Halloween Puppy Chow

Halloween is a fun time of year to try new treats. Our family loves the traditional puppy chow recipe, but I decided to try this one and mix things up. It was an instant hit and Olivia and her friends couldn't keep their hands out of the bowl!

Ingredients
White Puppy Chow
9 c Rice Chex cereal
1 c white chocolate chips
1//2 c peanut butter, creamy
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 bag candy corn candy

Chocolate Puppy Chow
9 c Chocolate Chex cereal
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1 bag Reese's Pieces


Line two large cookie sheets with either wax or parchment paper. To make the white puppy chow, place rice cereal in a large bowl. In a small microwave proof bowl, melt chocolate, butter and peanut butter. Heat in microwave until melted and you can stir it smooth. Stir in vanilla extract in and then pour over cereal. Stir to coat cereal. (I like to use the giant ziploc bags for this step, dump in the powdered sugar, melted chocolate mixture, candy, cereal and shake). Place coated cereal on cookie sheet to cool.

For chocolate puppy chow follow the above steps but add unsweetened cocoa powder in with the powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet to cool. Once both are cooled pour into ziploc bags and shake to mix both chocolate and white puppy chow mix. Makes 18 cups

                                                                                  Enjoy!




SourceYour Cup of Cake

Pumpkin Brownies

Fall is my favorite time of year, I just wish that Florida HAD a fall! So instead of bundling up in sweaters and breaking out the boots, we are still wearing flip flops and shorts. The one thing I can do is start cooking with pumpkin and that always helps me get into the spirit of my favorite season. I came up with this recipe this morning and couldn't wait to taste these yummy treats. They are the perfect blend of spicy pumpkin alongside sweet rich chocolate, a perfect combo!

Ingredients
1 pkg Betty Crocker Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix,
prepared according to directions
1 box brownie mix (9x13 size),
prepared according to directions
1/2 c milk chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam. Mix up cookie dough and press into bottom of pan, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Next pour brownie batter over top of cookie dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Let cool, cut and enjoy!

Ingredients

Press cookie dough into pan

Sprinkle with chocolate chips

Pour brownie batter over top

Spread it out and bake

Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Croissants

Olivia had a sleepover last night, no school today due to a Jewish holiday. Her and her girlfriends were headed to the beach but I wanted to make them something quick and tasty. I remembered I had a can of crescent rolls in the fridge and some chocolate chips in the pantry....done! The girls gobbled these up so quickly and then headed out the door to the beach.

Ingredients
1 can crescent rolls
1 c milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll dough into triangles, place a small handful of chocolate chips at large end of triangle. Roll up and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Take remaining chocolate chips and place in small ziploc bag and melt in microwave for about a minute. Snip off one end of bag and drizzle melted chocolate over hot croissants!
Serves 8

Tailgate Cookies

It's football season again and what does that mean??? Tailgate time! These cookies are the perfect ones to bring along, there is something inside for everyone. Who doesn't love numerous kinds of chips and chocolate candies wedged into every corner of their dessert?!?!?! I found this recipe over on this fun blog and instantly had to make them, and my daughter's cheer team gave them two thumbs up. Now I'm making another DOUBLE batch for the fundraiser at school tomorrow! I decided that if I was going to make these I might as well really make them, so I doubled my recipe, but the one listed below is the single version.

Ingredients
1 c butter, softened
3/4 packed brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 (3.5 ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 c milk chocolate chips
1 c semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 white chocolate chips
1/2 butterscotch chips
1/2 c M&M's
1/2 Reese's Pieces

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars together. Add pudding, eggs and vanilla and combine. Mix flour and baking soda then add to creamed mixture and mix until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and candy.

Drop by TBSP onto a prepared cookie sheet ( I either line mine with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Slightly flatten balls of dough with hand and bake in oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!

Candy Bar Cake

 I made this darling cake for my daughter's 16th birthday. She loves chocolate AND candy so a Candy Bar Cake was the perfect choice. It was incredibly easy and since I made it in the middle of the night last night you are not getting any how to pics...sorry!

Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix, made according to directions and baked in 9 in pans

1 1/2 tubs of chocolate frosting or homemade stuff 
8 or 9 packages Kit Kat candy bars
4 packages Reeces Peanut Butter Cups
1 large bag M&M's
Ribbon


Directions
Bake cake according to directions in 9 inch pans, cool. Place frosting on the top of one of the cakes and add unwrapped Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, add second layer of cake. Liberally frost sides and top of cake. Take Kit Kat bars and break into 2 pieces increments. Gently stick them onto side of cake. (make sure cake isn't taller than kit kats, if so trim top of cake) Pour one bag of M&M's onto top of cake. Wrap ribbon around cake and tie a bow. Place in fridge until ready to serve.

Serves 12

Inside of cake

Birthday girl!

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches

One of my daughter's friends was turning 16 this week and I wanted to send a fun and unique treat into school for her; this recipe was a quick and easy way to make decadent looking treats. Of course you can make everything from scratch, or you can cheat like I did and used store bought ingredients. I will admit that it's best to use my homemade frosting recipe.

