrosted

Combine cookie crumbs with melted butter.  Press evenly onto bottom and up the sides of a 9 x 13 pan.  Set pan in fridge and allow to chill while making the filling.

Stir gelatin into cold water and let stand one minute.  Add boiling water, stir til dissolved,  and allow to set while preparing cream cheese mixture.

Beat cream cheese, condensed milk and melted peanut butter together in a large mixing bowl.  Beat in the gelatin mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  CAREFULLY fold in whipped topping, only until everything is well combined.  Pour this mixture into prepared crust, and allow to chill overnight in the refrigerator several hours or overnight.  Cut into bars and serve.

'Nuff said - enjoy!




This recipe linked to Very Good Recipes.

Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Shortbread Bars Recipe

A little treat for the not-so-sweet tooth in your family...

This is a great recipe when you need a bunch of treats in a hurry!  Perfect for a last minute picnic, or even just to take to Bible study or small group!

SPH Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Shortbread Bars
inspired by a recipe in Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine
(issue and date unknown)
1 1/2 cups butter, softened and at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (I use Nestle's)
1 package Wilton Candy Melts - white chocolate
2-3 tablespoons Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Frosting - vanilla
milk (if needed)

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a large, rimmed cookie sheet.  In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar together until well combined.  Beat in eggs.  Add first 2 cups of baking mix and mix well.  Add remaining baking mix and cocoa and mix well.  Stir in mini  chips.  Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheet.  Use your hands and fingers if necessary - dough should be pretty stiff.  Bake for about 20 minutes or til tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely.

While bars are cooling, melt together the candy melts and frosting.  If mixture is too thick and stiff, add milk a little bit at a time.  Only a tablespoon or two at most!  When bars have cooled, spread white chocolate frosting over the top.  Cut into bars, and serve.

You'll notice in the photo above that my bars are thicker and I obviously didn't spread my frosting.  I used my 9x13 pan because that's what I had handy at the moment.  These really need to be thinner to work as cookies.  Also, I piped the frosting to look pretty for the photo.  Because of all the chocolate in the frosting, it sets up fast - and it was certainly faster than I thought it would!  So skip the fancy swirly stuff and just spread it while it's warm.  It will still look nice and taste delicious!

This is another great treat for a family reunion or large picnic.  They'll keep pretty well in the heat (do try to keep them in the shade, though), and one batch makes a large quantity.  Plus, you'll only have your oven running for a very brief time on a hot day.

So get your chocolate on and enjoy!



Recipe linked to Very Good Recipes

Gluten Free Secret Ingredient Cookies

The question for the Mommy Panel recently was how to get picky eaters to eat their vegetables.  Here is your new secret weapon in this battle...

This is another recipe that I found in that same stack of hand-me-down magazines.  I tweaked it to make it gluten free.

SPH Gluten Free Secret Ingredient Cookies
inspired by a recipe by Candace Zaugg
Taste of Home Magazine, February/March 2008
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrots (I do mine in the food processor to make them extra fine)
1 cup gluten free granola (I used Jessica's Natural Foods Chocolate Chip)
1 3-oz. package chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the cookie dough according to package directions.  Stir in carrots, granola and walnuts.  Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet (I use a cookie scooper).  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely, then eat and enjoy!

These would also be lovely dusted with a little powdered sugar if you are so inclined.  We just LOVED them plain!

Another variation:  use grated zucchini.  And the trick with grated zucchini - let it drain in a fine mesh strainer for at least a couple hours before you bake with it.  Zucchini is almost all water.  By draining it first, the water has a chance to escape before the zucchini gets cooked.  No fine mesh strainer?  Use some cheesecloth in a regular colander.  Works just as well.

Feed a few of these to your picky eater, and tell them the secret ingredient is love.

Have a great day!



Recipe linked to Very Good Recipes