Week of Dec 26th, 2016

I’m going to surprise you and end out the year with a few of my sugar filled sweet delights.  When I get weak, yes I cheat once in a while, this is some of my favorites.

HAPPY 2017!!!

Best Chocolate Toffee

I don’t have a recipe any better than this one and it comes from Delish, Click this link right here.

Peanut Butter Crack 

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 box brownie mix (not family sized), prepared according to package directions in a 9×9 pan
  • ½ cup chopped salted or honey roasted peanuts
  • 12 peanut butter cups, chopped
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 heaping cup creamy peanut butter (or 1¼ cups)
  • 1¾ cups crispy rice cereal
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp – 1 tsp kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Bake brownies according to package directions in a 9×9 pan lined with foil.
  2. During last 5 minutes of baking, remove from oven and sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts on top. Return to oven for remaining 5 minutes to melt the chocolate.
  3. As soon as you pull them out of the oven, spread the melty peanut butter cups/peanuts with an off-set spatula to smooth over top. Let brownies cool.
  4. Next in a microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Heat in microwave for 1 minute, stirring when done. If needed, continue heating in 20 second increments until chocolate chips are melted.
  5. Stir in cereal, vanilla and salt until evenly combined.
  6. Pour over brownies and smooth. Chill until chocolate is set, about 2 hours.
  7. Cut into squares to serve
 I have to be honest, this was given to me from a friend who wrote it down and passed it along from some place on the internet.  I don not know where she got it, but it’s good!

PECAN BARS

Now I have made these since I was in my 20’s, that is a long time ago. I see a lot of recipes the same, I got mine from a church cookbook.
Crust
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher saltTopping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound pecans, chopped
This is for a 9 x 13 pan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined.  Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the edge like you would a pie crust . It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

Blackberry Cobbler

This was given to me by a friend, she got it off the internet as well, I do not know where.

You will need:

2 1/2 c blackberries, washed.  I love fresh picked from the garden
1 c sugar
1 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c milk
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted

Stir together just the berries and sugar in a large bowl and let it sit out for 25-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375?. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and milk with a spoon. Next, stir in the melted butter and hand-mix it until the ingredients are well incorporated and you have few clumps. Pour batter into medium baking dish and smooth it out. You can choose to line it with parchment paper or not, but don’t grease the pan. Finally, pour the blackberries on top with all the sugar included and evenly distribute it over the batter.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how golden you prefer it to be.

Chunky Gooey Brownies!

2 cups Gold medal UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed
½ cup white sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
½ cup banana, mashed with a fork (about one medium-large banana)
10-oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking melts (or 12-oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips)
¼ cup milk chocolate chips for the top
How to make it :
Mix butter, eggs, sugars, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer until well mixed.
Add flour, mashed banana and baking melts (or chocolate chips).
Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Spray a 9×13” glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread brownie mixture into prepared pan.
Smooth the top with a knife or rubber spatula.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes just until lightly golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely before cutting into bars.