It’s been a very long time since I ran this recipe. Last week a guest was in and mentioned how much she enjoys making this dessert. It’s all about simplicity, which is my foundation.
I do not take credit for the originality of this dish. It was shared with me by Debbie Nusbaum, of Platte City, Missouri several years ago. Once again it’s easy and it’s a ‘foundation’ for building many other delicious bar cookies/desserts.
The portions on this 9 x 13 pan of yum yum can be smaller than usual because the dessert is so rich. Actually this recipe reminds me a bit of my sis, Judy’s, Neiman Marcus Bars. Others may even think this tastes like an ‘Ooey-Goey’ cake which has its heritage in the great state of Missouri.
When you talk about different directions and embellishments this is a fun recipe to ‘mess’ with. Take this dish to lemon, chocolate or Carmel in the blink of an eye. You might even put some sort of special topping over the cream cheese filling. I’ve never done this next suggestion, but there’s no reason not too reserve just a little of the bottom crust and sprinkle it over the top of the bar. With all the different flavors of cakes on the market and the use of extracts, zests, cinnamon chips and the like you’re going to have a blast just playing around. I’m also pretty sure that you could do something with a cup of pumpkin pulp in the filling.
Sometimes no matter how abundant certain foods are we just can’t think of something different for dinner. How about I just throw out a few simple ideas? I know there are days when it ‘seems’ like you can’t think of anything different.
- Grilled pumpkin, brush with maple syrup on one side, savory on the other.
- Stuffed Acorn squash, stuff with anything: dry/fresh fruits, nuts, vegies, meats. Bake in the microwave or the oven.
- Dinner in a foil packet: Sweet potatoes & kielbasa or red potatoes with onion and kielbasa sausage in a sealed foil pouch.
- Fried apples with pork chops and cabbage instead of potatoes!
- Meat loaf, and plenty of it for meatloaf sandwiches.
- Make a dip early in the week for the weekend. Flavors get better when they’re made in advance.
- Enchiladas, make 3 times what you need and freeze two batches for the deep freeze.
- Sausage: Cook 2-3 lbs., drain and label for the freezer. Great for omelets, pizzas and casseroles.
- Switch from white rice to brown. The additional health benefits will blow you away!
- Brats night, plenty of kraut, fried onions & peppers, cheese & sauces
(Invite me over this is one of my favorite fall meals!)
Sometimes we all need a little energizer bunny to feed our cooking spirits into gear. I’m going to set this recipe and then just chill out for a while. My work week has been super busy and full of a great deal of ‘press’ events. That means a bit extra stress, yet it’s still fun! Simply yours, The Covered Dish.
www.thecovereddish.com.
Fall Brownies
1 spice cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg
Mix into stiff dough, mash into bottom of 9 x 13 ungreased pan. Then mix the following and pour over the dough mixture:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs
1 stick butter
1 pound powdered sugar
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Due to the richness of this delight, I would cut into small squares. This reminds me of a recipe I used to make called, ‘Neiman Marcus Bars”
