Peggys Fruit N Nut Bars Recipes

PEGGY'S FROSTED BANANA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 10x15-inch rimmed baking pan.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter and white sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in bananas, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the banana mixture and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract gradually; beat well. Spread frosting over the cooled bars and sprinkle walnuts on top.

STARBUCKS CHEWY FRUIT AND NUT BARS

Steps:

• Ingredient note: look in your health food aisle for a healthy alternative to Rice Krispies. The brand I found is made by Enviro-Kidz and uses BROWN rice.
• Prepare 9x13 pan with non-stick spray (or line with parchment paper).
• In a large mixing bowl, toss all dry ingredients. Feel free to substitute your preferred nut or dried fruit.
• In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and allow to boil one minute. (Note: boiling the sugars is what helps the bars become firm and not sticky, so this step is important).
• After boiling, turn off heat; add vanilla and peanut butter. QUICKLY pour this hot mixture over the dry ingredients and toss to combine.
• Pour warm mixture into prepared pan. Wet your fingers and press the mixture down into the pan to compress the bars so they will slice evenly.
• When cool, use a sharp knife to cut into 18 bars (1 long lengthwise cut and 9 cuts across). Enjoy with a hot cup of Starbucks coffee for an authentic experience!
• Note: Starbucks does not list corn syrup in their ingredients, but the sweetener in their list is not readily available. I tried using Maple Syrup, but the bars were very crumbly and would not stay together in bars. Therefore, I found that Corn Syrup is the best ingredient that is readily available.

BEST FRUIT AND NUT BARS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325.
• 2. Grind whole flaxseed in a coffee or spice grinder. Combine with peanut butter, honey, salt, and water in large bowl and stir to combine.
• 3. Add dried fruits, nuts and seeds in whatever combination you like. Batter will be very stiff.
• 4. Spray 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick spray and divide batter evenly into cups. Use damp fingers to press batter into cups and flatten tops.
• 5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until tops are dry and edges are a deep, toasty brown (bars will not rise). Cool completely and store in air-tight container for up to two weeks.

EASY FRUIT & NUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, leaving ends of foil hanging over sides of pan; spray with cooking spray.
• Beat cake mix, COOL WHIP and egg in large bowl with mixer until blended. (Batter will be thick.) Stir in nuts and cranberries.
• Spread onto bottom of prepared pan.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool completely.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over dessert. Use foil overhang to remove dessert from pan; slice into bars.

PEGGY'S FRUIT N' NUT BARS

Steps:

• Add vanilla to pineapple juice in a large mixing bowl and stir well.
• Chop larger dried fruit into bite sized pieces and add to juice. Stir well. Let sit for a minimum of one hour, stirring occassionly.
• Whisk together eggs (or egg replacer) and then stir in honey. Whisk well then stir into fruit mixture.
• Add flaxseed and nuts to fruit mixture. Stir well.
• Mix together, flour, oats, baking powder and spices. Stir well then add to fruit mixture in about three batches. Stirring well between additions.
• Lightly grease 12 x 15 glass baking dish. Add mixture to dish and press down well.
• Bake at 350 oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. Do not overbake.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from pan.
• Cut into thin bars and store in airtight container.
• These can be frozen but in our house they don't last that long. Enjoy!