Homemade Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

My hubby got an ice cream maker for me last month, so I've been experimenting with recipes to make our own ice cream. I've got to say that homemade ice cream is the bomb! I love being in control of the ingredients, too.

I started by following the recipes in the booklet that came with the machine so I could get a feel for what would work. The basic ratio is 3 cups of liquid (I use 1 cup of whole milk and 2 cups of heavy whipping cream), 1/2 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, and then 1 cup of add-ins like fruit or nuts. Flavorings like vanilla or chocolate can be increased or decreased based on your personal preference.

I've found that using heavy whipping cream makes for a very creamy finished product. Milk does work, and it's cheaper. But cream begets cream. And it's amazing!

So here's the recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream:

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 TBSP vanilla
15 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

Whisk the milk, sugar and salt together until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the whipping cream and vanilla, then add the chopped peanut butter cups.

Freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.

Saltine Toffee

Great news!

My oven has been given a second chance at life! The repair guy showed up today and diagnosed the heating element as the problem. He replaced it, adjusted some temperature controls and we were back in business!

I made this easy recipe for saltine toffee to celebrate.

If you're looking for a quick, cheap and easy treat to share this holiday season, look no more. It combines the saltiness of saltine crackers with the sweetness of a toffee layer and chocolate.

And it's so simple. I've made toffee before and had to use a candy thermometer while standing over a hot stove, stirring constantly for what seemed like an eternity. Not with this recipe! You get the buttery goodness of toffee with very little effort.

Okay, so here's what you need:

Saltine crackers (I used a little more than one sleeve of saltines)
2 sticks of butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
Additional garnishes, like finely chopped nuts or crushed Heath bars, if desired

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with olive oil. Line up the saltine crackers on the sheet without overlapping. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar until combined. Stir until the mixture comes together completely and starts to boil. Pour over the saltines and spread evenly so they are all covered.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. The toffee mixture will be bubbling. Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee. I use a mixture of semisweet and milk chocolate chips.

Return to the oven for a couple of minutes until the chips have softened. With a butter knife, spread the softened chocolate over the toffee layer. Allow to cool, then place in the fridge so it hardens completely.

Once it hardens, flips the toffee over and remove the foil. Break into pieces.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Coffee Cake

My first pumpkin and fall-related post of the year! Oh yeah, let's hear it for fall!

I've made this cake several times for the family over the years. In the past, I've used half all-purpose flour and half white wheat flour. Recently I began using all white wheat flour. And no one noticed a difference.

The cake is sweet, but not too sweet. And so moist! Hubby like to have his with a cup of coffee, but I prefer milk. Nothing beats cake and milk together, in my humble opinion.

So here's what you'll need:

2 cups white wheat flour (you can sub out half the wheat for all purpose)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 TBSP vanilla
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

For the topping:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teas cinnamon

For the glaze (if desired, the cake is fine without it):

3/4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 TBSP milk

In a mixing bowl or the bowl of an stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in the eggs, melted butter, milk, sour cream, vanilla and pumpkin. Beat on low for a minute, then beat on high for another minute. Batter will be thick. Spread the batter evenly in a lightly greased 9x13 pan

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle over the cake butter. Using a butter knife, swirl the cinnamon mixture into the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes.

Stir together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Coconut Cream Cake

I'm not a huge fan of cake in general. But this cake is quite the exception.

Sweet cream of coconut is blended with condensed milk and poured over the hot cake, soaking into the entire confection and creating a moist, almost gooey, treat.

You need to make this cake a day in advance of when you're serving it to get the full effect. It actually gets better the longer it sits. It will last about 5 days in the fridge, especially if you hide it from everyone.

Here's what you need:

1 box yellow cake mix + the ingredients called for on box
1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut (I found this in the aisle with mixed drink mixes - does that make sense
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup shredded coconut

Prepare and bake the cake in a 9x13 pan according the package directions. When you take it from the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a fork.

Whisk the cream of coconut and condensed milk together until well blended. Pour over the warm cake, spreading the mixture with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool completely.

Beat the whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in the shredded coconut and spread over cake. Chill until ready to serve, preferably overnight.

See the liquid at the bottom of the cake? The sweet stuff has dripped all the way through! It's so good. And so rich. You won't want to eat a big piece of this at one time. Or maybe you will.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Bars

It's the first week of November and I just realized I hadn't posted any pumpkin recipes yet this season! Pumpkin is one of my favorite things about fall. I love pumpkin pies, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bars, you name it. This recipe produces a lovely pumpkin bar that's not too sweet and is simply delicious.

Here's what you need:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 teas vanilla
2 cups flour (I used half unbleached and half white wheat)
1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1 teas baking soda
3/4 teas salt
1 pkg white chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. (You can use a hand-held electric mixer for this, too). Beat in the egg, pumpkin and vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Add to the pumpkin mixture slowly, making sure everything is combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips.

