Homemade Fudge Sauce, Peanut Butter, & Banana Milkshake

So Pregnancy does crazy things to you!  Besides what it does to your body, it sometimes causes you to crave the most outrageous things!  For example, I had a craving for chocolate, spaghetti, coconut chicken tenders (which you saw yesterday) and peanut butter all at the same time :)  So needless to say you will be seeing some new recipes over the next week! 

So I wanted to recreate a recipe that I absolutely Loved when I was younger.  Lets just say that only half of the dessert turned out the way that I wanted it to and the other half was a complete failure :(  So, I will just share part of the recipe with you and save the rest of it for another day when it actually turns out! 

Not only am I sharing the milkshake recipe with you but I will be sharing my sister-in-laws AMAZING recipe for homemade fudge sauce (which I used in my milkshake. Pure Heaven!)

Recipe:

For the Homemade Fudge:

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 wrapped square of Bakers unsweetened chocolate (if you don't have Bakers chocolate on hand you can use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1 stick Butter

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, turn the heat off and immediately stir in the chocolate till it melts.  Then stir in the sweetened condensed milk till it is all well combined.  Serve over anything :) Seriously!

Recipe:

For the Milkshake:

1 Pint of Vanilla ice cream

1 medium banana (sliced)

1-1/2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

4-5 Tbsp. Homemade Fudge

Milk (I used about 1/4 cup to get the consistency I wanted but you could use less or more depending on the texture that you like)

Mix all the above ingredients together in a blender till smooth. Makes 2 milkshakes. 

*I just realized that I forgot to share with you all that we will be expecting another...
Due the middle of May! We couldn't be more excited!!!

Recipe Source: Fudge Sauce-My sister in law Kim, Milkshake-Me

Chocolate Wonder

I hope everybody had a wonderful and merry christmas! We had a very relaxing and quiet christmas this year, we missed our family and friends like crazy but we still had a good time just the 3 of us.  We drank lots of hot cocoa, watched lots of christmas movies and had a HUGE feast on christmas.  We have been eating leftovers ever since and will continue to eat ham for awhile longer :)

This dessert goes way back in my family and my husbands family.  It is such an easy dessert to throw together and it is always a crowd pleaser.  I normally top the dessert with chocolate shavings (but The Hubs had a hayday making all sorts of different kinds of Smore's and used up all my chocolate bar. A story for another time :) so I opted for these delicious cadbury mini jingle bells. I must say they still got the job done.

Recipe:

For the Crust:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick softened)

1 cup flour

1/4 cup Walnuts (chopped into small pieces)

For the Cream Filling:

1 (8oz) cream cheese (softened)

1 cup powder sugar

1 cup cool whip

For the Pudding Layer:

2 (4oz) boxes of Instant chocolate pudding

4 cups of cold milk

For the Topping:

1 (8oz) container of Cool Whip 

Chocolate Shavings or any sort of chocolate candy (you can use holiday assorted candies to make it festive)

Or chopped up walnuts

Soften the stick of butter in a medium bowl, then mix in the cup of flour and chopped nuts till well incorporated.  Press firmly into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at *350 for 10-13 minutes.  Let cool completely before topping.
Next, soften the cream cheese (I put mine in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds) then using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese till smooth.  Mix in the cup of powdered sugar. Fold in the cool whip.  Spoon the filling over the crust and smooth with a spatula till even. 
In a large bowl, mix together the pudding packets and milk and whisk together for 2-3 minutes then allow the pudding to set up about 5 minutes in the fridge.  Layer the pudding over the cream cheese mixture and smooth with a spatula.
Lastly, I top the pudding with the cool whip and chocolate shavings right before I serve it.  Allow the dish to set up in the refridgerator a couple of hours before serving. Enjoy!

(SIDENOTE: YOU CAN SUBSTITUE THE CHOCOLATE PUDDING FOR BANANA PUDDING AND ADD A LAYER OF FRESH BANANAS INBETWEEN THE CREAM AND PUDDING LAYERS)

 

Mud Hen Bars

I should seriously change the name of this blog to Muriel Bakes! Gosh, I sure do bake a lot don't I!  I hope that once we get moved into our new place that I will get the motivation to start cooking again.  

