Recipes – Page 2 – DessertedPlanet.com

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

April 29, 2013 1 Comment

I think it has finally happened. I may have found the PERFECT chocolate chip cookie. I’ve searched high and low and my journey may be over! I’ve always struggled to find the ideal chocolate chips cookie which in my mind is thick, soft and slightly chewy. This N.Y. Times Chocolate Chip Cookie was good, but a little flat for my preference and didn’t quite hit the mark. Then, I saw this recipe by Sally’s Baking Addiction and had to give it a try. I had made her Soft Baked Monster Cookies which were PHENOMENAL so I had full confidence she knew what she was doing when it came to cookies and was excited to try her recipe. And I was NOT disappointed. Seriously, the perfect thickness and so soft and chewy at the same time. Amazing. I was SO happy, I think my search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie is over!

Enjoy!

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

¾ c. (1½ sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
¾ c. Dark Brown Sugar
¼ c. Sugar
1 Large Egg, room temperature
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 c. All-Purpose Flour
2 t. Cornstarch
1 t. Baking Soda
½ t. Salt
1 c. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (I used Ghirardelli)
½ c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed. On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.
Roll dough into 1½" balls with the palms of your hands and place about two inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes (I did 4 minutes, rotated pans and switched racks and did 5 more minutes) until barely golden brown around the edges. Let cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheets and transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Notes

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

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Cake, Recipes

Rocky Road Cake

April 2, 2013 No Comments

I wanted something dark, decadent and over-the-top chocolate for Easter Sunday dinner. And this Rocky Road Cake TOTALLY fit the bill. I know, I know…it’s springtime and desserts should be light and fruity. But when is chocolate ever out of season?! Yeah. Never. And judging by all the “mmmm’s” and “oh my gosh, this is so GOOD”s that I got, I think I picked the absolute perfect dessert to make.

I used dark unsweetened cocoa for both the cake and frosting (the recipe just called for regular unsweetened) and I loved how rich it made the cake but think next time I’ll use the regular cocoa for the frosting so it’s not quite so rich. I also used homemade marshmallows instead of store-bought which I think makes it so good but feel free to use some from the store. It’s definitely extra work to make you own marshmallows but SO worth it. I was also really skeptical about the cake. Just by reading the recipe it seemed way, waaaaaayyyy too simple to make. However, this cake was delicious. More like a cakey brownie, it was the perfect foundation for the gooey marshmallows and thick, fudgey frosting.

Are you sold yet?? This cake is GOOD. So goooooooood. Make it! You’ll be glad you did. Oh, and ice cream! Ice cream is a must. Enjoy!

Rocky Road Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 c. Unsalted Butter, melted
2 c. Sugar
4 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
½ c., plus 2 T. Dark Unsweetened Cocoa
¼ t. Salt
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Baking Powder
1½ c. All-Purpose Flour
1 c. Pecans, toasted and chopped
1, 10.5 oz. Bag Miniature Marshmallows or 2 c. Homemade Marshmallows

Frosting

2 c. Sugar
½ c. Dark Unsweetened Cocoa
½ c. Unsalted Butter
½ c. Whole Milk
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ c. Powdered Sugar

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan.
Whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Whisk in cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour just until combined. Pour into pan and bake 25-30 minutes until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows and pecans and return to the oven for 5 minutes to melt marshmallows slightly.

For the Frosting

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla and powdered sugar with a wooden spoon. Continue beating with the spoon until frosting becomes glossy and holds shape. It will take about 15 minutes but if you place the pan in a bowl of ice, it will speed things up significantly. Pour over the cake before it gets too stiff and let it cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Notes

Makes 24 pieces.

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Cake, Recipes

Ooey Gooey Carrot Spice Cake

March 26, 2013 2 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that I have a slight, very minor obsession with ooey gooey butter cake. Red Velvet and Blueberry, Chocolate and Strawberry Lemonade are just a few that I’ve done and trust me, there are many more I’d like to do. I just don’t want to bore you all! However, this Ooey Gooey Carrot Spice Cake is in a whole other realm of yum and I’m pretty sure you’ll be glad I went with my obsession this week.

So how good is this ooey gooey cake? Let’s just say my husband took one bite and then proceeded to tell me to remove it from our house immediately! Haha. The bottom layer of spice cake combined with the ooey gooey carrot cake filling is phenomenal. The filling is studded with white chocolate chips, toasted pecans and pineapple tidbits. Yeah, yum. It’s definitely one of my favorite ooey gooey cakes thus far and I think would make the perfect treat this Easter Sunday!

Enjoy!

