Cream Cheese Brownie Batter Dip

This decadent dip is another Pinterest find. I made it for my play group and served it with fresh strawberries, graham crackers, sliced bananas and Ritz crackers. It was a big hit - kids love dipping things don't they? The original name for it was Brownie Batter Dip but I changed it because of the very strong cream cheese flavor. 

Cream Cheese Brownie Batter Dip
From Something Swanky
Printable Version
Ingredients - I doubled this because I was feeding a large crowd
8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar (varies by desired consistency)
5 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 tablespoons brown sugar
3+ tablespoons milk (varies by desired consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
In a stand mixer whisk together the cream cheese and butter. Add the brown sugar. Add the 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time and 2 tablespoons of milk. Add the flour, cocoa powder, vanilla and 1 more tablespoon of milk if needed. Whisk all until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar and milk alternately if needed until dip reaches your desired consistency.  Serve with fresh fruit, crackers or eat with a spoon! 

Seven Layer Bars

I was told by my Aunt Chris that I have been neglecting my cooking blog and she is 100% correct. I have a very busy 9 month old on my hands and barely have time to cook these days, let alone take pictures of it, edit the pictures, and sit down to write it all up in a blog. But this blog was kind of my first baby (aside from our very spoiled pug Wendell) and I do need to give it some love and attention from time to time. Thank you for those of you still checking in on it. I hope you will forgive me for the neglect by sharing these delicious Seven Layer Bars! I had never made them before and really have only had them a couple times, but for some reason I got it in my head to make them a couple of weeks ago. I sent them in to work with my husband and when I asked how his co-workers liked them he told me that one lady said, "I love your wife!" And that makes it all worth it, knowing someone else enjoyed these tasty treats. They are fairly simple to make but plan ahead because they have to cool for TWO HOURS!

Seven Layer Bars
From Brown Eyed Baker
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
9 graham crackers, crushed or 5 ounces of graham cracker crumbs
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (I prefer pecans so used those)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13 pan with two overlapping pieces of foil or parchment paper, leaving overhand to act as handles for lifting the bars out of the pan. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. 
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes begin to brown, about 4 minutes (keep a very close eye on it!). Set aside to cool.
Melt the butter and combine with the graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Toss with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form your first layer. 

In order, sprinkle the pecans, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and then coconut on top of the graham cracker crust. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the entire dish. 

Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack until room temperature, about 2 hours. 

Remove the bars from the pan using the foil or parchment paper handles and place onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut into small bars because these babies are RICH!

White and Milk Chocolate Nestle Toll House Cookies

This recipe may be from the back of the a bag of chocolate chips but I don't care! I am throwing all of my other chocolate chip recipes out the window because I have found my favorite one. These cookies are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be - soft with the right amount of chewiness and fluffiness, a little rich, a little buttery, a little salty with pops of chocolate in every single bite...basically chocolate chip cookie perfection. I made mine with both white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips just to mix things up a bit.

White and Milk Chocolate Nestle Toll House Cookies
From Allrecipes.com
Printable Version
Makes 5 dozen cookies - so share with your friends!
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla pictured in vodka bottle)
2 large eggs
1 12 ounce package of chocolate chips (I used about half white and half milk chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I omitted these)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in four mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for two minutes then remove to write rack to cool completely. 

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

Just in time for Halloween here are the easiest pumpkins muffins in the world. They are moist, flavorful and adaptable to your flavor preferences as you can use whatever cake mix you prefer. I added in some mini chocolate chips so mine are technically three ingredients. :)

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
From Duncan Hines
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 box of cake mix - chocolate, vanilla, or spice work best
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin
Optional: 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (white chips are better for spice or yellow cake mixes)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two muffin tins or place in muffin papers. Mix the can of pumpkin and cake mix together until combines. Stir in chips if using them. Fill muffin cups to almost full as these muffins don't rise very much. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Coconut Flour Brownie Cake (Gluten Free)

I bought a packet of coconut flour to make low carb pancakes and then wasn't sure what do to with the rest of it, so I searched for recipes that used coconut flour. I am so happy I came across this one. A rich chocolate cake with the flavor of coconut makes this a decadent dessert. It was a tad dry and so I added a dollop of cool whip but regular whipped cream or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be delicious on top. 

