Jam Streusel Bars

What you will need:

Shortbread Crust
½ cup oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar

pinch of salt

Jam Layer
Fruit flavored preserves of choice

Streusel Topping
½ cup oil

1 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

1 cup rolled oats

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the middle. Grease a 9 by 9” square pan and line it with greased parchment.

Crust
In a medium bowl, mix the oil, flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt, until it comes together in a uniform dough. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Press it down with your hands to pack it tightly into the pan. Place in the oven to par bake for 15 minutes.

Gooey Filling

Spread a layer of your fruit preserves over your warm crust. Spread as much or as little as you want. I like a thin layer. 

Topping
Mix together the oil, brown sugar, salt, oats and flour with your fingers, so the mixture forms small clumps. Scatter evenly over the jam. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top is caramel-brown and the fruit is bubbling.

Cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting. It’s easier to cut when chilled. 

Enjoy! 

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

What you will need:

For the brownies:

Double my Brownie recipe

For cheesecake filling:

2 8oz packages (brick style) cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 egg

½ tbsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

2 tbsp flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment.

Cheesecake filling- Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and scrape down the sides. Add in flour and egg and beat until smooth.

For brownies- follow directions in brownie recipe for combining ingredients.

Spread ⅔ of the brownie batter into your parchment lined 9x13 pan.

Dollop the cheesecake filling over the brownie and then dollop the remaining brownie batter.

With a knife, swirl the two batters together.

Bake for 25 min or until center is set and doesn't jiggle.

Cool on the counter, and then refrigerate for at least a few hours before slicing.

Enjoy!

No-Churn Ice Cream

I LOVE ice cream! Especially as the weather is warming up, it’s a nice cold treat to cool down with.

Ice cream seems intimidating to make, especially the ones with eggs in it. However, I have found an easy 2 ingredient ice cream based that you can add flavors and mix-ins to and create any ice cream concoction you wish! I may have as much fun with creating new ice cream combinations this summer as I do with my challahs!

What you will need:

Ice cream base

2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

Optional: 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Chocolate S’mores Ice cream

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

¼ cup caramel or chocolate chips

½ cup mini marshmallows

Lime Ice Cream with Mixed Berry Swirl

Zest and juice from 1 lime

½ cup homemade {or store bought} mixed berry preserves

Directions:

Whip the cream {and vanilla bean paste} with a mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.

For chocolate ice cream- Whisk together the condensed milk, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl. The mixture will become very thick. Then fold in the whipped cream mixture.

For lime ice cream- whisk together the condensed milk, lime zest, and juice. Then fold in the whipped cream mixture. 

For add ins-

Chocolate s’mores- pour half of the ice cream mixture into your container, and sprinkle with about half of the mix-ins on top and swirl with a knife. Repeat with the remaining half of the ice cream and mix-ins.

Mixed berry swirl- pour half of the ice cream mixture into your container, dollop about half of the preserves on top and swirl with a knife. Repeat with the remaining half of the ice cream and mix-ins.

Pour into a container, or a 9x5x3 loaf pan and freeze until set, about 4-5 hours.

Enjoy!

{Healthy} Spinach Banana Donuts

These cute healthy donuts are the perfect toddler-approved two bite snack. There are only 6 ingredients!

These green donuts are packed with nutrients, and if your toddler is like mine and does not like most veggies these help fill in that area.

These donuts are so easy to make and are versatile. You can make them in mini donut pans like I did, or even muffins. They freeze well {in an airtight bag or container} for months and you can pop them out as needed. 

What you will need: 

1 ½ packed cups baby spinach 

1 banana 

2 large eggs 

3 tbsp rolled oats 

½ tsp cinnamon 

1 tbsp ground flaxseed 

Glaze- 

6 tbsp powdered sugar 

 2-3 tsp water 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease your donut pan.

Add all of the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.
Pour the batter into the donut cavities and bake for 17 minutes or until the donuts are firm and browning on the edges. 

Pop out of the donut cavities and let cool completely before adding the optional glaze or freezing. 

Glaze- 

Combine the powdered sugar and 2 tsp water in a bowl until it’s a thick consistency. If too thick, add another tsp water. 

Glaze your donuts by either turning over and dunking into the glaze, or drizzle over the top with a spoon. 

Decorate with some sprinkles! 

Enjoy!

Potato Knish Challah

What do you get when you stuff mashed potatoes and mushroom inside of your challah strands? Potato knish challah! And that’s exactly what my house smells like as this challah is cooking. 

This challah is oh so savory, and so good served warm! One of my favorite savory mashup creations yet!

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

3 Maine or Yukon gold potatoes

2-3 garlic cloves

Salt 

1 container mushrooms

Topping

1 egg

Mushrooms

Fried onions {I use Trader Joe’s fried onion pieces}

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 300°F. 

On parchment lined sheet tray or greased aluminum foil, spread out the mushroom slices and bake for about an hour. This helps remove all the excess moisture in the mushrooms that could make the challah soggy! {or use Trader Joe’s Crunchy Champignon Mushroom Snack to save a step, but we just finished our last bag on a pizza!}

While the mushrooms are in the oven, start on the mashed potatoes. I peel and cube my potatoes so they boil faster. I place it all in the pot with a generous amount of salt and garlic cloves. Boil for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. 

Drain the potatoes, but save the starchy water! This helps the mashed potatoes become creamy without having my to add margarine. 

Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and gradually add the starchy water until creamy, but not too liquidy. Add salt and any other seasonings. 

Allow the mashed potatoes cool, if the filling is too hot it will be hard to shaped the challah. I usually do mine a day in advance. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Place cooled mashed potatoes along the log, and top with some dehydrated mushrooms. Pinch closed and braid. 

Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. 

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with reserved mushrooms and fried crispy onions. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!