Crock Pot Brownies

Where do I begin with this one? Yes, I made amazing, fudgy brownies in my crock pot. They were super easy to make with a bunch of pantry staples and we practically inhaled them. Mostly topped with ice cream. to the point that I thought I might need to make another batch because there was barely anything left for me to use for pictures. And that wouldn't have been a bad thing. Except for the part where my pants would be snug. I don't know, snug pants might be worth it for how chocolatey and delicious these brownies turned out. I've been wanting to make a few more desserts in my crock pot lately, after making coffee cake and banana bread in the past, so when I saw this recipe from my Secret Recipe Club assignment, I knew my mind was made up.

Inside Out Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Do we need to go into all the reasons why peanut butter and chocolate are the most amazing combination? I think that's fairly well-documented here. And if you're new here, a quick glance at the recipe index will show you I'm serious about this rich, sweet and salty combo. Seriously, I will try alltherecipes that include these two lovely flavors. Which is why I needed to try these brownies with the peanut butter goodness on the outside of a fudgy brownie, including a peanut butter shortbread crust and a sweet peanut butter candy coating on top. These are glass of milk brownies because you'll need one to help wash down these rich and dense brownies that hit all the right notes on both flavor and texture. I honestly can't remember why I made these the first time (I think they were birthday baking and then I didn't see the birthday girl, so we ate them all?), and then second time I felt bad about eating them all, plus I didn't take a picture so I made them again, but I still can't remember if we shared them with anyone. Bottom line: these brownies are so good you'll want to share but then they will cast a spell on you that you'll forget who you wanted to share them with and eat the whole pan. Twice.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Blondies

My lovely, sweet and beautiful niece Elyse turns 13 today (blink.blink.). It's insane to think about the time that has passed but I'm so excited to see her take on life as an awesome teenager. Not sure what to make her for birthday baking, I decided 13 warrants a bit of sophistication. Instead of candy or chocolate overloaded sweets, I went for a classy combination of white chocolate and dried cranberries in a moderately sweet blondie with a crunchy edge and a slightly chewy center. This version is delicious and celebratory in a subtle way. Plus, in a pinch, you can toss a scoop of ice cream and maybe some caramel sauce on top and make a lovely blondie sundae.

M&M Snack Cake Bars

Part cake, part bar, all delicious. These bars are all that's right in the world and were super simple to put together after I got our little guy down for the night. My evening baking time is limited since we have a pretty regular routine getting Logan to bed, so finding quick recipes that can be completed in the time before I hit the pillow is imperative. And this one isn't only quick, but delicious. The bars are soft, but not overly cakey. Like the perfect cross between cake and cookie and blondie. Perfect texture and not crumbly. Now the base is perfect for just about any sort of mix in, but really chocolate chips and mini M&Ms solidifies these bars as a great snack. The only thing better would have been to add sprinkles (it is cake after all) and get some funfetti action up in these tasty treats. There's always next time.

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Last week I started back at the gym again. I was a pretty regular gym rat prior to our little nugget working out right up until he was born. Five days a week I did strength, cardio or yoga. Plus Dave and I were pretty active with biking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. But a winter baby--born during the worst winter in recent history (do the people complaining about the lovely summer heat forget our 7 feet of snow?)--plus the lack of time, energy and shear access to get to the gym has meant I've neglected my former workouts. I workout to be healthy and this body was built by baby and cookies, so getting back into some sort of active lifestyle needed to take on a new priority level in my life. So the other day I found myself on day two of my new workout routine, on the elliptical and really pushing hard. It felt great and I surprised myself by not being nearly as out of shape as expected. And then I remembered I wanted to make brownies or some sort of bar for work the next day. Browsing Pinterest on my phone, the irony hit me right away that while I was working to shed the pounds from baby (and yes, far too many cookies and other sweets since then), I was also researching a new way to enjoy sugar and chocolate. But really these bars have oatmeal so that means they're healthy, right (right?!?). Soft, chewy, gooey bars mimic a perfect oatmeal cookie all full of nutty goodness but made more awesome with an overabundance (is there really such a thing?) of chocolate chips. Plus, hello simple. I got these done in about a half hour, after work, start to finish, including washing the dishes while they baked.

Birthday Oreo Blondies

These are definitely birthday blondies. I made them three times in two months, for three different birthdays. Of course, the first two times we ate them all/gave them to the birthday honoree before I remembered to take a picture. In fact, this picture is of the last few in the pan. They are just so good, we gobbled them down before I had the time/sunny skies to grab the camera. Clearly. The blondie itself is perfect--sturdy with the right amount of crunchy edge and enough softness on the interior to gently break. But the real fabulousness is in the flavor--a little hint of birthday cake with sprinkles, white chocolate chips and big fat chunks of golden birthday cake flavor cream filled Oreos. Clearly these were made for a party and I hope the three birthday girls (Rachel, Lisa and Lisa) loved them.