Anyways, I was browsing through Pinterest the other day, when I came across this delicious looking bar recipe that I knew at once I HAD to make!  These were AMAZING!  I know I say that about everything, but I'm really not messing around this time.  These bars are good!!!  I had all the ingredients on hand too which worked out perfectly for my crazy craving :)  So here my friends, is one delicious recipe that you can all whip up for those get togethers you may have planned for the weekend!  Enjoy!

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, divided (1 egg, 2 yolks, and 2 egg whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I added this)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped nuts (I left these out)
1 cup light brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks (put aside the whites for later.) Beat in the vanilla extract.

3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Blend until just combined. Spread mixture into 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and nuts-if using.

4. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the brown sugar. Spread mixture evenly over marshmallows and chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bars are a deep golden brown. Let bars cool completely. Cut into squares and serve

(Recipe Source: Two Peas & Their Pod)

Amazing Ooey Gooey Chocolate Brownie Bars

We have been having so much fun these past couple of days!  It was the LO's first Gymnastics class!  We had so much fun watching her run around all crazy and excited, wanting to try out every area of the gym!  I swear she was born to be a little gymnast!  This little girl has been doing the splits, somersaults, and dancing all over the place since she was about one, so it was about time she started a gymnastics class.

  

Also, over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to try and use up every thing in my cupboards so we have less stuff to move, so you can bet that the first thing I made was a treat!  I know hard to believe right? :)  I came across this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and it worked out perfectly.  I used up 3 things that I now won't have to move :)  And can I just say these pictures really don't do these bars justice! They were so chocolatey, and gooey, and absolutely Delicious!  The perfect treat when you get a chocolate craving.

 Recipe:

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix

3 whole eggs, divided

1 cup butter (melted), divided

8oz cream cheese (softened)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2-1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to *350.  In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/2 cup melted butter.  Batter will be thick.  Press firmly into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.

Next beat cream cheese till fluffy.  Mix in the powdered sugar, 2 eggs, cocoa powder, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Pour over the cake layer.

Place into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Center will be gooey.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  ENJOY!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Seriously I have majorly been slacking, I know! I have missed keeping up with all of you fellow bloggers! I mentioned last week that we have been busy lately, but we really have been so busy!  Between looking for a new place to live in Dallas and Houston, finally deciding to stay in Houston, and celebrating my husbands birthday over the weekend, these are just a few of the many things that we have been up to.  I haven't had much time to spend in the kitchen at all!  To be honest it was a nice break for awhile, not cooking everyday, but now I have gotten WAY out of routine and I am trying my hardest to get it back together.  So bare with me, I hope to get back on track and start posting more often.  

However right before we left for Dallas, I whipped up a batch of these cookies, not sure how they would turn out cause I have never used whole wheat flour in cookies, and I must say they were DELICIOUS! I honestly can say that they are right up there with my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies!  I snagged this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and I am so glad that I did.  These cookies are seriously a must try! 

Recipe:

*Makes about 4 dozen cookies

1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups butter
3 eggs
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups white wheat flour
2 ½ cups oats (you can use either rolled oats or quick oats – I prefer the texture of quick oats in this recipe)
2 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars together. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well, then stir in chocolate chips. Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto greased (or lined) baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

(Recipe Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe)

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I know I know, another dessert recipe, but really, could these cookies be any more tempting?  I mean okay, not only are they mini so you can justify how many you eat, but also because they are chocolate chip cookies with a Reese's peanut butter cup smooshed in the middle! Seriously these are a must make in my book!

 Super easy and Super good!

Recipe:

Use this cookie dough recipe

24-36 Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Alright so all you are going to do is preheat the oven to *375.  Grease a mini muffin tin (I used bakers joy) then using a cookie scoop, fill each hole with about 1 Tbsp. of this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. (or you can use your favorite choco chip cookie recipe also) 

Bake them for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press one mini Reese's cup into the center of each cookie.  Let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.  Serve with a nice cold glass of milk!