Ooey Gooey Carrot Spice Cake

Ingredients

Spice Cake

1, 18.25 oz. Spice Cake Mix
1 Large Egg
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, melted

Ooey Gooey Carrot Cake Filling

1, 8 oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
16 oz. (3¾ c.) Powdered Sugar
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, melted
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
⅛ t. Nutmeg
½ t. Cinnamon
1½ c. White Chocolate Chips
½ c. Pecans, chopped and toasted
1 c. Finely Grated Carrots
1, 8 oz. Can Pineapple Tidbits, drained

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.

For the Spice Cake Layer

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the spice cake, egg and melted butter until combined. Pat evenly into the bottom of the pan and set aside.

For the Carrot Cake Filling

Still using the electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs. Dump in powdered sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter until combined. Beat in vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips, pecans, grated carrots and pineapple. Pour evenly over spice cake layer. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup white chocolate chips. Bake for 40-45 minutes until center is firm. Let cool completely and cut into pieces.

Notes

Makes 24 pieces.

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Bars, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Healthy, Recipes

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Power Bars

March 21, 2013 3 Comments

I’ve mentioned in a previous post that Jeremy has been wanting me to come up with a homemade protein bar similar to a Cliff Bar or Larabar but of course cheaper and healthier. I tried one that I actually REALLY liked and could hardly keep my hands out of (you CAN get too much of a good thing) but he wasn’t really a fan so I moved onto this recipe from The Balanced Platter shared by my cupcake partner in crime, Robyn over at Gluten Free Crazy. And I can safely say we have a winner with this one! Jeremy loves it, I love it and everyone is getting crazy amounts of protein! It’s very chocolatey, very peanut buttery and soooooo yummy. They’re very rich so I cut them into small squares and keep them in the freezer, although they’d probably be fine in the refrigerator also. Great pick me up and healthy dessert option!

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Ingredients

16 Medjool Dates
1 c. Raw, Organic Almonds
1 c. Sunflower Seeds
½ c. Cooked Quinoa (I had accidentally mixed my dry quinoa and couscous together so it was a mix of both which I really liked!)
½ c. Thick Rolled Oats
¼ c. Chia Seeds
1¼ c. Chunky, Organic Peanut Butter (or smooth)
¾ c. Agave
1½ Scoops Chocolate Protein Powder
¼ c. Unsweetened Cocoa
4 T. Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Line a 9x9 pan with foil, letting it hang over the edges creating "handles".
In a food processor, chop the dates into very small pieces. Add the almonds and sunflower seeds and process until a meal has formed. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the quinoa, oats and chia seeds to the food processor and process until a meal forms again. Add to the bowl of the electric mixer. Add the peanut butter, agave, protein powder, cocoa and vanilla to the bowl of the electric mixer and beat everything on low speed until it is well-blended and starts to clump together. Form into a ball and press evenly into the bottom of the 9x9 pan. Freeze for 1-2 hours until firm, lift out of the pan and place upside down on a cutting board. Peel away foil, turn bars over and cut into 1½" squares. Store in freezer.

Notes

Makes 20 bars.

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Cake, Desserts, Holiday, Recipes

Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake

March 19, 2013 2 Comments

Doesn’t the title of that cake just sound divine? I have always loved sweetened condensed milk and quite truthfully could eat it by the spoonful and have. Healthy, I know. So what is a sweetened condensed milk cake like? It’s…different. But in a good way!

This recipe is by one of my favorite foodie personalities, Claire Thomas, of The Kitchy Kitchen and I think she describes the cake perfectly when she says it has a sweet, eggy flavor and is like a less buttery, denser brioche. So almost like a very dense sweet bread. I did a dusting of powdered sugar and lemon zest but I think next time I’ll do a little orange zest in the batter and orange marmalade with homemade whipped cream to top it off. Or do a lemon curd with it! It’s so different and so good and just a beautiful, simple cake. Perfect Easter Sunday dessert!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake

Ingredients

8 Eggs, room temperature
2, 14 oz. Cans Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted
¼ t. Salt
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 c. All-Purpose Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
Powdered Sugar
Orange/Lemon Zest
Homemade Whipped Cream (see link above)
Homemade Orange Marmalade (or lemon curd) (see link above)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and beat until pale yellow and smooth, then pour in the melted butter, salt and vanilla and beat until blended. Whisk together the flour and baking powder and with the mixer on low, add a little at a time until just incorporated. Pour into the greased bundt pan and bake for 60-75 minutes ( mine took 60) until cake is slightly browned and a tester comes out clean. Let cool completely and remove from pan. Top with powdered sugar and citrus zest and serve with lemon/orange curd and homemade whipped cream.

Notes

Serves 20.

