Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is from kraftfoods.com
You'll notice that they call them a different name than I have called them on here, but it has to do with a certain, evil, "B" word, associated with Ohio State, and we just don't say that word in our house... =)

What You Need

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

22 NILLA Wafers, crushed

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 of 8-oz. tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)

3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Make It

LINE 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Mix in wafer crumbs. Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition. Press onto bottom of pan.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until blended. Spread over peanut butter layer.

REFRIGERATE 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.

Crazy Good Crackers

Saltine Cracker (Heath) Bark
(cooks.com)

This isn't a new recipe by any means, and many of you have probably had these before - they are the BEST way to eat a saltine cracker any day, in my opinion! It's a super easy recipe that I think Everyone should know! =)

Ingredients:

1.5 packages (sleeves) of saltine crackers
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
12 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips
Chopped nuts (optional, but if you use nuts, I recommend salted peanuts

Directions:

Like I said, this is a pretty easy recipe, and really doesn't require pictures, I was just in the mood, so here are some pictures to go with the steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Cover a baking sheet with foil and grease it. Arrange the crackers in rows on the foil. The crackers don't fit the pan exactly, so there is usually room left on two sides - I roll up the foil to the edge of the crackers to keep the coating in later.


2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar on medium heat. When it comes to a boil (don't stir it), let it boil for 2 minutes. It will look like this:


3. Immediately pour the boiling mixture over the crackers, spreading it around with a spatula. You need to work fairly quickly as it will start to thicken up as it cools.


4. Put the tray in the oven for about 2.5 minutes (the mixture will be bubbly and the crackers will be lightly browned).

5. As soon as you take them out, sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the hot crackers.

6. Put the tray back in the oven (that is Turned Off) to melt the chocolate for about one minute (just until the chocolate chips are shiny).

7. Spread the melted chocolate chips evenly over the crackers.

8. Place in the fridge to cool. Break into pieces and serve.

A match made in Heaven... cream cheese and chocolate

Chocolate Bliss Cheesecake
(kraftfoods.com)

Ingredients:

18 Oreos, crushed (about 1.5 cups)
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (8 squares) Bakers semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
3 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 if using a silver 9 inch springform pan (or 300 if using a dark nonstick pan). Mix cookie crumbs and butter, press into bottom of pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low after each addition until well blended. Pour over crust.

Bake for 55 minutes to one hour or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim.
Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store in fridge.

Fancy look, easy to make

Easy Oreo Truffles
(kraftfoods.com)

One of the best things about these is that you can call them "truffles", but they take only a Fraction of the time and effort that most real truffles take! They look fancy, but are actually really easy!

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups of crushed Oreos (divided) This takes about 2/3 of a package.
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese (softened)
1 (8 oz) package of Baker's semi sweet chocolate

Directions:

In a bowl, mix 3 cups of the crushed Oreos with the cream cheese. Shape into 30 (1 inch) balls.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds).
Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper.
Using a toothpick, dip each ball into the chocolate, cover it, and then let the excess drip off.
Place on baking sheet and then sprinkle additional Oreo crumb on top of each truffle.
Cool in the fridge and serve.
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container.

Sticky, Chewy, Crunchy Goodness...

Popcorn "Cake"
(from Jen L.)

This is a fun, easy thing to make for a party anytime of the year (you can just buy the M&M's that go with the appropriate season!) Warning: Not for those who don't like to get their hands sticky while making food! This is definitely a hands on project!

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) bag of mini marshmallows
20 Kraft caramels
1/4 cup of butter, cut into small cubes
10 cups of popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups of peanuts
1 cup of M&Ms

Directions:

Grease a bunt pan or other container you would like to use.
Pop the popcorn and place in large bowl.
In a glass bowl, microwave marshmallows, caramels and butter (uncovered) for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through (I had to do mine a little bit longer to make sure the caramels were completely melted). Just a note - this makes THE most sticky substance I have EVER come in contact with!
Add the melted mixture to the popcorn and stir well.
Stir in peanuts and M&Ms and press into greased pan. (I put butter on my hands to help keep myself from getting entirely caught up in the goo!) =)
Let cool, invert on a plate and cut into slices with a serrated knife.

Two kinds of chocolate + oreos =

Chocolate Cookie Bark
(kraftfoods.com)

This bark has only four ingredients, is a snap to make and is sooo yummy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S White Chocolate, melted

10 OREO Cookies, crumbled, divided

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Directions:

Add peanut butter to melted white chocolate; stir until well blended. Stir 1/2 the cookies into each bowl of melted chocolate.

Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate mixtures onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet, alternating colors of chocolates. Swirl with kife.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.

Pumpkin Pie with a difference...

Turtle Pumpkin Pie
(kraftfoods.com)

This pie is a great twist on the traditional pumpkin pie... it's creamy filling, combined with caramel and nuts, topped with whipped cream is amazing!


Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided

1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Pecan Pieces, divided

1 cup cold milk

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

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

Directions:

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.

Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Spread into crust.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

A new idea for Sweet Potatoes...

Sweet Potato Biscuits
(taken from Wonder time magazine)

This isn't a dessert, but was something new and different I decided to try and is a great new sweet potato side dish!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Heat oven to 400. Scrub sweet potatoes, prick several times with a fork, and microwave them until tender, at least 10 minutes. Slice in half and scoop the hot flesh out of the skins, add to a mixing bowl, along with the butter. Using an electric mixer, whip together potatoes and butter until well combined, about two minutes. Beat in sugars, salt and spices. Let mixture cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile stir together flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to potato mixture and use a fork to combine well. You may have to knead the dough a bit by hand at the end. (My dough was actually quite soft... I may have used a little too much sweet potato, so I just added more flour, until it seemed "doughy" enough). On a floured surface, roll or pat the dough into an 8x8 inch square about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out 2 inch square biscuits. (Making them square means you can use all the dough in one go, rather than rerolling it).

Place the dough squares 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake until they're golden brown on the bottom and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Ice Cream Cake

OREO and Fudge Ice Cream Cake
(kraftfoods.com)

There are lots of variations of ice cream cakes that can be made using ice cream bars... here's one that has Oreo and a yummy, chocolate fudgy layer!

Recipe:

Click here

For the cream cheese lover...

Banana Nut Roll
(taken from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook)

This takes more time and effort than most desserts I make, but is definitely worth it! With a cream cheese filling And cream cheese glaze, it's pretty awesome!

This recipe is fairly detailed and a bit long, so instead of typing it all out, I decided to just have you click here instead! =)

Great cake!

Apple Dapple Cake
(recipe from my neighbor, Myrtle)

This is an easy, delicious cake that would be great served hot for breakfast, or for dessert or for a snack!

Ingredients:

Combine

1.5 cups of oil
3 eggs
2 cups of sugar
2 tsp. of vanilla

Add:

3 cups of flour
1 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of salt
2 to 3 tsp. of cinnamon
3 cups of chopped apples (or raisins)
1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Mix all together and pour into greased 13X9 pan.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

If you like, you can add a sweet topping:

1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of butter

Heat and pour over cake while still hot.

The "So Easy" Dessert for any time!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars
(from Duncanhines.com)

The thing that I love the most about this recipe is that it uses a cake mix, so you don't have to get a ton of ingredients out and measure them all!! If you keep a cake mix on hand, you can whip these up anytime in just a few minutes!

Ingredients:

1 cake mix (I use french vanilla or butter pecan)
1/4 cup of butter (melted)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of water
2 eggs
1.5 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13X9 pan
2. Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Spread in pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely.

For a fancier look (if you're serving them on a platter or something in a single layer), you can drizzle them with chocolate.

For drizzle: Combine 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 2 tsp of shortening in a bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Drizzle over cooled bars.

Andrew's Cinnamon Buns

Originally a Betty Crocker recipe, our family has enjoyed these buns for years!
(Makes one dozen)

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (approx 105 degrees)
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (same)
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3.5 - 4 cups flour

Inside rolls:

1/4 butter
1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar (as needed)
Cinnamon
Chopped walnuts or raisins if desired (plump raisins in boiling water for a few minutes before adding)

Glaze:

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Add milk until glaze is desired consistency (should be able to drizzle off a spoon)

Directions:

Put water in a large bowl, add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add milk, sugar, salt and egg and combine all ingredients. Add flour until it's the proper consistency for bread dough.

Place in fridge overnight to rise (if you want it to rise more quickly, put in a warm place for an hour or two) till dough doubles in size.

Punch dough down and knead it until all the bubbles are out. Add flour as needed until dough is no longer sticky.

Shape into an oblong shape (about 7 inches by 3 inches in diameter). Roll out until it's about 1/4 or 3/8 inch thick.

Spread generously with butter (about 1/4 cup). Sprinkle liberally with brown sugar (don't spread right to the edges. Sprinkle with cinnamon (lots).

Start at one of the long edges, and roll tightly, working back and forth along the edge to roll the dough to the opposite side. Pinch along the edge to keep the rolls sealed shut.

With a serrated knife, cut rolls in sections about 1 inch thick. Place on baking sheet (about 2 inches apart) and let rise in warm place for about 1.5 hours until double in size.

Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes until little browned on top and bottom. Do not overbake.

Make glaze and drizzle it on while the rolls are hot.

Enjoy!

You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter

Creamy Reese's Pieces Dessert
(from Kraftfoods.com)

Ingredients:

12 Oreos, crushed,
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup of peanut butter
2 cups cold milk
2 packages (4 serving size) Instant Chocolate pudding
2 cups thawed Cool Whip, divided
2 Tbsp. hot fudge ice cream topping
1/4 cup Reese's pieces candies

Directions:

Mix crushed cookies and melted butter. Press onto the bottom of an 8 inch square pan.
Put peanut butter in large bowl. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add pudding mixes. Stir several minutes until well blended and thickened. Stir in one cup (or more if you want!) of the Cool Whip. Spread over cookie crust. Top with Cool Whip.
Refrigerate for at least three hours.
When ready to serve, microwave fudge topping as directed on the jar, drizzle over dessert.
Sprinkle with candies.
Store leftovers in the fridge.

