Mint Brownies

These are soooo Yummy!
I have tried making these before, but wasn't happy with the results.
So this time I found 2 similar recipes and did a little combo of both to come up with this end result!

So fudgy, chocolaty,  minty... and yummy!

Mint Brownies
Brownie:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips (semisweet, milk, white, or mint...I used milk)

Frosting
4 Tbs butter (softened)
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbs. milk
1/2 - 1 tsp peppermint extract (depends on how minty you like it)
green food coloring

Glaze
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or milk) (again, I used milk)
6 Tbs butter

Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 9x13 pan with foil & spray with cooking spray
In mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa and salt...set aside
Melt butter and add to sugar in large mixing bowl - stir well
Blend in eggs until frothy.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
Gently stir in chocolate chips
Pour into prepared pan and bake 35 minutes, until brownies are set in middle and pull away from sides slightly -DO NOT OVERBAKE
Allow to cool completely before frosting

Frosting:
Beat together butter, sugar, mint extract and milk
Add  green food coloring until desired color is achieved.
Frost cooled brownies and refrigerate for 1 hour

Glaze:
Melt chocolate and butter on stovetop or in microwave
Drizzle & spread over mint frosting
Chill for another half hour
Cut & Serve!

Apple Bars

I was flipping through a new Fall Magazine and saw this recipe that looked sooo yummy! I didn't really want the entire magazine so I just copied down the recipe :) (is that stealing?)
I was super anxious to try it so decided to make it right away. They were super simple and so yummy!
I think I might try making them into mini muffins next time.

Apple Bars

3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 c. flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 c. chopped apples (do not peel)
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla

Combine eggs & salt and beat until frothy (about 1 min)
Mix in sugar and oil until blended
Mix together flour, soda and cinnamon and add to wet mixture
Fold in apples, walnuts & vanilla until well blended

Spray 14 x 10 " Jelly roll pan with pam with flour and spread batter in bottom.
Bake 350 degrees for 30 - 35 min or until golden brown
While cooling prepare glaze

Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbs softened butter
2-3 Tbs milk

Spread glaze over top and let set.
Cut into squares and enjoy!!

Fire Cracker Bites

Here is a recipe Amber did for a treat in Relief Society. It tasted really good!
She didn't add the fuses (licorice) and used multi colored sprinkles, but it was great!



Fire Cracker Bites

1 Pkg. (8oz) Cream Cheese Softened
1 Cup Cold Milk
1 Pkg. (3.40z) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 Cups Thawed Cool Whip
1 Pkg. (12oz) Nilla Wafers
½ Cup Red, White & Blue sprinkles
42 Pieces Red String Licorice (1 inch)

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; beat for 2 min. Whisk in 1 cup Cool Whip

Spoon about 1-1/2 Tbsp. pudding mixture onto each of half the wafers; cover with remaining waters to make sandwiches. Freeze for 2 hours or until filling is firm.

Spread tops of wafer sandwiches with remaining Cool Whip. Dip in sprinkles. Insert licorice piece into top of each for the fuse. Freeze until ready to serve.

Fruit Pizza

Here's a prize winning dessert made for a Relief Society cook-off. Congrats Amber for the win!!

Fruit Pizza
1 tube Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
2-8oz packages of cream cheese
2/3 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
Assorted fresh fruit (sliced, if appropriate)--strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas, kiwi all work well
lemon juice

Spread the package of cookie dough onto a pie pan 12 - 14" and cook according to package directions.

Let Cool

Mix Cream Cheese, vanilla and sugar together and spread over cooled cookie.

Arrange fruit in any design or pattern you'd like... be creative!

Zucchini Crumb Sheetcake

I went to my local Farmer's Market this last Saturday and a 3 pound zucchini was calling my name. So I bought it thinking a nice zucchini treat would be a neat. I called Ginger for a recipe and she gave me 4 to try. This is the first one I made and boy is it tasty! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

Zucchini Crumb Sheetcake

Combine together:
3 eggs
2 c. Sugar
3 t. vanilla
1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Then add:
2 c. grated zucchini
2 c. flour

Put the cake mixture into a greased and floured cookie sheet (with sides). Then put the crumb topping on top.

Crumb Topping
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. butter


Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25-28 minutes. Take out of oven and cool slightly. Drizzle with a glaze.

Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. butter
2 T. warm orange juice

Triple Layer Rice Krispies Treats

Oh WOW!... I found the ultimate recipe for Rice Krispy squares. It is a triple layered treat with a layer of Peanut butter, chocolate and the original recipe!

Can you say... HEAVENLY?!
I tried out this recipe at Smart Night and the verdict was YUMMY!

Triple Layer Rice Krispies Treats

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup Karo Syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter (I like chunky)

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the Karo syrup and the sugar. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Pour over the rice krispies and mix until well blended. Pour into a 9x13 inch greased baking pan and smash down evenly. Set aside while you work on the next layer.

Middle Layer:

4 tablespoons butter

3 c. mini marshmallows

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 cup milk chocolate chips

In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and marshmallows and heat for about 1 -2 minutes or until smooth. Add rice krispies and stir until well coated. Add chocolate chips and stir until well coated. Pour over the bottom layer of krispies and smash down evenly. Set aside while you work on the last layer.

Top Layer:

4 tablespoons butter

3 cups mini marshmallows

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and marshmallows and heat for about 1- 2 minutes or until smooth. Add rice krispies and stir until well coated. Pour over the middle layer of krispies and smash down evenly. Let set for about an hour before cutting into squares.

Total DELISH!!!

Chocolate Banana Bread

I found this recipe online and just happened to have extremely ripe banana's sitting in my kitchen so I decided why not!
I made 4 mini loaves instead of a couple larger ones. I gave them out to some friends and they all loved it.
Chocolate Banana Bread
(makes 1 loaf)

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 1/4 c. mashed banana (about 3)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Beat together sugar, eggs and oil
Add mashed banana's and vanilla
Combine together in separate bowl flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt
Gradually stir into wet mixture

Pour into greased and cocoa dusted bread pans
(cocoa is a great substitute for flour when making chocolate bread)
Bake 350* for 60 min

I added a chocolate ganache drizzle over the top
I don't have a specific recipe for that but you just heat whipping cream and a tsp or so of butter and pour over chocolate chips.
Let it melt and pour over bread. Let set up.

Have S'More

I was minding my own business making Rice Krispy Treats (with candy corn) when I peeked at the back of the marshmallow package and saw this recipe for S'more bars.
I took mental check of my pantry did a little mixing and voila I had created a delicious treat to go along with my Rice K's at Smart Night.
It made me feel like I was sitting at Duck Creek in front of the camp fire!
They were a HUGE hit with the teens and tutors. This recipe is for an 8x8 pan, but next time I'll definitely double it to make more!

S'mores Bars

3 cups mini marshmallows
4 cups Honey graham cereal
3 tbs butter
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Spray 8x8 pan with Pam
Melt mallows and butter in microwave bowl (cook on high 1 min;stir, 30 sec more)
Add cereal and mix until well coated.
Press firmly into baking dish (I wet my hands in cold water and it won't stick)
Sprinkle mini mallows over top of cereal; press in slightly
Melt chocolate chips in microwave (high 1 min; stir - 10 seconds more until melted)
Drizzle/spread over top of mallows.
Let set until firm (I put in freezer for a bit since I didn't have a ton of time to wait)

Snickers Brownies

I was innocently browsing through a magazine (Celebrate for Fall) when this recipe jumped right off the page and onto my "recipes I gotta try" list.
Now usually this list gets forgotten, but I had an event coming up to make these for (so I wouldn't eat them all myself), so I decided to give it a try. I was talking to Heather when I cut and tried them for the first time and she was practically jumping through the phone to have a bite because I was ranting and raving about how yummy they are.
The caramel frosting is so yummy and makes these just over the top delicious!
Parker doesn't like frosting so I left some of them without just for him. Snickers Brownies

2 (20 oz) pkgs Brownie Mix (I used one with chocolate chips in it)
5 Snickers bars, chopped
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 c. Powdered sugar
3/4 cup caramel topping, divided
2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 and spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.
Prepare brownie mixes according to package instructions.
Stir in chopped Snickers bars & pour into prepared pan
Bake 45 min. or until set. Cool completely

Frosting
Beat butter & sugar in bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.
Add 1/2 cup caramel topping, beat well.
Add cream & beat well.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies.
Sprinkle with chopped peanuts & drizzle with remaining caramel sauce.

ENJOY!!

Graham Cracker No Bake Cake

Ingredients:
Graham Crackers (lots)
2 cans Sweetened Condensed milk
1 can cream
1 can fruit cocktail
1 can pineapple chunks
coconut

Layer a box of graham crackers in a loaf pan
then pour 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk over the crackers and soak them really good.
Leave in the fridge overnight.
Unmold the cake onto a platter or tray and drizzle with canned cream then top with fruit cocktail, pineapple chunks and coconut.

It's a very popular no-bake cake here in the Philippines. Most of the homes in our area don't have ovens so this is the best they can do. Actually, many don't have refrigerators either so they wait to assemble just before serving. But, it's better and moister if soaked and cooled.

Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream Cake

I first found the recipe to this easy and delicious dessert in a Kraft Food magazine.
It's a favorite dessert in the summer and have made it for many get togethers.
Miranda even made it as her birthday cake this yearOREO & Fudge Ice Cream Cake

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP thawed, divided

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding

10 OREO Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)

12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

POUR fudge topping into medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. Stir in chopped cookies.

ARRANGE 4 ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on piece of foil; top with half the chocolate mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining COOL WHIP.

FREEZE 4 hours

ENJOY!!!

Here is the link to the Kraft site for more photos
Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream Cake