Peanut Butter Chocolate Eclair Cake

As a teenager, I always loved to cook and make new things for my family.  One of my signature items was a Chocolate Eclair Cake.  I have no idea where I got the recipe, but I made it so man times that I had the ingredients and directions memorized!  I remember that in my cooking class in high school, I chose to make it for my live demonstration presentation because I was so proud that I didn't need to look at the recipe (I was just like a Food Network star!).  Somehow over the years, I had sort of forgotten about this recipe, even though it is so easy, so delicious and perfect for summertime in Arizona!  So when I saw this version with a peanut butter filling pop up on Plain Chicken, I knew that I needed to try it immediately!  Other than the twist with the peanut butter filling, the other change from my original recipe was using just a jar of chocolate frosting as the the topping.  While I was impressed at how easy that made putting this together, it was just too sweet for my tastes.  I think I prefer making the topping from scratch like in my original recipe using bittersweet chocolate and powdered sugar.  Either way, a cool, creamy chocolate peanut butter dessert is always a win in my book!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Eclair Cake

adapted from Plain Chicken

1 box chocolate graham crackers (there will be a few graham crackers left over)

2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding

1 c. peanut butter
3 1/2 c. milk
1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 can chocolate frosting


Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk and peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.


Heat the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

Strawberry Volcanoes

The month of August has been really busy for me, between going out of town for 9 days, being swamped at work and many other things, I just haven't had a chance to sit down and post on my blog.  The fall is always a really busy time of year for me as well, with football season, a couple of trips (football related of course) and all the holidays; but it is also a good opportunity to do some cooking for the aforementioned football season and holidays, so I hope to bring you all some more foodie fun soon!

These were the last item that I made for my sister's housewarming party back in July (and I still need to post about her birthday dinner in June....yikes!), and I have saved the best for last.  My sister loves chocolate covered strawberries, so once I stumbled across this picture and description somewhere in my Internet travels, I knew they would be perfect for her party!  They do take a bit more work than just a dipped strawberry, but they are so cute and delicious that it is worth it! 

Strawberry Volcanoes

1 lb. strawberries, cleaned, with tops cut off to make flat

1 c. chocolate chips, melted

Whipped cream, in a can or homemade

After slicing the tops off of the strawberries, make a cross cut across the tips of each strawberry.  Drain the strawberries on paper towels.  Carefully dip flat bottoms of strawberries in melted chocolate; place on wax paper and cool. Carefully pipe whipped cream into the split opening on the top of each strawberry.  Chill until serving and enjoy!

Chocolate Mint Brownies

I wanted to bring in a treat to my office for St. Patrick's Day, I am not Irish, but I love any good excuse for treats!  I had seen a version of these brownies in an issue of Cooking Light over a year ago, and I had been thinking about making them ever since, and I finally had the perfect opportunity!  The original recipe has you actually make the brownie part from scratch; but since I had hit at sale at Fry's a few months ago and got brownie mix for $1.00 per box, I thought it just made more sense to use what I already had (plus, it was the dark chocolate kind...my favorite)!  So I whipped up the brownie base on the Sunday night before the big day, and then made the toppings the night before.  The layers were really easy to make, I had just a little bit of trouble with gettting the chocolate layer to cover the entire pan, but other than that, these were a cinch to make! When I went to the store, I picked up mint extract instead of peppermint extract, and I think I am going to have to buy the peppermint for next time because the pure mint is just a hint too strong...a bit like toothpaste...and well, chocolate and toothpaste just don't mix!  No one else that tried these seemed to notice or mind, everyone at my office loved these, and what is not to love?  Dark, rich chocolate with a splash of cool minty filling equals deliciousness! 

Chocolate Mint Brownies

adapted from Cooking Light

Brownie Layer:
1 box (Family size for a 13 x 9 dish) brownie mix of your choice
Extra ingredients required on brownie box

Mint layer:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven according to brownie box directions.  Prepare and bake brownies as directed by the box.  Cool completely.

To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.