Smookies+ Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok so I am super excited to share this recipe with you because, well, these little babies are soooooo good (and I just love their name :) ) 

When I first came across this recipe on Tasty Kitchen I knew at once I had to make them.  I know, I know, I say that about almost every recipe that I try but really, I KNEW I had to make these. I love smore's so much and when I saw these cookies turned into smore's (hence the name Smookies; smore's+cookies=smookies)  well, i was a goner. 

I got to work immediately making some of my favorite chocolate chip cookies. (Recipe included in this post)  I don't know if I have ever admitted, but I have just recently discovered Nutella. Don't get me wrong I have always heard about the stuff but never had given it a chance till about a week ago, and all I can say is WOW i sure have been missing out! I am officially a Nutella fan now! The original smookie recipe called for a chocolate ganache ,but I wanted to put my Nutella to use, and I have to say it was a major success!  If your not a Nutella fan that's ok, I have included the chocolate ganache that the recipe originally calls for.

Trust me when I say, your families will love you even more for making these treats! I know that The Hubs would love me a whole lot more if I would make these again. He was pretty upset that he only got one!

Recipe:

(This recipe will make 18 smookies)

For the Chocolate Chip Cookies:

3/4 cup shortening (all-vegetable shortening Crisco)

1 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Milk

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

1 whole egg

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Smookie:

36 large marshmallows

1 large container of Nutella

Or for the Chocolate Ganache:

4 oz of bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream

For the cookies, cream together the shortening and brown sugar till it is light and fluffy.  Beat in the milk, vanilla, and egg.  Next, stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Stir till well combined.  Next slowly mix in the chocolate chips. 

Using a cookie scoop, (or just a tablespoon) drop 12 rounded spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet (using parchment paper or a silicone liner). Bake @ *375 for 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.  (This recipe will make 3 dozen cookies, or 18 smookies)

To assemble the Smookie: Take 2 cooled cookies, and spread 2 Tbsp. of Nutella or ganache on the bottom cookie. Top with 2 large marshmallows and the other cookie. Wrap each smookie in foil and either bake in the oven @ *350 for 6-8 minutes or on the grill for the same time. Serve immediately!

(recipe source: For the Cookie, on the crisco container, and here for the Smookie)

Luscious Layers

There is this great little restaurant in a town south of ours back home in UT that is called Daltons.  The first time I ate there was with my in-laws, and I have eaten there many times since with my husband. They have the ultimate comfort food there.  Dishes like chicken fried steak,  the best prime rib you will ever eat,  and all of there meals come with a great little salad and some yummy sides to choose from. Gosh, just thinking about this place is making me so hungry! 

Anyways, the thing that always keeps me coming back for more, is there dessert!!!! Wow, do they have good desserts or what! They have the best pumpkin crumble bars, amazing cheesecakes, but one of our favorites is their Luscious Layers.  It's graham crackers layered with delicious pudding then topped off with a homemade chocolate sauce! YUM! It seriously is so good!  This recipe is great cause it serves a bunch of people so it's great for all those upcoming summer get-together's that are to be had.

Recipe:

3-4 pkgs. of Graham Crackers

1 (4oz) packet of Instant Vanilla Pudding

1 (4oz) packet of Instant Cheesecake Pudding

4 cups Cold Milk

8 oz cool whip

1/3 cup un-sweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

1 stick (8tbsp.) butter

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine both packages of puddings together with the 4 cups of cold milk and whisk together till it becomes a thick consistency. (about 3-5 minutes).  Once the pudding is all set up, fold in the cool whip.  

In a 9x13 pan layer the graham crackers, then pudding, and repeat till there are 3 layers of pudding and finish with a layer of graham crackers.

Next, bring the cocoa, sugar, butter, and milk to a boil over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour the chocolate sauce over the top of the graham crackers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

(recipe source: My sister-in-law Kim)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ok, Ok, so I have been Baking alot! A real lot! I really don't know what my deal is other than I've been coming across some pretty darn good looking recipes and I really just can't help myself!  I really need to learn to control myself and just stick to drooling over the pictures instead of the actual dessert... 

