Outrageous Oreo Crunch Brownies

I've been away because I've just been too sick to bake. Nothing too serious... just morning sickness! We are so excited!

Many thanks to eat me, delicious for this delicious brownie recipe. She halved the original recipe to make it fit in a 9x13 pan.

Outrageous Oreo Crunch Brownies

From eat me, delicious

2 sticks (1 cup) butter

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

1 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped Oreo cookies (25 cookies)

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9"x13" baking pan.In a heatproof medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, heat butter, chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, coffee, vanilla and sugar. Blend chocolate mixture into egg mixture; cool to room temperature.In a medium bowl, sift together 1/2 cup flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture.

In a small bowl, stir Oreos and remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Add Oreo mixture to chocolate mixture. Pour batter into baking pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula.

Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 3 inches from center comes out clean; do not overbake. Allow to cool. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, until cold; cut into squares.

Triple Chocolate Cake

We have parent conferences at school today and tonight, so I knew we would need some serious chocolate to get through. This cake did not disappoint! It is super moist and loaded with chocolate.


Triple Chocolate Cake
(Recipe from this blog)

1 18.25-oz package chocolate cake mix (I tend to find cake mixes with the words "triple" and "fudge" and "supermoist" on the box work best)
1 3.9-oz package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like the Ghirardelli ones)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, hot water, sour cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into bundt pan.

3. Bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack and let cool completely.

And then, for the glaze, I do this:

DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE
4 oz semi-sweet dark chocolate (again, I like Ghirardelli's)
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla

In small, heavy saucepan or microwave oven on medium, melt broken chocolate with butter. Stir frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in milk, syrup and vanilla. When glaze is cool, pour onto cake. Let glaze run down sides. Chill about 10 minutes to set glaze.

Peanut Butter Cookies

My dad loves peanut butter cookies and has been saying he really wants some the past few weeks. He even had a pouch of mix and was trying to convince someone at home to make them for him. So since I will be seeing him today, I decided to make him some. I used the old but reliable Jif recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies
(Recipe from Jif)

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Combine peanut butter, shortening, light brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

4. Bake at 375°F for 7-8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

After I finished making this fudge, I remembered why I hardly ever make fudge. It is hard work! I swear I stirred the boiling pot for over 25 minutes waiting for it to reach 234 degrees. At one point I was sure that my thermometer was broken because it didn't seem to be moving. But it eventually did, and the fudge came out great. Perfect for fall or Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tbsp. corn syrup
2 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
9 oz. white chocolate, chopped
7 oz. jar marshmallow crème
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Stir together first six ingredients in a 3 ½ - quart saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft-ball stage).

Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

I bagged mine up into little Halloween bags to share with my coworkers.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe borrow from here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Cheesecake_Factory_Pumpkin_cheesecake_recipe

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. sugar

Filling:
3- 8oz.pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
Whipped Cream

Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 min. at 350. Set aside.

Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs, and spices, beat till smooth and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60-70 min. or till the top turns a bit darker.

Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Bread

I've posted this recipe before, but it's worth repeating. I split the recipe into two smaller disposable tins this time, and I liked the size much better. I will definitely do this in the future as well.

Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping

1/2 C Corn Oil (vegetable oil is okay too)
2 Eggs, beaten
1/3 C Water
1 C pumpkin (canned)
1 2/3 C Sifted Flour
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 C Sugar

Mix wet ingredients: corn oil, eggs, water, and pumpkin

Add dry ingredients: flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar.

When everything is all mixed, it will be slightly thicker than cake batter.

Pour into greased & floured bread pans (I use cooking spray). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Add crumb topping and bake for approximately an additional 20 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.

Crumb Topping
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs flour
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbs butter

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in 1 Tbs butter until it resembles corn meal.

Cinnamon Chip Cookies

I love cinnamon. I still have some bags of cinnamon chips left in the freezer since our local grocery store decided to clearance them all out. I don't know what I'll do once they are gone! I based this cookie off of a recipe found on Technicolor Kitchen. I found it by looking on Google Images for cinnamon cookies. I changed her recipe by leaving out the pecans and adding cinnamon chips instead. I thought they were very good, but you definitely need to like cinnamon!

I baked mine at 375 for about 14 minutes. The sheet that was on the bottom for the second half of the cooking time got a little too done. I think next time I will try baking them at 350. Or else I will bake one sheet at a time and start it on the bottom so it finishes on the top.


Cinnamon Chip Cookies

10 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted (I might try a little more flour next time)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cinnamon chips

Preheat the oven to 375. (I might try 350 next time) Line two large baking sheets with non-stick baking paper. Place the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add the egg and beat well.

Fold through the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and chips – dough will be very stiff. Scoop the mixture, using an ice-cream scoop, onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart – cookies won’t spread much.

Place one baking sheet low in the oven. Place the other high in the oven. Bake for about 7 minutes. Then rotate and switch the baking sheets and bake for another 7 minutes or until golden. This gives the cookies less of a chance to spread. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer cookies to wire racks.

Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow aka Muddy Buddies aka Monkey Munch

I associate this snack mix with Christmas time, but I'm a little early this year. A friend's husband said he loves this, so I made some to share with them.