Line a 9x13 pan with foil, leaving an overhang that you can use to pull the baked bars out of the pan. Brush the foil with a little oil or butter. Spread the batter into the pan. It will be thick and sticky.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Using the foil, lift the bars out of the pan and set on a cutting board. Peel the foil away, then use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into squares.

Banana Bread Snack Cake with Frosting

If you're like me, you can never seem to finish a bunch of bananas off before some of them get a little over ripe. Well, that's why recipes like this one were invented - to take advantage of those few remaining bananas that no one wants to eat!

This cake tastes exactly like banana bread without the long baking time. And with frosting! Yummy!

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed (should equal about 1 1/2 cups)
2 teas vanilla
2 cups flour (I used half unbleached all-purpose and half white-wheat)
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts will do)

For the frosting
1/2 cup butter, melted
3-4 cups powdered sugar, depending on how thick you want it
2 teas vanilla
3 TBSP milk

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy (I do this in a stand mixer). Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until well blended. Stir in the nuts.

Spread the batter in a greased and floured 10x15 jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Mix the frosting ingredients together until you reach your desired consistency. I like mine a little thicker, not like a glaze, so I add one cup of powdered sugar at a time until it's just like I want it.

While the cake is still slightly warm, spread the frosting over the top. It will be much easier to spread if the cake is warm.

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

When I think of spring in the Deep South, I think of strawberries. Well, I think of pollen, too. But let's not dwell on that.

This luscious cake is full of fresh strawberries, mixed with a hint of lemon. It actually tastes like spring to me! I served it for Easter dessert and it got raves from my family. It's good as a breakfast cake, too. Hmmmm, I wonder how I figured that out.

For a long time, I was reluctant to try this cake because it is made in a Bundt pan. Bundt pans and I have had many a mishap over the years. I finally learned to grease and flour the pan WELL, not lightly. That has made all the difference.

So don't be afraid to try this one because it's baked in a Bundt pan. Grease the pan up, then flour it plenty. The cake will slide right out!

Now here's what you need:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 (6 oz) container lemon Greek yogurt (Chobani's is the only brand I could find that made lemon)
2 TBSP milk
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 pint strawberries, washed and diced

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP lemon juice

Grease and flour well a 10-inch Bundt pan. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. (You'll be reducing the heat when you put this in the oven, so it won't be hot enough to burn your cake.)

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. I use half brown sugar because I think it makes the cake taste a little richer, but you can use all granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs, milk and lemon juice.

In a small bowl, toss the diced strawberries with about 1/4 cup of the flour. In another bowl combine the remaining flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into the yogurt mixture and mix well.

Gently stir in the strawberries, trying not to crush them. The flour should help them not sink to the bottom of the pan.

Spread the batter into the greased pan. Place the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the pan comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a plate to cool completely. Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice together, then drizzle over the cake while it's still warm.

Butterscotch Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I've never been a huge fan of oatmeal cookies, but this recipe sure has changed my mind! The secret is the extra sweetness added by butterscotch chips. The old-fashioned oats lend a great chewy texture as well.

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup flour - I use half unbleached all-purpose and half white wheat
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas sea salt
1/2 teas baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teas vanilla
1 cup butterscotch chips

In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl (I use my stand mixer), cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.

With the mixer speed on low, add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the butterscotch chips. With a cookie scoop, form into 1-inch balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets (or you could line the cookie sheets with parchment paper).

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until the edges start to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

If you can find them, cinnamon chips are a great substitution for the butterscotch chips. These kinds of chips are usually just available around the holidays, but you might be able to find a leftover bag or two at the grocery store.

Pumpkin Squares

We like pumpkin pie around here. But when we have company, one pie isn't enough. So I serve these pumpkin squares instead. They have all the taste of pumpkin pie but there are more servings to go around. The nutty crust offers a nice crunch, too.

Here's what you need:

For the crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Mix well and pat into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

For the filling:
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin - not pumpkin pie mix
1 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir all the filling ingredients together and blend well. Pour over the baked crust. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Pecan Pie Bars

For Thanksgiving dinner, we had 11 people at our house, including ourselves. I had planned to make pecan pie, but I knew I could only get 8 servings out of one pie. And I really didn't want to make two pies.

My solution was to make pecan pie bars instead. You get all the flavor of a pecan pie in bar form, but the portions are smaller and there are more of them. The advantages to this are two-fold. First, you can serve more people. Second, everyone gets a smaller serving, which leaves room for sampling other desserts!

