Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

I just came across this recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Blondies in this month's Cooking Light magazine. They had an entire section of brownies and they all looked SO good. I asked Dylan (my 3-year-old) which he wanted to make, and he picked these out. I think he was drawn to the peanut butter cups sprinkled on top. I can't blame him!

These were SUPER quick and easy to make - we had them ready to stick in the oven in about 15 minutes. And if you cut them up really tiny (NOT like the ones in my pictures) then you won't even eat too many calories. I didn't go that route...

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
from Cooking Light

5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 and 1/4 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup creamy (I used crunchy) peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 Tbsp 2% reduced fat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
cooking spray
4 (.75-ounce) peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Weight or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Combine peanut butter and next 4 ingredients (through eggs), stirring well. Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Scrape the batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray, and arrange the peanut butter cups over the batter. Bake at 350 for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Ooey Gooey Bars

I'm so excited to share this recipe. My Mom has been making these Ooey Gooey bars since I was little. She'd recruit me and my brothers and sister to help her unwrap all of the caramels. And we loved it, because it also meant we got to eat a few of the caramels. And of course we had to taste test the bars to make sure they tasted alright!

These are just too good for words. If you love chocolate and caramel, then this is the dessert for you. Ooey and Gooey just about sums these up. These will have you licking caramel from your fingers. They're easy to make and pretty easy to eat... way too many! They'll be gone before you know it, and then you'll be wanting to make another pan. I need to make these more often!



Ooey Gooey Bars

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
60 caramels (from two 14 oz. bags)
1 box of German Chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 plus 1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup pecan pieces (optional)

1. Melt 60 caramels with 1/2 cup evaporated milk in microwave (this takes about 5 minutes on 50% power - stirring often). Meanwhile, melt 3/4 cup butter or margarine and add to one box cake mix. Add 1/3 cup evaporated milk and mix well. Add pecan pieces if using.

2. Spread 1/2 to 3/4 of the mixture in a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake 8 minutes at 350°F. Cake will be puffy.

3. Take 1 cup chocolate chips and sprinkle them over cake. Pour caramel sauce over chocolate chips. Drop remaining cake mixture over top of caramel sauce by small spoonful. Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

TWD: Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick was made by Lillian of Confectiona’s Realm. She picked the Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars - the bar cookies with a layer of oatmeal and chopped peanuts, topped with a layer of chocolate, and finished off with another oatmeal and peanut layer. The recipe called for raisins too, but I'm NOT a fan of raisins in my desserts.

These are really quite tasty! I was supposed to be on a diet and yet I think I had four of these.... hhmmm... funny how that happens. I made a half batch and baked it in my 8-inch square pan. They cooked for about 28 minutes and I'm pretty sure I overbaked them just a little. My edges were pretty hard... but I had a tough time telling when it was done, so I guess it's better to be TOO done than UNDERdone, right? I'd definitely make these again - they're something different and really good!

For the recipe, check out Lillian's blog!

Peanutty Buckeye Bars

Let me just tell it to you straight. I'm 40 weeks and 2 days pregnant. Two days past my due date. My back aches, my feet hurt, I'm tired of trying to keep my house clean for when the baby (and therefore company) comes, and I'm frazzled. I thought I'd either be in the hospital right now or home with my new baby. But instead I'm sitting around the house trying to keep my mind occupied with something other than this baby not coming!

This is where the Peanutty Buckeye Bars come into play. I had the urge to bake. Just to get my mind off things. But I wanted something easy that wouldn't require me to be on my feet too long. And seeing as how I love chocolate and peanut butter together, these Buckeye Bars were just the thing I needed. Now I can calm my frazzled nerves with chocolate. And don't forget the scoop of ice cream on top. These are GOOD - chewy and fudgy and peanut butter-y!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to praying that I go into labor rightthisminute so the misery stops!


Peanutty Buckeye Bars
(adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

19.5-ounce package brownie mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined (batter will be dry - you can add a Tbsp. or two of water if it's too dry). Stir in peanuts. Spread half of the brownie mixture evenly into prepared pan. Set the other half of mixture aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until smooth. Spread evenly over brownie mixture in pan. Separate the remaining brownie mixture into pieces, flatten them with your fingers, and place them on top of the brownie mixture in pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.

