Wednesday, April 01, 2009

I need sleep



Applesauce Bars
Best Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars Copyright 1979,1981 and 1982

2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 c. shortening, softened
1/2 c. water
1 (1 lb., 1 oz.) can applesauce I used jarred applesauce
1 lg. egg
1/2 c. chopped nuts I omitted these
1 c. chopped raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Add shortening, water, applesauce and egg, beat with mixer on medium speed for about four minutes. Gently fold in nuts and raisins into batter. Pour into prepared panand bake for 30 minutes. Cool. Frost with Caramel Frosting. Cut into 48 bars.

Caramel Frosting
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. milk
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 c. sifted powdered sugar

Combine butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Boil and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Cool slightly. Add milk and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat to spreading consistency. It was a tad lumpy and softer than I thought it would be but still very delicious.

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Sorry that I've been MIA. I'm tired so very tired. The baby had one great week and then, now, a horrible, horrible week. I'm just cooking what is easiest which is usually something that I've already blogged about or something that I don't have a recipe for. April is a super-busy month for me so it may get even slower around here.

I decided that I wanted to make something besides chocolate. Everybody in my treat circle loves chocolate so I seem to always fall back on that. I saw this recipe and it looked so good. I thought, well whoever likes it, likes it. I can't please everyone all the time.

Turns out everyone loved it. Maybe everyone needed a break from the chocolate. It was so moist and flavorful. Definitely a keeper. I'm excited about finding more non-chocolate recipes.

Here's the little demon who's been keeping me up at night. He's 9 months old today - can you believe it?




Question of the Day: What's your favorite non-chocolate treat?

7 comments:

kd said...

I love oatmeal raisin cookies or rice krispy treats - for the non-chocolate times!

Jennifer said...

I'm with kd and love rice krispy treats. I can literally eat a whole pan in a couple of days.
I also love shortbread cookies.

Mrs. L said...

9 months already? Wow. He's so cute, sorry he's making you so tired.

A substitute for chocolate? Hmmmm...is there really such a thing? :)

Anonymous said...

My favorites non-chocolate cookies are snickerdoodles and "big, soft ginger cookies" from a Taste of Home cookbook. They're basically soft gingersnaps -- yum!

Anonymous said...

I'll take a day with the "little demon" for my non-chocolate treat.
Cute, cute cute!

Jan

Cate said...

Wow, 9 months already! The bars look great!

Dr. Alice said...

Non-chocolate? Anything with lemon, I love lemon. For first place I'll pick Lemon Yumbo bars from the Sweet Potato Queens' cookbook - if you don't have this, check it out from the library and give it a look, it's great!

I have the "Best Recipes" cookbook you cite here and I love it. Huge variety of recipes.