Pretzel M&Ms Blondies

I love any recipe that gives me an excuse to buy candy. In this case, I had an excuse compelling reason for the purposes of research to try out pretzel m&ms. Pretzel m&ms have been around for a few years now, but I've stayed pretty loyal to my old favorite, peanut butter. But I'm glad I gave these a chance, because I really enjoyed how they worked inside the blondies. I love the combination of salty and sweet. I also appreciate that this recipe comes together fairly quickly and easily.


PRETZEL M&M BLONDIES

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
1 c light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c (or more) pretzel m&ms

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil.

2. Beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the salt. Gradually add in the flour. Stir in the m&ms.

3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for a bit. Pull out foil and then let cool completely. Cut into 16 squares.

Source: Bake at 350

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been baking chocolate chip cookies since forever. My brother and I used to be in charge of making the annual toll house Christmas cookies. We'd make huge double batches, although almost as much cookie dough would wind up inside our mouths as on the baking trays. Not that I eat the dough anymore. Well, maybe a pinch here and there. But I'm mostly reformed, and isn't that what counts?

When I saw these cookies on the Pioneer Woman's new cooking show, I knew I had to try them. I love everything malt. As it turns out, these cookies don't have an overwhelming malty taste. You do get a hint of it, but I doubt you'd notice it without being told it's in there. Or maybe my palette is just not refined enough. In any case, these cookies are still worth making. I love how thin and chewy they are. The only change I made to the original recipe was to use semi-sweet chips instead of milk chocolate chips. To me, a chocolate chip cookie needs a semi-sweet morsel to be complete.


MALTED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c light brown sugar
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c, rounded, malted milk powder
1 12oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and malted milk powder. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Spoon cookie dough onto prepared sheets, leaving plenty of room between each dough ball. These cookies spread quite a bit. Bake for about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Source: Pioneer Woman

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Nutella Scones

 

This is another recipe I was inspired to bring to you through the wonders of Pinterest. Not because this recipe came to me through Pinterest; it's from one of my favorite cookbooks, Baked Explorations. But because my pin board has made it clear that Nutella is all the rage. Remember those commercials about how Nutella was a healthy part of breakfast because it was made with skim milk and a "hint" of cocoa? Most of us know that Nutella is more like chocolate with a hint of something else (and who cares about what that something else is when there's chocolate to focus on!). Those commercials seemed ridiculous. Yet, that's about the time Nutella recipes started popping up all over the place. Hmm... maybe that was the goal all along. Pretty sneaky, Nutella.

So how many times can I use the word Nutella in one paragraph? A bunch, apparently!

Making these scones, I did have to make a change to the original recipe. My dough was too dry and would not come together. I added an extra 1/4 cup cream, and it worked like a charm. After doing some research, I discovered other cooks made the same change, and so I feel confident enough in it to write this change into the recipe. I also ignored all warnings about overworking the dough and went to town with my kneading. These scones needed it.

The end results were very tasty. They had the richness of chocolate but restrained from being too sweet. I enjoyed the hazelnuts, but think it would be equally good without them. These scones are definitely on the larger size. I don't know that you'd get too many complaints about that, though!

NUTELLA SCONES

2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c dutch process cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1 egg
3/4 c heavy cream
3/4 c hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 c Nutella

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you achieve pea-sized crumbles. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream. Pour into the flour mixture. Using a spatchula or fork, start to work the wet into the dry, getting the dough to start to come together. Add in the hazelnuts. Once the dough has come together, knead it a few turns.

3. Shape dough into a rectangle, about 6 by 12 inches. Spread 1/4 c Nutella on the dough. Roll up the dough along the long side. Stand dough roll on one of it's ends and then squish it down to form a disk. You will probably get Nutella on your hands during this step. Try to power through. Cut the disk into eight wedges, placing each wedge on the lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for about 20 minutes. Allow scones to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, drizzle the tops with the remaining 1/4 c Nutella (microwave for a few seconds first to get a more drizzly consistency).

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

There are some recipes I know will be a huge hit before I even try them. This is one such recipe. What made me believe these Peanut Butter Cup Brownies would go over like gangbusters? Well, it's a rich, fudgey chocolate brownie. With peanut butter cups in the batter. Topped with a chocolate cream cheese icing. With more peanut butter cups sprinkled on top. What could go wrong?