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Holiday, Inspiration, Recipes

Leprechaun Hat S’mores

March 15, 2013 No Comments

One more last minute St. Patrick’s Day idea–Leprechaun Hat S’mores! Courtesy of The Cake Blog, this treat doesn’t get any easier or yummier. I mean seriously, how cute is this?! Cookies and marshmallows?? I am SO there! Thanks to The Cake Blog for this ingenious idea–we love it! Get all the details on how to do it yourself here!

Muffins, Recipes

Banana Nut Crunch Muffins

March 12, 2013 No Comments

I know there are many holidays right around the corner that I should be blogging about…St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day….on and on and on. But yesterday I had an INSANE craving for banana muffins so I went with it! And I’m SO glad I did. These banana muffins are to. die. for. Seriously some of the most moist, flavorful, yummy banana muffins I have ever had. The original recipe is by Ina Garten so you know you’re off to a good start when you begin with one of her fabulous recipes. I made some minor changes and was so pleased with the results! Treat yourself to these for breakfast tomorrow morning…but make them tonight! They are even better the next day!

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Crunch Muffins

Ingredients

3 c. All-Purpose Flour
1 c. Sugar
1 c. Light Brown Sugar, packed
2 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
½ t. Salt
2 sticks Unsalted Butter, melted
3 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 c. Whole Milk
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 c. Mashed Ripe Bananas (I used 5 medium bananas)
1 c. Toasted, Chopped Pecans
1½ c. Granola
1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffins cups with liners.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, beat in the melted butter. Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and bananas and add to the flour-butter mixture. Mix until everything is just combined--do NOT overmix.
Scoop ⅓ cup batter into each muffin cup.
In a small bowl, mix together pecans, granola and melted butter. Spoon a couple of tablespoons over each filled muffin cup. Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine were done at 23) until the tops are brown and a tester inserted comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and then remove from the pan and cool completely.

Notes

Makes 24 muffins.

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Desserts, Ice Cream, Recipes

Homemade Thin Mint Brownie Ice Cream

March 5, 2013 1 Comment

I have found my new favorite thing–homemade ice cream. Believe it or not, I have never made homemade ice cream! I mean, I’ve made my parents recipe which is DIVINE and probably will be my all time favorite, but it’s a no-cook, eggless recipe so it’s a little different than this one. Yes, this one had eggs, had to be tempered, the whole nine yards but honestly it was NOT hard and turned out soooooo good.

For my first ice cream adventure I chose to do a Thin Mint Brownie Ice Cream with REAL mint, tons of crushed cookies and chunks of dark chocolate brownie. Oh and a chocolate chip swirl! Just for good measure. And I have only one thing to say about it–YUM. Actually, MAJOR YUM. Seriously people, this stuff is so, so good. Rich, creamy and totally addictive. I will NEVER buy ice cream from the store again. It does take a little forethought as you need to steep the mint and also let the final mixture chill but it could definitely be done in one day, just in time for after-dinner dessert if you start it early enough! I’ll definitely be experimenting more with flavors in the future so be warned–lots of ice cream recipes in the near future! Haha!

Enjoy!

Homemade Thin Mint Brownie Ice Cream

Ingredients

3 c. Heavy Whipping Cream
3 c. Whole Milk
2 Bunches Fresh Mint Leaves (I used .75 ounces which was plenty in my opinion)
⅛ t. Salt
1½ c. Sugar
12 Egg Yolks
1 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 c. Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies, coarsely chopped (I used all but 6 or 7 of the whole box, about 1½ sleeves)
2 c. Brownie Pieces (I used half a batch of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate box mix)
½ c. Dark Chocolate Chips, melted
Green Food Dye, optional

Instructions

Combine cream, milk, mint and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour or overnight in the fridge (I let mine steep for 2.5 hours and it was definitely strong enough).
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and yolks. Remove mint from cream mixture and discard. Bring milk mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Using a measuring cup or ladle, slowly pour about ½ c. hot milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue adding milk mixture, about a ½ c. at a time, until it has all been added.
Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over low heat, sitrring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla. The custard should retain a line drawn across the back of the spoon with your finger. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Stir occassionally until cooled. Cover and transfer to refrigerator until chilled, at least one hour or overnight (I chilled mine overnight).
Pour custard into a 2-quart ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions until set but not hard. Toward the end of the freezing, add green food coloring, if using. Pour into an air-tight container and stir in cookies and brownie chunks. Swirl in melted chocolate chips. Freeze for at least four hours or overnight.

