Tweety Bites (No Bake Cookies)

It has been a cold, damp summer thus far which has given me a bit more time indoors.  Late last week it suddenly turned very hot and humid, bringing a few nasty storms with the change.  I wanted to do a bit of experimenting in the kitchen but didn't want to use the stove or oven.  I came across a recipe for no bake treats and immediately thought it could be tweaked to use hemp hearts.

Hemp hearts are about the size of sesame seeds.  They have a nutty flavour with a firm yet somewhat chewy texture.  Typically they are used to boost the protein content as they contain just over 3 g protein per 10 g (1 tbsp).  Hemp hearts  are also high in omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats.  They can be stored at room temperature but for best taste, they can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

I buy Canadian grown hemp hearts at our local health food store.  They are on the expensive side at $14 for a 454 g (1 lb ) container but it lasts a long time.  I like sprinkling a teaspoon of hemp hearts on top of plain Greek yogurt for breakfast.  

No bake cookies and bars are perfect hot weather treats.  I experimented with hemp hearts to make no bake treats that are not only easy to make but a tasty low calorie, low car, high protein, tasty treat.  I used organic 90% cacao dark chocolate for dipping.  Clearly, I need to practice my dipping skills but overall, I was rather pleased with the results.  The cookies are tasty, with a slightly nutty flavour.  The chocolate adds a nice note.  These are not really sweet cookies but they are tasty. 

Tweety Bites
recipe by:  Garden Gnome

113 g (4 oz) cream cheese
140 g (3/4 c plus 3 tbsp) hemp hearts
1/2 tsp homemade vanilla extract
40 g (1.4 oz) 90% cacao dark chocolate

Soften the cream cheese at room temperature in a small bowl.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  Stir in hemp hearts until well mixed.  Roll into 20 equally sized balls.  Place balls on Silpat lined baking sheet.  Flatten balls with fingers.  Cover and place baking sheet in refrigerator for an hour.  Melt chocolate in small bowl place over slightly larger bowl containing boiling water.  Carefully tip the bowl with the melted chocolate and dip each chilled cookie, replacing the dipped cookie onto the Silpat.  Chill.  Remove from Silpat for serving.

Note:  These cookies should be kept in the refrigerator.  I put them in a container to enjoy as desired.

Christmas Crispies

The holiday season is one of the best times of the year to get a bit of culinary inspiration.  The stores are filled with foods that aren't available any other time of the year.  Folks get creative in the kitchen!  Magazines are filled with holiday recipes and even store flyers have tips and recipes.  Sometimes the inspiration comes from within.  That happened to me recently as soon as I saw a new (one I had not seen before)  product at the grocery store. 

Peppermint is one of the prominent flavours of the holiday season.  Kraft has responded by making Jet-Puffed peppermint mallows and other holiday themed marshmallows.  These mini marshmallows are naturally flavoured with other natural flavours.  They are pink and white swirled.  The package suggests using these marshmallows in your favourite fudge recipe, sprinkling into hot cocoa and using them to frost cookies or cupcakes.  As soon as I saw them, visions of a Christmas version of the familiar rice krispie squares came to mind.  I use one 12 oz box of Kellogg's rice krispies cereal, on 10 oz bag of Kraft Jet-Puffed peppermint mallows, one 10 oz bag of Nestle Toll House premier which morsels, one SweetNature candy cane (100% natural flavours, no artificial colours) and a little butter to make my Christmas Crispies. 

I don't make rice krispie squares exactly according to the original recipe.  My husband likes them a bit gooey rather than dry so I've made them that way ever since our newlywed days.  I used a little butter to lightly grease a non-stick baking pan and parchment paper.  I poured the rice krispie cereal into a large bowl then melted the marshmallows in the microwave oven, stirring to a smooth consistency.  I poured the melted marshmallows over the cereal then mixed well.  I filled the baking pan with the mixture and patted down with lightly buttered fingers.  I formed the remainder of the mixture into a rectangle on the parchment paper.  I left the prepared base on the counter to cool and firm up before moving to the next steps.

I cut the rectangular portion of the base into plain squares.  I melted the white chocolate morsels in the microwave, stirring until smooth then spread over the base mixture in the baking pan.  While the white chocolate was still warm, I sprinkled crushed candy cane over it.  I only used about a tablespoon of the crushed candy cane.  Then I used a flipper to carefully remove the topped base from the baking pan.  At this point, the Christmas Crispies were quite malleable so the flipper provided the needed support to slide the base out of the pan.  I allowed the topped base to cool completely on the counter before cutting into squares.  

I initially cut the Christmas Crispies into 16 squares.  My husband did the taste test.  He declared them delicious but very sweet so I cut the remaining squares in half. The peppermint flavour is not strong, nicely enhanced with the white chocolate and touch of candy cane.  The squares have a pretty pinkish colour.  

I was pleased with the Christmas Crispies that came about simply through a vision.  It really was one of those "I'll bet that would make a tasty square!" as soon as I saw the peppermint marshmallows.  The only change I would make is make the base a bit shallower.  I think it would be easier to omit the baking pan entirely in favour of forming the base free hand the way I usually make rice krispie squares.  I'm sure the Christmas Crispies will be a holiday keeper!

Chocolate Crisps

There is an endless number of no bake bars recipes using dry cereals.  Some of them involve minimal cooking but all are easy enough to make that they are the ideal beginner's recipe.  Cereal bars tend to have few ingredients, most of them common pantry items as well.  They are the ideal treat for school lunches and yet are a favourite dessert item at many functions. 

Chocolate crisps takes advatage of the classical pairing of chocolate with peanut butter.  They are a delectible change from plain rice krispies squares and every bit as easy to make.  These squares are sure to become a family favourite!

Chocolate Crisps
source: modified from Jean Paré, 150 Delicious Squares (1981), Pp. 10

¾ c honey
1 c peanut butter
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 c salted peanuts
3 c rice krispies cereal

Mix cereal and peanuts together in mixing bowl.  Combine honey and peanut butter in sauce pan.  Melt over low heat.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Stir until melted.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal mix.  Stir to coat.  Press mixture into a greased 9 x 9 - inch baking dish.  Chill in the refrigerator until firm.  Cut into squares.

Mudpies

Every once in awhile you come across a recipe that becomes an instant family favourite. I have a old strawberry graphic covered binder where I started putting these recipes as a newlywed. Every entry in hand written and the lined paper is now yellowed. This is the cookbook that is reached for most often in our house. Here is a great, easy to make recipe from this cherished cookbook.

Mudpies

This is a recipe I have had since being a newlywed but have no idea where it came from. It's one of those recipes that are so easy to make and so well liked that I make a batch fairly often. The nice thing is mudpies go over well for any event. Everyone loves them! They are a nice cookie to make during the summer as the cook time is only 2 minutes with no baking involved. I should also mention this recipe uses basic pantry ingredients so it is easy to make anytime.

Mudpies
source: Garden Gnome

½ c milk
½ c butter
6 tbsp cocoa
2 c organic sugar
3 c quick cooking oatmeal
1 c shredded coconut

Mix oatmeal and coconut together in large mixing bowl. Place the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Mix then heat to boiling, cook 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pour into the oatmeal mixture. Mix well. Drop by the spoonfull onto wax paper. Let cool.

Yield: about 2 dozen