NO-Bake Bars Are a Great Way to Enjoy Your Last Outdoor Hurrah!
Where’s the summer gone? In just a few days we’ll be celebrating Labor Day. Holy Cow!
ANYway, for many people, Labor Day is the “last hurrah” for the year when it comes to outdoor events—picnics and so on. So, with this idea in mind, I thought you might like some final thoughts on picnic foods—no-bake bars to be exact.
A standard no-bake bar we all know and love is the peanut-butter bar. With just 5 ingredients you can quickly whip together a treat people clamor for. Just 1 cube of butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar, crumbs, chocolate chips, and peanut butter, and you’re set.
In a mixing bowl you combine melted butter, crushed graham crackers and powdered sugar, then stir in the peanut butter. This becomes the bar base, so you transfer this to a square baking dish. Then you spread melted chocolate chips evenly over the peanut butter layer and chill until completely firm, around 3 hours. (Note: the chips can be melted in the microwave at 30 second intervals.)
Another traditional no-bake favorite is the chocolate peanut clusters. Also a fast and easy treat to make. In a heavy saucepan melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup creamy peanut butter. Pour this into a large bowl, add about 2 cups of mini-marshmallows and about 2 cups of roasted peanuts. Fold together well.
Drop large spoonfuls of this delectable mixture onto wax paper-lined cookie sheets. They take about an hour to set up in the refrigerator and can be stored in an air-tight container between sheets of wax paper. They’ll stay fresh and chewy in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
But since this may be your last picnic for the year, why not celebrate with a bar that isn’t that common? For instance, there’s the no-bake pistachio bar. While a bit more expensive than our trusted peanut butter or peanut-marshmallow bar, talk about presentation!
These gorgeous no-bake bars are SO pretty when they're sliced. And everyone loves the layers of pistachio-graham cracker crust, pistachio pudding, and luscious chocolate ganache. With a sprinkle of extra pistachios on top, this pistachio dessert is eye-catching and enticing even before you make the first cut.
I’ll close with the recipe. I first found this in an article from BETTER HOMES & GARDENS. This is my “Go To” no-bake when our outing is extra special. See what you think.
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup pistachio instant pudding mix
1/4 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
ANYway, for many people, Labor Day is the “last hurrah” for the year when it comes to outdoor events—picnics and so on. So, with this idea in mind, I thought you might like some final thoughts on picnic foods—no-bake bars to be exact.
A standard no-bake bar we all know and love is the peanut-butter bar. With just 5 ingredients you can quickly whip together a treat people clamor for. Just 1 cube of butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar, crumbs, chocolate chips, and peanut butter, and you’re set.
In a mixing bowl you combine melted butter, crushed graham crackers and powdered sugar, then stir in the peanut butter. This becomes the bar base, so you transfer this to a square baking dish. Then you spread melted chocolate chips evenly over the peanut butter layer and chill until completely firm, around 3 hours. (Note: the chips can be melted in the microwave at 30 second intervals.)
Another traditional no-bake favorite is the chocolate peanut clusters. Also a fast and easy treat to make. In a heavy saucepan melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup creamy peanut butter. Pour this into a large bowl, add about 2 cups of mini-marshmallows and about 2 cups of roasted peanuts. Fold together well.
Drop large spoonfuls of this delectable mixture onto wax paper-lined cookie sheets. They take about an hour to set up in the refrigerator and can be stored in an air-tight container between sheets of wax paper. They’ll stay fresh and chewy in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
But since this may be your last picnic for the year, why not celebrate with a bar that isn’t that common? For instance, there’s the no-bake pistachio bar. While a bit more expensive than our trusted peanut butter or peanut-marshmallow bar, talk about presentation!
These gorgeous no-bake bars are SO pretty when they're sliced. And everyone loves the layers of pistachio-graham cracker crust, pistachio pudding, and luscious chocolate ganache. With a sprinkle of extra pistachios on top, this pistachio dessert is eye-catching and enticing even before you make the first cut.
I’ll close with the recipe. I first found this in an article from BETTER HOMES & GARDENS. This is my “Go To” no-bake when our outing is extra special. See what you think.
NO-Bake Pistachio Bars
Ingredients:
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
1/4 cup butter softened
1/4 cup pistachio instant pudding mix
1/4 cup half-and-half, light cream or milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
Directions:
1. Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over edges of pan; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan combine egg, the 1/2 cup butter, the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted and mixture just starts to bubble. Remove from heat. Stir in crushed graham crackers and the finely chopped pistachios. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
3. For filling, in a medium mixing bowl beat the 1/4 cup softened butter, the dry pudding mix, and half-and-half with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Carefully spread filling over crust in pan. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until firm.
4. For topping, in a small saucepan cook and stir chocolate and the 1/4 cup butter over low heat until melted. Spread topping over filling. Sprinkle with the coarsely chopped pistachios. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until firm. Using the edges of the foil, lift uncut bars out of pan. Cut into bars.
To Store:
Layer bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
2. In a medium saucepan combine egg, the 1/2 cup butter, the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted and mixture just starts to bubble. Remove from heat. Stir in crushed graham crackers and the finely chopped pistachios. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
3. For filling, in a medium mixing bowl beat the 1/4 cup softened butter, the dry pudding mix, and half-and-half with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Carefully spread filling over crust in pan. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until firm.
4. For topping, in a small saucepan cook and stir chocolate and the 1/4 cup butter over low heat until melted. Spread topping over filling. Sprinkle with the coarsely chopped pistachios. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until firm. Using the edges of the foil, lift uncut bars out of pan. Cut into bars.
To Store:
Layer bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
