Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Cream Cheese Cake Bars

Every so often, a recipe catches my eye that sounds so beyond perfection that I must make it immediately. Now that I am attempting to limit my "over-indulgence," I really have to exercise self-control more often than not for my waistline's sake. Following as many other food blogs as I do, in addition to my regular Pinterest browsing, makes this task seem impossible at times, as I sit with my mouth watering in front of my computer and try to convince myself that "it can't be THAT good..."

Well, no matter how many times I tried to tell myself this when I saw these bars on Cookies and Cups, I could never quite convince myself. I obsessed over them for a little under a week when I finally caved and hurried to the store, head hung in shame, to gather the few additional ingredients I needed to undertake my baking endeavors. I needed my "fix," after only three days of being "on track" with eating better and exercising. The good thing is, although I ultimately gave in, my craving was satisfied and more, as these bars are SO rich that I only needed a very small piece to feel fulfilled. The scale never reflected my weakness! Hooray!

I ended up taking these to book club and also to work to share, as well as the kids (brother included) and Chris, of course, tried them. They were an all-around hit. Everyone was raving about them. Even Chris. I know, right? Now you KNOW that they must be divine, right?

The bottom layer consists of the beloved boxed cake mix vamped up with a few additional ingredients. The middle layer, which is my personal favorite, consists simply of cream cheese mixed with dark chocolate hot fudge sauce. Heaven...on...earth... Top that off with toffee bits and dark chocolate chips, sprinkled with a few of the leftover crumbs from the crust layer and you have yourself and rich, decadent, deliciously and sinfully chocolate dessert that is packed with layer upon layer of indulgence.

If you're anything like me, you are probably already drooling. So without further adieu, I give to you the gift I call Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Cream Cheese Cake Bars...

Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Cream Cheese Cake Bars (Adapted from Cookies and Cups)

- 1 18.25 oz. package chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. coffee (or cream/milk would work, too, I just happened to have coffee)
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 16 oz. jar Hershey's Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Sauce
- 2 cups dark chocolate chunks
- 1 cup toffee bits

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with foil, leaving enough excess on each end to create handles. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, egg, and coffee using your hands. Press all of this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, reserving 1 cup for topping.
3. In the same large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and hot fudge sauce using an electric mixer until creamy and well-blended. Pour over the crust.
4. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chunks and the toffee bits over the cream cheese layer, then sprinkle the reserved crust mixture over the top.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then cool to room temperature on wire rack, at least 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least three hours, then cut into bars and serve. Store in refrigerator, but these bars are best served at room temperature.


Anyone else find it hard to stay strong when recipes like this are sitting in front of you, staring at you, calling to you and beckoning, just begging to be baked, eaten, and enjoyed???

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

I have really been craving cinnamon rolls lately... not sure where the craving came from or how it got stuck in my head, but once it did, it wasn't going anywhere until I satiated it. I knew I would have to break down and make them, but the problem with homemade cinnamon rolls, as delicious as they may be, is the amount of time and effort that sometimes has to go into them in order for them to be genuinely scrumptious. Unfortunately, time is not always a luxury we enjoy at our house between work and three kids to try and keep up with.

I decided that mostly what I was craving was the cinnamon flavor, along with the cream cheese frosting that I prefer my cinnamon rolls to be slathered in. I remembered coming across an idea on Pinterest (if you haven't yet experienced this addiction, I highly suggest you do, but beware, I do NOT use the word addiction lightly here!) where someone had used crescent rolls as the base for their dessert and basically just rolled up whatever they wanted inside and then baked them accordingly. I decided I should try to make that work with a cinnamon roll concept, and so I did. And it was delicious, easy, and quick! Best of all, in spite of the obvious differences between this concoction and a traditional cinnamon roll, they satisfied my craving.

Here is what you will need:

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

- 1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
- 4 tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted for brushing
- 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Using a hand mixer or whisk, in a medium bowl combine the 4 tbsp. softened butter and the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar, again combining until mixture is smooth and you no longer get the "grittiness" of the sugar granules when tasted.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the 1 tbsp. cinnamon.

Unroll crescent rolls onto a sheet of wax paper to prevent sticking. One at a time, separate the rolls at their perforations. Brush each triangle with melted butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Spoon roughly 1 tsp. of the cream cheese filling into the middle of the triangle and spread out. Roll the crescent roll according to the package instructions. Place onto prepared baking sheet, then brush the top with more melted butter, and again sprinkle a little of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top. Repeat until all of the rolls have been filled and rolled.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until rolls are lightly golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spread remaining cream cheese filling over the top for a nice icing-like finish, and enjoy!

The kids went crazy over these, and they were absolutely perfect for a quick Sunday morning breakfast. I served them to the kids with some cinnamon applesauce; they seemed to enjoy the pairing and I felt better about giving them the equivalent of candy for breakfast....ha! Win-win. 

One of the things I think I ended up loving the most about these pseudo cinnamon rolls was how much they ended up being a lot like one of my all-time favorite breakfast/dessert danishes- cream cheese croissants. That is my go-to pasty of choice, and the filling was really very similar to that. The cinnamon added a sweet kiss of flavor to cut through the semi-savory notes of the cream cheese- roll all of that up into a buttery, flaky, crescent roll and you have a really, really tempting dish. Whether you serve these for breakfast, dessert, or dinner party coffee treat, these are sure to impress. 

What other things do you think would pair well rolled up inside of a crescent roll? I am pretty excited about the endless opportunities that this new-found idea may lead to... 

Cake Mix Cookies X2

Things have been crazy busy lately, and I have a feeling that they are going to get even busier before they slow down! I skimped out on a post last week because time just completely eluded me, so I wanted to make it up to you by giving you two recipes in one post.