Anyways, enough about my large waistline, lets get back to the recipe.  These beauties are so simple to make and REALLY simple to eat.  Oh and did I mention they are chocolate and peanut butter; pretty much one of the best combinations out there!

Recipe:
For the crust and topping:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs

For the chocolate filling:
1 (12oz) pkg chocolate chips ( I used semi-sweet but milk chocolate would work great too)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla

For the crust, combine all ingredients and press into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish, reserving
1 1/2 cups of the mixture to crumble over the top.

Over low heat, melt the choco chips, milk, and butter. Once melted stir in the vanilla.  Pour chocolate mixture over the crust  and crumble remaining cake mixture over the filling.  Bake @*350 for 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before eating.  (I liked the flavor of the bars best when they were completely cooled)

(Recipe Source: Christy@The Girl Who Ate Everything Blog)

Everything's Bigger in Texas...

I seriously love Texas Sheet Cake! Love it!!!! And now that we are living here, I felt it was only necessary to enjoy a BIG piece of a Large Texas Sheet Cake, and what better to serve it with than Texas's one and only Blue Bell Ice Cream!  Ok, I know, a little over board on the whole Texas thing, but how else could I justify just making a large sheet cake in the middle of the week for no reason?  I highly suggest you all go make yourselves a large cake, in the middle of the week, for no reason at all, other than to stuff your faces with it!  I swear that's not what I did....

Recipe:

For the Cake:

2 cups Sugar

2 cups Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 whole Eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup Butter (2 sticks)

1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 cup Water

For the Frosting:

1 stick Butter

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

6 cups Powdered Sugar

4 heaping Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

Stir together the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  With a mixer, mix in your eggs and sour cream and beat on low.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add in the cocoa and water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and slowly add the hot mixture into the sugar/flour mixture mixing on low.

Pour the batter into a lightly greased jelly roll pan (12x17).  Bake for 18-20 minutes @*375.  Let the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes before frosting.

For the frosting, melt the butter in a medium pot over med. heat. Add in the milk and bring to a boil. Remove immediately from the heat and add in the vanilla, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Beat till smooth. Spread over the sheet cake with a knife.  Served best with Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream.

(Recipe Source: Food Nanny)  

The Hubs Favorite Cookie "aka Neiman Marcus Cookies"

I can remember when my sister-in-law Kim made these cookies and my husband just about died from how good they were!  Honestly everything she makes is so yummy you would think you were in heaven!  We miss her sunday treats being all the way in Texas now!  Anyways, back to these yummy cookies! They are chewy and full of chocolatey yummyness! This recipe makes a ton too which is perfect for a get together with family or friends, or if your like the Hubs and I you could practically eat all of them by yourselves and maybe, honestly maybe if there are any left, freeze some for a later craving...

Recipe:

1 cup Butter (softened)

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 cups Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Baking Powder

2 1/2 cups oats (ground up like flour)

1/2 of a (12oz) bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 (7oz) Hershey Chocolate Bar (I prefer the blue symphony bar adds a little crunch with the toffee bits)

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add in the eggs and vanilla mixing well.  In your food processor (or blender) process the oats until they are the consistency of flour ( I sometimes like to leave the oats somewhat large just to give it that oatmeal cookie affect like in the picture above).  Next, sift together your flour, salt, baking soda, powder, and ground oats.  Pour into the sugar mixture and stir till well combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and candy bar.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop about 1 Tbsp. size balls and place them onto a prepared cookie sheet pressing lightly on each ball flattening them slightly.  Bake @ *375 for 8-10 minutes.  Serve with an ice cold glass of milk!

(Recipe Source: My sister-in-law Kim)

Rocky Road Brownies

All this packing is making me crazy! I wish I could snap my fingers and it would all magically be done! Anyways back to what makes me happy... Baking! I was craving something chocolate, which is normally not the case for me, I'm a cheesecake and pastry kind of girl, but I wanted something chocolatey and sweet and by golly did these get the job done or what! I cut the recipe in half and made them in a 8x8 pan, because lets be honest with ourselves, if I would've made a larger pan I would've eaten the whole dang pan they were so yummy! 

