It won’t be long until children get an Easter break from school, which means you’ll want to have a few snacks on hand. These two sweet treats don’t take a lot of time to prepare and are sure to satisfy your youngsters’ cravings.
If you like your sweets with just a little crunch, these Apple-Walnut Bars will fit the bill. If you prefer a really crunchy treat, then these Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies will do the trick, providing a wonderfully crunchy twist on other peanut butter cookie varieties.
Whether you make the bars or the cookies, the whole family will enjoy them.
APPLE-WALNUT BARS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, blend together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes or until smooth.
Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture and mix for 2 minutes or until just incorporated. Stir in chopped apples and walnuts and spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and dust with desired amount of powdered sugar. Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
Note: You may substitute 1 cup raisins for the walnuts.
CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 (16-ounce) jar crunchy peanut butter
4 1/2-cups chow mein noodles
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil; stir in peanut butter. Remove from heat. Stir in noodles.
Drop by tablespoonsful onto wax paper and allow to cool. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Brotherton offers website readers one or more stellar recipes a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email her at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and she’ll see if she has it.