One of my friends asked if I would donate some baked goods to her roller derby team to give away as prizes in their fundraiser bingo event. I was honored that she thought of me, and of course I agreed. I needed something quick, yet still delicious, so I decided to try out some of the cake mix cookies I have seen various types of popping up everywhere.I also wanted to use ingredients I already had on hand, so here is what I came up with!

The first cookie I decided to name White Chocolate Toffee Nutty Crunch Cookies, and here is what you will need to make them:

- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup toffee chips
- 6 Nutter Butter cookies, crushed

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, saving the white chocolate chips, toffee chips, and cookies for last. Drop cookies by the tablespoon-full (small cookie scoop) 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges. Let cool for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

So full of flavor and fun textures, these cookies will not disappoint!

The second cookie I came up with I decided to call Pecan Cinnamon Roll Cake Mix Cookie, and here is what you will need to make them:

-  l box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup glazed pecans, chopped finely

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, saving the pecans to stir in last. Drop cookies by the tablespoon-full (small cookie scoop) 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for five minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Rich, buttery, and full of cinnamon flavor with a delightful crunch of pecans.

These cookies were SO easy to whip up on short notice, and you could do pretty much a million different variations on these. It is no wonder why they have caught on and spread like wildfire. I look forward to experimenting more with different types of cake mixes and other mix-ins. What are some of your favorite go-to recipes when you have to come up with something quickly?

Strawberry Chocolate Scones

I am and probably always will be a romantic at heart. Many people may not initially think that upon meeting me, but deep down inside, I love the sweet, thoughtful gestures that can, in a sense, define the love and nature of a relationship between two people. Be they between lovers, friends, or family, gifts and gestures genuinely from the heart speak louder than words ever can.

Needless to say, I love Valentine's Day. I get all kinds of giddy inside as I start to plan how I will surprise all those who are near and dear to my heart. Chris's all-time favorite dessert is brownies... plain, simple, fudgy brownies. So, I planned to get up early Tuesday, make him a fresh batch of brownies after he left for work, and then deliver them to him on my way to work so he could have them to enjoy all to himself throughout the day. He beat me to it... He got a craving on Sunday night and decided to make his own. They were delicious, by the way, and I thoroughly enjoyed them!

Either way, that sent me back to the drawing board. I decided I would come up with something more breakfast-like to make fresh for him Tuesday morning to take to him at work. I had been wanting to try scones for some time, but for one reason or another, I had never got around to making them. I was excited to try something new, and I remembered seeing all kinds of amazing-sounding scone recipes on Annie's Eats during my food blog perusing. I took another peek and immediately knew that her Strawberry Yogurt Scones were the scones for me. I already had all of the ingredients, and it just so happens that strawberries are one of his favorite fruits.

I must say, I don't know why I had never tried making scones before, but I am SO glad I did. I really enjoyed the flavor, consistency, and ease of this recipe, and I look forward to experimenting more with my new-found breakfast food.

I did adapt this recipe ever so slightly, but all in all, the recipe is basically the same as what you find in the link above. I believe she mentions that her recipe originally came from Cooking Light, so that ought to clue you in, too, that these are a somewhat lighter recipe.

Strawberry Chocolate Scones 

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
- 2/3 cup strawberry yogurt
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- cooking spray for pan
- more sugar for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine both flours, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine strawberries, yogurt, butter, orange peel, vanilla, and egg white. Mix into the dry ingredients, then add in chocolate chips. (This is some THICK dough- I just used my hands to knead everything together.)
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. If you have not already done so, knead the dough four times. Using your hands, pat into an 8" circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place onto baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle each wedge lightly with sugar, then bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.

Enjoy! These scones were so moist and flavorful- they were dense, yet still light and fluffy. The strawberry pieces and chocolate chips complimented each other perfectly without being overly sweet, and they added diverse elements to the overall texture. If you haven't ever given scones a try, I highly suggest that you do! I am pretty sure you will be seeing some more recipes coming from me in the future...

Valentine's Popcorn

I love how holidays give me an excuse to get in the kitchen and bake. No matter how big or how small, I love celebrating special days with sweet treats, and even more so when I have the opportunity to play around and experiment with different flavor combinations. This popcorn recipe evolved in my mind over the course of a few days, and after a little trial and error, the end result is absolutely fantastic, if I do say so myself. :)

I have really been on a big York Peppermint Patty kick lately... the balance of dark chocolate and minty creaminess is just absolute perfection to my palate right now. (No- I am NOT pregnant... for those of you whose mind automatically goes in that direction with the slightest mention of cravings, no matter how obscure the reference may be! I feel the need to make this disclaimer, as I have already been asked by my dear aunt...) I knew I wanted to incorporate these somehow, and my initial thought was to melt them. That, however, absolutely did not work. The mint patties reacted in a way similar to marshmallows when I put them in the microwave- they ballooned up to five times their normal size. Needless to say, they did not melt well and there was no way I could have poured the end product over the popcorn successfully.

After some more debate, I finally decided that to include the York patties I would simply chop them up and toss the pieces together with the popcorn. The ingredients I chose to include in this concoction are really some of my all-time favorite things ever: three different kinds of chocolate, M&Ms, Oreo cookies, and the thoroughly-discussed peppermint patties. Seriously... what's not to love?

If your children want to take treats to school or daycare, or if you are a nerd like me and still give Valentine treats to all your friends and coworkers, this popcorn is perfect to share! It all came together in less than 10 minutes (minus cooling time, of course), and it was super simple. It would be adorable to package in individual treat bags, tied up nicely with some pretty ribbon. You can also head over to Our Best Bites and check out their fun and festive printables. They have some that would be perfect with a popcorn treat just like this one!

Here is what you will need:


Valentine's Popcorn
- 1 full-sized bag microwave kettle corn, popped with old maids removed
- 6 miniature York Peppermint Patties, cut into small pieces
- 6 Oreo cookies, broken into small chunks
- 1/2 cup Valentine's edition M&Ms
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp. vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips

After popcorn is popped, place in a shallow roasting pan or a very large bowl that will allow for easy stirring. Cut up peppermint patties and break up cookies. Toss the peppermint patties, cookie pieces, and M&M's in with the popcorn.