And these brownies lived up to my expectations. They are simply divine. The base brownie itself is excellent, the frosting has a nice tang from the cream cheese, and the peanut butter cup topping is a show-stopper. Put a plate of these brownies out on your work desk and dare people to walk past without stopping for one. There is no such thing as a diet around these.

These brownies do have a downside, though. They're a bit messy to eat, especially right after being frosted. After a couple of hours the frosting will harden a bit. I know it will be hard to suffer through the sweet chocolate and peanut butter mess, but I promise you can make it though. I believe in you. The other drawback is that these brownies don't last very long, mostly because they have a tendency to jump into your hand when you're not looking. And then you have to eat it. It would be rude not to.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP BROWNIES

for the brownies:
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 c. peanut butter cups, chopped

for the frosting:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. peanut butter cups, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8 x 8 inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Grease this pan lining with a light coat of non-stick spray.

2. In a 2-quart or larger saucepan, melt together the butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat. Remove from the heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add in vanilla. Stir in the flour and baking soda, mixing just to combine. Fold in the peanut butter cup pieces.

3. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Place pan of brownies on a wire rack to cool.

4. Once brownies are cooled, remove them from the pan by lifting out the lining. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar. In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Remove from heat and pour the chocolate over the cream cheese mixture and mix to combine. Frost the cooled brownies. Top with chopped peanut butter cups. Press on the peanut butter cup pieces slightly. Cut brownies and serve, or store in an air-tight container.

Source: Anyone Can Bake, by Better Homes and Gardens, pg. 126.

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Fresh Food Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Cast Party Wednesday

Chocolate Chip Scones with Coffee Glaze

A family friend is throwing a baby shower for her daughter and asked me to bring some scones. This, of course, meant I had to learn to make scones. Somehow, I made it to the age of thirty without ever having tasted one. I think I avoided them because I thought they were were dry and pasty by nature. Few things bum me out like a mouthful of dry biscuit.

Well, I'm very happy to report I was laboring under a misunderstanding. These scones are anything but dry. Instead, they are rich and creamy. I love the addition of the mini-chocolate chips, which replace the currants from the original recipe. No offense to any currant lovers out there, but give me chocolate any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. The chocolate chips also play nicely with the coffee glaze. And as nothing says "good morning!" quite like coffee, the glaze helps transforms these scones into the perfect breakfast treat.


CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES WITH COFFEE GLAZE

for the scones:
1 large egg
2/3 c. heavy cream
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

for the glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
3-5 tsp brewed coffee
1/2 tsp maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg. Whisk in the cream. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the chilled butter using a pastry blender or by criss-crossing two knives. The butter should blend in with the dry ingredients, creating a crumbly texture.

4. Whisk the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until ingredients are combined and dough comes together. Add in the mini chocolate chips. Knead the dough about 8-10 turns, working in the mini chocolate chips as you knead.

5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a circle that's about 5-inches in diameter. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Place wedges on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake the scones in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until tops turn golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

7. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, maple syrup and 2 tsp coffee. Add more coffee, a teaspoon at a time, to get the desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over scones. These scones are best eaten within a day or two.

Source: Tracy's Culinary Adventures, who adapted it from Cafe Lynnylu, who got the recipe from Dorie Greenspan

This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, On the Menu Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Fresh Food Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday

Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream

Hurricane Irene has come and gone. I'd like to think the batch of Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream I had sitting in the freezer helped me get through it. Luckily, all is well here in the Cats and Casseroles household today. The winds were less than forecasted, and we live on top of a hill, which means we've avoided most of the flooding. My thoughts go out to everyone who has been, or will be, effected by this storm.

I'm definitely a chocoholic. If I'm going to indulge in dessert, most of the time I want it to be chocolate. This Chocolate Truffle Ice Cream is rich, dark and decadent. There's no chocolate craving it can't satisfy. And it really does taste just like a chocolate truffle. It's the more intensely chocolatey ice cream I've ever had. I didn't even want to share any of it with my husband. I did, but I didn't want to. And I can't wait for an opportunity to make it again! (without the hurricane, this time)


CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE ICE CREAM

1/2 c. sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 c. whole milk
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.

2. In a 2-quart sauce pan, over medium heat bring milk to a simmer. Whisk in the cocoa powder, and let it come to a simmer again. Continue to allow to simmer for about 3 minutes, whisking constantly.

