Marshmallow Brownies

Recipe from: Six Sisters Stuff

1 c. margarine

2 c. sugar

1/3 c. cocoa

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

Soften margarine and blend in 2 cups sugar and cocoa.  Beat together and add 4 eggs, one at a time.  Add flour, salt and vanilla.

Spread on large (10x15x1 inch) greased cookie sheet.  Bake 25 minutes at 350.  Remove from oven and cover entire top with 1 package of miniature marshmallows.  Return to oven for 3 minutes, until soft and puffy.  Cool and frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:

1 stick margarine (1/2 c.), softened
1/4 cup milk
1-2 tsp vanilla (depending on your taste)
3 tablespoons of cocoa
2-3 cups of powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth.  Add more powdered sugar or milk until you reach desired consistency and spread on top of bars.

Donuts

Growing up my aunt made homemade donuts and homemade root beer every Halloween.  It's one of my favorite traditions I can remember from my childhood.  I don't make donuts very often myself, but I decided to make some this year and they did not disappoint.  I got the recipe from Buns in My Oven.  The original recipe says not to poke a hole in the middle, and to fill with Nutella.  The donuts I made with no hole were doughy in the middle, so I only made one like that.  The rest, I just punched holes, like regular donuts.

You can either toss them while warm in sugar, or dip them in some vanilla glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 2/3 cups milk, at room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 eggs
• 7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 7 pieces
• Canola oil, for frying

Instructions

1. In the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast and milk. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 1 minute. Add the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, salt, and eggs and mix on low for about 4 minutes to develop the dough. Begin adding the butter, one piece at a time, and continue mixing for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 6 - 15 hours.
3. Lightly flour a baking sheet. Flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a 12 inch square about a 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2 to 4 inch round biscuit cutter, cut out the donuts. (I ended up with 11 total.) Arrange the donuts on the prepared baking sheet and cover in plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm spot for 2 - 3 hours or until doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy.
4. When ready to fry, heat 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350 degrees. Line a try with paper towels and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Add the donuts to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on the lined tray. When cool enough to handle, toss in the sugar to coat. Return each donut to the tray to cool completely, about 3o minutes.

Rich and Moist Zucchini Cake

We had 2 HUGE zucchini's from our garden that I needed to use.  I decided to try a zucchini chocolate cake and I dare say this was one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had.  I even snuck some whole wheat flour in there.  Delicious and few healthy ingredients :)

{photo by Six Sisters' Stuff}

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional- I didn't use any)
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake springs back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled cake before cutting.

Better than sex cake, Carmel Delight, or simply Ty's birthday cake

Like the title of this post--there is many names this cake goes by. :) At our house it is more commonly known as Ty's birthday cake, because it's his FAVORITE. Per request I am putting the recipe out into blogger world. Know this-there is ABSOLUTLY no talent and time needed to make this...which is why I make it.

Needed:

1 box of chocolate cake.
1 thing of schmuckers Carmel
Between 8 oz and 16 oz of cool whip
Couple of heath bars. I'm not sure how many exactly. Maybe like 5? It depends on the size of the bar and the size of your cake.

Step one: make the cake.
Step two: as soon as you take the cake out start poking some holes in it. I use a fork. The more holes you make the more Carmel will seep into the cake. However...don't massacre the cake. ;)
Step three: squeeze the whole bottle of Carmel onto the cake. Or whatever amount of Carmel you deem sufficient.
Step four: let the cake cool. Once it's cool spread the cool whip over the Carmel. Use whatever amount you'd like.
Step five: break the heath bars up into little pieces. Like take a meat tenderizer and beat the crap out of the heath bar. ;) then sprinkle the heath bars over the cake.

Put it in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

I made these for institute today and was asked to put them on here, so here they are!

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients
1 pouch (17.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup firm butter
2 packages (8 oz each) softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 can (21 oz) raspberry pie filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

2. Pour sugar cookie mix in a big bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of mix for later and press the remaining crumbs in the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

3. Put cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer (medium speed) until smooth.

4. Spread cream cheese mix evenly over crust. Spoon raspberry pie filling evenly over the cream cheese. Take remaining 1 1/2 cups of unbaked crumbs and sprinkle over the top.

5. Bake 35-40 minutes or until crumbs on top are lightly golden brown. Cool 30 minutes, refrigerate about 2 hours to chill.

6. Cut into bars. Store covered in fridge. Makes 24 bars.

No-Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

As of this week, melskitchencafe.com has become my favorite source for recipes. Because her pictures of food are mouth-watering, I click and print almost every recipe. I just have to try it. If it tastes as good as it looks, it must be amazing.

So rich, but so delicious. This mousse-type dessert so smoothly melts in your mouth, it leaves you dreaming about it for several days. Here is the original source.



*Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
18 Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Garnish:
Extra sweetened whipped cream, optional
Crushed oreos or chocolate curls, optional

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer. Glass dessert cups work well for this, as well as mini-trifle dishes; you could also use a mini-cheesecake pan or simply small glass bowls.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and smooth. Add the nutella and mix until combined and smooth. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. In another medium/large bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar together until medium to stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream into the cream cheese/nutella mixture until well blended and no streaks remain.

Spoon the filling into individual serving dishes on top of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

Lemon Ice Cream!

I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from my brother in-law, who got it from his mom, who got it from a lady in her ward (Bertha Stromberg, who is insistant in getting credit for this recipe). It just goes to show that it is definitely a recipe worth passing along!

Here is the original recipe: http://chrisyscookin.blogspot.com/2009/07/lemon-ice-cream.html
(Chris is the queen of delicious desserts. You may want to check out her cooking blog :)


When I make it this is what I do:

3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups Half and Half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (3 or 4 lemons depending on size)
Lemon zest
and if I have it, a few drops of lemon extract. But it works fine without it.

Combine all ingredients and freeze in an ice cream freezer.

Peanut Butter/Graham Cracker Dessert

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar

1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter

1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted

1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)

2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9×13 pan.Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars. Tip: If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp. They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.

*Tip: Love this tip from one you! Instead of adding shortening to the chocolate topping, add a scoop of peanut butter. That will prevent the top from getting solid and it will taste yummy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe just might give The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie a run for it's money, depending on the type of cookie you like.  You must underbake these.  They won't look done when you pull them out of the oven, but as they sit, they set.


Cream together:
1 cup Crisco
¾ cup sugar
¾ brown sugar

add 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

switch beaters from whisk to 3 prongs

add 2 1/4  cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

add chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

Sadie Keller brought this dessert to the ward Christmas Party. I totally loved them! They tasted a lot like Buckeyes so the ingredients are probably very similar. Sadie got the recipe from ourbestbites.com

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar

1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter

1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted

1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)

2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9×13 pan.Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars. Tip: If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp. They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.

*Tip: Love this tip from one you! Instead of adding shortening to the chocolate topping, add a scoop of peanut butter. That will prevent the top from getting solid and it will taste yummy!

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

1 2/3 c sugar

1 c oil

16 oz pumpkin

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Mix eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin together. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Frost once cooled.

Frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese

Stick of butter

2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar


Let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temperture.  Then mix cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix until smooth with desired consistency.

Apple Crisp

Now I am not experienced in apple crisp because I have never liked it, but this is a great dessert and very easy.

1 can light or sugar free apple pie filling

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup four
2/3 cup butter - melted

Pour can of apple pie filling in the bottom of an 8x8 pan.  Mix all of the other ingredients together in a bowl.  Pour on top of apple filling.  Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream on top.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

(from institute a couple weeks ago)

Cupcake:

Buy Yellow Cake Mix and follow the directions on the box except do NOT add water. Instead add one (15 or 16 oz) oz can of Pumpkin. Bake as directed.

Icing:

Beat 8 oz. of Cream Cheese with 1 Cup of Powdered Sugar

The cupcakes will go further than one pan. Every time I make it I get exactly 1.5 pans. Once the cupcakes are cooled you can ice. The first time I made them, I was a little too generous with the icing, so be a little conservative when icing, but don't be cheap with it! It's too yummy to not lather :) You can top with candy corn or candy pumpkin but just a warning... put the candy on right before serving, because the color will run off and look tacky. Even if it looks tacky, it will still taste pretty dang yummy (I made it and refrigerated the night before).

It's a really easy recipe and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

s'more cookies

i love s'mores.  and i love cookies.  why not combine the two?

the soft, almost dough-y cookie mixed with the crunch of the graham cracker that you bake the cookie on... ahhhhh.

the only problem is - you want to eat them right after they've cooled.  the graham cracker is still crunchy.  if you wait until the next day, they are still really good, but the cracker is really soft, so that's a little disturbing.

if you make these, please deliver some to my door.  i will love you forever.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar

Cream together butter and sugar until incorporated

Add:

2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat thoroughly

Add:
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips, or one giant Hershey's bar, chopped
1 cup mini marshmallows

Stir to incorporate

Scoop cookie dough onto half graham cracker.

Bake at F350°, for no more than 11 minutes (after 11 minutes, the graham cracker will burn).

Some of the marshmallow may toast off the cracker, but simply remove the cracker from your cookie sheet and quickly transfer to a wire rack.

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Oatmeal Bars (With PB and Chocolate)

.... can you tell I don't have an official name for these? It doesn't matter though.... they are so good they speak for themselves and therefore do not need a title.

Cookie

3/4 C Butter

1/2 C Sugar

3/4 C Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 1/2 T Vanilla

3/4 t Baking Soda

1 1/2 C Flour

1 1/4 C Roll Oats

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. ( You will probably want to check it at 15 or 20 minutes and do the "toothpick test").