Place the dark chocolate and the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl with the 1/4 tsp. vegetable shortening. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is completely melted. Pour melted chocolate over the popcorn mixture and stir well to evenly coat.

After this is done, place the white chocolate chips in a baggie. Microwave in 30-second increments, squeezing the chocolate after each, until chocolate is melted. Cut the corner off the baggie and drizzle the white chocolate over the popcorn lightly.

Let cool and set up, then store in an airtight container.

Colorful, fun, and full of complimentary texture and flavor combinations! 

Share some love this year and give those important to you a delicious treat, whether it's for Valentine's Day or some random Tuesday down the road when everyone least expects it. Pay it forward. Spread some smiles and happiness- they are, after all, contagious, and what goes around comes around! 

PS - If anyone comes up with a better, more creative name for this, that would be super! My mind was not in that mode apparently.... :) 

ENJOY!

Grams' Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies are one of my favorite go-to treats for pretty much any holiday. They are fun, delicious, and can be so darn cute when you spend a little extra time with the frosting and sprinkles. One of my favorite childhood memories is helping my grandma bake sugar cookies (okay, well really bake ANYTHING), and then helping frost and decorate them, too. We did these mostly for Christmas, but she was also known to make them for Halloween and Valentine's Day on occasion, too. She was, by her very essence, the quintessential embodiment of everything that a grandma should be: warm, loving, full of good advice and wisdom, and ALWAYS baking or cooking something delicious for her family whom she adored. Between her, my fantastic mother, and my wonderful aunt, I had some of the most amazing women role models to look up to as I was growing up, and still to this day, they are pretty much everything I aspire to be as a mom and wifey now, a grandma someday, and an all-around good human being every other day of my life. So here is a little thank you to them! My grandma, my mom, and my aunt will always be three of my special valentines.

Grams' sugar cookies are practically famous. Anyone who has ever had them fell in love with them instantly, including me! I have made them quite a few times for coworkers and friends, as well as for holiday celebrations, and everyone always graciously and excitedly devours them. They are really just a very basic sugar cookie, but I think that my grams' addition of grated orange peel is what sets her cookies above the rest.

It may seem like sugar cookies are too much of a process- too much time and hassle to make the dough, roll it out, cut the shapes out, re-roll the dough, and so on, only to spend another good hour or two decorating the baked cookies, but in my opinion, it is totally worth every extra ounce of effort it requires. I mean, seriously, who doesn't love getting a sweetly decorated sugar cookie, knowing that the person who gave it to you spent that extra time making something special just for you? For me, at least, it really is "the thought that counts." I would rather get a homemade gift of any sort any day over something fancy and store-bought that I may never use. Gifts from the heart, people, that's where the love is at!

So here, make THIS recipe for someone special next week, and rest assured that they will be pleasantly satisfied with your homemade and delicious gift to them!

Can you tell these get used A LOT?!?!



Grams' Sugar Cookies

- 2/3 cup shortening (I like butter-flavored Crisco)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel (this can be fresh or from the spice section at the grocery store)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 tsp. milk

In my grandma's words: "Cream shortening & sugar. Add egg, beat until light & fluffy. Add vanilla, grated orange peel; mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture together w/milk. Roll dough 1/8" thick. Cut; put on greased cookie sheet; Bake in moderate oven (375) 12 min."

(She was so good at keeping it short and sweet! Maybe I have something to learn from her there....)

After the cookies are COMPLETELY cool, make the following icing recipe to frost the cookies.

Grams' Icing

- 2 cups powdered sugar
- dash salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. melted butter
- Milk

Mix together powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and melted butter, then add milk till you reach the desired consistency.

I, personally, like to lean more on the side of a thick frosting so it doesn't completely drip/run off the cookie once you start frosting it. Trust your instincts - you will know when it's right! And if you end up adding a little too much milk and it's too runny, just add in some more powdered sugar. This is pretty much a no-fail icing recipe.

Decorate the cookies to your liking! Sprinkles, candies, whatever floats your boat! Let the kids help, too. They will have a blast, even it means a little bit more extra clean-up time for you. :) Trust me when I say they will appreciate these kinds of things, now and much later down the road.

Simple. Perfection. Share some love... 

Super Bowl Sunday Special

For as long as I can remember, Super Bowl Sunday (for me, at least) has been more about delicious food and spending time with family than football... I am sure Chris would probably disagree with me on this one, as would many others with a Y chromosome in their DNA. I have so many fond memories of Super Bowl Sunday growing up. The whole family would get together at Grams' and Gramps' house, and there would be so much food and laughter that it made for an absolutely perfect day. Grams' and Gramps' are both gone now, may they rest in peace, but so many of us left behind carry on the traditions that they instilled within us. Small and insignificant as it may be, one of these traditions for me will always be celebrating the Super Bowl with food and family.

To be completely honest, I am not a huge football fanatic. I enjoy watching the "good" games- you know, the ones that aren't completely one-sided and are exciting to watch because it could be anyone's game right up until the clock runs out at the end of the 4th quarter. Hopefully, that is what we have to look forward to on Sunday!

In spite of the fact that my adoration for football falls far short of a die-hard fan, I AM excited to have an excuse to get in the kitchen and make some of my favorite appetizer/snack recipes that are perfect for these casual get-togethers. I am also excited to share some of my favorite recipes with you today, too! The two that I chose to post about are so delicious and addicting that they will surely be a hit if you decide to make and serve them at your own football gathering this weekend.

