Valentine’s Brownies

Holiday decor and spirit usually adds a little bit of fun to life.  So although I was short on time,  I didn’t want it to stop me from sending a little Valentine’s Day spirit to my brother and my nieces and nephew.  Looking back, I could have even added Valentine’s Day M&M’s or other festive coated candy, but another holiday…another dessert!  I decided to make this brownie recipe, but I doubled it and made it in a 13″ x 9″ pan.  I did mostly hearts and a couple of these flowers since I apparently either don’t have or couldn’t easily locate a larger heart cutter.  The thunder thigh curse benefit  of cutting shapes out of brownies is that you’re suddenly left with all the outer scraps…

I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again.  These brownies rock.  They’re fudgy, but not to the extent that they totally fall apart into pieces (obviously) when you cut into them.  A go-to recipe for sure. Enjoy!

Oreo Rice Krispies Treats

So, I still have never remembered to take a picture!  However, I’m about due to send another package to Corrie’s deployed co-worker, so perhaps I’ll remember next time since her standing request is for these.  This is them packaged up and ready to go in the upper right hand corner.

Oreo Rice Krispies Treats

• 3 Tbps. Butter
• 5-6 cups mini marshmallows, depending on your “gooeyness” desire
• 8 cups rice krispies cereal
• 8 oz bag mini Oreo cookies or regular size, quartered

Spray a 9″x13″ baking dish with a light mist of nonstick spray.

Place butter and marshmallows into a large microwavable bowl. Microwave for a few minutes until marshmallows puff up nice and large. Remove and stir in cereal and Oreos.

Pour into the 9 x 13. With the back of a large spoon (sprayed with cooking spray) press and smooth treats into the pan. Cut into squares.

Slightly adapted from Picky Palate

“The” Cran-Apple Pie

Continuing on with yummy Mommy desserts, we have her cran-apple pie.  This is probably my favorite fruit pie.  Which, considering my least favorite is apple, is quite a feat.  But, I don’t like soft apples, or cinnamon in my apple pies, and this boasts neither!

Super yummy, this pie is “legendary” in our household, and is required as a part of all holiday-related celebrations.

Cran-Apple Pie

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 8 to 9 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 tab butter
• pastry for basic pie crust
• 1 egg white mixed with 1 tsp water, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Blend together flour and sugar in small bowl.  Put pie crust in bottom of pan.  Alternate layers of apples, cranberries and sugar mixture in 9″ pie plate, beginning and ending with apples.

Dot with butter.  Put on top crust and crimp edges.  Cut slits on top to allow stem to escape.  If desired, brush top crust with egg water mixture.  Cook for 50 minutes.  (Although watching your timing if you have a fast or slow oven.)

Makes 8 to 10 servings

I’m linking this to “Sweets for a Saturday”! Thanks for the invite.

My Momma’s Banana Pudding

This recipe is a Paula Deen recipe called “Not Your Momma’s” Banana Pudding, but this was in fact banana pudding made by my Mom! Traditionally I find banana pudding just okay – I don’t love how the Nilla wafers tend to soften under the pudding, and the pudding itself is generally kind of bland on its own since it’s most often found in undoctored instant pudding form. But this, my friends, was a banana pudding for the ages.  DE-LICIOUS.

I had a banana pudding in my saved files with amaretti cookies, because both my daddy and Corrie love banana pudding.  While that may get to trot out at some point for a test drive, I think this is going to hold down as the reigning favorite.

It is perfect for a potluck, family or holiday gathering, because it makes a ton.  So, I brought some to my in-laws celebration and rumor has it the famous Monya loved it too! Like I said, repeat worthy.

My Momma’s Banana Pudding

• 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
• 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe from Paula Deen

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

The last of the Halloween recipes.  The dessert Corrie requested for his birthday were chocolate mint cupcakes, so that’s what he got!  In the party rush I didn’t end up getting a picture of one by itself, but cest la vie.

 

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcake

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Buttercream Frosting

• 8 Tbsp butter, room temperature (1 stick, 4 ounces)
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with cupcake liners.