Spread Peanut Butter over it like you would icing on a cake (you can put it in either fresh out of the oven or after it cooled)

Next, spread the chocolate icing over the top:

Chocolate Icing

1 Stick Melted Butter

3 t Baking Cocoa

1/3 C Sour Cream

1 t Vanilla

1 lb (about 3 3/4 C) Powdered Sugar

(You can skip the sour cream if you want... just add lib some milk) If the icing is too thin, you can add more powdered sugar or if it is too thick, you can add milk

Banana Cake

I got this recipe from my Friends Blog

It is the same blog where I found my favorite browned butter cookies.

Banana Cake

1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, very ripe
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

-Preheat oven to 275°.
-Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan or bundt pan.
-In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
-In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
-In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
-Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
-Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
-Stir in banana mixture.
-Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated 275 F. degree oven.
Check it in about one hour (my 9x13 took closer to 1 1/2 hours, and I heated the oven to 290 because I was getting impatient), Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
-Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake soooooo moist and easy to frost.

* I dont know how my friend does it but I take the cake out of the pan and wrap in plastic wrap before I put it in the freezer. I do this whenever I bake any cake because I love moist cakes!

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese , softened but still cool
5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, but still cool
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (4 1/2 ounces)
milk

* I did this amount of frosting for book club, and I didn't feel like it was enough. When I brought it to institute I doubled this recipe and I thought it was perfect, but I LOVE frosting. I also didn't add any milk.

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Icing will be thick. Spread on the cake as is or add additional milk by the tablespoons until it is a consistency you like. Spread on cooled cake.

Browned Butter Cookies

I got this recipe from a friend's blog, made them on Saturday, and decided they were so good I had to share on this blog.

From one blog to another!

Recipe found on justcookalready.com

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

3 egg yolks

1 ½ teaspoon soda

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups flour

Beat the butter and sugar together. Add the egg yolks and salt. Then add the soda and the extract. Fold in the flour. Stir until combined. Form balls the size of walnuts. Chill dough balls for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Dip the top in sugar. Press flat with the bottom of a glass and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Don't over cook. Remove from oven and let the cookies stand for 1 minute on the cookie sheet. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Frost with browned butter frosting (listed below)

Browned Butter Frosting

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

½ cup heavy cream or more desired consistency

(I wanted really think icing so I could swirl them like the photo so I used more sugar)

In a small skillet, brown butter over medium heat until golden brown flecks appear. Butter will become a little foamy. Stir now and then to make sure the butter cooks evenly. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cream. Beat on medium high until a creamy texture to your liking forms. Spread onto cooled butter crinkles.

I am going to make them for book club on the 15th, so you can all try them!

Peanut Butter Balls aka Buckeyes

These are undeniably tasty but be ready to roll LOTS and lots and lots and lots of balls! I rolled mine to about an inch in size and never actually counted how many it made (seriously, a ton of balls). I'd half the recipe if I ever make them again...and I'll probably wait until my kids are in school ;).


1 lb. butter

2 c. powdered milk

2 c. peanut butter

1 bag (2#) powdered sugar

3 t. vanilla

Dipping chocolate (milk, dark, and/or white)



Mix ingredients together, form into balls, and freeze for ½ hour. Dip in melted chocolate.

Chocolate Valentine Cookies

I thought these cookies were so yummy. I rolled the dough out and used heart-shaped cookie cutters. They were a different twist to the traditional sugar dough cut-out cookies.

2 sticks of butter
1 C of packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
2 1/4 C of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (don't use if you used salted butter)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C cocoa powder

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

In a different bowl and with a mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until it's fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture, in two or three batches, mixing well after each addition. Wrap dough in plastic or put in a zip loc bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1/2 the dough on a floured surface and let it sit 5 or 10 minutes. Roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut with cookie cutters. Gather scraps and re-roll and cut again. Then repeat with the other 1/2 of dough.

Place cookies on baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until set, but don't let them brown. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.

Dust with powdered sugar, frost with Nutella, frost with frosting, or do nothing at all. If you have letter stencils, you could use powdered sugar and the stencils and spell out LOVE or someone's name, etc.... on the cookies.

This recipe is from thepioneerwoman.com
They were super good!!

Butterscotch (more like Caramel) Pie

• 1 C Water
• 1 C Brown Sugar
• 6 Tbs Butter
• 3 Tbs Corn Starch
• 2 Tbs Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 2/3 C Milk
• 3 Egg Yokes
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Bring the water to a boil and mix in the brown sugar.  Melt the butter then add the sugar/water mix.  Mix the starch, flour, and salt in a separate bowl and then add it to the butter/sugar/water mixture.  Add milk slowly and stir constantly.  Add well beaten egg yokes and vanilla.  Continue stirring until it bubbles and thickens.  Pour into pastry and allow to set in the fridge.  Add whip cream when serving, ENJOY! : )