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Cookie, Desserts, Recipes

Double Chocolate Pecan Cake Mix Cookies

February 20, 2013 No Comments

Cake mix cookies…or as some call them, CRACK cookies. And I will not lie, they are good. But Sarah, they use a cake mix! Yes, I know. And I’ve discovered that very good things can come from cake mixes…such as Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Strawberries & Cream Cake, Strawberry Cakies and even Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes! And while I much prefer a made-from-scratch-cake over a box mix any day, sometimes when you’re in a pinch and need something quick, a cake mix can be your best friend. Which is totally the case for these cookies. I needed something super quick for a meeting I was going to and recalled having these cookies for the first time at my friend Joelle‘s house. I honestly didn’t believe her when she told me how good they were but once I tasted one, I knew I was in trouble and could probably never trust myself with a batch of them in my house. They turn out super soft in the middle and slightly crispy on the outside. I added semi-sweet and white chocolate chips along with toasted pecans but you really could add in whatever you like and even use whatever cake mix you prefer…spice cake with cinnamon chips, orange cake mix with dark chocolate chips, chocolate cake mix with peanut butter chips…you get the idea!

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Pecan Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients

1, 18.25 oz. White Cake Mix
½ c. Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs, room temperature
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 c. White Chocolate Chips
1 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
½ c. Chopped, Toasted Pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth and blended. Stir in white and semi-sweet chocolate chips and toasted pecans. Using a large spoon (or use a small spoon if you want smaller cookies..mine spread and turned out quite large), drop onto pan, two inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes (8 minutes if you want them slightly underdone), rotating pans and switching racks halfway through. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Notes

Makes about 20, 3-inch cookies.

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Breakfast, Recipes

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls

February 13, 2013 No Comments

One last recipe before the big day of love tomorrow! This one is for a super simple and delicious breakfast, Raspberry Cream Cheese Pull Apart-Rolls. The original recipe was first published in Cooking Light Magazine in 1999. It was a little different with dried fruit and citrus zests and far less fat and calories than my recipe has. But I’m not going for “light” on this one. I wanted full fat and loads of sugar! And that’s exactly what I did. Because it tastes good.

Imagine a soft, fluffy yeast roll, brushed with butter, studded with tart raspberries and finished with a layer of cheesecake topping. That’s what you get with these rolls! They are simply divine. The only thing I didn’t get to do (and regret immensely) was drizzle them with a yummy glaze. I highly suggest whipping up a simple powdered sugar/milk mixture and drizzling it over the rolls while they’re still warm. Just too add a little more sweetness since the only sugar is in the cheesecake mixture. They would make a great Valentine’s Day breakfast treat or even dessert!

Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls

Ingredients

One, 25 oz. Package Rhodes Dinner Rolls (36 rolls total)
1 stick Butter, melted
12 oz. Frozen Raspberries
2, 8 oz. pkgs. Cream Cheese, softened
1 c. Sugar
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 c. Powdered Sugar and ⅔ c. Milk whisked together until smooth

Instructions

Thaw rolls at room temperature for 1 hour. Place 36 rolls in two, 9-inch round pans (18 rolls in each), coated with cooking spray. Brush melted butter evenly over rolls. Cover and let rise in warm place, free from drafts for 1 hour.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sprinkle rolls with frozen raspberries and then pour cream cheese mixture over rolls. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with powdered sugar glaze.
OVERNIGHT VARIATION: After pouring the cream cheese mixture over rolls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours. Remove plastic wrap from rolls and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Proceed with baking the rolls as directed.

Notes

Makes 36 rolls.

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Chocolate, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Healthy, No-Bake, Pie, Recipes

Chocolate Fudge Tart

February 11, 2013 No Comments

If I told you this scrumptious looking Chocolate Fudge Tart was gluten free, dairy free, has ZERO refined sugar and is no-bake, would you believe me? Well, it’s totally true! I used this recipe from Deliciously Organic and modified it just a bit to my liking. What resulted was one of the richest, most delicious things I’ve ever had. If you like super dark chocolate and fudge, this is the recipe for you. And if you don’t like super dark chocolate and fudge…what’s wrong with you?!?!!

Just kidding.

I love that the crust uses almond meal…it’s absolutely delicious in the recipe. Little confession though…I had to use half almond meal and half oat flour (which I just made by processing organic rolled oats in my processor) because I ran out of almond meal. It was still delicious and I might just make it that way from now on. As with all “healthy” treats, this one still has calories and sugar, just not the refined, overly processed junk. So use moderation but definitely feel free to indulge without guilt! Make it for someone you love this Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate Fudge Tart

Ingredients

Crust

2½ c. Almond Meal (or half almond meal and half oat flour)
½ c. plus 1 T. Hershey Special Dark Cocoa Powder
¾ t. Sea Salt (I use pink Himalayan
⅓ c. Agave (or maple syrup, honey)
⅓ c. Coconut Oil, melted

Fudge Filling

3 c. Hershey Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1 t. Sea Salt (I use pink Himalayan)
2 c. Agave (or maple syrup, honey)
⅓ c. Coconut Oil, melted

Instructions

Lightly oil or spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

For the Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond meal, cocoa powder and sea salt. Stir in the agave and coconut oil until large clumps form. Press into the bottom and up the sides of springform pan.