So here's what you need:

For the crust
2 cups flour
1 cup butter (2 sticks), melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the filling
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
a pinch of salt
2 cups chopped pecans

Grease a 9x13 pan. Combine the flour, powdered sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Pat into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine the sugar and eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over the baked crust. Return to the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Click here for a printable recipe!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Yesterday I shared a recipe for soft pumpkin cookies. All by themselves, these tender cookies are amazing. But when paired with a fluffy, buttery filling, they are simply phenomenal!

And the filling recipe couldn't be easier.

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teas vanilla
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff or creme

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add the vanilla. Then gently fold in the marshmallow creme until completely incorporated.

Find two soft pumpkin cookies of the same size and shape. Spread a tablespoon of filling on one cookie, then top with the other. Repeat for the rest of the cookies.

Store in an airtight container for a few days, if they last that long.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies

One of the reasons I love this time of year is pumpkins! I adore them. And I love to use pumpkin in baking recipes. I have made my own pumpkin puree in the past, but the easiest thing to do is just buy canned pumpkin (not the same thing as canned pumpkin pie mix which already has sugar and spices added).

These soft, moist cookies are a treat! My family loves them. I also use them to make pumpkin whoopie pies. I'll share that variation tomorrow, so stop by then and be prepared to drool!

Here's what you need for the cookies:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teas vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour (I used half unbleached white and half white wheat)
1 teas baking powder
1 teas baking soda
1 teas salt
2 1/2 teas pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teas ground ginger

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the pumpkin, evaporated milk and vanilla, mixing until well combined.

In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Slowly add to the pumpkin mixture with the mixer on low. Once the flour mixture has been added (and there's no danger of throwing flour everywhere), increase the mixer speed and beat until smooth.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter onto the cookie sheets, about an inch apart. The batter will spread, so leave enough room that they don't get baked together. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the tops spring back when touched. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies. Store them in an airtight container when they've cooled completely.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

How about another pumpkin recipe this week? These pumpkin bars are really more cake-like than most bar recipes. The chocolate chips lend a little sweetness and complements the pumpkin flavor very well.

Here's what you need:

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned pumpkin)
1 teas vanilla
1 1/2 cup white wheat flour
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla.

In another bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt together. Stir into the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Spread into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.

Popcorn Cupcakes and other Carnival Party Food

This past weekend the Princess celebrated her 10th birthday with her two cousins (one who is 8 and one who is also 10) at a carnival party. My lovely sister-in-law did most of the planning since it was held in her backyard. I did help with some of the food prep and game prizes, though.

We made popcorn cupcakes that were a huge hit. I say "we" because she baked 'em and I decorated 'em. If you only knew how "outside the comfort zone" decorating a cupcake is for me. But this was so easy, even Marsha can do it!

You'll need 20-24 cupcakes, depending on how many your recipe makes. Let them cool completely before trying to decorate them.

Frost with plain white icing of your choice. To speed things along, we used Duncan Hines frosting in a can, but you can make some from scratch if you choose. We were in a hurry, so we took all the shortcuts we could.

Now here comes the fun (as in messy) part. Take a bag of mini marshmallows and snip each one with kitchen shears. If you don't have kitchen shears, use a sharp knife. Don't cut them in half, just about midway through.

Pinch the uncut ends between your fingers. They will burst open, just like popcorn kernels.

Set aside and repeat with the remaining marshmallows. You can store in a Ziploc bag until ready to use.

Now frost the cupcakes with the plain white icing. Dip the tops into a bowl of the popped marshmallows. Press down lightly. This is so much easier than trying to individually place each marshmallow on the cupcake.

To give the appearance of butter, dilute a few drops of yellow food coloring with water. With a paint brush, lightly dab the color onto the marshmallows.

Digging in!

In addition to the popcorn cupcakes, my sister-in-law made flavored popcorn.

The pink is watermelon, the blue is berry blue, and the red is strawberry

To make the flavored popcorn you need:

10 cups popped corn
1 box (3oz) flavored Jello - we used watermelon, berry blue, and strawberry
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBSP corn syrup
3 TBSP water

Place the popped corn on a greased baking sheet - very important because the flavored syrup you're about to make will stick to everything if the pan isn't greased or buttered!

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the Jello and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat. Bake at 250 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Check often to make sure it's not burning.

The strawberry and berry blue flavors tasted just like crunchberries from Cap'n Crunch cereal. I'm not kidding. It was like a sweet blast from the past since that was one of my favorite cereals growing up.

We placed the popcorn, along with some regular buttered popcorn, on a snack table alongside roasted peanuts in the shell and a jar of large pickles. We were trying to keep the carnival theme going.

So, have you ever hosted a carnival? What kinds of foods did you serve?

Triple Berry Crisp

I've been experimenting with different kinds of natural sweeteners lately. I'm trying to get away from white sugar. In this recipe I used agave syrup and sucanat, but honey can be substituted. As with any kind of sweetener, moderation is the key.