To prepare the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

My friend had invited me over to watch the Superbowl, I was looking forward to it, but have to say it felt a little odd not to be hosting the party myself.  I love to plan parties and menus and have people over, but I was a teeny bit relieved to have the day off.  But when I got a frantic text from my friend asking if anyone could bring a dessert, I switched back into party mode and decided to bake a cake!  I got this really cool bundt cake pan last year for Christmas, it is in the shape of a football stadium!!  What better day to bust it out again than for the Superbowl?  It looks even snazzier when I put it on my football field platter and stick little end zone toothpicks in it....I know the powdered sugar makes it a bit difficult to see in the picture...but trust me....the people at the party just couldn't stop talking about how cute it was!  Well, they did eventually stop talking about how cute it was when they started talking about how good it was!  This is a classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, nothing fancy, but always a crowd pleaser. 

My pan is being forced into retirement for the next 6 months until the football season starts again in August.....it sure is going to be a long 6 months!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

1 (18.25 oz.) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.8 oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
4 large eggs
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 (10 oz.) pkg. peanut butter chips
Garnish: confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-cup fluted pan.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, and sugar. Add oil, water, and eggs; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sour cream and chocolate/peanut butter chips. Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Sift confectioners’ sugar over top of cake.

Banana Cream Cheesecake

I know that I may have mentioned this before, but I LOVE CHEESECAKE!  It doesn't really matter what flavor; plain, chocolate, peanut butter, I love them all!  When I came across this recipe for Banana Cream Cheesecake I knew I had to give it a try; while I had never had banana cheesecake before, I like banana cream pie....so how could this not be good?

I made this for the dessert course of my football party, let's just say that things were not going so well for our team by the time I brought this out, but this seemed to perk everyone up right away!  We all loved this spin on cheesecake, some opted for whipped cream and others kept it plain, but the results were delicious nonetheless!  I think this is only the second cheesecake I had ever made in my life, and it uses a unique low temperature cooking method, but it turned out just perfect and the top didn't even crack! 

Banana Cream Cheesecake

adapted from Our Krazy Kitchen

CRUST:

20 vanilla cream-filled sandwich style cookies

1/4 c. buter, melted

FILLING:

3 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese, softened (I used light)

2/3 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

3 eggs

3/4 c. finely mashed banana (I just threw two into the mixer and let it do the mashing!)

1/2 c. whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. maple extract (I didn't use this)

Use a blender to finely chop the cookies; add melted butter and stir until well blended.  Press mixture into the bottom of a 10" springform pan and smooth it out.  Refrigerate crust while making the filling.

Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Add in the sugar and corstarch, followed by one egg at a time.  Beat in the bananas, whipping cream and vanilla until smooth.  Pour mixture into the crust.

Place pan on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Then, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake an additional 75 minutes, or until center is almost set.  Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes, then refrigerate, uncovered for at least 6 hours before serving.

Slice and serve with whipped cream, banana slices and/or even caramel sauce!

Macaroon Christmas Tree

Merry Christams to All!  Hope everyone is ready for the big day tomorrow....it sure did seem to sneak up on me this year!  I have just a few minutes before I have to go get ready to go to Christmas Eve services, but I wanted to post this just before I left because it is just so cute!  A couple of weeks ago I had the Food Network on and was just sort of halfway watching it when I glanced over and saw Sandra Lee putting this tree together, I thought it was cute, but then didn't give it much more thought until my mom said she had some leftover White Chocolate that she didn't know what to do with....aha....light bulb went off in my head and I said that I would take it and make this tree!  I got the stuff that I needed (or thought that I needed, as I never even bothered to look up the recipe but just make it from memory) and started putting it together.  While I wouldn't call this the easiest thing to make, it is not hard, you just need a bit of patience trying to get the macaroons to stick to the cone before adding the next layer, but I would do a few layers and then let it sit before coming back to it.  I am taking it over to our family friend's for Christmas Eve dinner tonight.....and even if no one eats it....I still think it is too darn cute!

Macaroon Christmas Tree

adapted from Sandra Lee

Click this link for the original recipe.

For my changes, I didn't use any additional sugar, and instead of Red Hots I went with Peanut M&M's.

Also, I didn't refrigerate mine to harden, that probably would have sped things up.....but I still got it to work!