For the Chocolate Fudge Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and salt. With a large wooden spoon, stir in the agave and coconut oil. Mixture will get VERY thick. Pour into the crust and gently spread into an even layer. Freeze or refrigerate for about two hours, until firm. Cut into slices and serve immediately. (I actually froze mine overnight so it was a bit too firm when I took it out of the freezer. I had to let it sit and soften for about 30-45 minutes, just fyi.)

Notes

Serves16

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Cake, Desserts, Recipes

Strawberries & Cream Cake

February 7, 2013 1 Comment

I found a recipe on Pinterest for Strawberry Brownies and even though they had very mixed reviews (half said they were awesome, half said total flop), I decided to give them a try. I made some modifications. I know, big shock. And what resulted was possibly one of the best strawberry cakes I’ve ever had. And get this–I used a box mix. The horror! I was totally skeptical and slightly disgusted with myself for not making it totally from scratch but once I tasted this dreamy strawberry concoction, I forgave myself immediately.

No, these did not turn out thick and dense like brownies. And I admit, it was most likely because of my changes. But I was totally ok with that after tasting this stuff. I took the recipe and added in strawberry pie filling to give it a bit more strawberry flavor and added white chocolate chips. Topped off with vanilla buttercream and what resulted was a cake that reminded me of my childhood. It was slightly nostalgic of strawberry shortcake, minus the fresh berries and whipped cream. It was super simple to make and would be such a fun Valentine’s Day treat for your kids or co-workers. Don’t be put off by the use of cake mix, it totally works in this recipe. Even a from-scratch-cake-snob (such as myself ) will LOVE this recipe.

Enjoy!

Strawberries & Cream Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1, 18.5 oz. Strawberry Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)
2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
½ c. Vegetable Oil
21 oz. Strawberry Pie Filling (about 1¼ c.)
1 c. White Chocolate Chips

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

½ Stick Unsalted Butter
2 T. Shortening
4 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
4 c. Powdered Sugar
½ c. Heavy Whipping Cream (or whole milk)
¼ c. Red Chocolate Candy Coating Discs (such as Wilton), melted
Valentine Heart Decor (I got mine at Target in the $1 section-yay!)

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl stir cake mix, eggs and oil. Gently fold in strawberry pie filling and white chocolate chips. Spread evenly into pan and bake for 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and shortening until smooth. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, gradually beat in half of the powdered sugar. Beat in half of the heavy whipping cream. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar and then the rest of the heavy whipping cream. Beat until smooth and then spread evenly onto cooled cake. Drizzle with red chocolate candy coating and sprinkle with Valentine's decor.

Notes

Serves 24

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Desserts, Pie, Recipes

Raspberry Fudge Tulip Tassies

February 6, 2013 No Comments

I have one of the cutest posts for you guys today. I really can’t say that about many of the recipes I make because while they are delicious and look yummy, they aren’t necessarily cute or works of art. Not that I’m saying these tassies are works of art but they took a little more effort than I’d normally put into a recipe! What’s a tassie, you ask? Basically tiny, teeny miniature pies. About two bites worth. This is a recipe that I’ve had forever and used alot when I was catering, which also means I’ve never shared it! But when I saw this idea for the cute flower shape on Pinterest (I know, I know…you thought I was just that brilliant, right?!) I knew this would be the perfect recipe.

You start with a cream cheese crust, which I personally love because it has just a hint of tang from the cream cheese. I rolled the crust out and used a tulip shaped cookie cutter and then very gently pressed them into miniature muffin tins. Be extra careful not to puncture the crust even a little with your fingers/fingernails because the filling will seep through and you’ll have a mess! It happened to me on two of them. Bummer. Anyway, I then filled them with a dollop of raspberry preserves and about a teaspoon of a fudgy, brownie-like filling. Top it with buttercream and a cute M&M and you have tulip tassies! I thought they were adorable. And SO perfect for Valentine’s Day. Truly not difficult to make and not even that time-consuming, just a little extra effort. If you want to skip the cookie cutter, just shape the dough into 24, 1″ balls, place in the bottom of the miniature muffin tins and press down and up the sides of the tin. They’ll still be super cute and every bit as delicious.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Fudge Tassies

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Pastry

½ c. Unsalted Butter, softened
4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 c. All-Purpose Flour

