Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brookies

Brookies. Have you heard of them before?  A brownie and a cookie mixed together. Yup. It's as amazing as it sounds. 

This past Thursday, I realized I hadn't crossed off many things from my fall baking list. Yes, I made a list of things I wanted to make. I do this a lot. It's the only way I get things done. I also realized that I had yet to send a fresh baked treat to work with hubs this fall. Since Halloween was the following day, I decided it was the perfect time to send some treats in with him. 

I used a boxed brownie mix for the brownie part of this deliciousness. I had a box in the pantry and went the easy route. If I had cookie dough in the fridge for the cookie part, I would have used that too. Unfortunately, I didn't. So I used the recipe below for the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie portion. 

Overall, it took me a little less than a half hour (with a little at my foot and one in the solly baby wrap on my chest.) Cook time was a half hour. Worth every minute. These babies were my kind of dessert. The best of both worlds all in one little square. I ate three right away and had to package the rest before I ate the entire pan. These are sure to be a hit at any gathering this season! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brookies

Adapted from Something Swanky 

Ingredients

Brownie Mix with ingredients for brownies: eggs, oil water 

For the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie layer:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree 
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups flour 
• 1/2 cup pumpkin spice baking chips
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
2. Prepare brownie mix as directed on the package. Set aside. 


3. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla.
4. In another bowl, mix together the salt, baking soda, and flour. Add it to the butter/ sugar mixture little by little until the dough is formed. 
5. Fold in the pumpkin and chocolate chips. 
6. Pour half of the brownie mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Just enough to cover the bottom of the dish in a thin layer. 
7. Next, drop tablespoon sized balls of dough on top of the brownie layer. I used a medium cookie scoop to do this. I tried to evenly place them on top of the batter. Spread lightly with a knife or spatula. 
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

You'll have half of the brownie mixture left over. You can make another batch of the brookies or make some brownies. I decided to make 24 mini brownies using a mini muffin pan with the leftover batter. I baked them for 10 minutes at 350.  

Easy Apple Crisp & Grandparents Day Celebration

September 7th was Grandparents Day. Honestly, I didn't know there was such thing until I had a child. Now, it's a day I make sure I am well prepared for. Avery has 6 very special grandparents in her life. I love that there is a day set aside to celebrate them. 

Since two sets of Avery's grandparents live in different states, I used Treat to make them a sweet card. I love how I can add pictures to the cards using Treat and also schedule the delivery so it arrived right before Grandparents Day. 

On Grandparent's Day we had a nice dinner with my parents and grandmother. Avery was very excited to hand her nana and papa their card, also thanks to Treat.

Hubs and I decided to cook a nice dinner for the family so my parents could have a night off. We grilled steaks with shrimp, devoured skillet red potatoes along with steamed broccoli. 

I was in charge of the dessert. A task I usually volunteer for and thoroughly enjoy. I decided to try my hand at apple crisp for the first time. I had all things fall on my mind and this seemed like the perfect sweet treat to kick off September and the start of fall (in my book.) 

I have to say, I can't believe I have never made this dessert before. It was so simple to prepare and was finished cooking right when we were through with dinner. It served the 5 of us perfectly with one serving left over. As tempting as it was so say "the baby wanted more" I held strong and resisted. Everyone gave the dessert their approval and requested it again. It was a wonderful Grandparents Day dinner! 

Easy Apple Crisp

Courtesy of Betty Crocker 

Ingredients: 

4

medium tart cooking apples, sliced (4 cups)

3/4

cup packed brown sugar

1/2

cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2

cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

1/3

cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4

teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4

teaspoon ground nutmeg

Serve with vanilla ice cream

Directions: 

• 1Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening.
• 2Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except ice cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples.
• 3Bake about 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with ice cream.

Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

I wasn't sure whether to call these muffins or mini cakes.  I decided that since they were made in a mini muffin pan, muffins they would be. If you didn't add the icing on top, these would be the perfect bite sized breakfast treats. With the icing on top, they become a fabulous dessert.  

