Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola Squares

We are heading to Fargo on Friday to visit our old stomping grounds and I’m really excited! It’s been 5 months since we moved and although I’m finally starting to feel at home here, I still really miss our first home. And I’m totally ready to eat some delicious food including pizza, burgers and doughnuts….I should make sure to pack some maternity pants so I have some extra room.

But first on the list is driving by our old house. Our first home together, the home we brought Noah home to after he was born, the home where I instilled a love of cooking in Noah. And one of Noah’s favorite things to make and eat is granola bars. I can’t believe that I haven’t shared any with you all here.

We were taking a trip to Kansas to visit Joel’s family so I wanted to bring a treat that was dairy free for my mother-in-law and something that Noah would enjoy too. These granola squares fit the bill perfectly. They tasted cookie-like but included healthier ingredients that make it a little easier to indulge your sweet tooth.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola Squares
recipe slightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

3/4 cup Trader Joes Cookie Butter or Biscoff Spread (or nut butter of  your choice)
2 Tbs.p coconut oil
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
sprinkles, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray or line with foil for easy cleanup.

2. Melt the biscoff and coconut oil in the microwave. Stir in the honey/maple syrup, egg and vanilla until combined. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

3. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth it out. The original recipe states to bake for 21-24 minutes but mine took more like 30 minutes. Bake until no longer gooey and edges turn golden brown.

Brownie Nests

These chewy, super fudgy brownies are amazing on their own but by adding a few crispy Mini Cadbury Eggs they become divine and festive too. And they are easy to boot. What’s better when you have a dozen things to prepare for Easter dinner?

I, of course, had help from my little man while making these and goodness does he have sticky fingers and a love for those little eggs. If you have the same problem around your house, you may need to buy three bags!

Joel had to work super late a few days in a row so Noah and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to make an Easter treat early to share with you all while surprising Joel and his co-workers with a well deserved sweet. I kept two at home so we could sample them and delivered the rest and Joel came home with an empty bowl! So, I think they were a hit!

These are a fun little dessert for the kiddos and adults alike. I love that they are little so you can practice your portion control. Not that even one is really a healthy choice since it’s three types of chocolate topped with chocolate crispy coated eggs…. Sorry, but I made no claim to be providing you with healthy Easter treats. Make sure to check out some other delicious (and still not healthy) treats for your Easter dessert table at the end of the post!

Brownie Nests
yields approx. 54 brownie nests

2 bags Mini Cadbury Eggs
1 fudgy brownie recipe, ingredients mixed but not baked

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin tin liberally with non-stick spray. Fill each halfway with brownie batter. Bake for about 12 minutes, making sure they are still a bit soft in the middle.

2. Let cool for about 5 minutes then remove from the muffin tin to cool completely. Gently press three mini Cadbury eggs into each mini brownie.

Check out these other delicious options for Easter:

Cherry Dump Cake - Joel’s favorite

Lemon Hush – my favorite

Key Lime Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Jello Cookies

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

Classic Southern Lemon Bars

Superbowl Roundup 2013

Looking for some yummy treats to whip up for the Super Bowl? Well, you are in luck because I have compiled a list of delicious appetizers, main dishes and desserts that would be perfect for the big game.

Crispy Baked Asian Wings – they take a little extra work but they are well worth it. Make sure to cook a huge batch because they will disappear fast. Mix up the flavors with bbq, honey mustard and buffalo.

Cheesy Bread – This is simple to throw together and always a huge crowd pleaser. How could you go wrong with bread and cheese?

Extra Crispy Spicy Fried Chicken – I don’t think anything needs to be said for this one.

Easy Stromboli – When I think of Super Bowl food, pizza automatically pops into my head. Stromboli is easy to make for a crowd and super portable.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Super Bowl food is typically high in calories (ie delicious) so these are a great alternative and healthy option.

Blue Moon Cupcakes – Beer, cupcakes, football. Yep.

Chocolate Guinness Cupakes – Just in case you prefer your beer with chocolate!

Football Brownie Bites – Obviously these are perfect for the game. So fun and festive!

Frito Bars

I have been overwhelmed lately to say the least with the state that our house is in and just life in general. The kitchen is unpacked for the most part…the pantry is still a mess. So, I still haven’t really cooked all that much but I’m looking forward to getting into a new rhythm in my new kitchen.

I actually made these bars a few months ago for a Husker get together and I can’t believe that I never shared them with you until now. I love the sweet and salty combination so these are pretty perfect for me. Joel is a huge Special K Bar fan (also known as scotcheroos) and these are very similar but with a saltier, crunchier bite. I don’t care for butterscotch so I like these better because they are all peanut butter plus they have peanuts which is always a good addition in my book.

Frito Bars
recipe from Jennifer Cooks

10 1/2 ounces Fritos corn chips, lightly crushed
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips

1. Grease a 9×13 baking pan and set aside.

2. In a saucepan, bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until smooth.  Stir in corn chips and peanuts and gently stir until coated.

3. Pour corn chip mixture into greased baking pan and spread evenly.

4. Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute; stir and then microwave for 30 seconds more, if necessary to melt.

5. Drizzle melted chocolate over Frito Bars and allow to cool completely.  Once cooled, cut into squares and serve.

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies

These yummy, super dense brownies consist of only two ingredients and they are healthy. Yep, you heard my right. I guess mine are technically 3 ingredients because of the sprinkles but they are optional so we’ll just stick with two. I have been lacking in the Halloween themed treats arena so I randomly bought a bunch of fun sprinkles and needed a way to use them in order to be festive and not get shunned by food bloggers across the land. It was a lazy way to make them Halloween-y but that’s all I’ve got for you.

The texture of these brownies is not typical but they taste delish so don’t be alarmed. They even look like fudge which isn’t a bad thing in my book! They are the best 2 ingredient baked good since 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins!

And make sure you have a little monster to help you clean up the utensils.

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies
recipe from Cookies and Cups

1 Family Size box (19.5 oz) brownie mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
Sprinkles, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9×9 pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. I only have an 8×8 (what kind of baker am I?) so mine were a little thicker and had to bake longer.

2. In a bowl mix together brownie mix and pumpkin until smooth. Top with sprinkles if desired.

3. Spread batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Let cool completely.

Nutter Butter Candy Corn Bars

I’ve been so obsessed with sharing football food that I totally overlooked Halloween eats. We have been super busy around here and my mind has been elsewhere. I even missed out on starting a 12 weeks of Christmas treats series. Super disappointing since it was so fun last year. But no worries, I will be bringing you lots of treats for the upcoming holidays.

Now, onto Halloween which is approaching way too quickly! Noah is going to be a golfer this year and he is very excited to say the least. I know it seems like an odd choice but he is totally obsessed with all sports (surprise, surprise) and he particularly loves golf. He has a little golf set that we play with every day, all day. This boy, who never stops moving, will just sit on Joel’s lap and watch golf while yelling “hit it in the hole guy!” And if they miss, even on their first shot, he yells “missss.” He has high expectations. So, needless to say, this Halloween is going to be very fun in our house! Plus, he will get it this year and actually get to enjoy some of the candy.

These rich, simple, 4 ingredient bars would be great for any Halloween party! They just scream fall with all that yummy candy corn peeking out from every nook and cranny. I think they would be good with a little chocolate drizzled on top (but you guys know I have a thing for peanut butter and chocolate). They would be great addition to a Halloween dessert bar along with Candy Corn Cookies and Peppermint Patties.

