Category: COOKIES, BARS & CANDY

CHOCOLATE HEAVENS

These cookies are melt in your mouth delectable.  I guarantee they will not last long enough to worry about putting them in the cookie jar.


CHOCOLATE HEAVENS
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces BAKER’s bittersweet chocolate, grated or chopped in your food processor
1 cup milk chocolate chips
4 ounce package Diamond walnut topping pieces

  • Sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, blending well.
  • Add vanilla just until combined.
  • Gradually add flour mixture until all combined.
  • Fold in nuts and chocolates.
  • Roll dough into log and wrap dough in plastic for 24-36 hours before baking.*
  • Preheat oven to 350 °.
  • Line cookie sheet with Parchment paper.
  • Unwrap dough and slice into 1/4 inch cookies.
  • Lightly sprinkle each slice with sea salt.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Enjoy.

*You can just slice the dough and lay the cookies out to bake, but I like to take the slices and roll each one into a ball.  Then after they have been in the oven about 15 minutes, I use my spatula to slightly flatten each cookie like you would a peanut butter cookie.

    COUCH POTATO BARS

    I got this recipe from Tablespoon because it sounded intriguing.  Hubs likes it, but honestly it didn’t have enough flavor for all the work.  I much prefer my Chunky Monkeys.

    COUCH POTATO BARS
    4 cups pretzel sticks, ground fine
    1/4 cup butter, melted
    3 tablespoons sugar
    8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
    1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    1 cup potato chips, crumbled
    1 can sweetened condensed milk
    1 cup peanut butter

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Line 9×9 baking dish with foil.
    • Combine pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter.
    • Press into pan.
    • Sprinkle bacon and chocolate chips over pretzel crust.
    • Sprinkle potato chips over bacon and chocolate chips.
    • Drizzle condensed milk evenly over the top.
    • Bake 20 minutes.
    • Let cool for 20 minutes on the counter and then chill in refrigerator for an hour.
    • Once bars are completely cooled, melt peanut butter in microwave for 30 seconds.  Drizzle peanut butter over top.
    • Remove foil from pan and cut into bars.
    • Keep refrigerated.

    MOLASSES GINGER BROWNIE BARS with MOCHA GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

    I created this recipe around Christmas time, but only got around to “creating” it this past weekend.  These are sooooooooo good – they smell good and they taste good, literally melting in your mouth.

    MOLASSES GINGER BROWNIE BARS with MOCHA GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
    BROWNIES
    1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
    1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa
    1 tablespoon finely ground espresso powder
    1 teaspoon high grade (like Red Ape) cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon Califronia lemon peel
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    4 ounces Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
    8 tablespoons unsalted butter
    1 tablespoon ground ginger
    1 cup packed brown sugar
    2 large eggs
    1/2 cup Grandma’s molasses

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    • Line 9×13 baking pan with heavy duty foil (this will make it easier to lift out and cut brownies, plus keeps your pan clean)
    • Spray foil with non-stick spray.
    • Whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, ginger, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
    • Place chocolate pieces in a medium mixing bowl.
    • Melt butter in a small saucepan.
    • Pour melted butter over chocolate, allowing chocolate to melt and mixing until smooth.
    • In another large bowl whisk eggs with molasses until well blended.
    • Add in sugar, whisking until dissolved.
    • Add in chocolate mixture stirring until well blended.
    • Gradually add in flour mixture, stirring JUST until all incorporated.
    • Transfer batter to pan, spreading to level.
    • Bake,rotating pan midway for 25 – 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
    • COOL COMPLETELY!

    FROSTING
    4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
    2 tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla
    1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
    3/4 cup powdered sugar
    2 tablespoons cocoa
    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

    • Whisk or beat all ingredients together until smooth.
    • Spread on cooled brownies.
    • Enjoy!

    SNICKERDOODLE TREASURES

    These cookies are best warm or at least warmed in the microwave for a few seconds before biting into that caramel chewy goodness. I wish I had a picture of the inside ooey gooey melted goodness, but they didn’t last that long.

    SNICKERDOODLE TREASURES
    1/4 cup extra fine sugar
    2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

    • Sift together and set aside.

