Carnation Chocolate Fudge Candy

Easy, and really good!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C white sugar
2 TBSP Butter
2/3 C evaporated milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 C mini marshmallows
Walnuts or pecans (optional)

Bring first 4 ingredients to a simmer over medium heat.  Simmer for 5 minutes (set a timer) and stir occasionally.  Turn off heat and remove from burner after 5 minutes.  Stir vanilla into hot mixture and combine.  Add marshmallows and chocolate chips, and stir until smooth.  Pour into an 8x8 or 9x9 pan lined with foil.  Tap against counter to settle and pop air bubbles.  Allow to sit on counter until chocolate stops steaming, then place plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.  When ready to cut, use foil to lift chocolate out of pan and flip onto a cutting board.  Cut with a long sharp knife, and wipe blade with a wet towel between each cut.

Weight Watchers Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe can be found at Food.com.

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
18 oz. box of chocolate cake mix, your choice
1/4-1/2 C water (I used 1/4C)

Spray a 12-muffin tin with baking spray.  Mix all ingredients together.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  These do have a slight pumpkin flavor, but I still thought they were tasty.  Each cupcake is 2 points+.

Rich Pumpkin Custard

This recipe comes from Taste of Home.  My MIL made these one Thanksgiving for those who don't like pie crusts.  These were delicious!

Ingredients:
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
2/3 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon, or to taste (I always add more)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash ground cloves
Allspice, to taste
1 Can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 can (12 oz) fat-free evaporated milk

Directions:
In large bowl, beat the egg whites, sugar, and spices.  Add pumpkin and vanilla, mix well.  Gradually beat in milk.  Pour into six ungreased custard cups. 

Place cups in a 13 x 9 baking pan.  Add 1" of water to the pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Serve warm or chilled.

So good with Cool Whip on top!

These are 4 WW points + per serving.

Weight Watchers Chocolate Chip Cookies

As found on Laaloosh.com --a delicious recipe!

Ingredients:
– 2 tbsp light butter, softened (I used Country Crock)
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, dark-variety
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp table salt
- 1 large egg white
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 1/2 cup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter, oil and sugar. Add vanilla, salt and egg white; mix thoroughly to combine.
In a small bowl, mix together flour and baking soda; stir into batter. Add chocolate chips to batter; stir to distribute evenly throughout.
Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto one or two large nonstick baking sheets, leaving a small amount of space between each cookie. Bake cookies until golden around edges, about 11 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Makes 24 servings.

Serving size is 1 cookies
Each serving = 1 Weight Watchers Point

Blueberry Turnovers

This is an awesome, simple recipe that I first tried on our recent trip to the Ivy House B&B.  The innkeeper told us that she found the recipe on the Food Network website, and after a quick search, I found this recipe.  The website cites Gale Gand as the creator of the recipe.  Super delicious and simple!

Ingredients:

Before baking--see baked photo below

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used Pepperidge Farm brand)
1/2 C blueberry preserves
2 TBSP corn starch
2 TBSP brown sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (I omitted this)
1 C fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten with 2 tsp water
2 TBSP granulated sugar (I omitted this)

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the preserves, corn starch, brown sugar and lemon zest.  Fold in the fresh blueberries and vanilla, and chill while you prepare the dough.  
Lightly flour work surface.  Roll out the puff pastry sheets into 12x12 square size (the pastry will become a little thinner).  Cut each pastry sheet into four 6" squares.  Lay a pastry square on a work surface and brush the edges with egg wash.  In the center of the square, place two heaping tablespoons of blueberry filling.  Brush the edges of the pastry square with egg wash and fold in half to form a triangle.  Carefully press the edges together and seal well using fork tines.  Transfer to a cookie sheet and keep refrigerated.  Repeat with remaining ingredients, placing turnovers 1" apart.  Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.  Serve warm or let cool to room temp.  These don't keep well, so be sure to eat them within a day of making them.

Note: I didn't refrigerate anything as I was making them, and they seemed to turn out just fine.  They tasted great!  I also made a simple vanilla glaze using powdered sugar, milk and vanilla (I didn't measure, just went by sight and taste) and drizzled it over the pastries once they had cooled a bit.  Very tasty!