3. Remove sauce pan from heat. Whisk contents of the saucepan into the bowl with the yolk and sugar mixture. Pour back into the saucepan and return to heat. Heat on medium-low, whisking, until the custard begins to thicken. It should become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow milk to return to a simmer, lest the eggs scramble. Once thickened, pour custard into a large bowl.

4. Place chopped bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. In a small sauce pan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl with the bittersweet chocolate. Stir until chocolate has fully melted and combined with cream.

5. Combine the two chocolate mixtures. Stir in the vanilla. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.

6. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Source: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book

Oreo Cheescake Popsicles

For some reason, I've had in my head for a while that I need to make a frozen treat combining Oreos and cheesecake. I can't quite explain it. I'm not an avid consumer of either. The craving proved so strong, I broke down and bought a popsicle mold specifically to test out this recipe. I'm very happy I did. These popsicles are fantastic. They are, quite literally, frozen Oreo cheesecake on a stick. How can that ever be bad?

If there's one downside it's that these popsicles have a limit to how hard they'll freeze, which means they won't take perfect shape to the mold. So you won't get a picture-perfect pop. But who cares? Did I mention these are made of frozen Oreo cheesecake?


OREO CHEESECAKE POPSICLES

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c. powdered sugar
2 c. heavy cream
10 Oreo cookies, chopped

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Mixing on low speed, pour in the heavy cream. The goal here is not to whip the cream, so take care not to over-mix. Fold in the chopped Oreo cookies.

2. Pour batter into popsicle molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 10 standard sized popsicles.

Source: slightly adapted from Group Recipes

Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cake

Recently, I've become enchanted with everything 1950s. So it's no surprise I'd want to try making an icebox cake. I just find the term "icebox" to be so quaint; it immediately puts good feelings in my mind. The problem became tracking down a recipe. These cakes have gone out of style and the recipes seemingly buried. I decided to create my own recipe, and this Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cake was born.

This recipe combines a peppermint whipped cream with chocolate wafer cookies. That's never a bad thing. Think mint oreo. It's also incredibly quick to make. It does require a few hours in the "icebox" before serving, so it involves a bit of planning ahead, but there's nothing more complicated to it than that. Easy as it is to make, this dessert also has the potential to impress. When you cut into this cake and reveal all those beautiful looking layers, it makes quite a statement. For an added touch, I crumbled a couple of wafer cookies on top and garnished the rim with some peppermint candies.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT ICEBOX CAKE

2 9oz package chocolate wafers
3 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. powdered sugar
3 tsp. peppermint extract
peppermint candies for garnishing (optional)

1. In the absolute largest bowl you own, whip together the cream, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract. Start on a low speed and increase incrementally.

2. Assemble the cake in a 9 inch springform pan. Start with a layer of chocolate wafers, overlapping them to cover the bottom. Spread a layer of the mint whipped cream on top. Repeat until you have four layers of each, ending with whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow it to chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Right before serving, garnish with crushed up wafers and peppermint candies.

Source: Cats and Casseroles original recipe

Confetti Cookies

Kids and adults alike will love these Confetti Cookies, which feature everyone's favorite candy coated chocolate, M&Ms. I think these would be the perfect treat for back-to-school lunch boxes. However, I've also served them to my husband's co-workers. Adults need a little candy in their lives, too! As a side bonus, these cookies were probably the easiest I've made. The use of self-rising flour eliminates the need to sift together a dry mix.


CONFETTI COOKIES

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
1 c. candy-coated chocolate candies (like M&Ms)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together the butter and brown sugar, using an electric mixer. Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla extract. Add self-rising flour in small batches, mixing well between each addition. Batter will be very thick. If it seems unworkable, add about 1/2 tsp water. Stir in the chocolate candies by hand.

3. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place on sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned along the edges. Let cookies sit on sheet for 2 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Makes about 45 cookies.

Source: Home Baking, no listed author, Parragon Publishing, 2005, pg 158.

Easiest Ever Fudge

When I first came across this recipe, I had my doubts. Four ingredients? No candy thermometer? Done in minutes? It didn't seem possible this fudge could stack up against the kind I'd enjoyed at the boardwalk for years. However, I'm happy to report that this fudge holds its own. I have used this recipe for two years now, and my various taste testers have given it a huge thumbs up. It's now the only fudge I make. If desired, chopped nuts can be added. Personally, I prefer a smooth square I can let melt in my mouth and have written up the recipe accordingly.