* For a more fun, less random "design", instead of heating the fudge sauce, put it into a decorators bag, or in a ziplock with a tiny corner snipped off, and you can "pipe" it onto the cake in the design of your choice or even write words with it!

Yummy, Chewy Brownies

World's BEST Brownies

(from my friend, Paul)

Ingredients:

3 sticks of butter (Do NOT, under any circumstance, use anything but Real Butter for this recipe!)
3 cups of sugar
3 eggs
1.5 cups of flour
1 cup of cocoa
3 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. salt
Nuts (optional)

Mix all ingredients together , spread in greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350-400 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Butterfinger Trifle

Butterfinger Trifle(this is adapted from a Skor Trifle recipe from my sister in law, Stephanie)

This is a double recipe shown here

Ingredients:

1 8 inch pan of brownies
2 packages (3.5 oz each) of instant chocolate pudding
1 12 oz. Cool Whip
1 Large Butterfinger bar, or a bag of small ones

Directions:

Cut brownies into small chunks
Make pudding as directed, using 3/4 of a cup less milk.
Crumble the Butterfinger into small pieces.
Layer brownies on the bottom of a glass serving bowl.
Top with a layer of chocolate pudding.
Add a layer of Cool Whip.
Top with Butterfinger bits.
Repeat layers, ending with Butterfinger.
Refrigerate until serving.

Mmmmoist

Coconut Cake
(From my friend, Amanda)

Even if you're not a huge coconut fan, if you leave the flaked coconut off this one, you'll probably love it anyway, because it's such a moist, creamy cake!

Ingredients:

1 White cake mix
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 can of cream of coconut (for pina coladas, you'll probably find it in the soft drink aisle)
12 oz. Cool Whip
1 bag (7 oz.) of flaked coconut

Directions:

Bake the cake according to the package directions, in two 8 inch round pans.
While cakes are baking, mix the sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut.
When cakes are done, remove from pans while hot and invert (one onto your cake plate and one onto a wax paper covered plate).
With a large serving fork, poke holes all over the top of each cake.
Pour the milk and coconut cream mixture over the cakes and let it soak in. Repeat this until almost all of the mixture is used (I usually have about half a cup left).
When cakes are cool, spread Cool Whip on the one on the cake plate, put the other cake on top, and cover generously with Cool Whip.
Top with flaked coconut. (You won't need nearly all of it.)
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PB Fudge

The Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge (I have to agree with this)

(This recipe is from my good buddy, cooks.com)


Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup of peanut butter (using part crunch peanut butter is really good too!)

Directions:

Put sugar and milk in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil two and a half minutes. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla (I recommend adding the peanut butter first, or the vanilla will react with the hot mixture and "spit" at you!) Stir just until mixed well.

Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Cool and cut

* For peanut butter chocolate fudge, (pictured above), I add a cup of semi sweet chocolate chips just after mixing in the peanut butter and vanilla... very good!

First recipe request

If you're a "Cookies'n'Cream" lover, this is the dessert for you!

Dirt Cake
(shared with me by our friends, Anthony and Melissa)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
3 boxes (3.5 oz each) instant Vanilla pudding
5 cups milk
12 oz. Cool Whip
1 16 oz. package of Oreos, crushed

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, sugar, and cream cheese into one bowl.
2. In a second, large bowl, combine milk and pudding mix.
3. Whip 1-2 minutes.
4. Fold Cool Whip into pudding.
5. Add cream cheese mixture to pudding mixture.
6. Layer crushed cookies and pudding mixture into a large serving bowl, starting and ending with cookies.
7. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
* Serves a LOT!
(I don't like to make this too far ahead of when it's going to be served, or the cookies start to get too soft)

Here we go on this sweet journey...

So... here it is, my dessert/food blog. I am known to some as the "Dessert Diva", but this is not because I have any special culinary talents or have come up with recipes on my own... Nope, I just love desserts and have come across a lot of great recipes that I and my friends love, so I decided to make a place where I can share those recipes so more people can enjoy them!

A lot of the recipe's were given to me by friends or family, so for the ones I remember, I will include the name of the person who gave it to me in the first place.

To start this off, I'll put the recipe for Clafouti, since I've made it two days in a row now (yes, we shared it with others today) and plan to make it for the wifia lunch tomorrow, too!

Clafouti
(from my friend, Sam)
Ingredients:

3 Tbsp butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
2.5 cups fruit of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. While it's heating, melt the butter in a 9 inch baking dish, cake pan, or pie plate in the oven.
In a bowl, mix the four dry ingredients together and then add the milk. Stir till combined. Pour batter into the melted butter. Top with fruit. Do not mix!

Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until center is set. (I usually put foil on top at about 25 minutes to keep the edges from browning too much).

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream.