Crispy Peanut Butter Toffee Truffles

Don't wait until the holidays to make this delicious treat! No-bake truffles are perfect for the summer when you don't want to turn on your oven and heat up the house. I made these for my husband's work potluck this evening and came home with an empty dish. I literally lost count of the number of people asking for the recipe... so here it is!

Crispy Peanut Butter Toffee Truffles
Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz package Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits
1 cup crisped rice cereal (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)
16 oz package chocolate Candiquik
1/3 cup (from 8 oz package) Heath Bits o' Brickle Toffee Bits

Directions
1. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream peanut butter and butter.
2. Add powdered sugar and mix well.
3. Gently stir in entire package of milk chocolate toffee bits and cereal.
4. Refrigerate dough at least one hour (maybe longer) to reduce stickiness.
5. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1/2 Tbsp of dough into palm of hand and roll into ball. Place on lined pan.
6. Refrigerate rolled balls one hour (or more).
7. When ready to dip in chocolate, line second cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour plain toffee bits into small bowl. Melt Candiquik according to package directions. One at a time, coat entire ball in chocolate, place on lined pan, and quickly sprinkle with 1/4 tsp (or a pinch) of plain toffee bits from small bowl.
8. To help truffles retain their shape, store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling.

Magic Cookie Bars

This classic dessert is transformed into a gluten free version of the original recipe by replacing the graham cracker crust with an almond flour base.

Magic Cookie Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecan chips
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Stir together butter, almond flour, and both sugars until thoroughly combined. Press crust mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust in pan, followed by butterscotch chips, coconut, and pecans.
4. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over top.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
6. Cool completely in pan on wire rack before cutting into bars. Enjoy!

Simple Crustless Quiche

At only 4 ingredients, you can't get any easier than this! Whether you're looking for a hearty main dish to serve at brunch or need a simple weeknight dinner for your family, this quiche is sure to be a crowd-pleaser (and no one will even miss the crust!).

Simple Crustless Quiche
Yield: 9" pie dish

Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage
8 eggs
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9" pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Brown sausage, drain on paper towel, and set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add cheese and sausage; mix until thoroughly combined. (Mixture will be very thick!)
4. Pour into prepared pie dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until top is fairly brown. (It tastes yummy when it gets dark on top!)

Variations
• Try different varieties of shredded cheese. I used gouda in the quiche pictured above.
• During the holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, substitute leftover ham in place of the sausage.

Recipe adapted from His Mercy is New.

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake

Need a creative way to use up those over-ripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter? Take a break from your trusty banana bread recipe and give this moist coffee cake a try!

The fluffy, tender layers of banana cake are filled with a sweet cinnamon and brown sugar streusel that is creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake
Yield: 7x11 pan

Ingredients
Streusel:
 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
 1 Tbsp cinnamon
 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cake:
 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 3/4 tsp baking soda
 3/4 tsp baking powder
 1/4 tsp salt
 3/4 cup sugar
 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
 1 egg, room temperature
 1 1/3 cups mashed banana (about 3 large bananas)
 3 Tbsp milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Stir brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts (if using) in small bowl until well blended. Set streusel aside.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.
4. Using electric mixer, cream sugar and butter. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Stir in mashed bananas and milk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.
5. Spread half of batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel.
6. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
7. Cut into bars when ready to serve. Tastes great warm from the oven or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

This salad has a bright, bold flavor thanks to the zesty lime vinaigrette enrobing the fluffy quinoa, sweet potatoes, tart cranberries, fresh herbs, and flavorful spices.

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:
 2 medium-large sweet potatoes (washed, peeled & cubed into 1-inch chunks)
 salt & pepper
 1/2 cup dried quinoa
 1 cup water
 1/2 cup dried cranberries
 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and/or parsley, roughly chopped
 1/4 cup sliced green onion
 2-3 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower kernels)

Dressing:
 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
 1 Tbsp honey (maple syrup or agave, if vegan)
 1/8 tsp cinnamon
 1/8 tsp cumin
 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
 1/8 tsp salt

Directions
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer chopped sweet potato to prepared baking sheet and spray with additional nonstick spray. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
 2. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Allow potatoes to cool slightly before handling.
For the Quinoa:
 3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, combine quinoa and water in medium-sized pot. Bring mixture to gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until quinoa has absorbed all of the water.
 4. Remove from heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover pot and fluff quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool.
For the Dressing:
 5. While quinoa is cooking, add oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, spices, and salt to small bowl. Whisk until salad dressing comes together. Set aside.
For the Salad:
 6. In large bowl, add slightly cooled sweet potatoes, slightly cooled quinoa, cranberries, fresh herbs, and green onion. Pour salad dressing over top of veggies and quinoa. Gently stir to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
 7. Just before serving, garnish with raw pumpkin seeds on top.
 8. Enjoy immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from nourished. the blog.

Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Blondies

This recipe is dessert perfection: the soft, chewy, cinnamon-sugariness of a snickerdoodle cookie combined with the rich, creamy, sweetness of a slice of cheesecake... all in one delicious treat!

Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Blondies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Cheesecake Layer:
 2 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup granulated sugar
 2 eggs, room temperature
 1 tsp vanilla extract

Snickerdoodle Layer:
 2 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 1 tsp salt
 3/4 cup butter, softened
 1 cup granulated sugar
 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
 2 eggs, room temperature
 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar:
 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Prepare Cheesecake Layer: In stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Set aside.
3. Prepare Snickerdoodle Layer: In medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Add in flour mixture; stir just until combined.
4. Prepare Cinnamon Sugar: In small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
5. Assemble Bars: Spread 2/3 of Snickerdoodle dough into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of Cinnamon Sugar mixture. Pour Cheesecake mixture over the top and smooth with a spatula. Add remaining Snickerdoodle dough to the cheesecake layer by breaking it up into small pieces and placing on top of the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until center is just slightly jiggly and edges are set.
7. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Once at room temperature, cover and store in refrigerator overnight before serving.
8. Slice into bars and enjoy!

Note: This recipe needs to be made one day in advance!

Recipe adapted from Your Homebased Mom.