To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

I'm now in my 38th week of pregnancy - which means I'm in the home stretch. It's that very exciting last couple of weeks where all you can think is, "when will I go into labor and have this baby?!?" But it's also the most uncomfortable time period - it's hard to be on your feet for long, your back hurts, and you just can't put much effort into anything. Which is why my baking and posting has been very few and far between. And I fear that it won't get much better once I have a newborn to handle and a 2-year-old running around the house.

BUT, the good news is that I always seem to get that itch for baking after it's been a while. So I'm sure the mood will continue to strike me after the baby's born (though my baking may be a bit on the healthy side, as I will surely have some weight to lose!).


Lately I've been dying for something homemade that would celebrate the season. I bookmarked this apple streusel cheesecake bar recipe quite a while back, and it was calling to me. It's really delicious, and was completely worth the time on my feet in the kitchen.

The bars start with a cookie mix and also use an apple pie filling, though no one would ever guess it was only semi-homemade. They came together easily and tasted great. I particularly enjoyed eating these with vanilla ice cream, though they were completely addictive all by themselves too!


Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars
(adapted from Betty Crocker)

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix (I used oatmeal chocolate chip - the chocolate chips were a nice addition!)
½ cup firm butter or margarine
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2. Place cookie mix in a large bowl. With a pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 ½ cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

4. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In medium bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top.

5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool about 30 minutes. Refrigerate to chill, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes about 24 bars.

TWD: Cheesecake Brownies

Mmmm... cheesecake brownies.

How could I pass up this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection? Melissa of Life In a Peanut Shell selected Dorie's Espresso Cheesecake Brownies for the group this week.

You know, I'm pregnant. And I've been using that excuse a lot lately as I'm baking extravagant, calorie-laden treats such as this. But I really need to stop. They say you only need an extra 300 calories a day for the baby. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty certain eating a couple of these cheesecake brownies in one day is waaaaay more than I need for the baby. I think I feel my hips getting larger with every bite. Please someone, remove the fork from my hand. Right. Now.


But please don't listen to me. Because, you, my dear readers, should really make these and enjoy them. They're perfect for a Labor Day picnic or an end of summer celebration. They're incredibly delicious. Don't take my word for it, just make them and eat them!

They were fairly easy to make. I followed all of Dorie's instructions, but left out the espresso. I thought my brownie layer was a very, tiny, small bit (maybe it was in my head?) dry. But the cheesecake is absolutely to die for, and I loved the sour cream/powdered sugar topping.


So do me a favor, go on over to Melissa's blog and get the recipe for yourself. Yum!

TWD: Applesauce Spice Bars

This week Karen of Something Sweet by Karen chose the Applesauce Spice Bars for Tuesdays with Dorie. I opened up the cookbook, browsed over the recipe, and decided I had to make it. The picture looked great, and even better still - easy!

I was excited about something different this week. These bars got me in the mood for fall to arrive. I don't know about everyone else living in the south, but I've been hating all the heat we've had. The big pregnant belly sure doesn't help that situation. I've wanted to hide indoors until the weather cools off. So this dessert really made me feel like fall actually is just around the corner, thank goodness!


These bars turned out to be really delicious. They were like an apple cake with a sweet glaze, and so moist and flavorful. And extremely easy to make! I left out the raisins per my husband's request, and also left out the optional alcohol. The rest of the recipe I followed precisely. Go on over to Karen's blog for the recipe, you won't be sorry!

TWD: Tribute To Katherine Hepburn Brownies

I've heard so much about and seen numerous versions of these brownies, so I was quite eager to try the famous Katherine Hepburn brownies for myself. They were chosen for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie by Lisa of Surviving Oz.

Dorie's version of the Katherine Hepburn brownies are a gooey chocolate-y masterpiece. I LOVED these brownies! They include coffee, and I was a little surprised at how pronounced the coffee flavor was. I'm not a coffee drinker, but it tasted delicious. And cinnamon, that was a little different, but added a great flavor. I think my favorite part was the gooey, fudginess of these brownies. Oh, and they were really easy to make. We finished off the pan in about 24 hours and then wished we had more.