The first recipe I picked to share is Pizza Dip. I got this recipe from an old college roommate who is, still to this day, one of the best cooks I have ever met. (Hi Elizabeth!) Every time I make it, this dip gets devoured and everyone is asking for the recipe for it. I always share. It's just too good not to. Plus, it's quick and easy to throw together, and you can either bake it or prepare it in the slow cooker to take with you on-the-go.

Pizza Dip

- 2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheese (use your favorite)
- 1 cup miniature pepperonis
- 1 tsp. garlic powder -OR- 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste, depending on your heat preferences)

1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until well-combined. Either bake in a casserole dish at 350 degrees F until bubbly -OR- cook in the slow cooker on high till warmed throughout, then reduce heat to low or warm setting. Serve with French bread or tortilla chips.

The next recipe that I wanted to share with you today is a recipe for our almost-famous caramel corn. This stuff is straight addictive. I DARE you to eat only one handful... :)

Almost-Famous Caramel Corn  (Recipe adapted from Paula Deen http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grandma-pauls-caramel-corn-recipe/index.html)

- 8 quarts popped popcorn, sprinkled lightly with salt and cinnamon
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light karo syrup
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. baking soda

1. Place popped popcorn in a large, shallow roasting pan. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Mix in brown sugar, karo syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from stove top and quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda. Mixture will foam, so be prepared!
3. Pour the caramel mixture over the popped popcorn and stir well to coat evenly.
4. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread out on foil or wax paper to cool. Store covered in an airtight container.

This is seriously one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Everyone who has tried it gives it rave reviews, and they just love the layers of flavor found in this sweet treat. It is amazing what the addition of cinnamon and vanilla can do to an already delicious recipe by the lovely Paula Deen.

Here are a few other suggestions for recipes that would be great for this weekend's food lineup that are from older posts:

Peanut Butter Dream Dip
Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies
German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili 
Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Slaw
Magic Cookie Bars 

Hope you enjoy! Would love to hear feedback from any of you who make any of these tasty recipes this weekend! Who are you rooting for at your house Sunday?

Have a fabulous weekend all!

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Sweet treats are good for the soul; they nourish me in ways that little else can, and I truly believe that they are an essential part of a person's overall well-being. I am sure there are many who would blatantly disagree with this notion, but that's okay. Everyone is different, and for me, I love the indulgence of desserts, the guilty pleasure of digging into a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven, the sneaky taste of some homemade cream cheese frosting before it is slathered all over pumpkin spice cake - red velvet cupcakes - er, pretty much anything to be quite honest.... I guess now would be a good time to mention the idea of MODERATION. This is key, lest I be typing to you hiding in the shell of a 500-lb body.  :)

And, with all of that in mind, it comes as no surprise that I started seeking out lighter, lower-calorie dessert treats that I could still enjoy not only baking, but also eating, even though I am trying to shed a few pounds and eat a more balanced diet. I have a subscription to the food magazine "Cooking Light," and I have not been at all disappointed with the variety of dessert options that they present for their readers. I saw these Peanut Butter Cup Blondies in the latest issue I received in the mail, and, alas, they were baking in my oven less than three days later. Go figure. They say when you know, you just know.... And I knew that I needed to make these, savor them, and enjoy every last morsel. I was actually nice enough to share with my coworkers, who were happy to sample them, ESPECIALLY after I mentioned that each bar was less than 150 calories. That's a win-win in my book.

Anyways, here is what you will need to make these Peanut Butter Cup Blondies:
(Note: Due to accurately offering a calorie count, as well as altitude issues that sometimes arise with baking brownies/blondies from scratch, this recipe has not been adapted at all and is the exact recipe that you can find in "Cooking Light.")

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies (recipe from "Cooking Light" magazine, September 2011 edition, p. 110)

- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- cooking spray
- 4 (0.75-ounce) peanut butter cups,  coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
3. Combine peanut butter, butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs in a separate bowl, mixing well. Add peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips.
4. Spread mixture into a 9-inch square pan that has been prepped with cooking spray. Sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the top, lightly pressing them into the mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 20 bars and serve. (Each bar equals 153 calories!!!)

I actually made this recipe times one-and-a-half and then baked the blondies in a regular 9x13" cake pan so that I would have more to share. They turned out absolutely fantastic. The texture was fabulous, although, personally, I think that they were more of a cookie bar consistency than the dense consistency typically found in a blondie. They were very light and fluffy, for lack of a better word, and they were very satisfying even though they were on the lighter side of the dessert fence. Even Chris, who usually shies away from blondies because he is such a die-hard brownie fan, enjoyed these scrumptious, peanut-butter-and-chocolatey bars. I have said it before, but I'll say it again: whenever I get his stamp of approval on a dessert, I really consider it a winner and a keeper. These will definitely be bookmarked for future baking endeavors, and I am looking forward to trying the other three sinful-sounding brownie bars that were in that same issue of "Cooking Light." I am sure you will hear more about those later! 

On an ending note, someone needs to remind me to take some ginko biloba or whatever the heck that stuff is called. I need a memory boost and then some. I forgot AGAIN to take a picture of these beauties before they were all gone. It really made me sad (as lame as that may sound) because they really were picture perfect. Promise I am going to try harder to start remembering this key step in the successful food blogging process...Forgive me?

P.S. My soon-to-be mother-in-law got me some FANTASTIC food blogging and food photography books for Christmas, so please keep your fingers crossed that the wisdom hiding between the covers of those books will rub off on me soon and my pictures will improve dramatically! :)

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

As part of my recent goals to get healthier and drop a few pounds in the process, I have been scouring the web and my ridiculous collection of cookbooks for healthier, lighter recipes that will still allow me to practice my passion for baking while obtaining my goals. We had company coming into town last weekend, and a brunch at our house for Sunday was planned. I thought that some muffins would be a perfect accompaniment to yogurt, granola, fruit, and an assortment of juices. I found this recipe for Lemon Blueberry Muffins and it sounded perfect. I LOVE the flavor combination that results from mixing lemon with pretty much any kind of berry.

