Peanut Butter Biscotti

Who doesn't love cookies? I know I for one could live on them. I love all kinds of cookies, cake-like, soft and chewy, and for sure- crisp and crunchy. In other words, biscotti. The word biscotti means twice baked in Italian.I learned that word a long time ago when I was a kid from my Italian mama. My mom loves to bake, but doesn't usually make biscotti. She likes to make bars mostly. But she is a big fan of MY biscotti and can't wait to try any new batch that I dream up.
She really enjoyed this last recipe. I asked her what she thought of them and she said "DELIZIOSO!"

Peanut Butter Biscotti
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 1/4 cup unbleached AP flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup plus 1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup molasses
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1 whole egg, plus 2 egg whites
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray.

In a food processor, grind the oatmeal and wheat germ if using, until fine. In a bowl sift together oatmeal mixture, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, peanut butter, molasses and water. Add flour mixture and mix just until ingredients are combined. If mixture is too dry, add an additional teaspoon or two of water. Stir in chips.

Divide the dough in half; place half the dough on one side of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 3 inches wide. Repeat with second half of dough keeping logs about 3 inches apart; flatten slightly. Bake until light brown, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Once cool cut log into 3/4-inch thick bars. Place bars, cut side down, back on the cookie sheet and bake for about 10-20 depending on your preference of crunchiness. minutes longer. (Cookies will crisp once cool.)

Date Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars

A Good For You and Easy To Make Bar!

Whole Grain Oats and Wheat Germ Crust...

Delicious & Healthy Date Cranberry Fruit Filling...

Simple and Easy to Prepare...

I Highly Recommend It :)

Date Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars
Adapted from Dole®

1 pkg. (8oz) dole chopped dates
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup dried cranberries, divided
1 Tbls. grated orange peel
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
3/4 cup smart balance buttery spread, melted

Cook dates in water in a small sauce pan for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cranberries and peel.
Combine oats, flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda and salt in bowl. Stir in melted spread until combined.
Press 2/3 of oat mixture onto bottom of 8" or 9" square pan.
Spread date filling over crust. Add remaining cranberries into oat mixture and cover the date filling. Press down firmly with spatula. Bake at 375 ºF for 25 minutes or until light brown.

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Moist and Delicious!

Well as you can see, I got my first blueberries of the season! What to make... decisions, decisions. There are too many great recipes to make with blueberries. Should I make the always welcomed blueberry muffins or maybe some scones. Of course blueberry pie never disappoints either. Then there's those lemon blueberry cookies I've been wanting to make. Talk about stress...what a tough decision.

But I finally decided to make some Blueberry Oatmeal Bars. Why? I don't really know. Probably because I have never made them before. Plus, I recently ate some of my Mom's Quaker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars and have been thinking about them ever since. So why not create a blueberry bar using similar ingredients? I was up for the challenge!

By the way, they turned out super moist and chewy, flavorful and I think, pretty cute too!


1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick tub margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and stems picked off

Heat oven to 350°F. Place a large piece of foil in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, overhanging sides.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In an electric mixer or large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add oil and maple syrup, mix well. Add egg whites (one at a time) and vanilla; beat well. Add sifted flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats; mix well. Carefully fold in half of blueberries.
Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Add the remaining blueberries to the top of the mixture, pushing berries in lightly.

Bake 28 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 20 minutes in pan; remove to wire rack by lifting up sides of foil. Cool completely. Cut into 24 squares. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.