Orange and Dark Chocolate Bars

Ben and I have been away for a little vacation. Sorry it has been a while!

I thought I would come back with a very new bar. A flavor combination that is classic that I do not particularly love, but everyone else (including Ben.) Dark chocolate and orange. Ben loves the chocolate that is shaped like and orange that you slam on the table and it breaks into orange slices. I always wondered how those worked...


Anyway back to the recipe. I had a few oranges in the fridge that I knew I was not going to eat but did not want to throw them away. I always feel bad wasting food.

Orange and Dark Chocolate Bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz dark chocolate chopped

Melt the butter and whisk in the dark brown sugar. Make sure the butter and sugar are at room temperature before adding in the egg. Stir in the egg and whisk until color lightens a bit. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, orange juice and zest. Whisk to combine and stir in the flour and chocolate pieces.


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the batter in a greased 8 by 8 inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes.


Let cool and then cut into bars.


These came out really well the texture that zest adds to the bar and the depth of flavors are fabulous. I would have used orange liquor, or amaretto instead of vanilla extract if I had any on hand but I didn't. This is a fabulous and unusually bar that everyone will like!

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.)

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!

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!)

Super Fudgy Brownies

This may or may not be the last thing that I make for my local sorority girls, but we're getting close to the end of the cookie and bar donations.


There are people, strange people that like cakey brownies, my family was not part of that group. I remember these brownies that my mother always made, none of us liked them. You needed a glass of milk during the eating process because they were so dry you could hardly swallow, not a glass of milk to cut the richness of the chewy, fudgy goodness. Needless to say I will probably not ever make a cakey brownie unless asked to by someone else. I just don't prefer them, and why give other people something that you don't believe in? That just seems silly.


I found this fudgy brownie recipe from Cookie Madness and then accessed the original recipe from recipezaar. I decided to make these because Anna from Cookie Madness said that these were maybe the best brownies that she ever made. I have to say they were really easy and really good. A fabulous recipe all around.

Super Fudgy Brownies

5 oz bittersweet 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
Walnuts for top (optional)

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 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 came out very fudgy and yummy. You definitely need to have them with a large glass of milk or a big bowl of ice cream as my roommate did. Great brownies!

Oatmeal Raisin Craisin Bars

So I made up a recipe. Based off of another recipe of course, but it's all mine. It probably needs some tweaking but YAY, my first and hopefully not my last experiment into creating my own lovely baked goods. And...they were good!


These will also be heading off to the Boston University chapter of Alpha Delta Pi for all of the amazing girls to consume.

Oatmeal Raisin Craisin Bars

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cut quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup craisins
(walnuts optional 1/2 cup)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan. In a mixing bowl melt the butter and then whisk in the sugars. Add in the eggs one at a time and stir to combine. Add the vanilla, and stir. Add in all of the dry ingredients and max sure it is all well mixed. Fold in the raisins and the craisins (if you are using nuts add them here too.) Pour into your prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool and then cut when the bars are at room temperature.


They are a really good and easy alternative to making brownies or other bars, or if you are craving oatmeal raisin cookies these give you that flavor without all the scooping and drop work of cookies. Pour, bake and cut. Easy.


I really hope you enjoy these new bars. I did and I know Alpha Delta Pi girls will as well!

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

Thanksgiving II is tomorrow, and I made candy. Thanksgiving II was created by Ben's roommate and his friends, it's the thanksgiving with your friends: laughing, eating and drinking. A pot luck of everything and anything, your ticket in is bringing something homemade.


I'm excited, and I know Ben is really excited about Thanksgiving II (Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday because of the good food) so a second day of gluttony I bet will be Ben's second favorite holiday.

I found this recipe all over the internet, different blogs had slightly different ingredients, however I went with this one from a blog that I frequently go to. The verdict so far is "amazing and really good" one even from someone who doesn't like pumpkin or sweets that much. So I'm excited to give these as part of the pot luck and share in the joy of Thanksgiving II.


Oh one more note, I moved and this is the first thing I made in my new kitchen. YAY!