Recipe:

For the Brownie:

1 cup Butter (softened)

1/2 cup cocoa

2 Tbsp. Honey

4 Eggs

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup marshmallows

For the Chocolate Frosting:

4 oz. Butter (softened)

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Couple Tbsp. of evaporated milk (I use about 1-3 Tbsp depending on the consistency I want)

Preheat the oven to *350. Mix together all the ingredients for the brownies, except for the nuts and marshmallows and pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans over the top of the brownie mixture and lightly press them into the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. As soon as they are done baking sprinkle 1 cup of mini marshmallows over the top and lightly press them into the hot brownies. Make up the frosting and spread over the top of the brownies. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Serve with a cold glass of milk!

(Recipe for Brownies: From my friend Mal  Chocolate Frosting: Mine)

S'mores Pies

Happy Valentines Day everyone!!! I hope you all have something much more exciting planned than I do! The hubs is gone for 2 weeks and it just happens to fall over Valentines day! Poor me :(  JK I'm really okay, especially since I made these babies last night and they were so yummy!
*Please don't be intimidated by the long recipe because the outcome is so amazing!

Recipe:
Ok I will give you the recipe for the crust but I must tell you that I have tried this crust recipe and also made these in just a store bought graham cracker crust, and honestly, I like the store bought one better and its much easier!
For the Crust:
5 Tbsp. Butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups graham cracker (crushed)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Or 12 mini store bought crusts (or 1 large one)

For the Chocolate Filling:
1 (7oz) Symphony Bar (the blue one with nuts and toffee to add a little crunch)
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 large egg

For the Marshmallow Topping:
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water (divided)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Lightly butter pie plate. Mix together all ingredients for the crust and press firmly into the pie dish. Lightly brush the pie with egg wash (1 egg beaten with a little water) this allows the pie to hold together and brown better. Bake @ *350 for 10-12 minutes. (Now if you used a store bought crust still brush with a little egg wash and follow the steps that are directed for baking on the package. Let crust cool for 15 minutes.
2. Now for the filling chop the the chocolate bar into small pieces and place into a heat safe bowl.  In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 min. and then stir till all the chocolate is melted. Now whisk in 1 egg. Pour into cooled pie crusts and Bake for 25-30 minutes. (Now for the mini crusts I only baked mine for 20 minutes) (also, make sure to use a pie shield while baking so the crust doesn't burn! If you don't have one then just use tin foil.) When done baking let cool for 1 hour.
3. For the marshmallow, take the gelatin and sprinkle it over 1/4 cup cold water. Let sit. In a saucepan, bring the sugar, syrup, 1/4 cup cold water, and vanilla to a boil. Boil till the mixture reaches *260 and stirring constantly (about 6-7 minutes). Start beating the gelatin mixture and then slowly add in the hot mixture and beat for about 5-6 minutes till it doubles in size. Pour over individual pies (or one large pie) and let cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours. When ready to eat pop them under the broiler (watching carefully) till browned on top. If you have a kitchen torch you can use one of those to brown the marshmallow also.

Chocolate Chocolate Cake

This cake is the perfect fix for that chocolate craving! Its so moist and chocolatey you will want to eat the whole thing.

Recipe:
For the Cake:
1 Chocolate cake mix
1 (4oz) box of chocolate instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup veg. oil
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to *350. Mix all ingredients together.  Lightly grease the bundt pan and then dust it with powdered sugar. Bake for 40-50 minutes. After cake has cooled a couple of minutes remove from pan and immediately drizzle with the chocolate frosting.  Serve with an ice cold glass of milk!

For the Frosting:
4 Tbsp. butter (softened)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. evaporated or whole milk (I add 1-2 Tbsp at a time till desired consistency)

Soften the butter in microwave (about 30 sec.) Mix in remaining ingredients and beat till no clumps are left. Drizzle over the cake as soon as its out of the pan.
(Recipe Source: My Friend Sharee)