These muffins are moist, delicious, and full of ingredients that have a nutritional benefit, so although they may not be low-calorie, at least the calories you are ingesting are serving a purpose! The original version of the recipe that I used to base my adaptation off of can be found on The Kitchen Magpie's website at http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/lemon-blueberry-muffins-lighter-version.

Here is what you will need to make these scrumptiously light and tasty fruity muffins:

-          6 oz. container lemon yogurt (or lemon Greek yogurt, if you can find it)

-          2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter

-          Juice of 2 lemons

-          1 egg

-          1 cup whole wheat flour

-          1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

-          3/4 cup white sugar

-          1 tbsp. baking powder

-          Dash of salt

-          Zest of one lemon

-          1 cup chopped, fresh blueberries

-          1 small (coffee-sized) packet of Truvia, Splenda, or other calorie-free sweetener

-          Splash of lemon juice

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with muffin cups. Set aside.

2.       Start by preparing your blueberries first. After they are cleaned and chopped, sprinkle the packet of Truvia and the splash of lemon juice over them and give them a good stir. This will add a ton of flavor and create almost a syrupy effect with the berries that is just delicious. Set aside.

3.       Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest.

4.       Combine the yogurt, melted butter, lemon juice, egg, whisking well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.

5.       Gently stir in the blueberry mixture, folding in until just incorporated and well distributed throughout the batter.

6.       Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until the tops spring back when touched and are lightly browned.

7.       Remove to wire rack to let cool, spread with a little butter or yogurt, and enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Muffins that are about to be devoured by the hungry two-year old, Brooklyn :)



What are some of your favorite flavor combinations for muffins? Do you have a go-to recipe that you love, or do you enjoy experimenting with new ones? Any in particular that you would like to see here?

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Personally, I am looking forward to a much-needed date night kid-free on Sunday! Woo-hoo!

"Melted Wicked Witch" Mint Cookies and Cream Gooey Cake Bars

I know I have been MIA for awhile now.... 25 days to be exact, and I do apologize deeply. This month has proven to be rather crazy, and I am sure you all can understand how life sometimes manages to get in the way of some of our obligations and activities! Hopefully, November will prove to yield more regular postings from me. And, since I am in the process of beginning to compile and organize recipes to start working on a cookbook, I often finding myself torn between what recipes I share and what recipes I keep all to myself, saving them for some far-off, magical date when they can appear on the pages of a cookbook I can call all my own... someday....

In the meantime, I want to share with you a fabulous Halloween recipe perfect for last minute celebrations on this perfectly spooky day. When I picked Brooklyn up from daycare last Friday, I noticed that they had a sign-up sheet posted for individuals wanting to volunteer to bring some sort of treat for the cake walk they were having as part of their Halloween party that evening. Luckily, I had taken off early that day to spend some extra time with my father while he was in town, so I went ahead and signed up and started brainstorming what I could take that I could whip up in just a couple hours, still allowing for time to cool and set up properly. I recalled seeing several recipes of late where the food bloggers used a cake mix from a box to form the base layer of a cookie bar recipe of sorts and decided to go with that. As I was in the kitchen, the rest of the recipe just sort of fell into place and the end result was not only delicious, but fun in a special Halloween sort of way.

Here is what you will need to make "Melted Wicked Witch" Mint Cookies and Cream Gooey Cake Bars:

- 1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix
- 1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature (or thrown in the microwave if you're running short on time like I was)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Andes Mint baking pieces
- 16 Mint Oreo Cookies, crushed and broken into small pieces
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- Green food coloring

1. Line a 9x13" cake pan with aluminum foil, leaving excess foil at each end to create handles. Generously spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the cake mix, the butter, and the egg until well-combined. I used my hands and it worked way better than the spoon I initially started the process with. You will get a Play-Doh result when the ingredients are sufficiently combined. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
3. Next, sprinkle the Andes Mint baking pieces onto the crust layer, followed by the Mint Oreo cookies. Top with the chocolate chips.
4. Add a few drops of green food coloring to your can of sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Pour the now-green sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top of all.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until cooked through. Cool to room temperature and cut into 16 bars. Store covered in an airtight container. ENJOY this spook-tacular treat- we sure did!

Layers of chocolatey-minty-cookies and cream goodness... To die for! 

Happy Halloween! Here is a picture of Miss Brooklyn in her kitty cat costume, which, oddly enough, she was terrified of until she realized it was her golden ticket to free candy. Now, even though she won't smile in most of the pics we take, she at least doesn't scream bloody murder when we try to put it on her... Thank goodness!

And yes... it's cold here. For those of you not from Wyoming, we select our Halloween costumes based on how many warm layers we can fit comfortably underneath. It was about 35 degrees on Saturday when we were downtown trick-or-treating. But, in spite of the chilly temps, fun was had by all! Round 2 starts tonight!

Cinnascotch Butter Cookies

So, for those of you fellow food lovers out there, I am sure a lot of you are probably aware of the Picky Palate blog. She is constantly coming up with some innovative and delicious-sounding recipes, especially when it comes to sweets! Last week, I saw that she had posted about Biscoff Stuffed White Chocolate Chip Cookies... I have never tried Biscoff, nor had I ever even heard of it before she started posting about it. Nevertheless, I read this post, thought it sounded fantastic, and decided to play around with it and make it my own, out of both satisfaction for my creative needs and necessity, due to the fact that nowhere in our area sells Biscoff or Biscoff spread.

Seeing as how it is starting to feel like fall out there and I am just LOVING the crispness in the air, cinnamon immediately came to mind, followed by butterscotch. I decided I wanted to add these two elements to the cookie base of the recipe, but then needed to find a way to come up with some sort of delicious filling to stuff inside the cookies. To be honest, I am not really sure where the idea for the filling came from other than I had been snacking occasionally on miniature white chocolate Reese's cups and thought maybe something with peanut butter would be tasty. I ended up mixing peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon and using that for the filling. It turned out delicious!