Raspberry Fudge Filling

½ c. Dark/Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
2 T. Unsalted Butter
⅓ c. Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
1 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
½ c. Raspberry Jam

Vanilla Buttercream

2 T. Unsalted Butter, softened
1 T. Shortening
1½ c. Powdered Sugar
¼ c. Heavy Whipping Cream
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
24 Valentine's M&M's
Pink Food Coloring (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the Cream Cheese Pastry

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the flour until the mixture forms a ball around the paddle. Form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cream cheese dough to ¼" thickness. With a 3" flower shaped cookie cutter, cut out 24 flowers. Press very gently into the bottom of an ungreased miniature muffin tin. Be very careful not to puncture the bottom of the dough with your fingers when you are pressing it into the tin. (Alternately, you can shape the dough into 24 balls and press each ball evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the mini muffin tins.)

For the Raspberry Fudge Filling

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Place a ½ teaspoon of raspberry jam into each muffin tin. Cover with 1 teaspoon of the fudge filling. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Let cool completely.

For the Vanilla Buttercream

Beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Beat in pink food coloring if using. Pipe a small amount of buttercream onto each cooled tassie and top with a Valentine M&M.

Notes

Makes 24 tassies.

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Cookie, Desserts, Recipes

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

January 30, 2013 No Comments

I have not found a cookie in awhile that it is hard to stop eating. You know, not so rich that you can only handle a few bites and then you’re done? But more along the lines of “Wow, those are so good I can’t believe I just ate five!!!”. Yeah, that. Let me introduce you to these White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies. They are soooooo good. The kind of good you can’t just stop at one with. The are so soft and slightly crisp around the edges and the tartness of the freeze-dried raspberries sets off the sweetness of the white chocolate perfectly. And I love the slight chewy texture from the oats. Yep, can’t make these often or we’ll be spending extra time at the gym!

Oh and the bright pinkish red bits make them a lovely treat for Valentine’s Day, don’tcha think?

Enjoy!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

Ingredients

2 c. All-Purpose Flour
1½ c. Quick Oats
½ t. Baking Soda
½ t. Baking Powder
½ t. Salt
1½ c. Granulated Sugar
1 c. Unsalted Butter
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ c. Raspberry Jam
2 c. White Chocolate Chips
1 c. Freeze-Dried Raspberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In an electric mixer beat the sugar and butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and raspberry jam. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Beat in the white chocolate chips. Gently fold in the freeze-dried raspberries. Roll into 1½" balls and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, rotating pans and switching racks halfway through. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

Notes

Makes 36 cookies.

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Cookie, Desserts, Recipes

Soft-Baked Monster Cookies

January 28, 2013 4 Comments

One more Superbowl recipe before the big game this weekend! Who is watching? Do you even care about the game and teams or is it ALL about the food?! I say food, duh. We’re having a party at our house and I can say with certainty I am looking forward to the food the most. I have some friends who are fabulous cooks so I know we’ll have quite the spread!

M&M’s Fun Size Milk Chocolate Candy, 11-Ounce (Pack of 6)

I found these cookies a couple of weeks ago via Sally’s Baking Addiction (fabulous blog I JUST discovered–where have I been?!) and she has hit it out of the park with this recipe! I have trouble getting cookies to bake up soft, thick and chewy and these Soft-Baked Monster Cookies fulfill all three of those requirements perfectly! The only thing I’d do different next time is use MORE crushed Butterfingers and throw in some Reese’s Pieces! I knew there was something I was missing after the fact and it hit me that Reese’s Pieces would be PERFECT in these cookies, along with all the other add-ins.

Set out some milk along with these cookies at your Superbowl party! People will need it!

Enjoy!

Soft-Baked Monster Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 c. Light Brown Sugar, packed
½ c. Sugar
1½ c. Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 t. Baking Soda
½ t. Salt
2½ c. All-Purpose Flour
1 c. Old-Fashioned or Quick Oats (I used old-fashioned)
1 c. Regular M&M's
1 c. Dark Chocolate Chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet)
1 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2-4 Regular Size Butterfinger Bars, roughly chopped (I used 2 but if I did them again, I'd use more)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in peanut butter and then eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and oats and mix into the butter/egg mixture on low speed. Mix in the M&M's, dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips and Butterfingers.
Roll the dough into 2 " balls and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-11 minutes (10 if you want them just slightly underdone), rotating pans and switching racks halfway through. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes and then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.

Notes

Makes 40 cookies.