Baked, before glaze.  So yummy and just the right amount of sweetness!

Homemade Strawberry Bread

Delicious, kind of like a soda bread!

This recipe is taken from The Amish Cook website.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 2/3 cup flour (stir or sift before measuring)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries-fresh or frozen and lightly drained (a few less than a whole pint)

1/2 cup chopped nuts-your choice (optional)

Directions:

Beat eggs until foamy. Add oil, sugar, vanilla, and almond to eggs and mix well.  Stir well or sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Add to previous mixture and stir until just barely moistened.  Add strawberries and nuts and lightly mix, being careful not to overmix.  Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes at 350 until nicely browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. May need to put foil over top if it browns too quickly.  Note: I would bake it for at least 60 minutes to ensure the bread is completely baked through.

Honey Spice Cookies

This recipe was taken from The Amish Cook's Baking Book.  I was fortunate to be a test baker for this recipe before the book was published.  Any time I make these, I am always asked for the recipe.  Extremely delicious!

Ingredients: 

2 1 /4 cups flour

2 1 /4 teaspoon baking soda

1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 /2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 /4 teaspoon cloves

1 cup brown sugar

3 /4 cup unsalted butter (real butter is best)

1 large egg

1 /4 cup honey

Approx. 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

In separate bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, egg and honey.  Add this mixture to dry ingredients, stirring by hand (dough will be stiff).  If time allows, refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.  It makes the dough easier to work with, but if you are in a hurry, you can use the room temperature dough.

Form dough into balls about 1-2” in size.  Roll balls in white sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cracks appear on the top of the cookie.  Allow to sit 1-2 mins on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.

Martha's Fudge Peanut Butter Brownies

I borrowed this recipe from the Dave Ramsey website.  Yeah, he's a financial guy, but he has some incredible sounding recipes once in a while!  Not even close to diet-friendly, but who cares?

Ingredients

Brownies

1 cup of butter (2 sticks, no substitutions)
1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) jar peanut butter

Fudge Frosting

1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup whole milk (no substitutions)
10 large marshmallows
1/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

  

Directions

Brownies

1. Melt 1 cup butter and 1/3 cup cocoa in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts, stirring constantly.
2. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
3. Combine sugar, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
4. Slowly add chocolate mixture and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended. Do not overbeat.
6. Spread mixture into a greased 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan. (Note: Any other pan could result in dry brownies, undercooked brownies or the mixture overflowing the pan. You can find jellyroll pans at Bed, Bath & Beyond or Williams-Sonoma.)
7. Bake in 350-degree oven for 25–30 minutes. Every oven is different, so I recommend inserting a toothpick in the middle of the brownies and making sure it comes out clean. If not, cook one minute at a time until done. Don’t overcook.

Peanut Butter Topping

1. Spoon mounds of peanut butter across the top of the hot brownies. As peanut butter begins to soften and melt, gently spread evenly across the top of the hot brownies.
2. Let cool completely, and then chill for 30 minutes until peanut butter sets up firm.

Fudge Frosting

1. Cook 1 stick of butter, milk and marshmallows in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until marshmallows melt.
2. Remove pan from heat and gradually sift in 1/4 cup cocoa, beating with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
3. Sift powdered sugar and gradually stir into cocoa mixture with hand mixer until smooth.
4. Spread frosting over peanut butter; place back in fridge and chill at least another 20 minutes so fudge frosting will set.
5. If not serving immediately, cover with foil and keep in fridge.
6. To serve, trim off all of the edges of the brownies. Cut into small squares (these are very rich). Optional: Garnish each piece with 1/4 of a miniature peanut butter cup. Best served at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Super-Simple Apple Crisp

Freshly baked and sprinkled with cinnamon.