    2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    2 teaspoons cream of tartar
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 cup unsalted butter, sliced
    1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 large egg
    1 egg yolk
    1 tablespoon PURE vanilla extract
    1 tablespoon sour cream
    1 package Kraft caramel bites
    1/2-3/4 cup golden raisins
    coarse sea salt

    • Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon and set aside.
    • Melt butter slices over medium high heat until browned with a nutty aroma, whisking continuously to prevent burning. Let cool to room temperature.
    • Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar.
    • Add in egg, egg yolk, vanilla and sour cream and blend until smooth.
    • Gradually add in the flour mixture until well incorporated.
    • Form the dough into a ball and cover with saran.
    • CHILL OVERNIGHT!
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Place a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper inside baking pan.
    • Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. *
    • Flatten ball into a 2-3 inch circle.  Place 3-4 caramel bites and 3-4 golden raisins inside and wrap dough around to form a ball again.
    • Roll ball in cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
    • Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.
    • Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
    • Cool on pan 2 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack until completely cooled.

    *At this point I roll out all the dough into balls.  I then keep the balls in the refrigerator and work with a dozen or so at a time. It is easier to work with cold dough.

    CHEESECAKE EGG ROLLS

    CHEESECAKE EGG ROLLS
    12 egg roll wrappers
    (2) 8 ounce cream cheese, softened at room temperature
    1 cup sugar
    1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
    Cinnamon Sugar
    Caramel  Sauce

    • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    • Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray.
    • Cream together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.
    • Wet the edges of an egg roll wrapper.
    • Place about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture towards one edge and then fold end over end to make pockets. Fold tightly and make sure ALL edges are sealed well.
    • Place pockets on your prepared baking sheet.
    • Lightly spray the tops with your non stick spray and immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
    • Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
    • Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
    • Serve warm drizzled with Caramel  Sauce.

    MOLASSES KRINKLES

    MOLASSES KRINKLES
    2 cups + 4 tablespoons cake flour
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 cup golden raisins
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/2 cup unsalted butter
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
    1/2 cup molasses
    2 JUMBO eggs

    • Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    • Process raisins in a small food processor until only small pieces remain. Transfer to a large bowl.
    • In a small sauce pan melt butter over medium high heat until brown, about 8-10 minutes.
    • Add cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
    • Pour butter mixture over raisins until well blended.  Let cool completely.
    • When cool add brown sugar, molasses and eggs one at a time into butter mixture until well blended.
    • Fold in flour mixture.
    • Cover with saran and chill for at least 2 hours. 
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Divide dough into 4 pieces.
    • Roll each piece into a log on a lightly floured board. 
    • Bake until edges are set and centers are still soft – about 15-20 minutes.
    • Let logs cool 5 minutes on pan and then transfer to cooling racks.

    3/4 cup powdered sugar
    1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

    • Whisk together until smooth.
    • Drizzle over cool logs and let set.
    • Cut logs into bars.

    SUNNY DAY BARS

    I added sprinkles for the holiday and a little food coloring for a festive coloring.

    SUNNY DAY (LEMON OATMEAL) BARS
    1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
    3/4 cups quick cooking oats
    2/3 cup sugar
    1 cup butter, softened
    1/2 cup milk
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
    1 teaspoon vanilla

    •  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • In a large mixer bowl, combine all bar ingredients, beating at low speed until well blended.
    • Spread into an un-greased 13×9 pan.
    • Bake 15-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

    GLAZE
    1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

    • Combine all ingredients, stirring until smooth.
    • With the cake tester poke a dozen or so small holes in the cake so the glaze will ooze in.
    • Pour glaze over warm bars.
    • Cool completely.

    LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS – BLOGMAS 2014 – DAY 20

    I’m a Virgo and as such tend to make lists and be over-prepared. So, the only last minute gifts I tend to need are a couple extras for those surprises that come up like a surprise gift from a neighbor.

    A few of the “things” I keep on hand (with a festive ribbon already tied to them) for those occasions are:

    • Dutch Brothers coffee gift cards
    • Homemade applesauce
    • Homemade jam
    • And closer to the actual day a plate full of homemade goodies

    Here are a couple of recipes I made yesterday that are great to have around and NEVER EVER go to waste.

    CARAMEL BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE
    1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
    1 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
    1/2 cup Kraft caramel bits
    1 can Eagle-Brand sweetened condensed milk
    1/3 cup Fisher’s Cinnamon Pecans

    • Line a 9×9 pan with heavy duty foil leaving enough foil overhanging the edges to use as handle to lift the foil out of the pan after the fudge has set.
    • Using a double boiler over medium heat melt the chips, caramel bits and condensed milk together until smooth.
    • Immediately pour into the foil lined pan.
    • Top with pecans using a piece of wax paper to press the pecans slightly into the fudge.

    CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
    1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    1 cup peanut butter chips
    1 cup milk chocolate chips
    1 can Eagle-Brand sweetened condensed milk
    1/3 cup Crushed Honey Roasted Peanuts

    • Line a 9×9 pan with heavy duty foil leaving enough foil overhanging the edges to use as handle to lift the foil out of the pan after the fudge has set.
    • Using a double boiler over medium heat melt the chips and condensed milk together until smooth.
    • Immediately pour into the foil lined pan.
    • Top with peanut pieces using a piece of wax paper to press the pecans slightly into the fudge.

    FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPES – BLOGMAS – DAY 10

    I’ve been looking forward to this day! I have many many recipes, but these are the closest to my heart. Grab a cup of my SIL’s homemade hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows and join me while we chat.

    My great aunt who I only got to see a couple times a year used to make these every year special for me.  My cousins and I would wait out on the front steps for her arrive just to see them, the wreaths that is. She always made them soooooooooo pretty and perfect!  Aunt Louise was just plain crazy it seemed to me.  I can’t pinpoint any one thing that made me think that, but as the years wore she continually proved it.  Let’s just say if the made a movie of her life, Shirley MacLaine would play her part.  Aunt Louise reminds me of Shirley’s character Ouiser Boudreaux in Steel Magnolias.

    HOLIDAY WREATHS
    (these are better when they are made a few days ahead)
    30 large marshmallows (or 1 jar marshmallow cream)
    1/2 cup butter
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    2 teaspoon green food color
    3 1/2 cups cornflakes
    Red Hots

    • Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food color in top of double boiler. Heat and stir frequently until well blended.
    • Gradually stir in cornflakes until well blended.
    • Drop onto wax paper and arrange into wreath shapes. I plop them onto the wax paper and then push out from the center to form the wreaths.
    • Decorate with red hots.
    • Let cool.
    • If your house is warm – chill in refrigerator until set.

    Many Christmases ago I stood in my childhood kitchen watching my dad prepare the stuffing for dinner.  Daddy never stuffed the Turkey, but instead made the “stuffing” like a big casserole.  The stuffing was always my favorite part topped with daddy’s giblet gravy – YUMMY.  I can taste it like it was always those years ago again.

    Several years ago my brother asked me to try and reproduce the recipe as a scratch recipe and VOILA’, I did it! This wasn’t easy since daddy started with a box of Mrs. Cubbinson’s cornbread dressing cubes and then started winging it from there.


    OATNUT SOURDOUGH HERB DRESSING
    10 slices Brownberry or Oroweat OATNUT bread, cut into bite size chunks
    1/2 loaf sourdough French bread, cut into bite size chunks
    1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
    1 small bunch celery (leaves and all), chopped fine
    1/2 bag baby carrots, chopped fine
    1 box mushrooms, chopped fine
    1 tablespoon sea salt
    1 tablespoon white pepper
    2 sticks unsalted butter
    4 cups hot water
    2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Chicken base
    2 tablespoons Buttery Herb & Garlic Mix (I believe McCormick makes it)
    4 teaspoons minced garlic, Jar

    • Cut bread into bite sized chunks and spread out in a thin layer over cookie sheets.
    • Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until pieces are actually hard.
    • Chop all the vegetables.
    • In a large cast iron pan melt 1/4 cup of the butter.
    • Add the onions and saute until translucent. The add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until crisp tender. Add the garlic last as it will burn first.
    • Whisk together the water, better than bouillon chicken base and all of the seasonings.
    • Add the melted butter.
    • In a large pan toss the bread slices together.
    • Add the sauteed vegetables and toss again.
    • Add the liquid mixture and toss again until well absorbed.
    • Fold entire mixture into at least a 9×13 baking dish.
    • Bake uncovered 1 hour.
    • At this point I use a small portion for our dinner that night and freeze the rest.
    • When it’s time to cook it again, I defrost it, put it back in the same baking dish and bake it again, but this time covered with foil until the last 15 minutes so it doesn’t dry out. We like it crisp on top so I remove the foil the last 15 minutes.

    Now there is much debate over Gran’s cranberry salad recipe, but one thing was for sure she’d have to make a double batch, one for my mom and aunt and another for everyone else.  Now while I usually helped prepare the above recipe, I hated it!! One year she even decided the grapes needed to be peeled – need I say more?

    I much prefer the recipe below.  Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but I’ve already eaten a whole batch by myself.  In my defense it was while I wasn’t feeling good and had a sore throat.

