Reese's Bars

Dear The Foodie RD followers,
Sadly, the hot weather is back.  Although it's hard to complain too much about 90 degrees when last summer it was over 100 degrees for the whole summer, it is still hot enough that I am back to my oven boycott.  So it's back to good ol' no bake desserts for me.  Oh well.

As much as I love a good chocolate chip cookie hot out of the oven, I have a bunch of yummy no bake dessert recipes that have more than satisfied my sweet tooth.  An added bonus of many of these no bake recipes is that they are are even easier than their baked counterparts.  And this one is definitely falls into this category.  As if it couldn't get better, this recipe copycats that delicious flavor combination of chocolate and peanut butter you would find in one of the world's greatest candies, Reese's.

No-Bake Homemade Granola Bars

I'll say it.  I'm cheap.  I don't like spending money when I don't have to, and I love saving some change at the grocery store.  In general, I try not to buy a lot of processed foods.  They are full of mystery ingredients and can be pretty pricey.  Plus, I like to make stuff myself.  Why would I buy something I could make it?

A great example of this is granola bars.  There was a time in my life when I used to eat a granola bar every afternoon as a snack.  They are convenient, delicious, and if you choose carefully, they can even be healthy.  But you can certainly pay a price for that convenience.  And who knows what you will find in them?  Fortunately, making  your own granola bars at home is easy and cost effective.  Plus, this allows you to tailor your bars to your own personal taste.  

S'mores Bars

Another summer is whizzing by.  I can't believe that the 4th of July has already come and gone.  Where is the time going?  I've got less than a month before my summer vacation is officially over.  So I've got to soak up the summer while I can.  

One of the great iconic treats of summer is the s'more.  They are simple goodness.  Artfully toast a marshmallow over a fire on a summer night, add a milk chocolate Hersey bar, put it between graham cracker squares, and devour.  It's really a pretty simple recipe.  And they are fun to make.  But what if you want s'mores pronto?  What if you don't have a fire?  Enter these amazing s'mores bars.  Easy and delicious come together to revamp this great summer classic!

Makeover Monday: Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

The original version of this recipe, what my mom calls strawberry pie, is frequently requested in our family get-togethers, and quickly consumed. It has a lot going for it; it is sweet, fruity, easy to make, and quite refreshing on a hot day. It has layer of cheesecake-like filling and a strawberry glaze with sliced strawberries all on a pre-baked pie crust.  And it's delicious. 

 

When I got the recipe from my mom, I could see there was a lot of room for calorie reduction. Some things were obvious, like Splenda, sugar-free Jell-O, reduced fat cream cheese, and diet soda. But some things weren't so obvious. And when I went to make this, I wasn't looking for a partial makeover. I wanted the Extreme Makeover of strawberry pie.  

 

My concerns were powdered sugar and pie crust. I've tried a low-fat pie crust before, but there is just no substitute for butter in pie crust. And I've never come across a low calorie version of powdered sugar. I would not be deterred, though!  So I took this fatty, sugary, family favorite and made some adjustments that turned it into something all my own.  It's still delicious, still devour-able, but much more bikini-season-friendly!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

The title for these little treasures is kind of a mouthful, but it's important that you know all the goodies they contain!  Peanut butter.  Oatmeal.  Chocolate.  Interested yet?  I thought so.