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Bars, Brownie, Cookie, Desserts, Recipes

4-Layer Brownie Bars

January 17, 2013 1 Comment

So awhile back I made something that consisted of cookie dough, Oreos and brownies and put it in a muffin tin and baked it. It had no name and still doesn’t! Little did I realize that someone had already done these brownie/bar thingies (of course) and had named them Slutty Brownies. Scandalous! But totally appropriate. These brownie/bars are amazingly rich, amazingly good and amazingly sinful. Don’t think about the calories…it’s worth it. I decided to revamp my original recipe and do them in a pan, which quite frankly makes a lot more sense than doing them individually in a muffin tin. Duh.

Now are you ready for the really good part? I covered them in PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING. I mean we just went from slutty to total whore (excuse my language). Who doesn’t love brownies, Oreos, chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter frosting?? And altogether in one dessert?! Divine. And rich. Yes, milk is a must for this one.

Enjoy!

P.S. If you want to save a little time on these bars, you could make both the cookie dough and the frosting ahead of time and just keep it refrigerated until ready to use! Or you could even use a cookie and brownie MIX. I highly recommend the Ghirardelli Double Fudge Brownies!

Cookie Brownie Bars

Ingredients

Cookie Layer

½ c. Granulated Sugar
½ c. Brown Sugar, packed
⅓ c. Shortening
½ Stick Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Large Egg
1 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
¾ t. Baking Soda
¼ t. Salt
1⅛ c. All-Purpose Flour
1 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Oreo Layer

35 Oreos (will be slightly more than one package)

Brownie Layer

½ c., plus 2 T. All-Purpose Flour
½ t. Salt
1 T. Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 c. Dark/Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ t. Instant Coffee Granules
¾ c. Granulated Sugar
¼ c. Light Brown Sugar, packed
3 Large Eggs, room temperature
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

6 T. Unsalted Butter
1 c. Smooth Peanut Butter
2 c. Powdered Sugar
5 T. Heavy Whipping Cream (or whole milk)
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

For the Cookie Layer

In a mixer, cream the sugars, butter and shortening until fluffy. Add egg, then vanilla. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and add to wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Press evenly into the pan. Layer with Oreos.

For the Brownie Layer

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Put the chocolate, butter and instant coffee granules into a medium bowl and melt in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring between each time until completely melted and smooth. Add sugars and whisk until completely combined. Let cool to room temperature.
Add 2 of the eggs and whisk until combined. Add the remaining egg and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or the brownies will be cakey.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate. Pour the batter over the Oreos.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack and frost with Peanut Butter Frosting.

For the Peanut Butter Frosting

In an electric mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in one cup of the powdered sugar. Beat in half of the heavy whipping cream. Beat in the remaining powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Beat in vanilla. Spread over cooled brownie bars.

Notes

Makes 24.

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Bars, Fruit, Holiday, Recipes

Cherry Pie Bars

January 15, 2013 11 Comments

I am not quite done with Superbowl recipes (I’ll have another later this week!), but I made these Cherry Pie Bars a couple of days ago and they were so fantastic I couldn’t wait to share the recipe! I love anything cherry and combined with the crumbly streusel topping, they are beyond yummy. And so incredibly easy to make. I think they would make a lovely Valentine’s Day treat!

Enjoy!

Cherry Pie Bars

Ingredients

Crust and Topping

1½ c. All-Purpose Flour
¾ c. Granulated Sugar
¼ t. Salt
¾ c. Unsalted Butter, softened

Cherry Filling

2 Large Eggs
1 c. Granulated Sugar
½ c. Sour Cream
⅓ c., plus 1 T. All-Purpose Flour
1 t. Almond Extract
12-16 oz. Frozen, Unsweetened Dark Cherries (I could only find 12 oz. in my store)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

For the Crust and Topping

Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into ½-inch pieces and add to the flour mixture. Cut in with a fork or use your fingers (my preferred method) until the butter is evenly distributed and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Evenly press ¾ of the mixture into the bottom of the pan and reserve the rest for topping.

For the Cherry Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour and almond extract. Gently fold in the cherries and pour over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining topping mixture evenly over the top
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (mine took 55 minutes) until the top turns golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Notes

Makes 16 bars.

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Candy, Desserts, Healthy, No-Bake, Recipes

Peanut Butter Fudge Granola Bites

January 13, 2013 No Comments

There was a time in my life when if you had told I could blend peanut butter and beans in a blender and get DESSERT out of the concoction, I’d have said you are CRAZY. But oh my how true it is. From brownies to cupcakes, beans are an absolute awesome way to make sweet stuff with less fat and tons more fiber! And you don’t have to compromise taste and texture to get the health benefits, which is nice.

