We Made Room For Dessert 16 - Gluten Free Magic Bars

We made room for dessert this week!  And a gluten free one at that.  I have previously made magic bars and posted them on this blog (see my post for them HERE).  They are a yummy snack or dessert.  But in perusing Pinterest I found a way to make them gluten free.  Visit the original recipe HERE.  I put my own little spin on them.  They are super simple to make.  Gluten free people and regular people alike will love them.

Gluten Free Magic Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups rice Chex cereal, crushed (I used a store brand, not the name brand cereal and they tasted identical)
1/2 stick butter, melted
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup coconut

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt butter in bottom of a 13x9 baking dish (I made them for 4th of July so I put them in a disposable foil pan). Add crushed cereal and evenly mix with butter and spread over the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle on chocolate chips, then peanut butter chips, then coconut.  Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over whole pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 7 - Magic Bars

I know why this dessert that I'm about to give you the recipe for is titled "magic" bars... Because they are absolutely delicious and will satisfy your sweet craving!  While the title of this blog is No Room For Dessert, I do occasionally post dessert recipes, and this snack bar is precisely the reason why.  The great thing about these bars is that you could add, substitute, or remove ingredients to suit them to your taste.  I am going to give you the recipe for what I made, and then give you some suggestions for what you could add/substitute.

Magic Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2cups graham cracker crumbs (or about 6 graham crackers crushed up)
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut -this ingredient makes these bars but if you don't like coconut leave it out-
• 1 cup chocolate chips (you can use milk, semi-sweer, dark, etc - or sub in something else)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (this can also be left out - or use vanilla chips)

***suggestions (a cup or so)

peanut butter chips

butterscotch chips

peanuts, walnuts - whatever your fav nut is

1 10oz jar maraschino cherries
dried cherries/cranberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9x13 pan.
Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs and press into bottom of greased pan.  Next pour sweetened condensed milk over graham cracker crumbs, spreading into an even layer.  Sprinkle on your coconut, then your chocolate and white chocolate chips, pressing them down slightly.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Cool, then cut into bars.
Enjoy!

Coconut Custard Pie - We Made Room For Dessert 3

Even though the title of this blog is No Room For Dessert, occasionally we do make room for dessert. I do like sweets, but in moderation.  Also, I am more of a cook then a pastry/dessert maker, hence the name of the blog.
This week's recipe is embracing the sweeter side of life.  I had a can of sweetened condensed milk laying around, and wanted to make something new.  I searched for recipes that used this ingredient and saw several pie recipes.  I already had pie dough in the freezer, and a bag of flaked coconut, so I went with a recipe for Coconut Custard Pie.
I encountered some difficulties making this pie, not because of the recipe (which is VERY easy to follow), but probably because of my baking jinx.  Either way, the pie was delicious when it was done, and I feel like I learned a few things along the way.  I'll note my issues and possible solutions along the way in the recipe.
 Coconut Custard Pie
Ingredients:
1 9inch refrigerated pie dough (or make your own dough)
1 1/4 cups hot water
3 large eggs
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup flaked coconut, untoasted
1 tbs vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*optional 1/2 tsp coconut extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.  Bake pie crust 8 minutes; cool slightly. It is helpful to use pie weights during this process, or a couple cups of dried beans (placed over foil or parchment paper).  My crust shrank down and lost some shape during this blind-bake process, probably due to the fact that I did not use weights or beans.
Beat eggs well in a medium bowl. Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt and nutmeg (and coconut extract, if using); mix well. Add water in slowly, a quarter of a cup at a time, stirring very well.  My custard was not as smooth as I would have liked it to be, and I think that was because I didn't temper the eggs with the water correctly.
Next, Stir in untoasted coconut. Pour custard mixture into crust. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake an additional 25 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool.
We ate the pie while it was still warm (only 30 minutes out of the oven) and it was yummy.  This pie tastes great, warm or cold.  I would recommend leftovers be kept in the refrigerator, because of the eggs in the recipe.
Enjoy!