Chocolate Streusel Bars

Happy Valentine's Day! What more could you want on the day before Valentine's than an extra chocolaty bar. I think that these brownie type bars go a step further with the topping and the condensed milk center, they make them rich and yummy without a ton of eggs and butter as normal brownies have.


I've been on a sweetened condensed milk kick lately and I was more than happy to find a recipe that I thought would be perfect for the ultimate chocolate holiday. I found the recipe here on the Eagle's Brand site. They just looked irresistible. These will be making their way to work with me tomorrow morning to treat my co-workers.

Chocolate Streusel Bars

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1 egg
1 14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar and cocoa in a medium size bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Use a fork, it may take 5 minutes or so to get the right consistency, you want it all to look like crumbs. Add the egg; mix until well blended. At this point you can mix using your hands, I find it a lot easier. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture. Press remainder evenly on bottom of greased 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.


While the bottom layer is baking, in heavy saucepan, over low heat, combine the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup chocolate chips. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Spread evenly over prepared crust.


To reserved 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture, add nuts, remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and white chocolate. Sprinkle the topping evenly over melted chocolate layer. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool and then slice into bars.


Yum these crazy chocolate bars are so good, rich and a little unusual. So if you are tired of making those regular old brownies, try these for a change. They (the people you serve these too) will love you forever.

Everyone loved the fudgy center of these bars but didn't love how crumbly the topping was. I would next time try and make it more solid like an actual streusel. These got an 8 rating out of everything else I've made them. (The favorites are still the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip and the Treasure Cookies.)

Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake

Happy 24th Birthday Ben! Today marks a very important day in both Ben and my lives I get to make him a birthday treat. We have been together for the past three birthdays, the first year I made him whoopie pies, last year pumpkin cheesecake bars and this year I decided to go for the real thing and make him a whole pumpkin cheesecake. It is his favorite thing in the whole world, with an oreo bottom of course! This one came out great looking and tasting.


I was actually really proud of how this cake came out looking. It looked so professional and yummy. Ben loved it and thought it was the best cheesecake he ever had. Thanks to Peabody for the recipe. I made a few slight changes but it really came out fabulous.


Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake

1/2 14 oz can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
10 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 extra large eggs

12 oreo cookies (liquified in a blender until crumbs)
1 1/4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

chocolate glaze
caramel sauce
1 cup chopped toasted pecans


Blend the crushed oreos and the melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 7 inch spring form pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, vanilla extract, spice and salt. Set aside.


In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium low speed until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. My mom told me that the smoother the cream cheese the smoother and velvety the cake will be in the end. Gradually add the sugars and beat until blended.

Add the pumpkin mixture and mix till blended. Add the cornstarch and mix just until combined. Add the eggs on at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.


Pour into the spring form pan and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes in a water bath of one inch. The sides of the cake should be set and the middle should still be slightly wobbly. Open the oven for 5 minutes then let the cake cool in the oven for an hour. Take the cake out of the water bath and place in the refrigerator for another hour.

Cake should be slightly cooled at this point. You want to toast the pecans to deepen the flavor of the nuts. I used canned caramel sauce and just melted semi sweet chocolate for the topping. Place the pecans on the top of the cake and drizzle the caramel and the chocolate all over. Refrigerate for another 2 hours before serving.

Make this cheesecake for the people you love who love pumpkin cheesecake. They will in turn love you forever.

Happy Happy Birthday Ben. Hope you had the best birthday ever! Kiss.

Treasure Cookies

So these cookies are weird lets just start with that, they have only 1/2 a cup of flour, no sugar, no eggs and no vanilla extract! What kind of cookies are these? I had to make them and find out if they are good. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. They were extremely easy to make. I made a few changes to the recipe and I think they turned out great!


My inspiration behind the few changes that I made were that I wanted them to taste like the Caramel DeLite girl scout cookies, and I think the tastes are there. Great new cookie to add to the bank of recipes.


Treasure Cookies

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup toffee bits

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.


First you want to toast the pecans and the coconut, just to deepen the flavors of each. Make sure to not burn either one they should just start turning brown and they will each start to smell once they are ready.

Beat the butter and the condensed milk together until smooth. Add the baking powder, graham crackers and flour, beat until smooth. Add in the toasted pecans and coconut, then the chocolate chips and the toffee bits


Stir to combine, spoon onto a baking sheet and cook for 9-11 minutes. I got 21 bigger cookies from this batch.


These will be going off to the office as a reward for all the hard work that has been going on lately. It is not usually this crazy in the office but times are changing and big things have been happening, so everyone has been working very hard. It is time to reward everyone. :)

Everyone at work loved them, they were a bit hit. So next time you need something a little different make these and they will be enjoyed by all!

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy 1st Birthday Smart Cookie! My blog is officially one year old. It does not feel like a year ago that I started it. Thank you all so much for following my blog, commenting and being a part of this. It has been a great experience so far and I can't wait to continue.


To celebrate I decided to make chocolate chip cookies, except add in something a little extra special Oreos! Yum.


I used the classic Toll House Cookie recipe and added some different chips and crushed Oreos to the batter.

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup crushed oreo pieces
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy and light in color. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture, baking soda and salt. Stir in morsels and oreos. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Serve and enjoy for a special occasion (such as a 1st birthday!!)

Oatmeal Toffee White Chip Cookies

I know it's a mouthful of a name, but this cookie is chock full of goodness. I bought toffee bits because I thought I was going to make a different cookie recipe, but I went on to the Hershey's website and found a Oatmeal Toffee Cookie and thought it looked pretty good. I decided why not, lets give it a try and let me tell you they smell so good. The toffee and white chocolate in a wholesome oatmeal cookie. Wow this cookie is good and it is a little different which made me really like it.


Oatmeal Toffee White Chip Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Toffee Bits
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and the sugar together on a medium speed until creamy. Add in the egg and once incorporated add in the vanilla.


In a medium size bowl mix all of the dry ingredients and then slowly add it into the butter and egg mixture. Once the dough has formed add in the toffee bits and the white chocolate chips stir to combine.


Scoop a big tablespoon and place on your baking sheet. I use a large ice cream scoop which is more like 2 generous tablespoons. Bake at 350 for 14-17 minutes. Let them sit on the tray for one minute before taking them off the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. I got 15 cookies from this recipe.


These may show up at the super bowl party...if there are any left! These are really yummy cookies.