Melt together the butter -cut into chunks, chocolate, cocoa in a double boiler or in the microwave using a microwave-safe bowl (stir after 30 second increments until smooth).  Whisk until the ingredients are well combined and smooth.  Let cool to touch.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add salt, sugar, mint extract, and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the chocolate butter mixture and beat until combined.

Add in half of the sifted flour mixture, mix to combine. Mix in the sour cream. Mix in the remaining flour mixture.

Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin cups. Place in oven in middle rack. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool in muffin tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Then gently remove cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

In an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk and mint extract.

Slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed, stopping every now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Taste and add more mint extract if it isn’t minty enough for you, or powdered sugar if it isn’t sweet enough for you.

Holiday Bark…Shown Halloween Style

Obviously this bark was made for Halloween, but it’s so easily adaptable for whatever holiday you’re celebrating.  I actually just picked up some Peppermint Oreos which are totally delicious, and would be a great substitute into this bark.

This was easy to put together and completely addicting.  I had Corrie take some of it into work on Monday to get it out of the house!

 

Bark

• 1 1/2 cups of bite-sized Oreos or 16 whole Oreos, cut into quarters
• 1 1/2 cups small stick pretzels, broken
• 1 lb. white chocolate, almond bark or melts (white chocolate chips won’t melt smoothly)
• 1 cup candy corn
• 1/2 cup Reese’s pieces or other candy
• sprinkles

Place wax paper on a large cookie sheet.  Spread out cookies, pretzels, Reese’s pieces, and 2/3 of the candy corn onto the waxed paper.  In a microwave safe container, melt the white chocolate pausing every 30 seconds to stir it until it’s almost smooth.  Remove from the microwave, and stir until smooth.

Pour the melted chocolate over the cookie/pretzel mixture evenly, and spreading with a spatula if needed.  Sprinkle the remaining candy corn and sprinkles over the chocolate while still wet.

Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm.  Remove and gently break bark into small pieces.  Store in airtight container.

Slightly adapted from Recipe Girl

Candy Corn Cupcakes

I love how festive these came out, and…I love that you could adapt them for pretty much any holiday!  Valentine’s Day – layer red and pink with white icing or red and white with pink icing or pink and white with red icing…okay, I think you get the idea.  Anyways, these will be stuck in my back pocket as a handy, festive go-to treat!

P.S.  I really should have cut one open and photographed it, but I just didn’t think that far ahead in the midst of party prep…sigh.  Underneath that orange layer was a yellow layer…trust me…I’m not a doctor.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

• 1 box plain white cake mix (I like yellow cake better so that’s what I used since I knew I wasn’t having a “white” layer in the cupcakes!)
• 1 cup sour cream (I used light)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• Food coloring – for candy corn ones – yellow and orange
• Whipped topping or buttercream frosting
• Candy corn

Preheat oven according to cake mix directions.  Place cupcake liners in cupcake tins.

Combine cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, milk, and eggs into a large bowl.  Mix according to the cake mix directions.

Divide batter evenly into two separate bowls.  Color half of the batter with a few drops (or to whatever shade you like) of orange food coloring – if you don’t have orange food coloring use 1 drop of red food coloring to every two drops of yellow.  Color the other half of the batter with a few drops of yellow food coloring.

Fill each cupcake liner 1/4 of the way with the yellow batter.  Place the muffin tin in the freezer for about 8-10 minutes to help avoid the layers from blending together too much.  Top with orange batter until liner is about 1/2 or slightly more full.

Bake according to cake mix package directions.

Cool cupcakes completely.  Top with whipped topping or buttercream frosting just before serving and decorate with a piece of candy corn.

Refrigerate any remaining cupcakes.

Recipe: very slightly adapted from a recipe card Kroger sent me

Scrumptious Oreo Truffles

The immediate face and/or vocal reaction of the boys who tried these was equivalent or equal to “OH MY GOD”.  It was highly entertaining, and coupled with the fact of how few ingredients are in these highly addictive little treats, it was easily the most talked about food item at the party!

