Apple Streusel Bars

Here is a recipe that my family really enjoys. I have modified it to use beans.  I also use some whole wheat flour and my cannery apples in this.  You can take any recipe you already make and adapt it to use your food storage!

*If rehydrating apples, put them in water now and let them soak while you prepare the pastry.

Pastry:
2 cups flour (I did half white and half whole wheat for you)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c soft butter (I used 1/2 c butter and 1/2 cup whole white beans that I mashed slightly by beating a few times in my stand mixer, just as if I had cut in butter)
1 egg beaten (1 T dried egg powder, 2 T water)

Filling:
1/2 c white sugar (I halved this so if you felt it lacked sweetness add it back in)
1/4 c flour (I used whole wheat)
1 t cinnamon
4 cup sliced, peeled apples (I measured 4 c dried apples into a large glass measuring cup, covered them with water and microwaved for 3 minutes.  You can also pour boiling water over them to reconstitute.  I realize this will make more than 4 cups of apples, but I love apples so I don't mind.  I do the same when I make pies and don't have any overfilling issues.  NOTE:  I notice that the machine doesn't always get all the core out while processing  the apple pieces so sometimes you find harder bits or a stem.  I just drain the apples and run my hand through them, squeezing to find those hard parts and discard them.)

To make pastry: mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in bowl. Cut in butter/beans. Gently mix in egg intil mixture resembles coarse crumbs and is well mixed. Spray 9x13 pan. Pat 2/3 of crust onto bottom of pan to form crust. Preheat oven to 350 and set pan aside.
Toss all filling ingredients and spread on crust.  Sprinkle on the remainder of the crust as a topping.  Bake 40 min and cool completely.

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 T milk (2 t dry milk, 3 T water)
1 t almond extract
Mix dry ingredients, add extract and slowly whisk in (or use a fork) water.  Drizzle over cooled pastry.  Cut into bars and cool.

I think half of the glaze is plenty but when making it for others I use the whole recipe so it looks prettier.  For our class last night I ended up quartering the sugar and halving the rest because I was lazy and didn't want to open another bag of sugar from the basement.  :)  I also frosted it while it was still warm because my roofers were finished and I wanted to bring some out to them before they left.  Normally I would definitley wait until it cooled so the glaze would remain a solid drizzle and not just melt in.  Sorry, ladies!

Low Fat Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Here is the brownie recipe!  I will add my notes in red.  These don't make a fudgy, melt-in-your mouth brownie (need the butter for that!), but they are a delicious, moist, cake-like brownie that will satisfy your sweet tooth!

1 1/3 cup water
2/3 cup + 2T bean puree (white or black) I used 2/3 cup only since I didn't want to open another freezer bag of puree and I freeze them in 2/3 cup increments.
1 1/2 T white vinegar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 Tbs salt
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Combine wet ingredients and mix.  Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the wet ingredients.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake 27-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.  Mine took 32 minutes.  Top with icing directly out of oven.

Peanut Butter Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T creamy peanut butter
2 T milk (1 tsp noninstant cannery milk plus 2 Tbs water - 2 tsp if using instant dry milk)

Mix dry ingredients then add water and peanut butter.

Welcome!

I'm so happy to be back.  Take a look around and see what kind of recipes I have here that will help you to care for you family and home on the cheap and in a wholesome way!