Vanilla Pear Coffee Cake

We tried this on a Monday morning, and it was requested for Saturday AGAIN.
This recipe came from: One Hundred Dollars A Month and it's delicious.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients {slightly adapted from Jane}

1/2 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
3 cups canned pears, drained and chopped (used 2 cans)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. butter, room temperature or coconut oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper {or butter and flour your pan} and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add egg and vanilla. When combined, alternate adding reserved flour mixture and milk to the mixer, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Remove from mixer.  Gently fold in pears. Pour batter into prepared pan. To make streusel topping, mix cinnamon, salt, brown sugar and flour together; cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until fine crumbs are formed. Using hands, squeeze together most of the mixture to form large clumps. Sprinkle topping generously over batter.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing sides of pan. Let cool 15 minutes before serving, but only if the hungry mouths can wait that long.  We couldn't and it was just fine. :) I also cooked it at 375 for about 45 minutes, so if you don't have a full hour, a few changes in temperature and time are fine.

Soft and Gooey S'mores Bars

recipe from Avery Cooks

These are good--even if overcooked a bit when someone can't hear the timer beep while the family is watching a show together. (Wink! Wink!)

SOFT AND GOOEY SMORES BARS

No campfire required for these gooey, rich bars that are loaded with texture and flavor. The combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows, all suspended in a buttery, brown-sugar based dough, is just magical. They're ready from start to finish in 30 minutes and are fast and easy that you may never both with regular smores again.

Yield: one 9x13 pan, 18-24 generous squares

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: about 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
10 full-size graham crackers, roughly chopped (about 4 cups)

2 heaping cups mini marshmallows
1 bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
3. Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don't scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flour and stir until just combined, don't overmix.
5. Add the graham crackers and any crumbs on cutting board, marshmallows, chocolate chips and fold to incorporate.
6. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
7. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until bars have firmed up in the center and edges will be set. Some marshmallows may have developed a hint of golden color. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.