Go get the recipe from Lisa. You won't be sorry!

Samoa Bars

It seems like everyone's favorite girl scout cookie is the Thin Mint. I know it's my husband's. For a few years in a row he'd order girl scout cookies from someone at work and come home with a couple of boxes of Thin Mints. Now, I do like Thin Mints, and never have a problem helping him eat them, but I had to tell him to cut it out and start ordering MY favorite! Samoas... yummmm. Chocolate, coconut, caramel. There's a lot to like in those cookies!

When I came across a homemade version of samoas, I bookmarked the recipe and kept occasionally going back and staring in amazement at it. And then I finally had a good occasion to make them - a family reunion. I know my Mom is a big coconut fan, so I figured she'd help me eat them. Turns out, she isn't the only one. I had a LOT of people helping me eating them. They were so delicious, and tasted almost exactly like the girl scout cookie.


I need to include a little disclaimer that these bars were gorgeous and perfect. I forgot to take pictures until after we traveled to the family reunion and the bars were packed and banged together and smushed. These were the only few that were left after we served them. So imagine them even better looking than you see above - without the chocolate topping cracking and falling apart! :-)

Now, I'm not going to lie and say they were totally simple to make, because they were a bit time consuming. However, they were totally worth it. The only problem I had was dipping them in the chocolate at the end. My bars kept falling apart, so I resorted to using a spoon to scoop up the chocolate and spread it over the bottoms. That worked like a charm. If you like samoas, these are worth the effort.

Homemade Samoa Bars
(from Baking Bites)

Cookie Base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

First, make the crust.
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. milk
10 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

3. Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.

4. When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).

5. Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper.

6. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 30 bar cookies.

TWD: Caramel Crunch Bars

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection is the Caramel Crunch Bars, a fabulous layered bar cookie with lots of chocolate and a toffee topping. I read the recipe thinking, "this will be great! I love caramel!" But after eating it, I thought, "these are great! I love toffee!" I didn't really taste the caramel, just lots of toffee.

Mine were a bit crunchy, which had me questioning if I overcooked them a bit. But after I've read that other's were also crunchy, I happily determined that it wasn't my error - it's just how they are.

They came together quite nicely for me. The dough was yummy, of course, with the instant espresso powder and the chopped bittersweet chocolate mixed in.


Getting the dough to spread into the 13x9" pan was a little tricky. My fingers came in handy!


The bottom layer was baked until bubbly and golden. I kind of wanted to take a taste right then and there. But I refrained. I can occasionally be patient.


The bottom layer is then sprinkled with chocolate. I chose to use milk chocolate chips that were hiding out in my cupboard. Then it went back in the oven for just a couple of minutes to soften up the chocolate.


Then the chocolate is spread. There's nothing quite like melted chocolate. Yum.


The final step - sprinkling on bits of chopped toffee and pressing them down lightly into the chocolate. I used a little more toffee than called for. And a little more chocolate than called for in the step above this one. And then I wonder why my hips look the way they do.


The bars cut nicely for me and looked so perfect. I consumed several and then packed up the rest and sent them to work with my husband. They were a hit - big surprise.



The selection this week was made by Whitney of What's Left on the Table. Check out her blog for the recipe. And check back next week for a cake that involves setting something on fire. I'm putting the fire station on speed dial.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Take a look at these beauties... and try not to drool on your keyboard. Don't they look heavenly?



Just reading their name alone made me want to try these cheesecake bars. They start with a graham cracker crust - with chocolate chips mixed in, of course. Would you expect anything else?


The crust is pressed firmly into a square 9-inch pan, and slightly up the sides.


Then you (happily) move onto the chocolate chip cookie dough. You know, you could just make this and sprinkle it over some ice cream. Or heck, just eat it right out of the bowl. You know you want to.


Then comes the luxurious cream cheese filling spread over the crust. Repeat what I said above. Eat this right out of the bowl.


Next, if you haven't eaten all of the cookie dough, drop it by rounded teasponfuls onto the cream cheese layer. Press it down gently.