Time to get ready for church.....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Apple Dumplings

I had never eaten an apple dumpling, or any kind of dumpling for that matter, but when I saw this post on Krista's Kitchen, I just had to try them!  Growing up, my Grandma always made the pies for our Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations....there was always apple and cherry, and they were amazing!  The crust was flaky and tender, and we all looked forward to them each season.  Well, as Grandma got up there in age (she is 93 today!) she passed over the pie making duties to my mom, but for some reason, my mom could never get the crust to cooperate for her.  So about two years ago, mom gave up on her pie making efforts, usually delegating that task to a guest that would be joining us for the holiday.  This year though, I knew my Aunt Nancy would be making pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving, but I felt that we needed a little bit of variety, so I decided I would make these apple dumplings.

These were actually quite simple to put together, which was surprising to me, since they do start with a pie crust base.  They made made my house smell so good while they baked, with all the apples, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg!  I took these to our Thanksgiving dinner and we ate them with vanilla ice cream and homemade whipped cream, they were quite good!  They tasted a lot like an apple pie, but with the gooeyness on the outside of the crust instead of the inside.  I would try these again, but I felt that they maybe had a bit too much nutmeg or cinnamon in them, giving them a sort of "spicy" flavor.  But the crust was tender and flaky, which if you ask me what makes a good pie, it is all about the crust!

Apple Dumplings

adapted from Krista's Kitchen

For the dumplings:

2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. Crisco
1/2 c. milk

Stir together flour and baking powder. Cut in Crisco. Stir in milk to form a soft dough and knead 2-3 times in the bowl until everything sticks together. Roll out to 1/4" thickness on a floured surface. Cut into 6 squares.

Filling:

3-4 baking apples, peeled and cored
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1-2 Tbsp. butter for dotting

Cut apples into large pieces and arrange in the center of each dough square. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Dot with butter. Lightly brush a small amount of water on the edges of the dough. Fold the corners up to the center. Pinch to seal. Transfer to a rectangular baking dish.

Sauce:

2 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Bring the ingredients to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into the dumpling filled baking dish. Bake dumplings at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Lil' Devils

Even though I have been dealing with a terrible cold the past few days (my second cold of the summer..grr) I have been craving chocolate. Each night, as I sat on the couch with my box of tissues I tried to figure out something quick and easy that I could make with ingredients that I had on hand. Unfortunately, every recipe that I wanted to try, I was missing one of the vital ingredients! So Monday and Tuesday both passed without my chocolate craving being addressed. Today, I had to go and drop off some clothes at Goodwill (I did a little late summer cleaning, and donated 75 items!), and since there is a Fry's in the same parking lot, I decided to run in and grab a few things. I was also on a mission to get one of the missing ingredients so that I could finally get my chocolate fix!

I came across this recipe when I was Googling and trying to find something to do with Devil's Food cake mix, and since it combined both chocolate AND peanut butter, I knew that it couldn't be bad! One of the things that drew me to it was that it only had 4 ingredients, so it was really quick to prepare. The filling was a bit tricky because of all the marshmallow cream, so I ended up just patting it down with my hands. I let these cool for awhile before I sampled them, and the were quite yummy, and went perfect with a cold glass of milk. The main problem is that they came out a bit crumbly, making them difficult to eat, so I just dug in with a fork! Hopefully they will set up more the longer that they cool. This also could have been due to operator error and me not combining the crust ingredients well enough, but it didn't make them any less tasty!

Lil' Devils

1 box Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix with melted butter. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture and pat the rest into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan to form a crust. Combine the peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Spread over the crust. Crumble the remaining cake mixture over the top; gently press down into the peanut butter layer.

Bake for 20 minutes. Before cutting, let cool for at least 30 minutes to let the marshmallows re-set.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars

The night before I left for California I had a lot of things that I needed to get done to prepare, but after having battled a head cold for the last few days, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch. I had planned to make a few sweets to bring along on the trip, but the longer I lay there, the more I began to reconsider my plan. I finally compromised with myself and decided that I would make one of the planned desserts, but not both.