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 generous cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
9 oz white chocolate, chopped
7 oz jar marshmallow cream (fluff)
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234 degrees. I did not have or own a candy thermometer so I looked at other recipes for similar fudge and it said that this stage should take 12-20 minutes. I went about 15 and the texture seemed correct.

Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended (stirring this is a work-out!). Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool cut fudge into squares. Fudge will last a week or two in an air tight container, but I know this will not last past tomorrow night.


It's a keeper. :)

Blondies

I've made this recipe from Smitten Kitchen before. It's so easy that there is no reason not to make these fast yummy blondies for any occasion, special or not. It's one bowl, one measuring cup, and a whisk (well you need a teaspoon measure and a pan to cook them in) but that is nothing when considering to bake something. They come together in 5 minutes and you can add in whatever kind of chips, nuts or flavoring that you enjoy. That means that you could make these 5 different ways and have 5 different blondies to give out.


Blondies

1 sick of butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips


In a medium sized bowl melt the butter and whisk in the sugar, once combined add the vanilla and the egg. Stir until homogeneous. Slowly stir in the flour. Once all combined add in your chips, nuts, dried fruit or whatever else you would like to add.

Pour into a greased pan, and place in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for at least an hour before cutting. And serve or freeze.

My only recommendation would be not to add more than one and a half cups of the extras you put in. You do need some dough to keep these brownies and not candy.

Love them, a perfectly yummy and easy recipe to keep in your arsenal.

The Baked Bakery Brownies

I've seen a few reviews for these brownies that are from the Baked Bakery in Red Hook Brooklyn. One said that they are Oprah Winfrey's favorite Brownies. The thing about these brownies is that there is a version that has chipotle powder in them. I wanted to make these spicy brownies, but since they are going for Thanksgiving to houses where there will be kids, I thought that makings these without all the spices would be more widely liked.


The brownies came out fudgy, chocolaty and oh so yummy. The ladies on Food Network always say that adding coffee to chocolate enhances the chocolate flavor. I'm not a lover of coffee but these with espresso powder in them give them that little something extra to separate them from regular brownies. I halved the original recipe. I'll put the original recipe up. However if you do want to halve it use an 8 X 8 inch pan and then half all the ingredients. To get a half an egg crack one and scramble it, either approximate half or 2 Tbsp of egg is about half of one. The original recipe I found here.

The Baked Bakery Brownies

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
11 oz dark chocolate
1 cup of butter
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9 X 13 inch pan.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt and cocoa powder.

Place the chocolate, butter and espresso powder in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler use a saucepan of water simmering and put a heat safe large bowl over the water. Stir until the chocolate has melted fully. Turn off the heat but keep the bowl on top of the water and whisk in the sugars. Stir until combined.

Once the mixture is at room temperature add in three eggs and whisk until incorporated. Add in the final 2 eggs and whisk. Stir in the vanilla. Using a spatula fold in the flour mixture just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven for about 30 minutes until when a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs on it. (If halving the recipe mine baked for about 22 minutes.) Let the brownies cool fully before cutting.


Actually putting the brownies in the refrigerator to harden after they are warm to the touch will make cutting them easier. I cut mine into 25 small brownies from the 8 X 8 pan.

Serve and enjoy.

Remember if you are freezing them brownies take a bit longer to defrost. For cookies they will be room temperature in about 2 to 3 hours brownies need at least another hour come up to room temperature from being frozen.


Ben's dad was the taster of these brownies and he said it was good that I only gave him one because he could sit and eat the whole pan they were that good. So make them!

The BEST Brownies. Period.

So here it goes, after tons of coaxing from my sister who is a avid lover of these brownies. Here is my secret. The best brownies ever. They are fairly easy to make and even easier to eat. They are fudgy, yummy, and just lovely brownies. Make these and you will be loved by anyone and everyone that eats them. I do have to appologize I do not now have a picture of these at final product stage, they vanished before a picture could be taken.


I think that these brownies were the first thing that I ever made on my own in my mom's kitchen growing up. Just one Saturday or Sunday afternoon that changed the lives of my family, friends, and all those around me after. These are the best brownies ever, tested, tried and true.