    HOLIDAY SALAD
    1 package (3 ounces) cherry Jell-o
    1 package (3 ounces) black cherry Jell-o
    1 1/2 cups boiling water
    1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
    1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
    2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered
    chopped pecans (optional)

    • Dissolve the jell-o in the boiling water in a large bowl.
    • Fold in the pineapple and cranberry sauce.
    • Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    • Fold in grapes and pecans if desired. 
    • Refrigerate until firm.

    Now on to the REALLY yummy stuff!

      CHUNKY MONKEYS
      3 cups crushed pretzels
      1/2 cup sugar
      scant 1 cup butter, melted

      • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
      • Line a 13×9 cake pan with heavy duty foil, leaving plenty on the edges to use as handles later.  This will make clean-up so much easier.
      • In a medium mixing bowl stir together the pretzels, sugar and melted butter until well blended.
      • Press the pretzel mixture evenly into the bottom of the cake pan.

      1/2 cup butter
      1/2 cup whipping cream
      1/4 cup packed brown sugar
      11 ounce package caramel baking bits (or 14 ounce vanilla caramels, unwrapped)
      2 cups honey roasted peanuts

      • In a medium saucepan melt butter over a medium heat.
      • Whisk in the whipping cream and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved.
      • Stir in caramel bits, stirring constantly until bits are melted and sauce is smooth.
      • Add in peanuts to coat well.
      • Immediately pour over pretzel layer, spreading evenly.

      1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
      1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
      1/2 cup peanut butter chips
      1/2 cup butterscotch chips
      3/4 cup Heath milk chocolate toffee bits

      • Scatter each of these over the caramel layer.
      • Bake 25-30 minutes or until edges are bubbling.
      • Cool in pan on a wire rack.
      • Lift foil edges to remove bars from pan.
      • Cut into bars.
      • Layer between wax paper in an airtight container.  I store them in the fridge, but the can also be frozen for 3 months.

      BUTTERFINGER COOKIES
      Ritz crackers
      creamy peanut butter
      almond bark
      sprinkles

      • Spread peanut butter on ritz crackers and top with another cracker. 
      • Melt almond bark in the microwave. 
      • Dip each cookie in the almond bark and set onto wax paper to harden. 
      • If you’re using sprinkles do so before the almond bark hardens.

       A few more favorites are:

        PUMPKIN GINGER BARS

        PUMPKIN GINGER BARS
        4 eggs
        1 2/3 cups sugar
        1 cup avocado oil
        15 ounce can pumpkin
        2 cups flour
        1 teaspoon cinnamon
        1 teaspoon ground ginger
        1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
        2 teaspoons baking powder
        1 teaspoon baking soda
        1/2 teaspoon sea salt

        • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
        • Spray a 15×10 jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray.
        • In a large mixing bowl beat together the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended.
        • Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
        • Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, blending well after each addition.
        • Pour batter into pan leveling it out with a spatula.
        • Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
        • Cool completely before icing.

        3 ounces cream cheese, softened
        1/4 cup butter, softened
        2 cups powdered sugar
        1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
        1-2 tablespoons whole milk

        • Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth.
        • Add enough milk to make the icing spreadable.

        S’MORES FUDGE

        S’MORES PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
        CRUST LAYER
        4 sheets graham crackers
        1/4 cup sugar
        1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

        CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER
        1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
        1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
        1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

        MARSHMALLOW LAYER
        1 cup peanut butter chips
        1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
        1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

        • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
        • Line an 8×8 square pan with aluminum foil with enough hanging over to be able to use as handles.
        • Grind the graham crackers in a small food processor. Add sugar and butter until well blended.
        • Press into the bottom of the pan evenly.

        • Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
        • Melt chocolate in small sauce pan. 
        • Add the vanilla and sweetened condensed milk whisking until smooth.
        • Pour over the crust.

        • Melt peanut butter chips in a small sauce pan over medium low heat.
        • Add marshmallow fluff and sweetened condensed milk, whisking until smooth and even consistency.
        • Pour over the chocolate layer immediately.
        • Refrigerate overnight.

        • The next day remove fudge from pan and cut into pieces.
        • Store in the refrigerator.

        FRITO BRITTLE

        FRITO BRITTLE
        10 ounce package FRITOS
        1 cup light corn syrup
        1 cup sugar
        1 cup JIF creamy peanut butter 
        1 cup milk chocolate chips.

        • Spread FRITOS on a greased jelly roll pan (11×15)
        • Sprinkle chocolate chips over FRITOS.
        • In a saucepan over medium heat whisk together the corn syrup and sugar until smooth. Bring to a slow boil stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.  Boil 1 minute.
        • Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth.
        • Pour over chips.
        • Chill.
        • Break or tear apart (may be gooey) into pieces.