I had found this recipe about a month ago on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog and instantly knew that I had to try them. I don't know about you, but the combination of salty and sweet is one of major weaknesses, once I start I just can't stop! My mom is like this with Kettle Korn, she has a serious addiction, I have even seen her eat if for breakfast to just get it out of the house! I have always loved chocolate covered pretzels, and who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies? Put them together and you have yourself a chewy, salty, crunchy, chocolaty treat that cannot be beat. These were so simple to put together, and since they are in bar form and not cookie form, the prep time is reduced even more. Everyone really enjoyed these...especially Meghan...who ate them for her breakfast one morning!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars
adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. mini pretzels, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. On low, beat in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Press the batter down with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Use a knife to go around the side of the pan to loosen the bars. Cut into squares and serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

A couple of weeks ago my local grocery store had Rice Krispies on sale for super cheap, so I decided that it was the perfect opportunity to make the Rice Krispie treats that I had been craving. I love Rice Krispie treats, but I couldn't tell you the last time that I had actually made them, and the homemade ones are just so much better than the pre-made kinds. While rooting around in my baking cupboard, I found a bag of peanut butter and milk chocolate swirled chips that I had picked up on a super sale around the holidays. I hadn't yet found something to use them in yet, so I decided to kick up my treats and add them to the mix! And I am sure glad that I did, they added the perfect amount of peanut buttery goodness and chocolate to the sweet treats. I brought the pan into my office the next day and they were devoured immediately, and I got multiple requests for the recipe. It is almost embarrassing how easy these are, but they are the perfect no bake sweet treat for a hot summer's day!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

3 Tbsp. butter
20 oz. pkg. jumbo marshmallows
6 c. Rice Krispies
10 oz. pkg. Nestle Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Chips.

In a large pot, melt butter, once butter is melted, add marshmallows. Continue to stir over medium heat until they have all melted and become smooth. Stir in Rice Krispies and combine well. Stir chips into the mixture, and they will begin to melt.

Line 9 x 13 pan with foil, sprayed with cooking spray. Press mixture into pan, and let cool.

When cool, cut and serve!

Black Bottom Banana Cheesecake Pie

The moment that I saw this recipe in the Simple & Delicious magazine, I knew I just had to try it. The perfect opportunity presented itself when I decided to have a few friends over, so I went out and bought the ingredients and began to put it together. But when I opened the bag that held the contents of the crust, I noticed an odd odor, I just figured it was from the bag, so I plugged along and finished putting it together. Well, when we tried it, it became apparent that there was something very wrong, the crust had gone bad! Who knew that graham cracker crumbs would could go bad and taste like dirt! I went back and looked at the box, and saw that the "Use By" date was October 2008!!! I immediately started to curse Fry's Grocery Store for not keeping better track of the expired products on their shelves!

After the first disastrous attempt, I still really wanted to make this again, and add my own little twist! Since Whitney, Billy and Laura were coming over to watch SYTYCD, I decided to give it a try once again....and the results.....amazing!! My freshman year of college I had my first taste of Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie, and ever since then I have been obsessed, so I decided that I needed to add a black bottom to this pie! The pie now encompasses my two of my favorites; cheesecake and black bottom banana cream pie.....what could be more divine?

This is very simple to put together and you don't even have to turn on the oven...perfect during these hot Arizona summers!

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie
adapted from Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious Jan/Feb 2009

1 pkg. (11.1 oz) No-Bake Home-Style Cheesecake Mix
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 c. + 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. + 1 1/2 c. milk, divided
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant banana cream pudding mix
2 medium bananas, cut into 1/4 in. slices
1 c. whipped topping (Cool Whip)
Chocolate syrup, optional

In a large bowl, combine contents of the crust mix, sugar and 1/3 c. melted butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate; set aside. In a small microwaveable bowl, put 3 Tbsp. butter and the chocolate chips. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring between, until smooth. Spread evenly over the graham cracker crust. Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup milk and contents of filling mix on low speed until blended. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth, filling should be thick. Spoon evenly over the chocolate layer. Chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk remaining milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Arrange banana slices over the cheesecake filling. Spread with pudding, then whipped topping. Swirl chocolate syrup on top of whipped topping if desired. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Bars

