Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

I know I'm a little late on this Valentine's Day dessert, but it's just too incredibly delicious not to share with you. I made these Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies on Valentine's Day to give to a very special group of people who are staying at the Stork's Nest here on our military base. The Stork's Nest provides temporary housing to high risk pregnant patients, parents of infants in the NICU and family members of patients in the ICU at our Naval Hospital.  

I hope they enjoyed these decadent brownies as much as I enjoyed making them. I think they're so good that I'm going to make them again this weekend for my Bunco group. Yes, I play Bunco, no juding! :)  

 How can you not want to just sink your teeth into these little beauties? A layer of red velvet brownies is topped by a layer of cheesecake then swirled together. It doesn't matter what time of year you make these, they are sure to be a hit no matter what!

 Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
From Sweet Pea's Kitchen
Printable Version
Ingredients 
For the brownie layer:
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces dark chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons red food coloring
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt


For the cheesecake layer:
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 8X8 inch square baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extent up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they've baked.) Butter the parchment.
In a small heatproof bowl melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave at 15 second intervals. 

Stir until combined and very smooth. Set aside a few minutes to cool.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food coloring. Add the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Add the flour and sat and stir just until combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Pour brownie mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. 
Prepare the cheesecake layer by beating cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Distribute the cheesecake mixture in about 8 dollops over the brownie batter in the pan. 

Swirl in with a knife.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until brownies and cheesecake are set. A toothpick inserted into the mixture should come out clean and the edges will be slightly browned. Let the brownies cool cool completely in the pan, about one hour before lifting out the parchment paper to remove 
the brownies. Cut and serve.  

Valentine Peanut Butter Blossoms

When I bought a package of Dove Chocolate Heart candies I intended to give them to my hubby for him to put in his candy jar in his office. But then I saw a better use for them - as Valentine's Day Cookies. Aren't they so much cuter than the traditional Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Blossoms? Make a batch for your Valentine! 

Valentine Peanut Butter Blossoms
From Sweet Saturday
Printable Version
Ingredients 
Heart Shaped Chocolates (I used Dove Milk Chocolate) 
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
4 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar in a small bowl 

Directions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl. Add both sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat well. Stir together flour baking soda and salt; gradually beat into mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar before placing on ungreased cooking sheet. 

Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate heart in the center of each cookie. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. *Note you may want to place them in the freezer because I had a batch melt completely!*

Red and White Velvet Cookies

This is a first for me - I've never blogged about a recipe the same day that I made it. But I am so excited to share this recipe with you that I just couldn't wait! The cookies are still cooling while I am blogging away. 

Today there was no school because we had three inches of snow (everything in Virginia shuts down with the slightest amount of snow, I love it!) so I decided to do some baking. I'd bookmarked several red velvet recipes to try around Valentine's Day, but I had a hard time finding one that seemed in my league. Whoopie pies are most definitely not in my league, but maybe someday. I found the recipe for these cookies on the Duncan Hines site. They are super cute and festive, not to mention buttery, crisp, and delicious! I am sending them with hubby to work because I do not want them sitting around my house - too dangerous! I hope these inspire you to make a Valentine goodie yourself!

Red and White Velvet Cookies
From Duncan Hines.com
Makes 4 dozen
Printable Version


Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used Homemade Vanilla Extract, pictured in the vodka bottle)
12 ounces white chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening


Directions
Melt the butter and set aside to cool. Place cake mix, egg, cooled butter, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix by hand until well blended. (I used my Kitchen Aid Mixer, of course!) 

Form dough into smooth 12-inch log on wax or parchment paper. Make sure it is even in thickness from end to end. Wrap in wax paper and seal in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets. Unwrap dough log and set on wax paper. Use a sharp knife to cut into 48 slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Place on cool baking sheets about 2 inches apart. 

Bake 1 sheet at a time in center of oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Make chocolate dip by placing white chocolate in a small dry microwave safe bowl along with shortening. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir to blend. If needed, continue to microwave at 15 second intervals. Stir each time and avoid overheating.

Dip each cookie halfway to coat in chocolate. Place on wax paper or baking sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes until chocolate is set.

 Store in an airtight container with wax paper separating each layer.