Guinness Brownies

St Patrick's Day is tomorrow and I need to share with you guys the awesomeness that is these brownies. A thick, dense brownie full of rich chocolate goodness, heightened with that beautiful Irish stout Guinness. And then I did something awful. And by awful I mean amazing. I took the Bailey's buttercream frosting from my Irish Triple Threat cupcakes and slathered it on top of these brownies. Irish dessert squared. I took these to a party over the weekend were they got rave reviews. I've never made a brownie quite like this. It's fudgy but not gooey and thick but not cakey. Seriously, these are so good I can hardly describe them. Just trust that you need to make these. Now.

Magic Turtle Bars

These days I'm looking for quick recipes for delicious treats that I can make either while Logan sleeps or while he "helps" me when I wear him in the kitchen. Magic bars definitely fit the description because they are basically just piles of tasty goodies layered on top of one another and baked to perfection. Very easy to do, even when your littlest kitchen helper falls asleep on you while you explain the merits of semi sweet versus dark chocolate chips. And this turtle candy inspired version of a magic bar live up to the hype. They are amazing--dark chocolate, caramel and pecans are an irresistible combination. The chocolate gets slightly melted, the caramel is gooey and the nuts offer a perfect salty crunch. Plus the texture of these bars is like a party for your mouth. Based on how quickly these vanished from our counter (and the fact that I had to package some up to give away), these are a huge hit.

Peanut Butter Nougat Brownies

We are buried. For real we've gotten about 7 feet of snow in 3ish weeks and I keep finding myself stuck in the house. Even when I can go out, I'm kind of afraid because the snow banks are so tall it's a hazard to go to an intersection. Unless I'm in Dave's bright orange Jeep. But being stuck in the house means I have to occupy my time, so I might as well bake. Sigh. As a result I ended up with these delicious brownies with a layer of peanut butter marshmallow nougat through the center and I swooned. The brownies are a cross between fudgy and cakey, with a perfect chocolate flavor. And the peanut butter filling  shows up in every bite, so it's almost like the brownie equivalent of a Reese's cup. Which is to say these brownies are amazing.

Marbled Brownies

Sometimes I have a dessert crisis. When faced with both, do I choose the blondie or the brownie? The chocoholic in me says the brownie, but the blondies usually have chocolate chips and a different type of sweetness. Fudgy or chewy? Sweet or decadent? So why not combine the two? A fudgy brownie with a swirl of blondies throughout. Not only are they beautiful with a pretty blondie design, they are delicious. I couldn't get over how well they turned out--rich and tasty and perfect just as is, but also fantastic with a scoop of ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores Bars

Holy crap, guys. Where do I begin with these bars? Tons of flavor, gooey, sweet, delicious and the perfect blend of chocolate chip cookie and classic s'mores in a perfect little bar dessert. This recipe is easy and comes together pretty quick. Plus I had all the ingredients in my pantry so you can always whip these up on the fly. My friend Cindy came over yesterday with her two kids and these bars got rave reviews all around. And I was happen to be able to send them home with some of these treats because otherwise I might have just eaten the whole pan myself.

S'mores Krispies Treats

A few months ago, I posted the Vanilla Cookie Krispies Treats. When I shared them with Rachel and John, I mentioned I was toying with some ideas for S'mores Krispies and the first thing Rachel said was, "So you're making those next right?" Guess I had my marching orders! While they weren't the next thing I made, this flavor was the next krispie treat I made to share with Rachel and John. Chocolate krispies make the base, plus chunks of graham cracker, mini marshmallow bits and milk chocolate chips to round out all the flavor. Stuck together with some classic marshmallow gooey-ness and yes, this is the s'more krispie I've been waiting for. Right, Rach?

Cherry Chocolate Blondies

I've been having a love affair with cherries this summer. I've always loved fresh cherries, but I don't know what it is this year--the pregnancy cravings, the fact that they are so abundant and delicious this summer, or that they've been on sale for basically the last month and a half, but I can't get enough of them. And these bars do the very best thing with fresh cherries--add chocolate and a lovely gooey blondie base for an amazing twist on deconstructed and baked up chocolate covered cherry. The chocolate, the gooey blondie, the cherries: a trifecta of yum. It's a one bowl dessert that bakes up in no time and I will absolutely make these again. If nothing more than an excuse to by more cherries. Now you know I'm not a big fruit in my dessert girl, especially fresh fruit (compared to dried) or anything pie-like. But I was headed to see my uncle and aunt, Bud and Sandy, and wanted to take something a little different but still sweet and delicious. This was both and more.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispies Treats

 

So there's these little nugget-like pretzels filled with peanut butter that are a sneaky little addictive snack. You can get them just about anywhere and all the brands I've had are good. It wasn't until I started eating these by the handful that I realized how peanut butter and pretzels make an excellent combination. Of course, when you toss both of them into some krispies treats you really can't go wrong. Crunchy, sweet, and salty, these krispies treats are delicious and topped with just a smattering of chocolate, they really are perfect for summer cookouts, pot lucks and general no-bake goodies.

Vanilla Cookie Krispies Treats

This photo shows two and a half krispies treats. Because they were the only two and a half left after making 2 (!) pans of these bad boys. Seriously, the rest never lasted long enough for me to get my camera. The first batch I took to work and just banked on having leftovers to bring home and photograph. No such luck. Not only did they not make it home, but they didn't even make it to the end of the meeting I brought them too. Then I made them again (pretty much for the sole purpose of photographing) and took them to a friend's house for Memorial Day. Five of us polished off most of them. I'm confident if Rachel hadn't made cupcakes, these last few would have been gone. (Yes, we ate most of a pan of krispies treats and most of the cupcakes. Hey, I don't judge you...) You know I have a love affair with chocolate, but there is a place in this world for vanilla and these treats are one of those things that belong. Soft, sweet and delicious, these treats have bits of chopped vanilla sandwich cookies sprinkled throughout for a perfect change in texture and flavor. They pair so well with the marshmallows and krispies, without being overly sweet. Seriously, once you try them, you'll know exactly why they basically get inhaled.

Strawberry Almond Brownies

Here's a decadent, twist on chocolate covered strawberries. Forget the cold, slimy, overpriced version and toss those chopped up strawberries into a fudgy batter, add some almonds and bake those suckers into chewy brownies. Boom. Valentine's Day classic reinvented. I took these to work for a training and everyone loved them. There weren't a lot of people there, but I still only came home with a few of these guys--everyone needed seconds. The strawberries add a subtle sweetness and the almonds are a great change of pace to the regular walnut dotted brownie. A bit of amaretto adds an extra layer of flavor that really brings these brownies together. I may never go back to dipped strawberries.

Pumpkin Roll Bars

There's just something about pumpkin and cream cheese that's delicious.  Simultaneously light and indulgent, it's a combo I really like, whether in these muffins or this cake.  So I figured these bars would be an excellent way to get my fix.  These bars are made of a soft, sweetly spiced pumpkin cake with a cream cheese topping, swirled with more pumpkin batter for a simple bar dessert full of pumpkin flavor and creamy filling.We had game night with some friends and a pumpkin roll bar was definitely the delicious dessert we needed to end the night.  They'd be a perfect dessert to put on your Thanksgiving buffet or take with you to your holiday gathering.  I'm pretty sure I'm making these again for our holiday meal, but let's be honest--my menu is usually a moving target.

Loaded Caramel and Chocolate Monster Bars

Monster bars are what you make when you find a bunch of half used bags of yummy mix-ins in your pantry.  I feel compelled to make them every once and a while so that I don't feel guilty for buying new bags of mix-ins.  Plus, they taste delicious.  Any cookie base will do and then just go to town combining as many of those leftover handfuls of this and that--caramel bits, leftover Twix eggs from Easter (I'll admit--those things must have been hiding from me), milk chocolate chips, Hershey's Cookies and Creme Drops, and fudge brownie goldfish graham crackers.  Yes, that will do for a full on chocolate and caramel experience.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

I'll admit it: this combination simultaneously intrigued and scared me.  I mean, I thought it could be tasty, but the back of my mind told me that pumpkin and peanut butter just didn't belong together.  But I ignore that little voice in my mind and went with it for these bars.  They are soft, moist, chewy and nutty with sweetness and spice.  Neither the pumpkin or the peanut butter overpowers the other, but compliment each other, making and excellent duo paired with the oats.  Dave and I both enjoyed them, as did the ladies as work when a took a few in to share at a training.  What can I say?  I'm a believer in the pumpkin/peanut butter combo.

Peanut Butter Lover's Monster Bars

Oh these bars are good.  You know Dave and I are peanut butter junkies--it's Dave's favorite for desserts and right up there with chocolate for me.  So a peanut butter blondie stuffed to the gills with peanut butter goodies?  I'll take two, please.  We had game night with our friends Felise and Nick, so I made these bars when we went to their house.  These bars have everything--peanut butter, peanuts, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate chips, toffee candy bits, and peanut butter M&Ms.  They are so loaded with peanutty mix-ins that there's barely any batter--which is just fine.  There is exactly enough batter--peanut butter flavored, that is--to keep all the tasty bits and candies together.  So much so I wouldn't be surprised if Dave asked for these for birthday baking.  Or because it's a day that ends in 'y'.  One of those.