Twanged and Apple Bars [REVIEW] [RECIPE]

 

I got invited to participate in Cookie Bookie month again this October. We decided to expand the recipe repertoire to include all sorts of harvest-worthy delights from sides to mains to my specialty, desserts. I decided to steer clear of the pumpkin fixation for this first recipe, but I promise nothing from subsequent posts. 

I finished Twanged by Carol Higgins Clark just in time. She wove multiple storylines in such a way that she could keep your attention focused on the outliers so you wouldn't quite notice when she showed the main antagonist's suspicious behavior on more than one occasion.

The story revolves around a young lady named Brigid O'Neill who is rapidly climbing the country charts. Her success brings attention and danger her way. An obsessed fan tries to find his way into her circle of friends and her heart. Another character wishes to steal Brigid's luck by way of stealing a fiddle that a dear friend gave her. And a third party or parties showers her with threatening gifts and letters.

Luckily, Regan Reilly, a private detective, gets invited along for the summer of excitement in the Hamptons. Feel free to pick up the book to fill in all those gaping holes I just left in my description. It is a quick and entertaining read.

APPLE BARS WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

Note: This makes a lot of bars. You could try to cut the recipe in half, but I made the full size and had extra streusel topping, which I sprinkled on this morning's French toast. (Does that count as a second recipe?)

For Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal or oat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

For Applesauce Bars:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups applesauce
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cups apples (about 3 small), peeled and finely diced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15 X 12 pan.
2. Combine brown sugar, oats, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3. Blend butter into dry ingredients using pastry blender or a fork until crumbly. Set aside. (I placed mine in the fridge while I waited, but I was wrangling a cute baby while trying to cook, which seems to take longer.)
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.
5. Beat eggs lightly.
6. Add rest of moist ingredients (sugar through oil) and mix.
7. Add flour mixture and stir until combined.
8. Fold in diced apples.
9. Pour into prepared pan and spread to the edges.
10. Sprinkle with streusel topping.
11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
12. Let cool.
13. Cut into bars.
14. Enjoy and enjoy and enjoy because this makes a lot of bars.