My sorority alum group was having a bunco night last week, so I decided that I would make a dessert to share with everyone. I had come across this recipe a few weeks ago and thought that it sounded nice a refreshing for a hot summer night. The ladies at bunco night all really enjoyed it, and I got multiple requests for the recipe, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. Although, I do think that with a few minor adjustments, it could be greatly improved. First of all, maybe I didn't crush the pecans up enough, but I found them to be overpowering and it was the only thing that I could taste. If I were to make it again, I would probably omit the nuts and use only vanilla wafers. The other thing that I would change is that I would use banana pudding instead of vanilla pudding, these are supposed to be banana cream bars but they didn't have much of a banana flavor.

I would make these again with the changes because I like the concept and how easy they were to prepare. So if you are looking for a cool summer dessert, try a version of these!

P.S. These do not photograph well at all, it kinda just looks like a blob, so sorry!

Triple Layer Banana Cream Pie Bars

adapted from My Sister's Cucina

1 1/2 c. crushed vanilla wafer cookies (about 60 wafers)

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted

3 bananas, sliced

3 c. cold milk

2 pkgs. (4-serving size each) instant vanilla pudding & pie mix

2 1/2 c. whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix wafer crumbs, pecans and butter in 13X9-inch baking dish; press firmly onto bottom of dish. Bake 8 min. Cool 10 min.Top crust with banana slices. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Spoon 2 cups of the pudding over banana layer.Gently stir 1 cup of the whipped topping into remaining pudding; spoon over pie. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Refrigerate 3 hours. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Lime Chiffon

I just got back from a wonderful 4-day trip to Chicago with my sister. We ate lots of good food, which I will be sharing with you shortly, but I need to post one last item from her birthday barbecue a few weeks ago.

My sister's favorite dessert ever is Key Lime Pie, when she said that is what she wanted for her birthday, I suggested she make Lime Chiffon because it is very similar and is super simple! Since I made all of the side dishes, she decided she wanted to make her own dessert (but I did also bring some peanut butter truffle brownies by request), and even though it was her birthday, I let her do it! I found this recipe back when I was in high school, and it became a summertime staple with my family. It is cool and refreshing, and makes it possible for just a few minutes to forget that we live in the desert! This is really quick to throw together, just make sure you allow enough chilling time or you will have a soupy mess! P.S. Sorry about the photo, we had already started eating before I remembered to take the picture.

Lime Chiffon

1½ c. graham cracker crumbs

1/3 c. sugar

½ c. melted butter or margarine

1 pkg. (3 oz.) lime gelatin

1 c. boiling water

2 pkgs. (one 8 oz. & one 3 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 carton (16 oz.) cool whip, thawed

Combine the first three ingredients; set aside 2 tablespoons for topping. Press remaining crumbs onto the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking dish; set aside. In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; cool. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add vanilla; mix well. Slowly add gelatin until combined. Fold in cool whip. Spoon over crust; sprinkle reserved crumbs. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

I apologize for the delay in getting this recipe posted, yesterday turned out to be a crazy day with multiple meetings and appointments. I didn't get home until after 9:00 and all I wanted to do then was lay on the couch and watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Little Couple on my DVR (The Little Couple is a new fave of mine on TLC!). I made these brownies for my BBQ on Sunday, and they were a huge hit!!!

The combination of the fudgy brownies and the peanut butter prompted me to break out the milk! Funny side story, my dear friend Jen, looked at the milk carton and said "Organic Milk, where does that come from? Cows still?" We all had a good laugh at that.....and yes Jen, organic milk does still come from cows!! These brownies are quite addicting, so I happily sent home some of the leftovers with some of my guests....but not all of them!

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Brownie Base

1 box Brownie Mix (Make sure to get the kind that is for a 13 x 9 inch pan)

Water, oil & eggs that are called for on the box to make the brownies

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. milk

Topping

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

Heat oven to 350°F.

Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base. (It is easiest to use a spatula and pat the mixture until it covers the brownies, it doesn't really spread.) In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipes from Cinco de Mayo Week

This past week, I seemed to do a lot of cooking, and not a lot of blogging. I am not sure what my deal was, but I was at a barbecue yesterday and my friend Jess told me that I needed to put up some new recipes. So I figured I would share what I made during the week of Cinco de Mayo...and as you may have already guessed....the overall theme is Mexican!

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Last Sunday I was in the mood for something sweet, and realized that I had all the ingredients on hand to make sopapilla cheesecake bars! I just love when no last minute store runs for one missing item are necessary. I had found this recipe a little over a year ago on Recipezaar, and I had been dying to try it out. I LOVE cheesecake....my birthday also happens to be National Cheesecake Day...so it was meant to be that I try these out! I couldn't wait for these to finish baking, the cinnamon aroma had filled my house, and had me drooling. Once I was finally able to dig in, I couldn't understand what took me so long to try these out!! They were so easy to make, but were a 10 on the tasty scale. These will definitely be making a repeat appearance, and I won't be waiting until Cinco de Mayo next year!

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2 (8 oz)) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Using a 9 x 13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan. Pinch together seams and flatten.

Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and extract with an electric mixer, then spread over the crescent rolls.

Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.
Pour melted butter over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator, best served at room temperature.


Crockpot Refried Beans

As I am sure you can tell, I LOVE BEANS!!! I had been wanting to try making my own for some time now, so I figured it was a good time to try them, especially the recipe called for no pre-soaking! I found a few different recipes that I altered to my tastes, and while these were good, I still have some tinkering to do. Also, they are missing the one major element that makes them really good...which is lard....but at least these are healthy!

Crockpot Refried Beans
adapted from Coleen's Recipes

1 yellow onion (cut in half, but not chopped)
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 oz. diced jalapenos (or you can use 2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies)
9 cups water
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream

Put everything except the jalapenos and half & half in the crockpot. Cook on high for 8 hours until beans are tender. Drain. Put beans and jalapenos into a food processor and puree. Stream in a half & half until desired consistency.



Pollo Fundido Dip

Pollo Fundido is one of my all time favorite items at Mexican restaurants, so when I came across this recipe I knew I had to try it. I made this the same night that I made the beans, and turned into a very festive meal! It didn't have as much heat as I would have liked, which is probably because I used green chilies instead of jalapenos, next time I think I will kick it up a notch! If I was to serve this for a party, I would prepare as directed and then put into a crock pot to keep warm.


Pollo Fundido Dip
adapted from Taste of Home Community Pages


2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium chopped onions
2 (7 oz.) cans chopped green chilies or 1 (4oz.) can chopped jalapenos
1 tsp. salt
5 oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup grated white sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterrey jack cheese (or pepperjack!)
8 oz. cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

Saute' the onion in the vegetable oil until soft. Add the green chilies and salt and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add the evaporated milk and simmer for 4 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the cheeses and chicken and continue cooking until heated through and the cheese has completely melted.

Serve with chips or veggies for dipping.



Fluffy Guacamole

I was asked to bring something to a barbecue that I was attending on Saturday. I was having a very lazy day, and didn't get into the shower until 3, and the barbecue started at 4. With no time to go to the store, I had to make do with what I had on hand. I had just received my new Healthy Cooking from Taste of Home Magazine, and found the perfect snack to bring. I used to hate anything that had to do with avocados up until about 2 years ago, it was so weird, one day I just felt that I need some guacamole, and I became hooked! My dad makes the best guacamole in the world, and while he has shown me how to do it, his always seems to taste better. I thought that this recipe sounded tasty for a barbecue and I was right, one of my friends couldn't stop eating it and asked me if I had put crack in it!! No, no crack....just some yummy goodness that will definitely make my regular rotation! (Sorry for the bad picture, we had polished off half of it before I remembered to take a picture!)

Fluffy Guacamole
Adapted from Healthy Cooking by Taste of Home (June/July 09)

2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 (8 oz.) pkg. light cream cheese
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1/2 medium onion
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 tsp. salt
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Place onion and garlic in the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the tomatoes, and process until blended. Stir in the tomatoes by hand. Serve with chips.