Puppy Chow

1 box Rice Chex (you can also use Corn Chex or Crispix)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or more if not fully coated)

Pour Chex into a large bowl. In a separate microwavable bowl, combine peanut butter, chocolate chips, vanilla, and butter. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir to combine. Continue heating in microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted and combined.

Pour mixture over cereal and mix to coat. Pour coated cereal into a brown paper grocery bag. Pour in powdered sugar. Fold down grocery bag and shake until completely coated.

Spread on wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Hard Boiled Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies

Anna at Cookie Madness worked with a couple of other bloggers to come up with this interesting chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have to admit I was skeptical when I first read it, but the pictures were so convincing that I went for it! Warning: these are giant cookies! They are also addicting because they are so good!



Amazing Hard Boiled Egg Chocolate Chip Cookies
(borrowed from Cookie Madness)

12. 4 oz all purpose bleached flour (2 ¾ cups spooned and swept)
8 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks (16 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 hard boiled eggs, cut into big chunks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Large handful of chocolate chips

Combine flour and butter in food processor. Pulse until mixture is mealy and coarse. Add the salt and baking soda and pulse to mix. Add both sugars and hard boiled egg. Pulse again until mixture is mealy looking. Add in the vanilla and pulse until mixture just begins to come together.

Dump mixture into a bowl, add chocolate chips and shape into eight balls. You will see egg whites in dough – they’ll disappear as the cookies bake.

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until cookies appear lightly browned around edges. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to rack to finish cooling.

Important: Let cool completely before serving. The texture gets better as the cookies cool. It’s even better if you cool the cookies, freeze them, then thaw them.

Makes 8 big cookies

She also has a small batch version which makes only 2 giant cookies.

3.1 oz all purpose bleached flour (2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour)
2 ounces cold unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 of a hard boiled egg
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Small handful of chocolate chips

Combine flour and butter in food processor. Pulse until mixture is mealy and coarse. Add the salt and baking soda and pulse to mix. Add both sugars and hard boiled egg. Pulse again until mixture is mealy looking. Add in the vanilla and pulse until mixture just begins to come together.

Dump mixture into a bowl, add chocolate chips and shape into two balls. You will see egg whites in dough – they’ll disappear as the cookies bake.

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until cookies appear lightly browned around edges. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to rack to finish cooling.

Important: Let cool completely before serving. The texture gets better as the cookies cool. It’s even better if you cool the cookies, freeze them, then thaw them.

Makes 2 big cookies

Rice Krispie Treats

I read on Cookie Madness once that the Rice Krispie treat recipe that is on boxes now is different from the recipe from the eighties. Today's recipe is not as marshmallowy. Is that a word? I like them nice and chewy, so I went with the old recipe.


Rice Krispie Treats

6 tablespoons butter (salted)
6 cups mini marshmallows
7.5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
M&M’s to taste

In the microwave, melt the butter and marshmallows. Add the cereal, and stir until coated. Stir in M&M's to tase.

Transfer mixture to a greased 9x13 inch pan. Press in the pan using the back of a greased spoon.

Pumpkin Shaped Carrot Cake

I bought this new pan from Crate and Barrel yesterday. I had such high hopes for it!



I made my carrot cake recipe to use in it. The directions said to fill the bottom well and also to put batter into the top pumpkin area. Following those directions, my batter expanded in the oven and covered the entire top of the pan! I ended up letting them cool and then using a serrated knife to go back over the pumpkin shape. Pain in the you-know-what, but they did come out super cute.
Then I used more batter to make little mini pumpkins in a pan I have from Williams Sonoma.

Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups shortening
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Frosting:
1 to 2 pounds powdered sugar (depends on how thick you want your frosting)
8 oz. cream cheese
4 Tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Add shortening and mix well with mixer. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in grated carrots and walnuts. Bake cupcakes for about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

Diet or not, I just had to try this recipe when I saw it on Dozen Flours. I love snickerdoodles, and I love pumpkin so these were perfect.


Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars
(from Dozen Flours)

Snickerdoodle Layer
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pumpkin Pie Layer
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I just realized that I used a whole tsp! Oops!)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan and lay a piece of parchment paper across the pan, so that it extends the pan slightly. The parchment paper is an optional step, but it will make it easier to get the bars out later

To make snickerdoodle layer:
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be thick and cookiebatter-ish.)

In a mixer bowl (you can use the same one you used to make the snickerdoodle batter) with a paddle attachment, mix together all ingredients until well combined. This layer will be less thick and more pourable. Pour over the snickerdoodle layer, smoothing out the top.

Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake for 33-40 minutes (maybe more depending on your oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the *center* of the pan comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely (about an hour). They will deflate a bit and remain a bit pie-like on the top layer. The bars that are closer to the edges of the pan will be more firm, but are still equally as yummy.

After the bars are completely cool, place the chopped white chocolate into a bowl or zip-lock bag and melt on low power. When it's completely melted, add the pumpkin pie spice and mix (or knead if using a zip lock bag). Use a spoon or cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars and let it cool and harden.

Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into bars. Store in a covered container.