Corrie has already requested we bring these to his family’s Thanksgiving gathering if that tells you anything.

I do have a suggestion and alternate plan for next time, I made this in a food processor, but I think I would definitely use a spoon or other similiar implement (which the recipe does suggest to do) to mix in the cream cheese next time.  I think it pulverized it a little too well, and they turned out very soft.  I think they would keep their shape slightly better by not using it.  I also want to try these with mint oreos sometime…yum!

Make these immediately, but just be sure to be prepared for some inappropriate but hilarious reactions if you have any mid-20 year old men at your shin-dig.

Oreo Truffles

• 1 package Oreo cookies, divided (you will use all of the cookie including the cream center)
• 1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
• white chocolate bark

If you want to use Oreos for decoration, finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later.

Crush remaining cookies, and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.

Roll the mixture into 1″ balls, and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Freeze the oreo balls for 10-15 minutes to help the balls retain their shape during dipping.

Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry.

If you’re using the crushed cookies, sprinkle it now as the bark tends to set quickly!  I melted some chocolate chips for a quick decoration.

Refrigerate once dry.

Recipe amended from Kraft Food & Family Fall 2006. Found at Bakerella

The Birthday/Halloween Party Extravaganza

This year the weekend following Corrie’s birthday was “Halloween weekend”.  So, since we have been doing so much travel, and Corrie requested to stay home for his birthday, I held a combination birthday/Halloween party at our house.

So, although it’s a little late for Halloween recipes, most of these are either not Halloween themed or could be adapted to any holiday!  Here’s what’s on tap for the next couple posts with the exception of the ones already featured here before!

Appetizers

• Rosemary Parmesan Pinwheels
• Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups
• Baked Southwest Eggrolls
• Pepperoni Bread
• Veggies and Dill Dip
• And a few explanations needed like chips and salsa and assorted cheeses with crackers

Desserts

• Candy Corn Cupcakes
• Grasshopper Cupcakes (The birthday boy’s request.)
• Halloween Bark
• Oreo Truffles
• Cutout Cookies

Marshmallow Brownie Crunch Bars

We were invited to a yummy dinner with friends, and I brought these as my contribution…dessert!  Luckily they turned out well considering I am now in the habit of making “new” things to take or serve to friends.  Since I’ve been asked for the recipe, I am happy to report our hosts enjoyed them too.

Corrie thought that the marshmallow layer was a little difficult to maneuver once they had cooled, but I really liked that aspect of them.  He loved the Rice Krispies topping, and I enjoyed it but was more into the other layers so go figure!  Either way, I’d recommend these, and I’d definitely make them again.  Word to the wise…they make a very full 13 x 9″ pan, so they’re perfect for feeding a large crowd!

Somehow the majority of my pictures turned out blurry, so I’ll just have to make them again to change out the photo!

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

Brownie:

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1- 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Marshmellow Layer:

• 1 bag (10½ ounces) miniature marshmallows

Crunch Layer:

• 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1½ cups Rice Krispies cereal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

Brownies: Combine the unsweetened chocolate, butter and ¾ cup of the semisweet chocolate chips in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir occasionally while melting.  Alternately, you can microwave in 15 – 30 second intervals taking care to stir between intervals.  Set aside and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In another separate but larger bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly.  Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until well blended.  Add the melted ingredients into the egg mixture and mix well until combined.  Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the remaining ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the corner of of the pan comes out with moist crumbs.

After removing the brownies from the oven, immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over them.  Return the pan to the oven for 3 more minutes.

Crunch Layer: While that’s in the oven, combine the milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan.  Melt over low heat, stirring constantly, until completely melted. Remove from heat, add the Rice Krispies and mix well. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.  Then spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer.

Refrigerate until chilled before cutting.

Recipe found at: Brown Eyed Baker Adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody; originally from Buttercup Bakes at Homeby Jennifer Appel)