Tag Archives: dessert recipes

Cherry Blueberry Oat Bars

Cherry Blueberry Oat Bars

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Last weekend I made it to the farm, barely, to the last day of cherry picking of the season. The large farm was almost picked clean.

Thankfully I am nearly 6 feet tall and could reach the higher branches of the cherry trees, and my 6’1″ hubby was there to help.  Two of the four varieties were left, but I didn’t care because every cherry was plump and delicious. 

When I got home with the 5 pounds of organic fresh picked cherries the big question became, now what? I scoured through the pages of Pinterest and found a ton of yummy ideas.

With a little tweaking of a cherry bar, I came up with this yummy cherry blueberry oat bar recipe using fresh fruit. 

Cherry Blueberry Oat Bar

Ingredients

  • 3 cups pitted fresh cherries
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • package of lemon or yellow cake mix
  • 2 1/2 cups quick oats
  • 1 cup butter melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • (optional use 1 can of cherry pie filling instead of fresh fruit)

Instructions 

Filling

  1. Place pitted cherries and blueberries in a medium saucepan on medium heat covered until they release their juice. Then turn down to a simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stir often.
  2. Mix together the cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl.  Stir into cherry mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is thickened (about 2-3 minutes).  Let cool until just warm.

Oat Bars

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13″ baking dish.
  2. Combine oats and cake mix in a large bowl. Add melted butter and stir until crumbly.
  3. Take half of the mixture and press down in the bottom of the baking dish. (This is the bottom layer of your bar.)
  4. Spread the homemade blueberry cherry pie filling (or 1 can of cherry pie filling) carefully over the oat mixture. Take care to make a nice flat surface covering all of the oats.
  5. Pour the rest of the oat mixture on top and gently spread evenly over the pie filling. Gently press down as if you are sealing it.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. 
  7. Let cool or enjoy warm.  Cut into bars. Enjoy!

This is my new favorite treat! It makes about 18-24 bars depending on how large you cut them.  We served them warm with small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Comment Below:  What’s your favorite cherry treat?

 

sour cream coffee cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

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In a previous life, I was an innkeeper.

My parents, my husband and I ran a family-friendly B&B that routinely hosted 30+ individuals per weekend.

We were regularly trying new recipes for flavor and their ability to be made ahead.

When we found dishes that had a terrific home-style taste and that could be prepared at least a day or more before, we’d put them into the breakfast rotation.

Not surprisingly, this soft and moist-crumbed cake was a regular and popular feature on the buffet.

Even though I have had this recipe for over twenty-five years and feel like I’ve made thousands of them, it still is the one I turn to when I have company, or when I want to bring something to a friend, neighbor, or event.

The recipe makes one bundt cake, but I always double it so I can have one to serve immediately and one to put in the freezer for later.

 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake 

Yields 1 bundt coffee cake.

Recipe can be doubled to make two. (I highly recommend doing this!)

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. flour (10 oz)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 lb. butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 1 c. sugar (7 oz)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 c. light or regular sour cream (If doubling, you can use a 16 oz container)

Topping

  • 1/4 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 c. walnuts (optional)

 

Directions:

Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into bowl. Whisk to combine; set aside.

Mix sugar and cinnamon for topping; set aside.

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with electric mixer until well mixed. Add flour mixture and sour cream to butter/sugar mix. Beat slowly until blended. Stop beaters, and gently stir batter up from bottom of bowl to be sure all the dry ingredients are blended in equally. Batter will be quite thick.

Spread half of batter in well-greased bundt pan. If in doubt, go heavier on the bottom half. Sprinkle half of sugar cinnamon topping on top of batter, then sprinkle half of nuts over sugar. Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter into bundt pan, spread out evenly. Top with remaining sugar cinnamon topping and nuts. Press nuts lightly into top of batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool for about 30 minutes, until pans are cool enough to handle. Run a plastic knife around edges of bundt pan, flip onto plate and then back over onto cooling rack.

Let sit until completely cool. Cut and serve, or wrap whole and put in the freezer.

I cut the cakes into 20 pieces, which gives a nice size slice without being overwhelmingly large.

This cake keeps exceedingly well in the freezer.

May you find happiness wherever you are! 

            ~Kim, your personal Sherpa of Joy at Too Darn Happy

ice cream

Healthy 3-Ingredient Ice Cream

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Being a virtual health and fitness coach I usually don’t recommend eating ice cream to my clients. But, it’s one of those things that usually are at the top of their list of indulgences.

So what’s a coach to do?

Give them what they want!

I believe in not giving up the things we love, but instead figuring out healthier ways to enjoy them.

When I have a client who just “can’t live without ice cream”, this is the recipe I give them.

Oh and if you can’t have diary you’re in luck! It’s dairy free. :)

3-Ingredient Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • Ripe Banana
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups ice

In a very good blender (like a Blentec or Vitamix) put all of the ingredients inside. Blend on the ice cream setting or blend until you have the texture of ice cream. 

(If you’d like to level out your blood sugar level you can sprinkle a few sliced almonds on top). Sometimes I add strawberries or blueberries to it as well. Enjoy!

For more easy recipes and fitness tips you can visit me at Fit Moms Fit Kids Club.