I made these for Easter this year. While looking for items to add to my menu, I looked for simple recipes. I was three and a half months pregnant at Easter. I was sick, exhausted and not really in the mood for spending all Easter in the kitchen making a meal. These muffins ended up being the perfect dessert. They were quick, easy to make and even easier to just pop in your mouth. The little one snacked on them from the minute they came out of the oven. She was a big fan. Everyone else enjoyed them after our lunch. I loved that they weren't too filling yet satisfying for the sweet tooth. Exactly what we needed after a filling Easter lunch.

Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

Courtesy of Six Sisters' Stuff

Bite-Size Carrot Cake:
(Makes 48 cakes)
Ingredients:1 carrot cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, pineapple, raisins, coconut, and walnuts until completely incorporated. Spoon the mixture into greased mini muffin tins, until each one is about 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely, and then top with frosting. I used store bought frosting and a Pampered Chef icing tip.  ]

Turtle Cheeseball

I'm way behind on posting the recipes I've been making these past few months.  Life around here seems to get busier and busier…this blog always seems to fall on the back burner.  

Anyhow, we traveled home to FL for the holidays this past year.  Every year my parents host a Christmas Eve open house.  They've been doing it since we moved to FL over 20 years ago.  Neighbors and friends stop by throughout the night, enjoying food, friends and some delicious drinks.  It's a night I look forward to all year long.  

One of the recipes I added to the sweets menu for the party was a turtle cheese ball.  I found it while going through my appetizer board on Pinterest.  It looked easy enough to prepare ahead of time, wouldn't take up too much space in the already full fridge and how could you go wrong with caramel, chocolate and cream cheese? 

This sweet treat was a hit of the party.  Many guests asked for the recipe.  It was very rich, so you didn't need a lot to satisfy your sweet tooth.  And it was just as good the left over.  My mom has requested this be added to menu again for next year.  Will do, mom! Enjoy. 

Turtle Cheeseball

Courtesy of Shurgary Sweets 

Prep Time: 1 hour

Yield: serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp caramel sauce (found with ice cream toppings)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup Kraft caramel bits 


Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with butter until fully blended. Add caramel sauce and sugar and beat until combined. Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
2. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on counter. Drop cheeseball onto plastic wrap and cover cheeseball completely. Once covered, shape into a ball. Refrigerate for one hour.
3. In a bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips, pecans and caramel bits. Unwrap cheeseball and roll into bowl of chocolate chip mixture. Press toppings gently into the cheeseball. Rewrap in plastic wrap (a new piece) and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Once it's on the serving plate, drizzle some additional caramel syrup over it.
   
   
   ENJOY.

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

I've been meaning to post this recipe for weeks now.  I made it for hubs to bring to work for a recent potluck.  I look forward to his potlucks at work.  Now that I am not teaching or living close to family and friends, I don't have as many people to bake for. I don't like to bake just for hubs and I because we end up eating it and we don't need all the sweets I make!  

I found this recipe on one of my favorite bloggers, The Mix and Match Mama.  

She calls this treat Thanksgiving in a bar, and I couldn't agree more.  It tastes just like pumpkin pie, just in a handy dandy bar.  It received 5 star reviews from hubs coworkers and I enjoyed the piece I kept at home for myself.  I will be making this every year from here on out.  Enjoy!! 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars

Adapted from Mix and Match Mama

Ingredients: 

1 box of spice cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

1 stick of butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar +1 TBS
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice +1TBS
1 cup flour
1 can of canned pumpkin (about 1.5 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with Pam.

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, veggie oil, and 2 eggs with an electric mixer.  Spread  mixture across the bottom of your pan.

In a second mixing bowl, cream together your butter and sugar.  Slowly beat in your remaining 2 eggs and vanilla.

In a smaller bowl, combine your baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and flour with fork.  Slowly beat this dry mixture into your butter mixture.  Beat in your pumpkin.

Spread the pumpkin mixture down on top of your cake mix layer in the pan. 

Mix the extra TBS of pumpkin pie spice and sugar together.  

Sprinkle mixture over the top of the pumpkin mixture.  

 Bake 38 to 40 minutes.

Let your bars cool at least one hour before slicing and serving.

