ASK PAT: These dessert recipes are easy to make

By Star & Enterprise Staff Reports

Published: July 26, 2008

This week’s recipes are both desserts. One is very easy, Lemon Dream Pie, and the other is more involved, Brownie Fantasy Bars. Both sound really good.

Lemon Dream Pie

12 oz. Cool Whip (regular or low fat)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk
1 ready to go pie crust of your choice (regular baked crust, graham, etc.)
1/2 cup cut strawberries

Mix first three ingredients together. Pour into crust. Decorate top with strawberries. Chill and serve.

Variations: Blueberries, Mix in 1/2 cup blueberries and put some on top; Pineapple, Drain pineapple (crushed, tidbits or chunks), and use juice instead of lemon juice and mix 1/2 of pineapple in and put some on top.

Serves: 8, Source: Personal files – Pat Koch

Brownie Fantasy Bars

Batter One
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Batter Two
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
3/4 firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate, such a Hershey’s bars
1/2 cup raisins, plumped and dried*
1/2 cup finely chopped dates
2 cups coarsely chopped chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Finishing Touches
1/4 each chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously spray a 13x9-inch pan with non-stick spray and place it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Have two large bowls ready. For Batter One, blend butter and brown sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla and then fold in flour, baking powder and salt to make a soft batter.
Set aside. For Batter Two, combine butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, cocoa, soda, salt and flour and mix well. Then fold in cereal and next 7 ingredients, using a wooden spoon to blend.

Spoon Batter Two into pan, using wet hands to spread batter in pan. Wash hands briefly. Spoon Batter One onto chocolate batter using wet hands. Briefly mix batters to marbleize, using a wooden spoon. Bake until set or until spots of caramel batter seem set and slightly browned, about 45 minutes. Immediately sprinkle on three types of chips. Let set a minute and then smear with a knife as chips melt. Refrigerate 2 hours before cutting into bars. These freeze well.

Yield: 20 or more bars; Source: A Passion for Baking
*To plump dried raisins—cover them with warm water and soak for 3 to 5 minutes or place raisins and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and dry on paper towels.