When I came up with this recipe I was amazed how much it tasted like peanut butter fudge! So addictive and good. The short list of ingredients and simple instructions make it a win-win for a healthy, quick dessert! We love these things and I know you will too. Just trying to help you stick to those New Year’s resolutions!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fudge Granola Bites

Ingredients

1½ c. (14 oz.) Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 c. Organic Peanut Butter (I used one that is only organic peanuts)
⅔ c. Agave (could also use honey)
Pinch of Sea Salt
½ c. Low-Sugar Granola (I used one that is sweetened only with organic apple juice. Try to find one that does not use refined sugar.)

Instructions

Lightly spray a 9x9 pan with cooking spray.
In a food processor, process all ingredients except the granola until completely blended and smooth. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Cover with foil and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Cut fudge into 1½" squares. Working quickly, shape into balls and roll in granola. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Makes 20 bites.

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Bars, Desserts, Recipes

7-Layer Bars

January 8, 2013 1 Comment

Believe it or not, I have never made 7-Layer Bars. Shocking, right?! I’ve always really enjoyed them at parties and church functions but just never made them myself. And I’m not sure why because wow, they are easy and delicious (duh). I thought they’d be a great Superbowl dessert and believe it or not, that blessed event is right around the corner. So it’s time to start planning your menu people! It’s all about the food. At least for me it is…I could kind of care less about football. Sorry, it’s true.

Ok, let’s get to the bars. The recipe I used called for a potato chip crust which I thought would give it a more salty component but I didn’t notice it much. So I might add in 1/4 teaspoon or so of salt to the potato chip mixture next time I make them. Just fyi. And traditionally the crust is graham cracker so feel free to swap out the potato chips for graham cracker crumbs and follow the recipe accordingly. I’m not sure which I prefer more. The potato chip crust actually turned out kind of chewy which I love but I also adore graham cracker crusts so…yeah. Flip a coin? Anyway, this recipe is fabulous, you can’t mess it up and it really is super easy and great for parties. Try them!

Oh and if you want some more Superbowl sweets ideas, check out these past blog posts here and here! I’ll have another great Superbowl recipe later this week for puppy chow–with a twist! If you like booze, you’re gonna love it. And even if you don’t like booze, you’re gonna love it. Seriously. Stay tuned!

7-Layer Bars

Ingredients

3 c. Regular, Salted Potato Chips, crushed
1½ sticks Unsalted Butter, melted
4 T. Granulated Sugar
12 oz. (2 c.) pkg. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
12 oz. (2 c. ) pkg. Butterscotch Chips
12 oz. (2 c. ) pkg. White Chocolate Chips
1½ c. Walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
3 c. Flaked, Sweetened Coconut, toasted
2, 14 oz. Cans Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 9x13 pan.
Combine potato chips, sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the pan.
Top the crust with the following ingredients, in order: semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut. Combine the sweetened condensed milk with vanilla and pour over the layers.
Bake for 30 minutes and let cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an air-tight container.

Notes

Makes 18 squares.

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Cookie, Desserts, Healthy, Recipes

Peanut Butter and Banana Quinoa Cookies

January 3, 2013 No Comments

Woo hoo it’s the first recipe of the new year!!! I’m so excited. How about you? I know you’ve just been waiting on the edge of your seat to see what the first super-indulgent, sugar-laden, fattening recipe would be, right?? Well, the wait is over! And I really hope you’re not too disappointed because…it’s a HEALTHY recipe! Yay!!! Oh, am I the only one saying yay?? Surely not. I know there had to have been some of you feeling like I was after Christmas…in need of a major refined sugar and fat break. And I know someone out there made a resolution to eat healthier and drop some weight. Well, this recipe fits the healthy-yet-incredibly-yummy bill to a “t”!

I was soooo pleased with how these came out. I took great liberty with this recipe and tweaked it to my liking. It’s got tons of protein from the quinoa, no refined sugar and whole grains. It’s seriously amazing. I’ve actually been eating these for breakfast. They’re quite filling and not too sweet. Hope you love them as much as I do and they help you stick to that new healthy living resolution!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Banana Quinoa Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. Thick-Cut Oats
1 c. White Whole Wheat Flour
¼ t. Baking Powder
¼ t. Sea Salt (I prefer pink himalayan)
¼ c. Sucanant (or just use more honey)
½ c. All-Natural, Organic Peanut Butter (I use one that has no salt, oil, etc)
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
1 Ripe Banana, mashed
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
⅓ c. Honey
2 c. Cooked Quinoa

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, salt and sucanant. In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut butter, egg, banana, vanilla and honey until smooth.
Add the peanut butter mixture and quinoa to the dry ingredients. Stir together until everything is thoroughly combined. Drop by large spoonfuls onto the baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes, rotating pans and switching racks halfway through. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.

Notes

Makes 20 cookies.

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