Coconut Flour Brownie Cake
From The Nourishing Home
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3 eggs
3/4 cup maple syrup 
1 cup warm filtered water
1 tablespoon vanilla
Optional: Additional chocolate chips to sprinkle on top

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X9 inch baking dish with coconut oil. In a small bowl combine the coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cut the butter into chunks then place the butter and coconut oil into a small saucepan and melt over medium head. Add the cocoa powder and chocolate chips; stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined. Set aside to cool. 

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer add the eggs, maple syrup, warm water, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined. Then whisk in the cooled chocolate-butter mixture. Next slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet while whisking vigorously. Continue whisking until no lumps remain. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with an additional 1/4 cup chocolate chips. (I also sprinkled a little more sea salt on top) 

Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the baking dish. When ready to serve, slice and top with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Sea Salt

In the past month I've made these delicious cookie bars three times. Yes - three times! They are that freaking good! They are not your average chocolate chip bars because they are sprinkled with sea salt before they are baked. This takes them to a whole new salty/sweet level. I made them for a potluck at hubby's work and people raved about them, so I made them again for a party and then one more time for hubby's coworkers. They are best warm and make a nice big batch so make them when you want to share - and believe me they will go fast!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Sea Salt
From Two Peas & Their Pod
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature (can be scaled back if you would like)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chip
Sea salt for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In the bowl of a stand mixer mix together the melted butter and sugars until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients at low speed until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Pour the dough into the prepared pan and smooth so it evens out. Sprinkle the bars very lightly with sea salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the bars are light brown and start to pull away from the pan. Allow bars to cook on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving. 

Chocolate Oat Bars

It is bad that I made these chocolate oatmeal bars solely because I wanted to use up a can of condensed milk? Well that and because I love the combination of oatmeal and chocolate. It's pretty terrific. 

But mostly this dessert came to be because I had a can of condensed milk that was going to spoil soon. After you make these and take a bite and discover how rich, moist, (thanks to the condensed milk) and decadent they are, I know you'll be in gooey chocolate heaven. I had a handful of white chocolate chips left over so used them up in this recipe as well. Another good decision! 

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
From About.com
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
For the filling:
1 (15 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired (I omitted these)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Then stir in oats. Stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until well blended; set aside. Pat about 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of a greased 10X15X1 pan. Set aside remaining oat mixture. In a heavy saucepan over low heat combine sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. 

Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla and pecans or walnuts if desired. 
Spread filling mixture over bottom crust of oatmeal in the baking pan and then crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares. 

Virtual Baby Shower

This might be my most favorite post ever! A month or so ago I asked my favorite  bloggers and food blogging friends if they wanted to participate in a virtual baby shower for me. Since Baby's due date is less than a month away and all I am doing now is waiting for baby to arrive, this is the perfect time for the "shower"! I asked the ladies to contribute their favorite shower/brunch recipe since breakfast foods are my favorite (case in point: tonight's dinner was an English muffin and eggs over easy). 


I hope you will take the time to visit the sites of all of the awesome bloggers that participated in my shower! Give them some love by leaving a comment or pinning one of their drool worthy recipes. Here are dishes that they shared for for my virtual baby shower:


Pina Colada Dip
From Val So Cal

Val says, "This sweet dip is the epitome of what Summer is all about!!  Refreshing and oh so good!  I beg you, Like, pleading with you to make this. Turn on some Jimmy Buffet or maybe Bob Marley and have a little fun." I want to dip my finger into this bowl and have a lick right now, don't you? 


Bacon and Red Pepper Breakfast Casserole
From Greens and Chocolate

Taylor picked a perfect recipe for me because I love egg dishes - especially egg casseroles. Taylor wrote, "When I think of baby showers I tend to think of brunch food, so for her baby shower I made a breakfast casserole.  I ended up making this with ingredients I happened to have on hand including a red pepper, a four-cheese blend, green onions, and bacon and it came out really great."

