No Bake Snickers Crunch Bars

Growing up, my sisters and I would go out trick-or-treating together on Halloween. While that was certainly fun, the best part of the evening was when we brought all of our candy back home and started trading with each other to get the "good" stuff.

Thankfully, we all had a different top favorite! My older sister wanted to hoard Butterfingers while my younger sister collected all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I bet you can't guess what my favorite was (and still is)... Snickers, of course! They are the perfect balance of salty and sweet, creamy and crunchy... all of the qualities you will find packed into these delicious homemade bars that rival the original!

Snickers Crunch Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Crunchy Chocolate Top and Bottom Layer:
 12 oz package semisweet chocolate chips, divided
 11 oz package butterscotch chips, divided
 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
 3 cups crisped rice cereal, divided (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

Nougat Layer:
 1/4 cup unsalted butter
 1 cup granulated sugar
 1/4 cup evaporated milk
 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*
 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
 1 1/2 cups roasted, lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
 1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Layer:
 11 oz bag caramels or caramel bits
 1/4 cup evaporated milk

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions
Crunchy Chocolate Bottom Layer:
 1. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
 2. Combine half of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until chips are fully melted and mixture is smooth.
 3. Stir in half of cereal until fully coated. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Nougat Layer:
 4. In small saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and evaporated milk over medium heat, stirring until butter is completely melted and sugar is dissolved.
 5. Bring mixture to boil and cook for additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallow crème until smooth. Stir in peanut
butter and vanilla. Fold in peanuts.
 6. Pour nougat layer over chilled chocolate bottom layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Caramel Layer:
 7. Combine caramels and evaporated milk in microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir and heat on high in 30-second intervals until caramel is completely melted.
 8. Spread caramel over top of chilled nougat layer.

Crunchy Chocolate Top Layer:
 9. Repeat directions for bottom layer (steps 2 and 3).
 10. Pour mixture on top of chilled caramel layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
 11. Bars should be refrigerated until ready to eat. Cut and serve.

Recipe adapted from Mom on Time Out.

Chocolate Chip Squash Bread

My in-laws live in Minnesota and grow a bountiful garden every year. There is always an abundance of butternut squash, so I adapted a pumpkin bread recipe many years ago to take advantage of the fresh produce they give to us each fall.

Mini Loaf (perfect for gift-giving!)

Large Loaf (easy to double!)

Chocolate Chip Squash Bread
Yield: 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

Ingredients
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup mashed butternut squash*
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

* Buttercup squash also works well in this recipe since it's sweet. Or you can substitute canned pumpkin in place of the squash for a more traditional recipe!

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 335°F. (I have a convection oven. If using a standard oven, increase temperature to 350°F.)
2. Grease loaf pan with Crisco.
3. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until well blended. Set aside.
4. Beat eggs, pumpkin, sugars, milk, and oil in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
5. For full size loaf: Bake 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. For mini loaves: Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
8. For easier slicing (and moister bread), wrap bread in plastic wrap and store overnight before cutting.

Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Tart

If you've looked through my recipes, you know that I'm a big fan of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour because it makes gluten free baking a breeze! You can directly replace the all-purpose flour in any of your favorite recipes with this gluten free baking flour and that's it! No additional ingredients or extra effort necessary. For a busy mom of three like me, that has been a wonderful time saver in the kitchen!

But occasionally I want to try something new... so I did! I picked up a bag of teff flour to give it a try. Teff is a naturally gluten free, ancient grain that is high in fiber, iron, protein, and calcium. Sounded like a winner to me! So when I saw this recipe on the back, I thought I should totally give it a shot. Anything with chocolate has to be good in my book! Apparently everyone at our Thanksgiving gathering thought so, too, because this is all that was left...

Silly me forgot to take a picture of the tart before I set it out on the counter to be served. But I think the near-empty platter speaks volumes as to how much my extended family enjoyed it! Here's a close up of a slice, with the sweet raspberry jam oozing out of the middle...