So easy, you will make it all the time!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 C oatmeal
1 1/2 C sugar
2 TBSP cinnamon (or to taste)
1 tsp baking soda
1 C butter or margarine
2 cans of favorite apple pie filling

Directions:
Grease or butter sides and bottom of 9x13 pan.  Preheat oven to 350*.  In one bowl, empty cans of pie filing.  Add cinnamon and sugar to taste if desired, mix well and set aside.  In separate large bowl, melt butter.  Add flour, oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon,, and baking soda, and mix until crumbly.  Pour apple filling into greased pan, spoon crumbly mixture over top until apples are covered.  Bake at 350* for 40 mins. or until golden brown and center is bubbly.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

An amazing chocolate cake and frosting recipe--you won't want to share!
Ingredients:

2 C sugar

1 ¾ C all-purpose flour

¾ C Hershey’s cocoa

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 C milk

½  C vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 C boiling water

Chocolate frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*.  Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).  Pour batter into prepared pans. 

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely.  Frost with chocolate frosting (recipe below).

Chocolate frosting:  1 stick (1/2 C) unsalted butter (I don’t recommend using margarine), 2/3 C Hershey cocoa, 3 C powdered sugar, 1/3 C milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract.  Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to desired spreading consistency.  Add more milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla.  Makes about two cups frosting. 

Variations:

One-pan cake—grease and flour 13x9x2 baking pan.  Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes.  Cool completely; frost.

Three layer cake—grease and flour three 8-inch round pans.  Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes, cool 10 minutes in pans, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Frost.

Bundt cake—grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan.  Bake at 350* for 50-55 minutes.  Cool 15 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Frost.

Cupcakes—line muffin cups with paper bake cups and fill 2/3 full.  Bake at 350* for 22-25 minutes.  Cool completely.  Frost.  Makes about 30 cupcakes.

Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies

Very good and rich.  This makes a lot, so this is a great dish for a carry-in or party dessert.
Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix, your choice

½ C vegetable oil

¼ C water

4 large eggs

2-8oz packages softened cream cheese (I use Neufchatel, because it has less calories/fat)

1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 C lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ C seedless strawberry jam

¾ C walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray 13 x 9 pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Combine brownie mix, oil, water and 2 eggs in bowl.  Stir.  Stir in nuts if desired.  Bake 20 minutes.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Slowly mix in 2 eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth.  Pour over warm brownies.

Stir jam until smooth.  Drop teaspoonfuls over cream cheese.  Use knife and swirl jam gently into cream cheese filling to create marbling.

Bake additional 35-40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.  Cool 1 hour.  Loosely cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or more.  Cut into 16 bars.  Store in fridge.

Other suggestions:

Layer strawberry jam between brownies and cheesecake.  Do not marble.

Use caramel, either swirled into cheesecake or layered between, and add mini chocolate chips to cheesecake mix.  Top with caramel and nuts for turtle cheesecake brownies.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

So good, you won't want to give the second loaf away!

(Makes two loaves, freezes well!)

Ingredients:

2 C. sugar

1 C. vegetable oil OR canola oil

3 eggs

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 ½ C. flour

½ C. baking cocoa (I like Hershey’s)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

¼  tsp baking powder

2 C. shredded and peeled zucchini

1 C. mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350*.  Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.  Combine all dry ingredients and gradually beat into the sugar mixture until blended.  Add zucchini and chocolate chips.  Transfer to two greased loaf pans, and tap the pans to release air bubbles.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.  Note: You can shred the zucchini in the summer when it's in season, and freeze it in two cup increments.  When you want to make the bread in the middle of winter, just take out a bag of zucchini and thaw it in the fridge or sink and voila!  You are ready for a delicious treat! 

Amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sinful.  There is no other description.

Ingredients:

4 oz. (1 stick) butter, softened

2/3 C. creamy peanut butter

3/4 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. granulated white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/3 C. (8 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional: 1/2 C. dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*.  In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, mix the first five ingredients until well combined, scraping sides of bowl during mixing.  Beat in egg.  In a small bowl, combine flour and baking soda.  Slowly add to wet mixture until just mixed.  Fold in chocolate chips, and if applicable, peanuts.  Using spoons or cookie scoop, shape dough into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake about 12 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown just slightly (you will have to watch them to make sure they don't burn).  Let sit on sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool.  