Snickers Caramel Apple Salad

  A few weeks back we went to a friends house for a BBQ.  I volunteered to bring dessert.  After seeing this recipe floating all over Pinterest, I had been wanting to make it.  This BBQ was the perfect opportunity. How can you go wrong with snickers, cook whip and caramel (oh and apples too!) 

One of my favorite Halloween candy is the Caramel Apple Milky Way's.  I thought they would be perfect to add to this recipe.  If you make this any other time of year, you may not be able to find them.  In that case, add another snickers bar to the recipe.  

I wish I had a better picture of the finished product.  I made it at our friends house, so all I had was my phone when it was finished.  This was the perfect dessert for a BBQ.  It was light, refreshing with the chopped apples and sweet.  The candy pieces were of course my favorite.  I'm glad we left the leftovers at the BBQ or else I would have devoured the rest!  

Enjoy! 

Snickers Caramel Apple Salad

Adapted from The Baking Bride 

Ingredients:

4 Regular Snicker Bars chopped 

10 mini Caramel Apple Milky Way bars chopped 
5 Chopped Apples (I didn't peel mine)
1 Pack Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (dry)
1/2 Cup Milk
16 oz. Whipped Topping
Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Directions:
Chop apples, milky way and snickers into cubes; set aside. Whisk together pudding mix, milk, and cool whip until creamy and with no clumps. Stir in apples and snickers.  Lastly, drizzle the caramel topping over the entire salad. Chill for an hour in the fridge.  

Serve and Enjoy!

Mini Caramel Apple Cupcakes

I made these mini cupcakes for a Halloween playdate.  There were a bunch of little ones in attendance along with their moms.  I wanted to make a treat that was festive, tasty and easy to eat.  One that both the kids and adults could enjoy.  These fit the bill and didn't disappoint.  The hardest part of the recipe was the caramel.  It dried really fast, so I had get my husband to help me put the toppings on before it dried.  These would be great for class parties or even Thanksgiving potlucks.  Enjoy!

MIni Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 package spice, carrot cake or caramel apple cake mix(regular size)
• 2 cups chopped peeled tart Apples
• 20 caramels
• 3 tablespoons 2% milk
• toppings (sprinkles, toasted pecans, walnuts, mini chocolate chips)
• 48 Popsicle sticks

Directions

1. Prepare cake batter according to package directions; fold in apples.
2. Fill 48 greased or paper-lined mini muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. In a small saucepan, cook the caramels and milk over low heat until smooth. Spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle IMMEDIATELY with toppings. Insert a wooden or craft stick into the center of each cupcake.                                    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Yield: 48 mini cupcakes

Chocolate Spice Bundt Cake

One of my favorite winter drinks is mexican hot chocolate.  Have you ever had it? 

It's amazing.  Chocolate and cinnamon come together in a warm cup of bliss.   

If it's warm where you are, I recommend the mexican mocha ice storm.  You'll thank me later! My love for the combination of cinnamon and chocolate is the reason I chose to make this cake.  

Results:  Perfection.  It's mexican hot chocolate in a cake.  The only change I made was adding a bag of cinnamon chips to the recipe.  I added half of the bag to the cake batter.  I melted the other half and poured it over the cake (after it had cooled).  Enjoy!

Chocolate Spice Bundt Cake

Courtesy of Mix and Match Mama 

Ingredients: 

1 box of chocolate cake mix

2 small boxes of instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 1/4 cups of water

4 eggs

4 tablespoons cinnamon, divided

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 splashes milk

 

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 10 inch bundt pan

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water and eggs with electric mixer.  Mix in 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.  Pour into prepared bundt pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and milk until creamy.  Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.  Spread on cooled cake.

 

Fruity Pebbles Treats

If you are a fan of rice krispie treats, you have to try these.  

I had left over fruity pebbles after making cookies with them (recipe coming soon)  and decided to try out fruity pebble treats.  

I made them the same way I would have made rice krispie treats. 

Results: Hubs and I said we were never eating regular rice krispies again!

That was our initial reaction after the first bite. They were that good.  

They were bursting with fruity flavor.  Crunchy, chewy and absolutely delicious.  

Neither of us could stop eating them.  