EASIEST EVER FUDGE

• 3 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• dash salt
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Line an 8 x 8 inch metal pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a medium sauce pan, combine the chocolate chips with the condensed milk and salt. Heat over low until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Fudge mixture should be smooth and gloss. Spread fudge mixture in prepared pan.

3. Allow fudge to cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. To cut, lift foil out of pan and then peel off of fudge. Cut fudge into 64 small squares. Keep refrigerated in an air-tight container.

Source: Eagle Brand Recipes

The Brownies

A year ago, I decided on a whim to start making snacks for my husband's work group. I figured this would be a win-win-win situation. I'd get to practice baking without the end results tempting me, my husband would be the hero of his engineering group, and his co-workers would get a mid-afternoon sugar high. These brownies were one of the first things I baked for the group, and I get endless requests for them. They've almost become my signature item. If there's an occasion for me to ask "what should I bring?" there's a decent chance the answer will be "bring the brownies." I can't recommend this crowd-pleasing recipe enough.

THE BROWNIES

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar with melted butter. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

3. Pour about 1/4 of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix until well combined, smoothing out any lumps. Continue adding the flour mixture in batches, mixing well after each batch. You might find the batter thick and difficult to work (at least I do, but I have no arm strength). Resist the temptation to use an electric mixer. Brownies are always better when hand mixed. The results will be worth it! When flour mixture is fully incorporated, stir in chocolate chips.

4. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. With brownies, it's very important not to over bake them. When in doubt, pull them out! Allow to completely cool before cutting. Makes 24 brownies.

Source: Allrecipes

Double Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Mmm... chocolate. One picture hardly seemed like enough.

These cookies are popular around Christmas, but I see no reason not to enjoy them year-round. The recipe calls for Dutch-process cocoa powder, but I used natural (Hersey's to be exact) and had no problem. These cookies have a dense texture and taste to them that reminds me of a devil's food doughnut. They'll definitely help fix any chocolate cravings you might be having!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CRACKLE COOKIES

• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
• 1 c. powdered sugar

1. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, mix in melted butter and eggs. Don't be alarmed if your batter seems stiff and crumbly, that's the nature of these cookies. Turn off the mixer when it appears all the ingredients are well mixed.

2. If your batter is still crumbly at this point, use your hands to bring into a ball. Kneed the white chocolate chips into the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.*

3. Roll dough into small balls. Coat the balls with powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool fully before eating. Makes about 24 cookies.

*Just a side note: The purpose of chilling the dough is to prepare if for being rolled into balls. In general, a cold batter with make a better sphere. However, since this dough is fairly stiff on its own, you're probably ok to skip refrigeration if you have a cold kitchen, or are just in a real hurry. I refrigerate, but I'm a sucker for following the rules.

Source: Food Network Magazine, December 2010, vol 3, no 10.

Muddy Buddies

Anyone else up for a trip down memory lane?

Muddy Buddies are awesome. I loved them when I was eight, and I love them now. A friend's mom cued me into these delicious morsels. Neither of my parents cooked, and seeing ordinary breakfast cereal turned into a chocolaty treat was magical for me. This snack holds a special place in my heart. It's perfect for young cooks because all it requires is a microwave.

Start with 9 cups of rice chex, or similar, cereal. Put it in a really big bowl, bigger than you think you'll need.
It was a tough choice between having breakfast tomorrow morning and making Muddy Buddies, but my sweet tooth craving won out. I think I made the right call. Put 1 cup semi-sweet chips, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and half a stick of butter into a Hello Kitty microwavable bowl. I guess you could use a container without Hello Kitty on it, but I can't guarantee the results.
Microwave, covered, for a minute on high. Stir. If the mixture is smooth, you're done. Otherwise, give it some more time, in 15-30 second increments. And when in doubt, stop. Over-nuked chocolate is never pretty. Now add in a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Not me, because I forgot. But you totally should. Then pour the mixture over the cereal and stir until evenly coated.
Transfer cereal to a gallon, resealable plastic bag. Toss in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Shake, shake, shake... and done!
It's not the prettiest dessert out there, but it's really, really good. I promise.

Source