Cookies and Cream Fudge

So I've been trying to figure out what I want to make for the Super Bowl, and I'm not sure, but I thought if I make a few experimental things and bring them all, one is sure to be good.


Tonight I decided to try a recipe that I saw on Nosh With Me. It is for Cookies and Cream Fudge. Most people love oreos and fudge so together, to me, it sounds like a winner.

Cookies and Cream Fudge

18 oz white chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 generous cups (about 25 cookies) coarsely crushed oreos

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt white chocolate, condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat and stir in crushed cookies.


Spread evenly into a wax paper lined 8-inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm.


Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator, or freeze until you need it.


I think all the football crazed boys and girls will love this sweet treat amongst the chips and dips. My roommate did steal a bite and say that it was extremely good. So another winner!

Whipping Cream Coffee Cake

I finally found a solution to what to do with extra Whipping Cream. Make a coffee cake with it!

I originally bought whipping cream to make Abby's No-Bake bars. If you like making homemade whipped cream, you are in luck for what to do with the extra whipping cream, but if you are like me, the left over carton was sitting in the refrigerator waiting to go past the date so I could throw it away. And that seemed like a complete waste.


I scoured the internet searching and searching for something to make with the whipping cream. Finally I found a simple cake recipe that seemed too good to be true, but very plain. I figured nothing terrible would happen if I added some flavor to the cake. I assumed by looking that the ingredients that the texture of the cake was going to be somewhat light and fluffy like a pound cake but also be creamy both because of the whipping cream, and this would be a great coffee cake base. I added a filling and miraculously it all worked out. This is a great solution to the left over whipping just sitting in your refrigerator waiting to get old. This cake might even be a reason to go out a buy whipping cream it is that good!

The only change I would make next time I make this cake is that I would make 1 and 1/2 of the cake recipe to fill the 8 inch loaf pan better. The original recipe is below. As you can see from the pictures it came out a bit too thin. You could also double the recipe and use a bunt pan.


Whipping Cream Coffee Cake

Cake

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 minus 1 Tbsp all purpose flour

Filling

1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the whipping cream into a bowl and with an electric mixer beat until it is fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating. Once combined add the vanilla and the sugar to the whipping cream mixture, and beat. Once the sugar and the vanilla are combined in the mixture you want to take off the whisk attachment on your mixer and fold in the dry ingredients. This is important so the air that you beat into the whipping cream, stays and the cake will rise.


Combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Place half of the cake mixture into a greased 8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the top then cover the filing with the rest of the batter. Please not you may not use all the filling, just coat the batter with a thin layer.


Place in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Let rest and cool for about 30 minutes before releasing from the pan.


Serve and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

I've been on a bar making kick lately. I found a recipe that I have sited before for Blondies that can be turned into just about anything you want. Today I had left over peanut butter, and peanuts from the No-Bake bars that I made earlier this week and decided to make some Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars. Yum!


Hopefully everyone at work will love this new creation.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped peanuts*
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

*I used Cocktail peanuts, salted but really any kind you have on hand will work for this recipe.


In a medium sized bowl melt the butter and whisk in the sugar, once combined add the peanut butter, vanilla and the egg. Stir until homogeneous. Slowly stir in the flour. Once all combined add in a little less than 1/2 a cup of each of the chips and the nuts.


Pour into a greased pan, sprinkle the remaining chips and nuts over the top of the bars. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for at least an hour before cutting. And serve or freeze.


Chocolate and peanut butter a classic, yummy combination that will always be loved by all.

No-Bake Butterscotch Treats

I rarely make something a second time, when I'm not satisfied with the outcome the first. Honestly I think these no-bake bars look gross. The ingredient list seems like there is too much going on, but people love these bars, and I'm not sure why. They have said that they taste like cookie dough and they're great. So they're really easy to make, being no-bake bars so try them and see for your self...The recipe comes from better homes and gardens cook book.


These are going to Abby, Ben's younger sister who is going on a semester away in just a few weeks. A year after I made these the first time she was still talking about them as the best thing she had ever had, so I want to send her away with a little bit of home baking before she is gone for 5 or 6 months. So good luck Abby, have a wonderful, wonderful time and don't forget about us at home while you're experiencing everything and anything out there in the big world. We love you.



No-Bake Butterscotch Treats

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup creamy peanut butter*
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 9 oz package chocolate wafers, crushed**
1 12 oz package butterscotch chips
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup cocktail peanuts, chopped

*I used skippy natural peanut butter, anything you have on hand will work.

**I bought a snack bag of mini Oreos (8 oz) and crushed them in the bag. This was a good way to not have left over Oreos hanging around.


In a medium sized bowl whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, then stir in the chocolate wafers. Press mixture into a 13 by 9 pan (ungreased.)


In a small saucepan melt the butterscotch pieces with the whipping cream over low heat, stir until smooth. Pour over top of wafer crust. Sprinkle the peanuts over the top and gently press into the butterscotch so they stay.


Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Slice into bars and serve. I would refrigerate or freeze until you need them they will stay better together cold. Enjoy!

Super Fudgy Brownies II

Just a quick post today...Last night I made these Super Fudgy Brownies again, however I changed two things in the recipe. We'll have to do a taste test to see which is preferred. I changed the chocolate that I used, originally I melted down bittersweet chocolate and in this version I used semisweet chocolate and added walnuts. They came out looking great!

I really liked this recipe, these brownies are really fudgy and look so good and they can be made start to finish in 45 minutes (and most of that time is baking time.) A really great, easy brownie recipe.


Super Fudgy Brownies

5 oz semisweet chocolate
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line an 8 inch metal pan foil and spray foil with cooking spray.


Melt both chocolate and butter together in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring often. Or you can use my method of popping the chocolate and the butter in the microwave and melt it that way. You do have to check it every 20 seconds to start and then more often as it melts, you want to make sure you do not burn the chocolate (it is a lot easier in a double boiler because there is no chance of burning the chocolate. It a slower method but and it is more gentle for the chocolate.) Stir in cocoa powder. Remove from heat to cool slightly.


Whisk in to the chocolate mixture the sugar and then the eggs one at a time, vanilla and salt. Make sure that the chocolate mixture is not too hot when you start adding the eggs in, you do not want to have scrambled eggs in your chocolate. Fold in the flour and stir until blended. Pour into pan. (if using nuts you can line them on top of the mixture.)

Place into the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. A brownie with nuts in it will take a little longer to cook than without. This version was closer to the 30 minutes, than 25 with the original recipe. A cake tester or tooth pick should come out clean or with small crumbs when these brownies are done. Let sit on the counter to cool 1 to 2 hours, or you can put these in the refrigerator to cool (they will cut easier if they are cold.)


These will be going to a Birthday celebration on Friday. (Happy Birthday Steve!)