Piña Colada Cheesecake Bars (Gluten Free Option)

Last weekend, we had a cookout with my hubby's family and I had volunteered to bring a dessert. At first, I was just planning to make my Almost Famous Banana Pudding because it is always a hit. However, it seems I always make that and I wanted to try something new, so I went to Pinterest.  

I wanted something light and very summer-y, so when I saw a recipe for Piña Colada Bars, pinned it. It was the perfect dessert because, when we go to the beach together every summer, we drive 30-45 minutes just to go to a particular restaurant and have some of their awesome piña coladas. This recipe would be reminiscent of our vacation time as well as very refreshing.

Unfortunately, when I went back a couple days later to make a list of ingredients I would need, the original site with recipe wouldn't open. I began googling "Piña Colada Bars" and found several recipes. Eventually, I combined a few of them to create my own version. It was easy to make and they turned out great!  (I was even able to make the gluten free for my mother-in-law!) I wanted to share the recipe with all of you and I hope that you can find an occasion to enjoy them this summer, too!

Piña Colada Cheesecake Bars

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.~

Ingredients for Crust:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (**can use gluten free if desired**)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg

Mix all ingredients together and press into a greased 11X8 inch rectangular pan.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1 tsp coconut extract (could use vanilla or rum flavor)
• 1 egg
• 1  1/2 cups crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice for glaze)
• 1  1/2 cups shredded coconut, plus 3/4 cup extra

In bowl, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, milk, extract, and egg with electric mixer.  Once blended, fold in the pineapple and coconut.  Pour mixture over the crust in pan and bake for 15 minutes.  Then, remove from oven and sprinkle extra coconut on top.  Return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until center is set.  (This toasts the coconut - YUM!) Remove and let cool.

Optional Glaze:

*If desired, you can make this glaze and drizzle over the top of the cooled bars.

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp coconut extract (or vanilla or rum extract)
• 2 TBSP reserved pineapple juice
• 1 tsp milk

Stir ingredients together.  Add a few spoonfuls of crushed (drained) pineapple, if available.  Drizzle over top of bars before serving.

  

Sunday Supper - Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

I don't post many sweet recipes on my blog.  That's because I don't do much baking.  There are a couple reasons for that.  First of all, baking takes time and that's one thing I don't have a lot of.  Secondly, I am pretty much the only one in my family who has much of a sweet tooth.  That means, if I bake a cake, everyone will have a pice for dessert that night.  Then, the other half of it will sit on the counter or in the fridge calling my name for the next couple of days.  The only one who will ever eat a second (or third or fourth) piece of it is me.  So, I figure out of sight, out of mind and I don't bake very often.

A couple weeks ago, though, I got an email from my daughter's middle school asking volunteers to send in desserts for a Valentine's Day dessert raffle they were planning for the staff.  My first thought was, "Wow!  I want to work at that school!"  My second thought was, "Sure!  I'll sign up!"  (I have a bit of a volunteering compulsion.)  Then, I thought about what to make.  I remembered an easy chocolate cake recipe my mom had given me a long time ago and dug it out.

I made the cake and, as it sat on the counter in my kitchen cooling, it really did smell heavenly.  My family walked through and, one by one, they asked, "What's that cake for?"  "Can I have a piece?"  "Ooh!  Is that for dessert tonight?"  It really wasn't fair to torture them like that, so I did what any good mother would do.  I sent my hubby to the grocery store for ingredients and made a second cake - one for us.  It did not disappoint and today I'm sharing the recipe with you.  (I listed the ingredients for ONE cake, but you might want to go ahead and double up, just in case!)

Ingredients

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 small box (4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 vegetable or canola oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, combine all ingredients except the chips.  Beat on low sped with electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Then, beat on high for 2 minutes.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan.  Bake for 55 minutes (or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.)  Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.

It should look something like this when you take it out of the oven.  But, it gets better!

For the glaze:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix  sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan.  Bring to boil, stirring constantly, over medium heat and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla.  Spoon over the cake.  

It's called Triple Chocolate because of the cake mix, pudding mix, and chocolate chips.  However, adding the glaze kicks it up a few chocolate notches!

Just look at that gooey, chocolate goodness!  Enjoy!