Raspberry Chocolate Truffle Tart
Yield: 10” tart

Ingredients
Crust:
 2 cups teff flour
 1/2 cup vegetable oil
 1/2 tsp salt
 1/4 cup honey
 2 Tbsp cold water

Filling:
 1 cup raspberry jam (seedless)
 1 cup full fat coconut milk
 1 tsp vanilla
 2 cups bittersweet chocolate

Directions
For crust:
 1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
 2. In large bowl, mix all ingredients together until fully blended. Dough should have crumby appearance. Press mixture into 10” tart tin and bake for 12-15 minutes.
 3. Let crust cool in tin. Cool completely before filling.

For filling:
 4. Spread bottom of cooled tart shell with even layer of jam.
 5. In medium saucepan, heat coconut milk and vanilla over medium heat until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate. Make sure chocolate is fully blended and no lumps remain.
 6. Pour still warm chocolate ganache filling over jam layer in tart shell.
 7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
 8. Tart will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes
* My tart tin is 11” and the recipe still turned out great!
* Teff pie crust can also be used in 9” pie dish for traditional fruit pies.

Recipe adapted from Pereg Teff Flour (back of package).

Update 2/7/19: I finally made this recipe again and remembered to take a photo of the finished product before slicing into it!

Corn Bread Casserole

I had this dish for the first time when I was visiting my aunt and her family in the Twin Cities for Thanksgiving. I usually spent the holiday with my parents, but I had recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin and didn't have enough time off from my new job to travel down to Texas for the holiday. My mom makes the BEST turkey stuffing ever, so I suppose she never felt the need to add another bread-based side dish to her Thanksgiving menu. I was skeptical to try my aunt's casserole since most corn bread recipes are dry and rather bland, but after tasting the sweet, soft breading studded with juicy corn kernels, I became a convert!

Like many tried-and-true recipes, this one used to be simplified by using a boxed corn muffin mix, but I've found the right balance of from-scratch ingredients to achieve the same delicious taste without any of the gluten!

Corn Bread Casserole
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
14.75 oz can cream style corn*
2/3 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 9x13 oven safe dish with cooking spray.
3. Stir all ingredients together and pour into prepared dish.
4. Bake for about 1 hour, or until lightly browned on top and set in the middle. (Start checking around 45 minutes since oven temperature varies.)

*Creamed corn can be a source of hidden wheat. From my research, the Celiac community recommends going with a national name brand (such as Del Monte) for this product, so that is what I have used here.

White Chocolate Cranberry Bread

The pairing of tangy cranberries with sweet white chocolate in this moist bread is a delicious way to get into the holiday spirit! Since this recipe makes two loaves, it is perfect for gift-giving (while still keeping some for yourself to enjoy!). Bake in mini loaf pans to give as gifts for teachers, coaches, neighbors, or anyone else on your Christmas list!

White Chocolate Cranberry Bread
Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cranberries, coated with 2 Tbsp flour
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two loaf pans. (I use original Crisco shortening in the blue canister.)
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar and sour cream; mix well. Add oil and vanilla; mix until combined. Slowly stir in flour mixture. Fold in chopped cranberries (previously coated with 2 Tbsp flour) and white chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans. Smooth surface of the batter. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool 10 minutes before removing bread from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Recipe adapted from Manila Spoon.

No Bake Energy Bites

The nutritious ingredients packed into these bite-sized snacks are a healthy balance of protein, fat, and fiber to fuel your body. They're perfect to grab for a quick breakfast on-the-go, a pick-me-up during the afternoon slump, or a treat late at night when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. They're like a potato chip... I bet you can't eat just one!

No Bake Energy Bites
Yield: 20-25 balls

Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp sunflower kernels
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together. (Be patient! It may take a minute to get everything completely incorporated.)
2. Set mixture in refrigerator for about half an hour.
3. Roll into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. (I used a small cookie dough scoop.)
4. Store in air tight container in refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven.