Reese Cup Brownie Bites

Reese Cup Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

1 box of Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix (plus ingredients as the box indicates)

36 Mini Reese Cups

Mini muffin tin liners

Mix the brownie mix as instructed on the box. I prefer to only use one egg for a fudgier brownie. Place liners into cupcake pan. Place approximately 1/2 tsp onto the bottom of each liner. This will prevent the Reese cup from getting hard on the bottom. Center Reese cups into the liners on top of the brownie mix.

Cover the Reese cup with approximately 1 tbsp of brownie batter. I use the small scoop from Pampered Chef for easy measuring. Make sure all sides of the Reese cup are covered with brownie batter to prevent the Reese cup from burning.

 Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes

before removing from cupcake pan.

 I chose to give mine a little flare and frost with Peanut Butter Fluff. I used the Pampered Chef Easy Decorator to make little puffs on top.

Enjoy! Happy 4th of July!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza

My friend Jessica made this today. It's beautiful!

She was kind enough to share the recipe! Thanks, Jessica!

1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (Jessica substituted Marshmallow Fluff)

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice cookie dough and arrange on greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the marshmallow fluff. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.
3. Begin with strawberries, sliced in half. Arrange in a circle around the outside edge. Continue with fruit of your choice, working towards the middle. If bananas are used, dip them in lemon juice so they don't darken. Then make a sauce to spoon over fruit.
4. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.               

I cannot wait to make this! Maybe I will go blueberry/strawberry picking this weekend! Thanks for sharing, Jessica!

Peanut Butter Fluff

Amy will testify that this Peanut Butter Fluff, or Fluff as she calls it, is the best thing since sliced bread. It's amazingly easy to make, it makes a great frosting for fudge brownies or just eat it with pretzels or graham cracker sticks like we love to do. This is a staple for get togethers. It's sinfully delicious.

Peanut Butter Fluff

Ingredients:

1 tub of Marshmallow Fluff
1 c. Jif Creamy Peanut Butter (heaping)
1/4 c. milk

In a large bowl, mix ingredients with mixer until fluffy. Serve with graham cracker sticks or pretzels. Try not to eat the whole bowl, I dare you.

Rating: Fluff speaks for itself, but for this blogs sake I give it a 10!

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are delicious. I have never made a flourless cookie before. They are so quick and easy.

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies
(courtesy of Martha Stewart Everyday magazine)

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

Yummy Chocolate Fudge Buttercream Frosting

I can only sum this recipe up in 3 words:

Oh My God!

It's delicious! This recipe is a keeper!

Chocolate Fudge Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. shortening
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c. confectioners' sugar
2-4 tbsp heavy whipping cream (depends on the consistency you are aiming for)
1 c. hot fudge topping
2 tsp vanilla extract


Cream together the butter or margarine with the shortening. Sift the cocoa with the confectioners' sugar and add to the creamed mixture. Mix together adding 1 tablespoon at a time of whipping cream to keep mixture smooth. Add the hot fudge topping and the vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy.

A pretty heart cake for my Valentine!

Rating: 10 out of 5. Seriously, I love chocolate and this is the best frosting I have ever had! Thanks for the recipe Debra via allrecipes.com. I did change a few things, but I based it off of her recipe!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins - Yummy & Easy!

This is an old stand-by that I jazzed up with the addition of sweetened cream cheese. Try any flavors of cake mix that sound good - chocolate is one of my favorites.

These aren't soft, fluffy muffins -they're quite moist and dense, but they sure are g.o.o.d!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box spice cake mix

1 29 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 T. powdered sugar

2 T. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

2 T. chopped nuts, optional

Mix together cake mixes and pumpkin. Do not add anything the boxes call for - just add the pumpkin. The mixture will be thick and sticky, perfect for a mess-making two-year old.

Mix the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, and set aside. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and nuts, and set aside.

Spray two muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use cupcake liners. Add to each muffin tin: 2 T. of cake mixture followed by 1 T. of cream cheese mixture and then 2 T. of cake mixture. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. Cool before removing from muffin tins. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Buckeye Bars

As you can tell, we like peanut butter. I fell in love, that's right-L.O.V.E-with this recipe. Thanks to Kim Seifert for sharing!

Buckeye Bars

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter-softened
3/4 c. crunchy peanut butter
22 crushed Nilla Wafers
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 small tub of frozen cool whip (do not thaw)
3 squares of Baker's Semi Sweet Chocolate Bars

Line a 9x9 pan with foil. Leave the foil hanging over the edges for easy removal from the pan. In a large mixing bowl, use mixer to mix the softened butter and crunchy peanut butter until creamy. Add crushed Nilla Wafers. Mix well. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Press mixture into the foil lined pan. In a small microwavable safe bowl, microwave the frozen Cool Whip and 3 squares of chocolate on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir well until chocolate is melted. Microwave for additional 20 seconds if needed until frosting is smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the bars. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

I would have taken a picture of the entire pan, but this was all that was left...until I ate it!

Buckeyes

It's an Ohio tradition to make Buckeyes for the Holidays. They are smooth and creamy!

Buckeyes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 c. Jif peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese
6 c. powdered sugar
2 lbs. milk chocolate (I prefer Merkens or Ambrosia)

In a large bowl, mix softened butter and cream cheese. Mix on high until creamy. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly. Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet and place the balls into the freezer for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds to prevent burning. Use a toothpick to dip the balls into the chocolate leaving just the tops uncovered. Place them back on the same cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until they are set.

This recipe makes approximately 80 buckeyes about the size of a large gumball.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Monday is our Christmas Cookie Exchange at work. I wanted to make something different and these are great. They taste like chewy brownies.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 sticks of butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. cocoa
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
white sugar for garnish

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until smooth. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa and baking soda. Add slowly to the butter mixture. Mix well. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. Roll dough into balls and roll the balls in sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees.

These cookies freeze well for up to 1 month.

Holiday Fudge-Yum!

This is the easiest fudge recipe. It melts in your mouth!

Holiday Fudge

Ingredients:
1 16oz. container of Marshmallow Fluff
5 c. sugar
2 cans of evaporated milk (5 oz. cans)
1/4 lb. butter
1 jar of fudge (16oz)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
24 oz. milk chocolate chips (or 2 small bags)

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until blended. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Be careful not to mistake the air bubbles for a boil. Boil slowly for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla (and optional walnuts) until chocolate is melted. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan or 2 9x9 pans. Cool completely.

To make peanut butter fudge, simply substitute peanut butter chips and a heaping tablespoon of Jif for the chocolate chips.

This recipe makes approximately 5 lbs. of fudge.

Pumpkin Pie

This Thanksgiving, I decided to try and make homemade everything and pies were on that list. I am not a fan of pumpkin pie, but Kevin loves it. Oddly enough, these were the only items from scratch that I made. Who has the time, right?

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Again, I am not a person who likes Pumpkin Pie, but I can tell you that one pie went home with the in laws and the other has been eaten by Kevin. I have heard zero complaints. Maybe Kevin knows better...

Pumpkin Streusel

This recipe caught my eye in the Sunday paper coupon section. Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker.

Pumpkin Streusel

Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup cold butter or margarine

Filling
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 eggs

Toppings
1/3 cup chocolate topping
1/3 cup caramel topping

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, crushed cookies and pecans. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients; beat until well blended. Pour over warm cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

Before serving, drizzle with chocolate and caramel toppings. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Dessert Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. If you do not like the consistency of pumpkin pie, this recipe is not for you. Kevin loved it.

Snicker Salad-Oh Yum!

Trick or Treat! This sure is a delicious treat! This is an old fall party favorite!

Amy, this is for you! I bet this will make you come and visit!

Snicker Salad
(or Apple Salad if you are going to Weight Watchers!)

6-8 Granny Smith Apples-cut into bite size pieces
6-8 Snickers Bars-cut into bite size pieces
1 can of salted Planters Peanuts
1 lg. tub of Cool Whip

In a large bowl, combine Snickers, peanuts, apples (cut the apples last to prevent browning) and Cool Whip. Mix thoroughly and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Meal Rating: 10 out of 5 stars! Yummy deliciousness!

Guinness Cupcakes - Beware, obscene amounts of yumminess inside!

Rich, moist, chocolate-y, Guinnessy goodness. These are obscenely yummy and addictive enough to quite possibly require an intervention.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Celebrations.com.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Guinness Vanilla-Bean Buttercream Frosting
(As written, the recipe makes 48 cupcakes.)

Cupcakes

2 Cup(s) Guinness Extra Stout (basically works out to one can)
3 Sticks Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cup(s) Unsweetened Chocolate Chunks (12 oz.)
4 Cup(s) All Purpose Flour
4 Cup(s) Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cup(s) Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bring stout and butter to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil.

Add unsweetened chocolate chunks to hot stout/butter mixture. Whisk until chocolate melts. Turn heat off and let cool.

Add sugar to chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Sift flour, baking soda and salt.

In a stand-alone mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sour cream on medium speed. Add stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and combine on medium-low speed until encorporated.

Slowly add flour mixture in thirds to chocolate mixture with whisk attachment. Scrape the sides with your whisk to make sure you get all the dry ingredients combined.

Place cupcake papers in pan and divide batter into cups evenly. Fill about 2/3 of the cup.

Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake.

Let cool on wire rack before frosting.

Frosting
2 Cup(s) Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
5 Cup(s) Sifted Powder Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Whole Scraped Vanilla Bean (expensive but worth it - don't skip!!!)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cup(s) Guinness Extra Stout

In a sauce pan, simmer Guinness on low heat for 10-15 min, until it stout becomes reduced and thicker in consistency. Similar to a syrup. *Tip: keep your eye on the store, so stout does not over cook. Let cool.

In a stand alone mixer, cream your butter for 1 minute

Slowly add the powder sugar in thirds, alternating with a little milk each time till mixture is creamy. Add scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract.

Slowly add reduced Guinness a little at a time. Taste test to desired flavor. You may not use all the Guinness reduction.

Place buttercream in a piping bag with a #848 french star tip, frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Cherry Yum Fluff!

Sorry it's been so long since Amy and I posted anything. I have to be honest, I just have not been cooking. I wish I had worthy excuses like having 2 kids under 2 like Amy, but I don't.

This recipe is courtesy of Chris and Lisa Bors! Thanks for sharing with me.

Cherry Yum Fluff

1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of crushed pineapple
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 sliced bananas
chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together except bananas with an electric mixer. Slice and fold in bananas.

Chill and serve.

Dessert Rating: 5 out of 5. It's easy, you can add any fruit you have laying around and it's still good. Great for cookouts!

Yummy Toffee Bars!

These taste just like Heath Bars. They are usually gone in 2.2 nanoseconds.


Toffee Bars

Ingredients:

1 c. butter (not margarine!
1 c. dark brown sugar
saltine crackers
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400.

Line cookie sheet with unbroken Saltine Crackers.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and dark brown sugar on low. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes constantly stirring to prevent burning. Immediately pour sugar mixture over saltine crackers and place in oven for 4-5 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chips evenly over the crackers. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts (optional). Chill in refrigerator or let sit overnight before serving.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. They speak for themselves.

Yummy Banana Bread

Brown bananas equal only one thing - Banana Bread! Guess what I'll be having for breakfast tomorrow?

Banana Bread

(adapted from Betty Crocker)

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas

1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only 1 large loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt just until moistened. Pour into pan.

Bake 75 min. YUMMY!
Rating: 5 out of 5. I love banana bread!

Post Edit by Kim: I just made this yummy banana bread and added 3/4 c. of chocolate chips (per request from Kevin). It was awesome and yummy!!!!

Deliciously Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I entered (but did not win) this recipe into the annual Christmas Cookie Contest by Ladies Home Journal. I did, proudly, rank 24th out of the top 100 entries. Enjoy!

My Not-So-Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingrediants:

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. salted butter (not margarine!)
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, melt butter. Add brown sugar and whisk. Yes, whisk. These cookies are mixed using elbow grease! Add vanilla and egg. Whisk thoroughly. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in another bowl. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and whisk. Wash your hands and dry. Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix by hand. The dough is a stickier dough. Add the chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly.

Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper (this will keep your cookies soft for days!). Roll dough into balls and bake for 8-9 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. This cookie is should be a dark blonde color not brown.
Let cool for 5 minutes before moving from the cookie sheet.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! People request these all the time. They are a sure hit!