Here's what you need:

2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen
1 TBSP agave syrup
1 TBSP white wheat flour (optional, used as a thickener)
1/2 cup oats
3 TBSP sucanat
3 TBSP white wheat flour
3 TBSP melted butter or coconut oil
1/2 teas cinnamon

I used a bag of frozen mixed berries I got at Aldi. It contained blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. You can use whatever mixture of berries you want.

Spread the berries in an 8x8 pan. Drizzle the agave syrup or honey over the top. Sprinkle with flour, if desired. Mix together. I used the flour, as you can see by the picture. The next time I make this, I'll probably omit it. I don't think it really contributed anything to the dessert.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over berry mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until bubbly around the edges and golden brown.

We all enjoyed this dessert very much. It was delicious and sweet with just a hint of crunch from the topping. The kids are already begging me to make more!

Orange Bars

If you want a sweet, citrusy way to end a meal, you need to try these Orange Bars, based on Paula Deen's Orange Brownie recipe.

I tweaked the recipe a bit to reduce the amount of sugar, cause 2 cups is too much. The bars were still plenty sweet with a lovely dash of orange flavor. I served these at our dessert party, and they were a huge hit. So no one missed the extra sugar. Be sure to cut these into small bars, since there is plenty of richness from the butter. It is, after all, a Paula Deen recipe.

Here's what you need:

1 1/2 cups flour - I used half white wheat and half unbleached white
1 1/2 cups sugar - I might reduce this further the next time
1 teas salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 eggs
2 teas pure orange extract
1 teas. grated orange zest

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teas orange juice - you might need a little more to make it pourable
1 teas grate orange zest

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.


Spread into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Using a fork, poke holes all over the surface of the bars.


Mix up the glaze, then pour over the entire surface.


Let the pan cool completely before cutting into bars.







 
*Click HERE for a printable recipe!*

Chocolate Pie

I love pies of all sorts. But chocolate pie is one of my favorites. I set out to make one like my grandmother used to make - not the gritty kind you find in the frozen food section or in restaurants. But smooth, rich, chocolatey, creamy goodness.

This pie is it.

It doesn't take long to prepare. The hardest part was allowing it to chill overnight! And the raves from family and friends who tasted it convinced me this is a keeper.

Here's what you need:

1 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled
1/4 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch
3 eggs
1 teas vanilla
2/3 cup milk
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3 TBSP melted butter

In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until it starts to bubble around the edges. Stir in the chocolate until melted.


Add the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until combined. Stir in the egg mixture. While stirring constantly, bring the chocolate mixture to a boil. Cook and stir for several minutes, until the mixture is very thick. When it no longer drips off the whisk and you have to shake it off, it's thick enough



Remove from the heat and add the butter. Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pie shell. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.


Garnish with whipped cream if desired. And get ready for the squeals of delight that will come your way from those lucky enough to share this with you!


For more yummy recipes, head over to Miz Helen's Country Cottage for Full Plate Thursday.

Quick Peanut Butter Fudge

Okay, I'm done with the leftover ham recipes for now. But with Christmas just around the corner, you might find yourself in need of a quick sweet treat. Well, peanut butter fudge never has been quicker! All you need are two ingredients.

one 18-oz jar of peanut butter
one can of vanilla frosting

That's it!

Place the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds or until it stirs very easily. Add the frosting and mix until well blended.



Pat into a greased 8x8 pan and refrigerate for an hour.


Cut into small squares while cold.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Bars

If peanut butter and chocolate is your thing, this recipe is for you! These little babies are addictive and so yummy! The chocolate filling stays smooth and creamy while the peanut butter cake layer is moist and delicious.

Here's what you need:

1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs

Mix these ingredients together until well blended. Reserve a little less than half of this mixture for the topping. Press the remainder into a greased 9x13 pan.

For the filling:

1 pkg chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 TBSP butter
2 teas vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.

Spread the chocolate filling over the mixture in the pan. Drop the reserved cake mixture over the filling by teaspoonfuls. A little chocolate will peek through, and that's okay.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars

I had some leftover canned pumpkin from another recipe, so I decided to play around with my snickerdoodle bar recipe and see if adding pumpkin would work. I replaced one egg with a cup of pumpkin and increased some spices. And the results are amazing! They turned out more cake-like than bar-like, but still, amazing!

Here's what you need:

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 TBSP vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
2 teas baking powder
1 teas cinnamon
1 teas pumpkin pie spice
1 teas salt
2 TBSP sugar mixed with 1 teas cinnamon and 1 teas pumpkin pie spice

In a bowl, beat brown sugar and butter together. Add the egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and stir until well-blended. The batter will be thick like cookie dough. Spread into a greased 9x13 pan with a greased spatula or your hands. Sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture evenly over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool, cut into squares and serve.