These cookies are seriously decadent, and are PERFECT to help welcome fall with open arms and empty stomachs!

Cinnascotch Butter Cookies (recipe adapted from Picky Palate http://picky-palate.com/)

- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with either a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat together the butter and both sugars until well-combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, followed by the white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, mixing until just combined.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon.
6. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Using your thumb, make indentations into each cookie for the filling. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop the filling into each cookie. Top with another small scoop of cookie dough and press edges of cookie dough together to seal. Some filling will seep through.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. ENJOY!

SO satisfying...sweet, with a hint of salty and a whole lot of richness! 

Even though some of the flavors in this cookie are not necessarily traditional fall flavors, they really felt like fall to me, especially when they were still warm and gooey and just sinfully perfect. There are so many layers of flavor here that it is hard not to find something to fall in love with in these cookies. For me, it was, oh... pretty much everything! I will definitely be making these again. Hopefully, you enjoy them as much as I did! 

P.S. My brother named them.... I decided he needed to start "earning" his beloved banana bread! :)  

Apple Pie Cookie Bars

We celebrated a birthday in our family last week. Chris's birthday was last Friday, and naturally, I started bugging him about what he wanted for his special birthday dessert at least a week before that. He insisted that he didn't want anything and told me not to worry about it. Yeah, right. Since he would never give me an answer, I decided to try and be innovative. If you have read some of my other posts, you know that Chris really tends to favor the classics...simple, yet delicious, desserts. He loves oatmeal raisin cookies and I THOUGHT he also loves apple pie. Turns out that is Gene, Chris's dad, and Chris really loves pumpkin pie (which I did know that, too, but it didn't work with my idea, so I went with apple and ended up being wrong...OOPS!) Regardless of who really loved apple pie and who didn't, the end result of my attempt at innovation in creating a super duper deluxe birthday dessert tailored especially to Chris's taste turned out to be just that....a super duper deluxe birthday dessert that was DELICIOUS!

So in case you haven't got on by now, what I wanted to do was combine what I thought were two of Chris's favorite desserts into one treat. I started with an oatmeal cookie mix, threw in some raisins and cinnamon, and then pressed the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan for the crust. I then chopped up apples and tossed them in flour, sugar, and cinnamon and created a very simple apple pie filling. I pressed that down onto the oatmeal cookie crust, and then I finished off with a struesel topping. WOW- this served with some ice cream on top...it's practically begging you to eat it, savor in every bite, and welcome fall in with a bang!

Here is the recipe for Apple Pie Cookie Bars:

- 1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
- 1 stick butter, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- 5 medium apples, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon

- 1/4 cup cold butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup instant oats

- Extra flour for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with two pieces of overlapping foil, extending over the sides to create handles for easy lifting later. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cookie mix, the butter, the egg, the raisins, and the cinnamon. Mix well. Press cookie dough evenly into bottom of prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the top with a little flour. (This helps absorb some of the extra moisture from the apple pie filling so your cookie layer is not soggy.)
3. In a medium bowl (I used the same one from the cookie dough), toss the apples, the flour, the sugar, and the cinnamon together to coat the apples. Press the apple pie filling evenly over the cookie dough crust. Sprinkle a little flour over the top.
4. In a medium bowl, use a fork or a pastry cutter to blend the cold butter, the flour, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the instant oats to create a streusel. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the pie filling.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 32 minutes, until streusel is golden brown on top. Let cool. Cut into bars and serve with ice cream. ENJOY!

These were a perfect dessert to help get me even more ready for fall than I already was...Welcome back apples, maple, pumpkin, and all of those delicious fall flavors. I have missed you, and hopefully you readers have, too, because you will be seeing a lot of them in the weeks to come!

What are some of your favorite things to bake in the fall???

ChocoNilla Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie treats are one of those classic childhood treats that are so simple, yet so delicious, that it is almost impossible not to enjoy them still as an adult. Now, being the one making them, there is an added bonus in the fact that they are ridiculously quick and easy. I whipped these up in less than 10 minutes- can't really beat that when you need a quick-fix dessert! I really enjoy adding twists to classic treats, in case you haven't noticed, even if the twist is only a minor modification to the original recipe. Here, I used both Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies... I know, I know, it's not exactly the most innovative thing I have ever done, but the taste is fantastic and well-balanced!

ChocoNilla Rice Krispie Treats

- 4 cups Rice Krispies
- 4 cups Cocoa Krispies
- 4 tbsp. butter, plus more for pan
- 1 small package vanilla pudding
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 10-oz. bag jumbo marshmallows

1. Line a 9x13" pan with foil. Generously grease the foil on all sides with butter. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt butter. Once melted, add the vanilla pudding and the marshmallows, stirring continuously to melt marshmallows. Once everything is melted together, stir in vanilla and mix well.
3. To the pot, add your Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies. Stir and mix until all of the cereal is well-coated with the marshmallow mixture.
4. Using a buttered spatula, press the cereal and marshmallow mixture evenly into the prepared 9x13" pan. Allow to cool, then ENJOY!



These are best enjoyed the day you make them, but if there ends up being leftovers, just pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and it will be as if they were just made, back to a gooey, delicious treat. The kids loved them, and so did the "big kids," i.e. my brother and his friend. We will definitely be making these again!

What are some of your go-to treats that you can prepare in a hurry that are sure to satisfy your family?