*Note:  If you are like me and love to eat raw cookie dough, this recipe is great for that!  Melt the butter completely in the microwave, and leave out the egg.  Tastes delicious without the egg risk!

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

3 1/3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

3 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1 c. oil

4 eggs

2/3 c. water

2 c. pumpkin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients well.  Then add the vegetable oil, eggs, water, and pumpkin. Prepare muffin tins by greasing with vegetable oil or butter and sprinkling lightly with flour. Shake out excess.

Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

The perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter.  Tastes a lot like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!

Ingredients:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 C peanut butter

2 1/2 C confectioner's sugar

2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter over low heat.  Add sugars, peanut butter and vanilla, mix well.  Press into a 9x13 pan.  Melt chocolate chips and spread over top.  Refrigerate until firm.  Allow to sit and come to room temp before cutting to prevent chocolate top from splintering too much.

Easy Holiday 7-Layer Bars

Rich and decadent--a new favorite for my hubby.

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 C butterscotch chips

1 C shredded coconut

1-1/2 C crumbled graham crackers (approx. 8 whole crackers)

1/2 C butter (I used unsalted butter)

1 C chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Place butter in 13x9 pan, and place in oven until butter is melted.  Swirl to coat bottom and sides with butter.  Spread crumbs evenly over bottom of pan.  Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts over crumbs.  Pour condensed milk over nuts.  Sprinkle coconut over condensed milk.  Bake 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Let cool.

Charlie Manuel's Milky Way Cake

Wow.  Very good.  Does not keep well though, so you should just eat it right away.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick unsalted butter

6 regular-sized Milky Way bars, cut into 1" squares

For more detailed notes and photos, please visit my blog post! 


Directions:

Preheat oven according to package directions for bundt cake pan.

Using a microwave, melt the butter and candy bars together, stirring occasionally.  Mix well.

Prepare cake mix according to the package directions, then stir in Milky Way mixture.

Bake as directed on cake mix package.

(Note: I had to add an extra ten minutes or so to the package bake times)

Delicious Chocolate Brownies

Good flavor, not too strong.

Ingredients:

¾ C. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. baking soda

¾ C. granulated sugar

1/3 C. butter or margarine

2 TBSP. water

6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 lg. eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325*.  Line with foil and grease 9-inch square baking pan.  In small bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. 

In small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and water.  Bring to boil over medium heat, and remove immediately from heat.  Add chocolate chips and vanilla until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Transfer this to a medium bowl and allow to cool completely. 

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg.  Gradually stir in flour mixture until smooth.  Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.

Allow to cool and frost with Creamy Chocolate Frosting.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

A good all-around frosting to use on cakes, brownies, and even cookies.

Ingredients:

3 C. powdered sugar

1/3 C. butter or stick margarine, softened (do not use vegetable oil spreads)

2 tsp. vanilla

½ C. unsweetened baking cocoa powder

Milk, added until frosting is smooth

Directions:

Mix powdered sugar and butter in large mixing bowl with electric mixer (this will be crumbly).  Add vanilla and cocoa powder and blend well.  Add milk, a little at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.  Frosts a 9x13 cake or 8-inch and 9-inch layer cakes. 

Variations:

Mocha frosting: add 2-1/2 tsp. instant dry coffee with powdered sugar.

Chocolate buttercream: substitute 3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate squares for the cocoa powder, melted and cooled.

Vanilla buttercream: omit chocolate.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft cookies are my favorite.  I really like this recipe, but it does make a lot for two people.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 C. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 C. butter, softened

¾ C. packed brown sugar

¼ C. white sugar

1 (3.4 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Sift together flour and baking soda, set aside.

In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.  Beat in instant pudding mix until blended.  Mix in eggs and vanilla extract, and slowly add flour mixture.  Mix in chocolate chips by hand. 

Drop cookies on ungreased cookie sheet by rounded teaspoon and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Enjoy warm with cold glass of milk.  Makes approx. 36 cookies.