Ingredients: 

3 tablespoons margarine (or butter)

1 package regular marshmallows (10oz)

6 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

Directions:

{1} Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

{2} Add Fruity Pebbles. Stir until well coated.

(3) Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. 

{4} Wait for them to cool before you cut them. 

{5} Enjoy! 

*Store in an air tight container, should last 2-3 days.

Easy Peanut butter Chocolate Chip Cake Bars

A few weeks back we went to a friends house for dinner. 

I knew about it all week. 

Knew I was going to bring dessert. 

But all three times I went to the store, I forgot to get something to make. 

I can't tell you how often this happens. 

So, I set off in search of a recipe I could make with ingredients I had at home. 

I always keep a variety of cake mix in the house.  

There are just so many options to do with it.  

Thankfully, I found the following recipe on Pinterest and made some changes using ingredients I had. 

The bars took me no time to make and were delicious. 

Peanut butter, chocolate, a thick chewy bar....my kind of dessert! 

                                                          

 Adapted from I'm a lazy mom

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs beaten

5 T melted butter

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 cup chocolate chips 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. 

Pour into a brownie pan (this one is my favorite) 

Lemon Coconut Cake Mix Cookies

I can't pass up a cake mix cookie. They are just so easy to make and oh so delicious.  When I came across this recipe, I knew it would be the perfect cookie to kick of the start of spring.  

Results: Another successful cookie recipe.  I added an extra half of cup of coconut to the batter along with rolling the cookie in it.  Everyone in my family loved this recipe.  Hubs even kept an extra stash for himself. Enjoy! 

Lemon Coconut Cake Mix Cookies 

Courtesy of Eclectic Recipes

INGREDIENTS:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) package instant lemon pudding mix
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon Dixie Crystals powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, egg and milk in a large bowl. Mix well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine coconut and sugar. Mix well. Spoon cookie dough by the tablespoon into coconut and roll around. Place cookie on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Continue rolling all cookies. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes, or until coconut has browned and cookie is set. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.

Red Velvet Fudge Brownies

Last weekend, we hosted a couples game night at our house.  We asked all of the guests to bring a dish and their drink of choice.  With a baby and with work being really busy, I didn't have time to plan a typical over the top party that I usually throw. I decided to "sign-up" for dessert.  Desserts are always my choice because they are simple and usually a favorite.  I had already made regular brownies and rice krispie treats but needed one more dessert for my 3-tier serving dish.  When I realized this, it was only 3 hours away from party time.  I knew I had tons of red velvet cake mixes in the pantry, so I searched for a recipe I could make with it.  I didn't want a cupcake or cake, so I decided on brownies! 

Results:  I liked these, didn't love them.  I thought they were a bit cake like.  But, hubs LOVED them.  And a lot of the guests at the party said they were good.  Hubs did tell me that the chocolate chips made it.  He said he had one without a lot of chocolate chips and it was so so, but the one he had with loads of chips was amazing.  Next time I make them, I'll add more chips.  Another variation which would put these over the top is adding cream cheese icing! The recipe does have icing with it, but I left it out because I wanted to stack the brownies on a plate.  Enjoy!

Red Velvet Fudge Brownies

Courtesy of Duncan Hines 

Hands-On Time:	10 minutes
Total Time:	55 minutes
Servings:	Varies
Rating:	4.5 stars

Description:

Brownies.

Ingredients

• 1 Duncan Hines box Red Velvet cake mix
• 3/4 cup butter, after melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped (optional)

Marble Frosting:

• 8 oz. butter cream frosting
• 4 oz. triple chocolate frosting

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine egg, butter, water in a bowl. Add box mix, stir until the ingredients are combined, and lumps are gone.
3. Add chips and 1 cup of nuts, and pour mixture into the greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes and place the cake on wire cooling rack.
5. Frost brownie with butter cream frosting. Heat or microwave chocolate frosting for easy pouring. Pour 2 oz. chocolate frosting over butter cream layer.
6. Use a fork to blend two frostings for a marbled appearance, to desired pattern. Sprinkle brownie with remaining nuts.
7. Drizzle remaining chocolate frosting over the butter cream.
8. Put the brownie in the freezer to cool. Allow 10 minutes, cut and serve.