Peanut Butter Dream Dip

Many of you may have caught wind of the peanut butter pie recipes that have been sweeping the food blogging world over the past week or so. Food bloggers across the board have been making and sharing recipes for their favorite renditions of peanut butter pie to honor the memory of a fellow food blogger's husband who passed unexpectedly. See In Jennie's Kitchen for the full, heartbreaking story, and also for a delicious-sounding recipe for peanut butter cream pie that her late husband listed as his favorite.  http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html

This story is a good reminder that life is short. We should truly cherish each moment that we have with our loved ones and savor each day as if it could be our last. Let's not put off today what could be done tomorrow, especially when it comes to the things that bring us the most enjoyment. And when it comes to loved ones, as Jennie so beautifully wrote in her post, "hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on." Thank you, Jennie, for letting your loss help others remember just how precious life is and that we should not take anything for granted.

We had an incredibly busy weekend, and the time to make a pie unfortunately slipped away. But I came up with my own, quick version of peanut butter pie in dip form (basically deconstructed peanut butter pie if that helps you to visualize the connection) to help do my part to contribute to such a wonderful cause and remind my loved ones of how dear they are to me. Life is too short for it not to be sweet... 

Silky, smooth, peanut- buttery perfection! 

Peanut Butter Dream Dip

- 1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1/2 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Nilla Wafers, Oreos, graham crackers, or anything of the like (think pie crust) for dipping

1. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, and honey, mixing until smooth and silky with no chunks. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate.
2. Serve as a dip with your favorite cookie, cracker, or fruit/vegetable and enjoy! (Or, if you're like me and my family, you can grab a spoon and dig right in - it's DELICIOUS!)

Does your family have any special recipes that are their favorites? What are they and how often do you make them for your loved ones? I would love to hear about it! 

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies

Oreo cookies are one of my all-time favorite store-bought cookies. Whenever I eat them, a flood of sensational memories washes over me and I am back reliving my childhood, sitting in my grandparents' living room, watching cartoons, and enjoying the good life. The simple life. We really had it made when we were younger- no responsibility, no worries, just a carefree existence that, unbeknownst to us, was shaping us into the adults we are today. Though the adult world is now full of responsibility and all of the other characteristics that our childhood lacked, there are still some things that just make everything seem all right and bring a sense of comfort back into our sometimes seemingly foreign world of jobs, children, and everything else for which we are now held accountable. For me, one of those things is Oreo cookies. And milk. What is an Oreo cookie without a big glass of milk to dunk it in? Needless to say, I jump at any chance to utilize these cookies and their perfectly balanced cookies and cream basis.

I first saw these cookies posted on Picky Palate's website. She has some fantastic and innovative stuff happening over there, and I highly recommend that you check out her page if you haven't already done so. Just click here and take a quick field trip before today's lesson starts... http://picky-palate.com/  See how easy I make life for you? :)

As soon as I saw these posted, I knew that I would have to make them. And so I did. And I put my own special twist on them... for any of you who love the Mint Fudge Oreos that come out only around Christmas as much as I do, these cookies are for you! They are really quick and easy to make, and you will find that there are so many wonderful layers of flavors going on in every single bite you take. These are, by far, one of my favorite cookies that I made recently.

Anyone else remember these??? I wait for them EVERY year- yet another thing I LOVE about the holiday season!!!

Anyways... those cookies were part of my inspiration for the changes I made to the original recipe I saw over at Picky Palate's site. But on with it....
Double Chocolate Mint Cookies and Cream Cookies:

- 2 sticks softened butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 18 whole Oreo cookies, crushed until mostly fine crumbs with a few larger pieces remaining

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a large cookie sheet with either parchment paper or a silpat liner.
2. Using either a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until well-combined. Add eggs, vanilla, and mint extract, mixing until mostly smooth and well-combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the wet ingredients, along with cocoa powder, both types of chocolate chips, and the crushed Oreo cookies, slowly mixing until just combined.
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, placing approximately 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. ENJOY!

(Recipe adapted from Picky Palate)

Ahhhh...perfection! 

Seriously... these cookies will make you some friends! We took them to daycare for Teacher's Appreciation Day, and let's just say word of mouth has done it's job- in a good way for once! Try them and let me know how you like them! 

Peanut Butter Fudge Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am one of those people who tends to obsess... once the seed of an idea has been planted in my brain, I can't seem to get it out, so the only natural thing to do is to let that seed blossom and run with it... Two little seeds have recently been planted... The end result? Peanut Butter Fudge Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!

To start, my mom's fiance kept bringing up the peanut butter fudge I gave to them last Christmas. He swears that it is the best fudge he has ever had and asked when I might be able to make them more. Things have been pretty crazy this summer, so I haven't got around to making it for them quite yet. But this was enough to get me thinking about and craving some delicious peanut butter fudge. On top of that, I have also been thinking a lot about my Grandma's chocolate chip cookies. I am sure that part of that comes from me missing her, but, regardless of the reason, her fabulous, simple chocolate chip cookies have also been ingrained in my mind lately.

I decided to be innovative and try and  come up with an excuse to bake  satisfy both insatiable cravings with one treat... IT WORKED!   And it worked well...So, of course, I had to share it with you all so you could bask in all of the peanut-buttery. chocolaty, gooey-ness that is this recipe.

These cookies are simple and quick. Here is what you will need to make them:

- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter-flavored Crisco
- 1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Using a fork, in a small bowl combine the peanut butter and the powdered sugar together until you have a Play-Doh-like consistency. Stick this makeshift fudge into the freezer for half an hour to firm up.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix Crisco, brown sugar, milk and vanilla together until creamy, using a hand mixer. Blend in the egg.
4. In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, mixing on low until well-incorporated.
6. Using a wooden spoon, stir in milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
7. Once you have completed all of these steps, remove the peanut butter "fudge" from the freezer. Break  or chop into small chunks and stir into cookie dough.
8. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are light golden brown around the edges. 
9. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. ENJOY!!!



These cookies are a wonderful combination of chocolate and peanut butter, and I really like the different layers of chocolate flavor that the two kinds of chips add compared to only one. They are soft, chewy, and simple in an irresistible way.