Bake until set and golden brown.


And your stomach will be growling by now. Be sure to let it cool... I know it's tempting, but you'll burn your mouth.


This next part is totally required optional. Drizzle melted chocolate over the bars to finish them off. Mmmm... now go make these please. You'll thank me.



Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
(recipe from The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook)

For the crust:
1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter a 9″-square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.

2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan and 1 inch up sides. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.

For the cookie dough:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the cheesecake filling:
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended.

2. Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.

3. Bake about 30 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.

For chocolate topping (optional):
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. butter

1. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. Add about 1 tsp. of butter if necessary to make chocolate smooth. Drizzle over top of bars.

2. Cool bars in pan completely, about an hour.

3. Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove from pan. Cut into bars and serve.


On a totally unrelated note, Love At First Bite now has its own page on Facebook. I'm patting myself on the back for entering the 21st century! Please, please, please check it out and become a fan (who me? beg?). I'll be posting weekly menu plans to the page that will be super helpful in planning your dinners each week. So check me out and leave me some love!

Peanut Butter Candy Bar Brownies

This recipe is for all of the peanut butter lovers out there (you know who you are). Just reading this recipe for Peanut Butter Candy Bar Brownies made my mouth water. I loooove peanut butter and chocolate, so the ingredients sounded magical to me. Nutter butters, butterfingers, reeses peanut butter cups and chocolate chips... is there any better combination?

This recipe does not disappoint. You have to trust me - TRY THIS! I sent a plate of these to work with my husband for a potluck lunch. He comes home that night and tells me he conveniently "forgot" to put these on the potluck table. He instead kept them in his office and ate a bunch himself. And he, thankfully, brought the rest home. I did a little happy dance when I saw them again... it had been rather sad when he left the house with them that morning. Yep, that's my husband... helping me gain 10 pounds in the month of December.

The original recipe called for peanuts and coconut. I'm not a big fan of peanuts in my brownies and I just didn't think I wanted coconut in the peanut butter gooey goodness, so I omitted both ingredients. Feel free to throw them back in if that's your type of thing. I was also thinking next time I may try making the crust with Oreos instead of the Nutter Butters to see how they turn out being a little more chocolatey.



Peanut Butter Candy Bar Brownies
(adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 16-ounce package Nutter Butter cookies, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
7 & 1/2 ounces Reese's peanut butter cups (about 25 miniature cups), coarsely chopped
4 ounces Butterfinger candy bars (about 7 small candy bars), coarsely chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13″x 9″ pan with aluminum foil, allowing it to extend over edges of pan. Grease foil well.

2. Combine crushed cookies and butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes.

3. Combine condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

4. Sprinkle chopped candy bars and chocolate morsels over prepared crust. Drizzle condensed milk mixture over toppings.

5. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on wire rack. Using foil, lift out of pan. Peel foil away, and cut into small bars (they're rich!).

Makes about 25 bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

This was the first time I've made these bars, though I've had the recipe for a long time. I decided to try these for a potluck lunch and I'm glad that I did! It's a really unique version of peanut butter bars with cranberries.

The recipe requires letting the cranberries soak, so I did that while I was busy doing other things around the house, which was convenient. Once I really started the cooking, it ended up taking about 35 minutes prep time before the final stint in the oven.

These were really different than I expected. The creamy center is great, and the cranberries give it a little extra sweetness. The tops were quite crumbly, however, making them a little hard to pack neatly into a container for the potluck. But the good taste makes them worth it. We'll see if there are any left after the lunch.



Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
6 ounces cream cheese (two 3-oz. pkgs.), softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a small bowl combine cranberries and water. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Drain well.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and 1/2 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in the brown sugar. Beat in the flour on low speed (mixture will be crumbly). Stir in the peanuts and drained cranberries. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium bowl beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg, 2/3 cup peanut butter, and lemon juice; beat until well combined. Spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top, pressing lightly into filling.

4. Bake about 25 minutes more or until top is lightly browned and edges are puffed. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 12 to 16 bars.



Recipe Source: Better Homes & Gardens