Peanut Butter Crusted Brownies 
From Vanilla Sugar

Dawn at Vanilla Sugar describes these brownies, "I've always wanted to create a cookie/brownie mix. And for me, peanut butter and brownie go so well together, why not put them together?" I completely agree with Dawn and these brownies look to die for!


The Best Bran Muffins
From Food and Whine

Megan of Food and Whine chose these muffins for the shower because, "...muffins in general have been a popular item in my household since having children. I've baked them for visitors who came to see the new baby, I've baked them for myself when I was too busy nursing babies or chasing toddlers to sit for a proper meal, I've baked them for countless playdates and get-togethers with other moms, and I still bake them all the time for snacks and school lunches. They are the perfect food for moms with busy families."


Homemade Granola
From Beantown Baker

Jen, who is the Beantown Baker, explains why she decided to make this delicious looking granola for my virtual baby shower, "I love recipes like this where it's just a ratio of ingredients. That way you can use whatever you prefer or have on hand. It would be great to serve at a brunch themed baby shower. Especially if you package it in small mason jars with a bit of ribbon tied around the top." Homemade is the BEST way to eat granola. Yum!


Chocolate Eclair Dessert
From Dutch Oven

Elizabeth from Dutch Oven describes this delicious dessert, "It is everything a good dessert should be in my mind, creamy, smooth, and chocolaty but not too rich.  It tastes fancy but best of all is super easy to make.  It is also a great summer dessert because it doesn't

require the oven, and is served cold for a nice hot summer day." I love all the layers in this 

dessert and the combination of chocolate, graham crackers, and creamy filling.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

From Two Friends with Spice

Cheryl, who used to be my next door neighbor and shared many of her delicious creations with me, describes this bread as, "a melt in your mouth party! Amazingly delicious...this is something I will be making again and again!" 

Thanks again to all my blogging friends who were willing to participate in this virtual baby shower! It means so much to me that you ladies took the time to help me celebrate this new life that will soon enter the world! I wish we could all be together to enjoy this amazing looking food!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I made these yummy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies to have as a sweet treat the night my Mom and brother arrived in Okinawa. They are a delicious variation on the basic chocolate chip cookie. I love Macadamia Nuts and they are so perfect in this cookie. This recipe makes 60 cookies so be prepared to share or freeze some! 

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Printable Version

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 12 ounce package white chocolate chips

3 1/2 ounces macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and baking soda. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much as the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. 

Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. 

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats

I don't know why it never dawned on me to make Nutella Rice Krispie Treats before. Rice Krispie treats are one of my favorite desserts and adding in a cup of Nutella takes them to a whole new level. Anything with Nutella makes me happy and these are one of the easiest crowd pleasing desserts I've ever made. I served them when we had friends over for dinner and everyone from the two, three, and five year old to the adults gobbled them up.


Nutella Rice Krispie Treats
Printable Version
Ingredients
6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal
1 bag mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup Nutella

Directions
In a large pot melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in marshmallows until creamy and mostly dissolved. Add in the cup of Nutella and continue to stir until fully incorporated with the marshmallows. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies. Spread into a 9X13 pan (a trick I use is spraying a ziplock snack size bag with cooking spray to pat and smooth it down). Cut into bars and serve. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

I am one of those people who would rather eat the cookie dough than the cookies. These brownies not only allow you to do this, but they are one of the most decadent and rich desserts I've ever made. 

Egg-less cookie dough on top of a brownie made from scratch - seriously does dessert get better than this? They are so sweet and rich that you will want to share them to make sure you don't eat them all yourself! Keep the leftovers in the fridge - they are best a little chilled. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
From Dame Good Eats
Printable Version
Ingredients
For the brownies:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt


For the cookie dough
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8X8 inch pan. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once melted remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Blend together. In a separate bowl mix together flour, cocoa, and salt. Add dry mixture to the wet and mix well. Pour into greased pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. 

Allow to cool for about one hour. Meanwhile for the cookie dough combine the butter, sugars, milk, and flour until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough on the cooled brownies. 

Chill the brownies overnight or until cookie dough is firm. Cut into bars and serve.