They even met Chris's approval! He loves a lot of the crazy concoctions I come up with, but to him, simplicity is always the best. For him, sometimes there is nothing better than the classic. So, with only a slight addition to Grams' coveted chocolate chip cookies, he ended up loving the result! As did the kids! We were on the verge of having to hide the cookie container from Brooklyn, because EVERY TIME she saw it she would squeal and point at it. Obviously, we don't deprive our kids of sweets in case you couldn't tell, but even we have our limits! :)

Hope you enjoy!

German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars

One of my favorite kinds of recipes are the ones shared and passed around through families. We spent a lot of the month of July traveling, and one of the extra perks that came along with seeing wonderful family was acquiring this recipe from Chris's Aunt Deb and Grandma Ida. I had tried these bars once before during a previous trip to Kimball, Nebraska, but never thought to ask for the recipe until this time. I am so glad I did! They are super easy to make, and so delicious! As a family, we love them.

As an added bonus, one of my coworkers recently celebrated a birthday, and as one of the designated office "birthday bakers," I asked her what she wanted me to make and bring into work for her. She told me that two of her favorite things were brownies and caramel... and alas, the perfect opportunity to bake these bars and share them with you all came to be. (By the way, she also mentioned ice cream, and I think these would be heavenly topped with a nice, cool scoop of creamy vanilla!)

I really don't remember what these bars were originally called in the recipe that Aunt Deb and Grandma Ida shared with me, so I re-named them and came up with some possible suggestions for tasty variations of this recipe, but I am saving those for later when I have actually had a chance to try them. I don't know where the recipe originated from, so I don't really know who to give credit to since it is not my original creation... just one of those family recipes passed down through the generations I suppose?

Here is what you will need to make German Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bars:

- 1 box German Chocolate cake mix
- 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water
- 14 ounces caramel pieces
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" cake pan with two overlapping pieces of aluminum foil, leaving excess foil at each end to create handles for easy removal later. Grease and flour the foil. Set aside.
2. Combine cake mix, butter, and water in a large bowl, using a fork to mix. Incorporate the butter and water fully into the cake mix. When you're done, the mix should be crumbly but still stick together. Set aside.
3. Combine caramels and evaporated milk over low-medium heat until melted and smooth, about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from heat and keep warm.
4. Take half of your prepared cake mix and press it evenly into the bottom of the 9x13" pan to create the bottom layer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips. Pour caramel over the chocolate chip layer and spread evenly.  Take the remaining cake mix and press it evenly over the caramel layer to create the top layer. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. ***This part is a little tricky- be prepared to get your hands sticky! The good part is you can lick them clean after you're done and get a preview of the chocolate caramel goodness that is coming your way.*** 

Shhh.... don't tell anyone. Then you won't have to share yet!

5. Place your assembled bars into the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bars are mostly set. They will jiggle a bit at first because of the caramel, but they should still be done. They will solidify as they cool.

6. Cut into bars and share the love! Enjoy!

As I mentioned before, I thought of a couple variations that I think would work fantastic in this recipe. I have not actually had the opportunity to try them out yet, but I will eventually! Unfortunately, I can't bake as often as I would like, due to both lack of time and the fact I am attempting to slim my waistline a bit, but I try to write down ideas as they come to me so I can save them for a later date! So, with that in mind, you can expect AT LEAST one variation of this recipe still to come! Until then.... happy baking!



Magic Cookie Bars

So... for any of you who know me, you probably already are well aware that Magic Cookie Bars (aka Seven Layer Bars or Dolly Madison Cookies) are one of my all-time favorite treats in this world. They are positively perfect and sinful in every sense. I have actually requested that Chris bring me some of these scrumptious cookie bars on my death bed, assuming that is a feasible possibility. So basically, if I was on death row, these bars of layered perfection would undoubtedly be on the menu for my last meal. Yes, they are THAT good! I know my coworkers in dispatch agree with me on this one.

Magic Cookie Bars are part of a special class of recipes that are not only defined by their simplicity, but are great because of just that. My mom made these for me as a small child, and ever since the first moment I tasted them, I knew that they would forever be a part of me. And so here I am, twenty-some years later, sharing the recipe with you. This one is no secret- you could find it, quite literally, anywhere. But just in case you don't feel like searching for it, here it is at your fingertips.

Magic Cookie Bars

- 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
- 1 cup (or more) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (or more) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (or more) butterscotch chips
- 2 cups toasted coconut flakes
- 1 can Eagles Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread your coconut flakes out onto a baking sheet and place into preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until coconut is lightly browned and toasted. Set toasted coconut aside to cool.
2. While you are toasting your coconut, melt your butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the graham cracker crumbs to the bowl and toss into the melted butter with a fork, making sure that all crumbs are well-moistened by the butter. The crumbs should start sticking together if pressed.
3. Line a 9x13" pan with two pieces of overlapping aluminum foil, creating handles at each end of the pan for easy removal later. Spray foil well with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of the foiled pan. You can use a fork, but I think the best way to accomplish this is to use the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup. It works perfectly, and flattens everything out beautifully and evenly.
5. If you're using nuts (I usually don't, just because too many people don't like them for some reason- I, myself, do, and when I do, I use pecans), sprinkle the nuts over the graham cracker crust.
6. Next, sprinkle all three kinds of baking chips evenly over the nuts or graham cracker crust layer, making sure they are well-mixed. Press down lightly to create a more even layer.
7. Sprinkle the toasted coconut evenly over the baking chips layer, then pour the whole can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the toasted coconut, coating evenly.
8. Place into preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes, until the top starts turning a very light golden brown. Savor in the AMAZING aroma that has been filling your house- it will get even better when you remove these bad boys from the oven and (try to) let them cool before cutting them and eating them.

ENJOY! Share with your kids-they are sure to love these.