Ingredients

1 package store bought cookie dough

1 container vanilla frosting

Almond bark, melted

Directions 

Bake cookies according to directions and let cool. Once cooled turn half over and using either a spoon or piping bag pipe frosting onto center of cookie. Top with second cooke and slightly smoosh down. Next melt 3 pieces of almond bark inside small ziploc bag in microwave for 1 minute, kneed. Cut small hole in one side of bag and drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the cookie sandwich. Let set and serve. This version makes 6 large cookies (since I bought the 'big delux' cookie dough)

 Place cooled cookies upside down

Put a big squirt of frosting on top of cookie

You can stop here if you want, but who wants that??

Almond bark ready for the microwave

Ready to drizzle

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

When I first came across this recipe, I knew it was a winner..chocolate, peanut butter and salty pretzels....yumm!! It was super easy to make and they taste delicious! I am a little worried about them holding up in the heat tomorrow (we live in Florida) so I am going to transport them in a cooler...yes I know I am a genius!

We are going to my husband's family reunion tomorrow and I am in charge of desserts. There are going to be quite a few people there and so I wanted to make a few different things, since everyone has different tastes. I made Cinco de Mayo Cheesecake and Lemon Bars (recipe coming soon).

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar (maybe more)

3/4 cup brown sugar (maybe more)

Pretzels

1 1/2 bags  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer.  Add the sugars and mix to combine.  At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go.  If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll (I used about 3/4 cup of each sugar).

Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling.  Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels.  When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted.  Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate.  Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches.  When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely.  Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

Ingredients

The consistency you want for the filling

Take a small amount of peanut butter mixture and roll into a ball and place

on top of pretzel

place a second one on top, and squish

So cute!

Dip  in melted chocolate

Place on parchment paper to dry

assembly line!!

Chocolate Oreo French Silk Pie

In honor of National Pi day, I'm making a quick and easy pie for my daughter to take into her math class tomorrow. Unbelievably I had everything in the house to make this pie...when does that ever happen??

Ingredients
4 ounces, weight Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1 cup Salted Butter, Softened
1-1/2 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 whole Eggs
1 package Baked Pie Shell
10 Oreo cookies, crushed

Instructions

In small microwave safe bowl melt 4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of regular (salted) butter and 1 ½ cups of white sugar until fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes). When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it over the butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined (on a Kitchen Aid mixer, you will be using the whisk attachment).

Turn your mixer to a medium speed and over a period of 15 to 20 minutes add in the four eggs, one at a time, leaving about 5 minutes between each egg addition. Take crushed Oreo's and place in bottom of baked/cooled pie shell. Once the pie filling is well mixed, pour it into the pie shell, scraping every last speck of it out of the bowl. Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).

Cream together butter and sugar

Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl

Drizzle melted chocolate into butter/sugar mixture

So creamy after mixing for 20 minutes

Spread crushed Oreo cookies on bottom of baked pie crust

Pour pudding mixture on top of pie shell and chill for at least 2 hours

Enjoy! 

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

There are certain times when you should go all out when making a dessert and then there are times when cutting corners is a very good thing. I always think that if you can save time and still come up with an amazing dessert you should go for it. This Chocolate Peppermint Trifle is the perfect example of using mixes instead of made from scratch in order to save time....and who doesn't like to save time during the holidays? I'm bringing this to a PTSA holiday party and I can't wait to see the ladies dig into this yummy dessert.

Ingredients
1 Chocolate Cake Mix plus 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
1 Large Tub Cool Whip
1 Large Boxes Jell-O Chocolate Pudding
6 c Milk
Crushed Candy Canes
Andes Mints, finely chopped
1 Chocolate Candy Bar

Mix cake mix according to box with the addition of peppermint extract. Follow all box directions and bake in a 9x13 pan. Let cool and then cut into small squares. Crush candy canes in a food processor or place in a large Ziploc and take a hammer to the bag, add crushed candy to Cool Whip. Make pudding according to box directions and chill in fridge until ready.

Assembly
To assemble the trifle, take a trifle bowl or other pretty glass bowl and place a small amount of pudding on the bottom, next add a layer of cut up chocolate cake. Sprinkle cake layer with chopped Andes mints; next add candy cane Cool Whip. Repeat 3 times or until you are out of ingredients or your trifle bowl is full. I always finish with a layer of Cool Whip. Take the chocolate candy bar and make small curls using a vegetable peeler; I do this over the top of the finished dessert and it makes it look amazing!
Served immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Ingredients

Crush the candy in a food processor

Mix into Cool Whip

Start with a small amount of pudding

Add cake

Chopped Andes mints

Pudding

Candy Cane Cool Whip..repeat

Enjoy!

TIme to make the RUM BALLS!

Today I'm making one of my favorite holiday treats, Rum Balls. I've been making these and giving them out to friends and neighbors for years and they are always heavily requested. I posted about them last year but thought you'd like another chance to see how they are made. You can also roll them in powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar for a different look. 

Remember, these are for adults only!!

Rum Balls 

Enjoy!