a bust of a recipe, but a tasty component to use elsewhere? Lemon Zinger Bars

M

marilynfl

Moderator
From Low-So Good by Jessica Goldman Foung.

I had hoped this would be a low-fat, low sodium breakfast bar for me, but the end result was too...pasty-tasting? Na, that's not it. I like raw oats in muesli, so I thought a baked version would also work.

It didn't.

However, the dried fruit blend smelled and tasted amazing and now I want to use THAT in something else. I just can't think what.

I'll post the recipe next, but the fruit blend I used was this, pureed in food processor:

1/2 C chopped dates

1/2 C candied ginger

1/4 C dried apricots

2 TBL dried cherries

1 large lemon, zest and juice

3/4 C warm water (this can easily be reduced).

While this baked, I was in lemon-ginger scented heaven, but the outcome was, sadly, blah. It's possible my nose raised expectations beyond the expectation limit, but then I realized I don't HAVE to have THIS mixed up with THAT.

So how else can I use it? My first thought was as a rugelach filling (using a lot less water to thin), but that would mean eating cookies for breakfast. Admittedly I've done that a LOT, but I'd like something a bit healthier, only not so "healthy" as mixing it with nothing other than old-fashion oats.

Any suggestions?

 
Lemon Zinger Bars from Low-So Good

2 3/4 C whole rolled oats
4 pitted dates
3/4 C chopped candied ginger
Juice and zest from 2 lemons
3/4 C warm water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Butter 8x8" pan.

Buzz 3/4 C of the oats to a flour texture. Remove to bowl.
Add dried fruit (minus zest) to processor with liquids. Let sit for 30 minutes. Buzz to puree.

Add to oat flour, zest and remaining whole oats. Pour into pan, smooth and bake for 35 minutes.

 
As filling in the classic Dromedary Date bars recipe below (or thumbprint cookies)

1-8 ounce package Dromedary Chopped Dates
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar -- firmly packed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine -- melted
1/2 cup walnuts -- chopped

Combine dates and water in saucepan, bring to boil over medium heat, reduce to low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. In another bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Stir in butter till evenly mixed. Spread 2 1/2 cups oat mixture in bottom of 13x9 pan. Press gently to form crust. Top with date filling. Combine walnuts with remaining oat mixture, sprinkle over date filling, gently press down. Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

 
REC: Gobble Up Granola Snacks

I was thinking that you might be able to substitute your lemon fruit blend for the "filling" in these - brown sugar, light corn syrup/honey, peanut butter. The original recipe uses rice cereal but our sons loved these made with Cheerios. I have subbed banana and apple butter for the peanut butter, reducing the corn syrup amount to keep the "proper" texture. Colleen

Gobble Up Granola Snacks
2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal (I used Trader Joe's Cheerios – next time only 2 or 2 1/4 cups with ½ cup coconut)
2 cups quick-cooking oats (or original whirled in food processor)
Salt
1/2 cup raisins (I used 2/3 cup chopped Craisins but will use mixed dried of apricots, dates, figs, cherries along with nuts in the future)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup light corn syrup (I used 1/3 cup Karo and 1/3 cup honey)
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (I used 2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(I added 1 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon - will up to 1/2 next time and 2 Tbs flax seeds)

1. In a large bowl, stir together the rice cereal, raisins and oats (salt, cinnamon, flax seeds, nuts/fruit). Set aside. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the brown sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat just until boiling, (I let it boil for 30 seconds to combine) then remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the cereal and oat mixture, and mix VERY well or mixture will not hold together in bars.
3. Press into the prepared pan using the back of a large spoon or put onto silpat/greased counter and shape into rectangle. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.
Original recipe from AllRecipes has TONS of comments

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/69235/gobble-up-granola-snacks/

 
REC: Meryl's Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Marilyn - this is how I would use your lemon filling! Sub vanilla and a splash of lemon extract in the cake for the almond extract. When I make this cake, I follow Meryl's recommendation to use fat free yogurt for a lower fat version but I use slightly more yogurt (sour cream) and slightly less butter. Colleen

CRANBERRY SWIRL COFFEECAKE (Meryl's comments in parentheses, I think)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (I use nonfat plain yogurt)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup of fresh cranberry sauce (recommended) - to make the sauce, follow the directions on any package of fresh cranberries), OR one 8-ounce can of whole cranberry sauce (I use fresh)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (*Decrease the temperature by 25 degrees if using dark pan.). Grease and flour one 9 or 10 inch tube pan.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs just until well blended.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With mixer running, (lower the mixer speed), add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream or yogurt to the butter mixture until just blended. Do not overmix! Stir in the almond extract and mix only until just combined. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Swirl 1/2 of the cranberry sauce into the batter. Repeat, ending with the batter on top.
4. Bake about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let cool in pan on wire rack about 10 minutes. Cut around edge of the cake to loosen, then turn out and let cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 - 9 or 10 inch tube pan (12 servings).

Adapted from Allrecipes

https://finerkitchens.com/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=35539

 
REC: Our favorite breakfast cookie is Scientifically Sweet Soft-Baked Breakfast Nuggets

I bet you could substitute your lemon blend here, too! We keep these in the freezer but they are hard on the teeth if they aren't defrosted b4 eating. Colleen

Scientifically Sweet Soft-Baked Breakfast Nuggets
Makes about 20 nuggets

1 cup (142g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (35g) whole wheat flour
¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned large flake rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (110g) packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp golden honey
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
70g (about ½ cup) whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1.5 oz (about 1/3 cup) sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup dried cranberries

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, oats, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt until evenly blended; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and honey until smooth and creamy using an electric hand mixer on high speed, about 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Add flour mixture all at once to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until it is mostly combined, about 10-15 seconds.

Use a rubber spatula to fold in almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, raisins and dried cranberries all at once.

Roll about 1.5 oz mounds of dough into 2-inch logs and place them onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12-15 minutes.

Let cookies cool on the pan for about 1 minute before transferring them individually to a wire rack to cool completely. These stay soft and chewy for days in an airtight container!

http://www.christinamarsigliese.com/2017/08/soft-breakfast-cookies.html

 
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