Fudgy Fudgy BEST Brownies
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup salted butter
4 extra large Eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose Flour

In a small sauce pan melt the butter and chocolate together over low heat. (This can also be done in the microwave, but only if I'm feeling really lazy one day. For some reason I think the butter and chocolate melt better together on the stove.) You may need to constantly stir this to make sure that the chocolate is not burning and that everything is melting. Take off the heat immediately when everything is melted. Meanwhile beat eggs on medium until light yellow in color. This is the only leavening in the brownies, so you do want them light, but if you over beat the eggs the brownies will not come out successful. The top will rise and then sink like a bad soufflé out of the oven, so really only beat for 5 minutes. Add sugar and mix until combined. Add butter and chocolate mixture once it has cooled a bit also add in the vanilla at this time. Then add it the flour and just mix until combined.


Then add in 6-8 oz chocolate chips, walnuts or both! Save some to sprinkle on top.


Place in a 8 by 8 greased pan in an 325 degree oven for 60 minutes. You should watch becasue each oven is different, but I have rarely taken these out before 65-70 minutes. You will need a toothpick inserted to have small crumbs on it when its ready to come out. Do not over bake or under bake, they should not be liquid.


I have tried to use foil in the pan, but becasue of the nature of the fudginess of these they will break apart if you try and lift them all out at once with the foil. Just make sure that you really grease the bottom and corners of the pan well.

All the credit of these BEST brownies goes to Mrs. Fields. You can see her original recipe here. I usually make these plain, but my dad loves them with nuts. I also don't think that the chocolate chips add anything to these, only a little longer baking time. Plain may be done around 55 minutes. So watch.


Place in your refrigerator for an hour before cutting, you need that to help solidify the brownies. Cut and serve, you can also freeze these for up to 3 months, but trust me they wont last that long. Also if you need more than like 24 brownies, just double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan.

As you can see from the pictures this was the time I tried to make it with the foil, becasue I have had trouble with the brownies sticking to the bottom, but I don not recommend doing it. They came out fine to pass out to my family and roommates, but not necessarily to go on display it a museum or something. So don't use foil.

Peppermint Jo Jo Brownies

If only I didn't burn the chocolate the first time through, then realize I didn't have enough chocolate to redo it without going back out to the supermarket, than these would have been one of the easiest and best brownies ever. The peppermint sandwich cookies that are used in this recipe give the brownies a little extra something special. You could also used plain chocolate sandwich cookies and these brownies would still be top notch, yummy and fudgy. Everyone that has tried these brownies find them so special, this unusual twist to include the peppermint just are that little something that push these brownies to another level. The original recipe can be found here. I did not make many changes to this recipe, but you can look at both and decide for yourself which to follow. Both will turn out well.


Peppermint Jo Jo Brownies
1 cup butter softened
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 1/2 cups broken peppermint oreo-type cookies*

*I used Peppermint Jo Jo's which are Trader Joes version of Oreo cookies, but you can use any brand that you have handy or you like.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease and foil a 9 by 13 inch brownie pan with either Pam or butter. The foil makes it so much easier to just lift the brownies right up out of the pan, and therefore easier to cut.

In a medium-large saucepan over low heat melt together butter and chocolate, stirring occasionally until fully melted and mixed together. DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF THE MIXTURE (it may burn :(.) Whisk in sugar, salt and vanilla while still over the low heat. Once combined turn off the heat. Whisk in eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Next, Stir in flour and cocoa powder until mixture is throughly combined. Stir in broken peppermint oreo cookies and pour batter into prepared pan. Then break an additional hand full of cookies (5 or 6)and distribute evenly and randomly on top of the batter. Make sure that the cookie pieces are not too big, or it will be more difficult to cut the brownies later.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, but not coated with batter, this will really depend on your oven, so I would start looking at 35 minutes, but mine really took closer to 45-50 minutes before fully cooked. Make sure you do not over bake or you will end up with dry not fudgy brownies.

Cool brownies in pan until just warm to touch. Lift brownies in the foil out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, you could even put them in the refrigerator to really harden up for an hour before cutting.

Cut, serve, enjoy or freeze :)


The one thing you have to remember about freezing brownies opposed to cookies is that brownies take a longer time to defrost so they may need a few hours out of the freezer before serving. You don't want to people to bite into frozen brownies.