Rhubarb Custard Bars

I had these once and I knew as soon as I got my hands on some rhubarb that I would make them! The recipe makes a 13x9 pan of these sweets so make sure you have somewhere to take them or you will literally want to eat them all!

My favorite part of these sweet bars is the crust!! Crisp and buttery. :) Is there anything as good as a perfect pastry crust?? It smelled amazing while in the oven.

These custard bars are so pretty before you add the topping! Rhubarb sure is a pretty color! You want to cool the bars completely before adding the topping.

Because the frosting is made with heavy whipping cream, it takes longer to set-up than if you use cool whip in the frosting. The heavy whipping cream definitely adds better flavor though.

I was not completely happy with the topping, I thought it was lumpy. Originally, the recipe said to whip the heavy cream and then fold it into the cream cheese mixture. After researching some other recipes and cream cheese frosting, I changed the recipe so that you whip the heavy cream into the cream cheese. It mixes so much better and is more smooth! 

Rhubarb Custard Bars Recipe

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup cold butter

Filling:

2 cups sugar

7 Tbsp. flour

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 large eggs, beaten

5 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed & drained

Topping:

6 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup heavy whipping cream 

In a bowl combine the flour and sugar; cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Press into a greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until custard is set. Cool. 

For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream into the mixer, beating well until peaks are formed. Spread on top. Cover and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. 

Makes 3 dozen. 

Recipe from Taste of Home. The only thing I changed was the process of making the topping. 

A great cold, summer treat! 

What's your favorite rhubarb recipe? 

Comment below!

Megan

Poppy Seed Bread and Peonies

We've had some beautiful days lately. The flowers are starting to bloom and the days are beginning to warm up. I love that it's still cool enough outside to open the door and windows while I work in the kitchen. If the weather can't brighten up your day this delicious poppy seed bread sure will!

I'm loving the peonies in our yard. We have a really unique peony- I've never seen one like it before.

This is one of my FAVORITE breads ever. My mom made this poppy seed bread while I was growing up and I have many memories of helping her measure out the extracts and flavorings. This is one of the first recipes I learned to bake.

I make this recipe in my 5 quart Kitchen Aid mixer and always double the recipe when I make it. I put all of the ingredients in my mixer in the order listed and leave the mixer on stir, or your lowest notch, the whole time. It mixes it really well and I've found that if you start and stop the mixer, the jerk of the machine starting will slosh your precious batter out! So because of that, I let mine mix nice and slow while I add the ingredients and it doesn't affect the recipe!

The little loaves make great gifts! Who doesn't love a little loaf of sweet bread??

This bread is covered in a sweet, orange juice glaze = so good!

The only poppy seed bread recipe I will ever make. Seriously, it's that good! Thanks to my long time friends, the Troyer Family, for letting me share this recipe!

Poppy Seed Bread Recipe

3 cups flour

2 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/8 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

Combine all of the ingredients for the bread and mix well, 1-2 minutes, with an electric mixer. Pour into 6 greased mini loaf pans or 2 regular size bread pans. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then glaze.

Glaze:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

Mix all glaze ingredients well. Pour over warm bread while still in pans.

Recipe doubles well. Bread freezes well. Store in an airtight container.

I'm having an impromptu party in my kitchen! Flowers, food, and bread! :)

Who is going to make some of this sweet bread?

What's your favorite bread? Comment below! 

Megan

Bacon Spinach Mushroom Quiche

I'm not a big breakfast person. I prefer not to eat in the morning mostly because I'm not hungry. Since we've been married, Nate and I have been doing a big breakfast on the Saturday mornings that we have been home. I'm always hungry for Saturday morning breakfast! I look for a new recipe each week to try out that weekend.

I found this gem.

Seriously my new favorite breakfast and so easy!

I've already made this recipe a couple times and it will stay on my rotation of recipes now! I can't wait to try some different ingredient combinations to mix it up.

This recipe does require some prep before you pop it in the oven. To save myself time in the morning,  I pre-cooked and crumbled my bacon and washed and sliced my mushrooms, putting both in a sealed container in the fridge until morning.

Bacon Spinach Mushroom Quiche Recipe

1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach

8 oz. fresh mushrooms

8 oz. cooked bacon, crumbled

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

5 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream or half and half

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 

1 pre-made pie crust

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place pie crust in a 9 inch pie dish.

Thaw the frozen spinach in the microwave. Drain in a colander and squeeze out any juice.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Reserve some of the bacon grease to sauté the mushrooms. Thinly slice the mushrooms and toss in the skillet with the bacon grease. Add the minced garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute on medium-high heat about 5-7 minutes.

In a bowl mix the spinach, mushrooms, and bacon together. Spread it out on the bottom of the pie crust.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs until fairly smooth. Add the cream, parmesan, and a dash of salt & pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the pie dish over the bacon, spinach, and mushrooms. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top. 

Place quiche in the preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the center is solid and the top is golden brown. Slice & serve!

Recipe slightly adapted from http://gigglesgalore.net.

I promise you're going to love this recipe!

What's your favorite quiche ingredient? Comment below!

Megan

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

This sauce is the best alfredo ever!!

It tastes just like that creamy, cheesy alfredo from Red Lobster or Olive Garden. Sometimes I make the alfredo with shrimp and pretend I'm at Red Lobster. Or I add chicken and steamed broccoli like Olive Garden.

It is SO simple & rich! Believe me - you will be licking the spoon!

To make the alfredo sauce

You will need 4 ingredients: butter, half & half, garlic, and parmesan. 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. 

Once butter melts, add the half & half and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and cheese. 

Stir until cheese breaks down and heat through.

And that's it! Creamy, cheesy, garlic-y, yummy alfredo sauce! 

Alfredo Sauce Recipe

1/4 cup butter

1 cup half & half

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups parmesan

parsley for garnish

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add half & half and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add garlic and cheese and stir quickly to break up cheese. Heat through.

If sauce is too thick for your liking, add more half & half or milk to thin and heat.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Recipe adapted from All Recipes.

I love making angel hair and alfredo sauce when I need a really quick dinner! You can make this in about 10 minutes since the pasta only has to cook for 4 minutes! 

One of my absolute favorite comfort foods with ingredients I always have on hand! 

Did you lick the spoon?

Megan

Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Nate and I went the entire month of April with no sugar!! We avoided sweets and most refined sugars (we still ate fruit). It was a long 30 days.

The first thing I made was this beauty.

  I love making angel food cake because the mixer does all of the work! The key is to beat the eggs, beat 'em again, and beat 'em some more! You want those egg whites to stand up by themselves! This gives you that light, fluffy, and sponge-like cake.

This was my first time making an angel food cake with a chocolate frosting. It was so simple! A light, fluffy cake with a light, fluffy frosting. Perfect. 

Nate grated semi-sweet baking chocolate squares on my box grater into fine shavings. He did such a good job. :)

Okay let's get to the recipe! This recipe is from the 4-H Baking Project Book. 

Angel Food Cake Recipe

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 2/3 cup egg whites, about 12 large eggs

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to lowest position.

In a small bowl, whisk flour with 3/4 cup sugar. Place egg whites in the electric mixer's bowl and beat at a low speed until beginning to froth. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat on medium speed until egg whites form soft mounds. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until all sugar is added and whites are shiny and form soft peaks. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and almond; beat until just blended. 

Sift flour over egg whites about 3 Tbsp. at a time, and gently fold in. Gently scrape batter into a 10-inch tube pan and smooth the top. Give the pan a couple raps on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed, about 50-60 minutes.

If the cake pan has prongs around the rim, invert pan on prongs over a cooling rack. If no prongs, invert pan over a bottle or funnel so air can circulate. Let cake cool completely, 2-3 hours.

Remove the cake by running a metal knife around the edges of the pan, being careful not to separate the crust from the cake. Slide out of the pan and cut the same way around removable bottom to release. Place the cake, bottom side up on a plate. Cut slices by gently sawing with a serrated knife. 

Chocolate Frosting Recipe

1 small container cool whip, 8 oz.

3 oz. semi sweet baking chocolate, extra for garnish

berries for decoration

In a small bowl mix chocolate into cool whip. Using a serrated knife slice the cake in half longways. Spread some of the frosting on the bottom layer and put the top layer back on. Ice the top and sides. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and top with fruit. 

Keep in refrigerator. 

A lovely light treat that everyone is sure to love!

What's your favorite angel food topping?

Megan