Nutter Butter Candy Corn Bars
recipe from the Cookin’ Cowgirl

1 lb. package Nutter Butters
1 cup candy corn
4 Tbsp. butter
6 cups marshmallows

Place one row of the Nutter Butters in the food processor and pulse a few times. Blend until cookies are turned into crumbs. Break up remaining row of cookies into large chunks. In a large bowl, melt butter and marshmallows together in microwave, stirring occasionally. Once melted, add Nutter Butter crumbs and chunks and stir together. (This will be thick and a little tough to stir; don’t worry, you’re doing it right.) Pour about 3/4 cup candy corn into mixture and stir to combine. Pour mixture into 8×8 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Top cookie bars with remaining 1/4 C candy corn. Let cool completely before cutting.

Peanut Mallow Bars

I made these ooey, goeey, sticky bars for a picnic this summer to rave reviews. I personally am neither a caramel or marshmallow fan so I made these hoping I wouldn’t like them and therefore, easily avoid them. Unfortunately, these bars may have converted me instead. They are that good.

I adore the combination of sweet and salty and these are the perfect little treat to satisfy the craving. Let me warn you that the base of the bar was a bit crumbly and kind of fell apart when picked up but they tasted so yummy that it didn’t matter. Not only is there a great mixture of flavors but also of textures that just puts these over the top.

Peanut Mallow Bars
recipe from Taste of Home Brownies and Bars

1 cup chopped salted peanuts
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup cold butter

Topping:
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème
2/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
1-3/4 cups salted peanuts

1. In a large bowl, combine the peanuts, flour, oars, sugar, salt and baking soda; stir in the egg. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Spoon marshmallow crème over hot crust; carefully spread evenly. Drizzle with the caramel topping; sprinkle with peanuts. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 3 dozen.

 

Turtle Bars {Classic Southern Dessert}

I realized I haven’t made anything from my amazing Classic Southern Desserts cookbook in quite a long time so when I needed to whip up something for a recent get together, I grabbed it out and scoured the pages for something simple and delicious. The first recipe I made from this cookbook was Lemon Bars and looking back at that post made me realize how much my photography has improved in a year. Those pictures were awful. I am going to have to make those again but just for the sake of my photography….

These Turtle Bars didn’t disappoint. With a brown sugar cookie base, pecan halves, simple homemade caramel and lots of chocolate I really don’t know how they could. I decided to take these bars and my camera outside for a little change of pace in my food photography. It was a gorgeous day so I relaxed out on the deck taking in some warm rays and the beautiful view. Look what I saw while I was out there shooting these bars.

I love all of the amazing wildlife our little pond brings to our backyard view. There is a beautiful blue herring that comes back every summer that I have been trying desperately to get a picture of and still haven’t succeeded. It’s my mission by the end of the summer.

Turtle Bars
recipe from Classic Southern Desserts

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup pecan halves (I think I will use 1/2 cup more next time)
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet instead)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine first 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Pat mixture firmly into an ungreased 13- x 9-inch pan. Arrange pecan over crust.

2. Combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over pecans. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

3. Remove from oven; sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly melted. Gently swirl chocolate with a knife, leaving some chips whole (do not spread). Let cool on wire rack at room temperature until chocolate is set (about 2 hours). Cut into squares.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These peanut butter bars are definitely one of my top 3 favorite desserts ever (along with Lemon Hush and pretty much any cheesecake). I literally can wipe out an entire 13 x 9 pan of these if I am left alone with them for too long. They are the ultimate combination of chocolate and peanut butter and I just can’t resist them.

They are made even better because they are ridiculously easy to whip up and I always have all the required ingredients on hand. I mean, what’s better than a dessert that only requires 5 ingredients?  It’s a great dessert to make when you have last minute guests stop by or for a potluck. They aren’t fancy but they are so decedant, rich and just plain good.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup + 4 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. Mix butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and 1 cup of peanut butter. Press into a 13 x 9 pan.

2. Melt remaining peanut butter and chocolate together. Spread over peanut butter mixture. Keep refrigerated.

Recipe linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday, Cast Party Wednesday and Full Plate Thursday.

Lemon Hush

This shortbread, cream cheesy, lemon pudding, cool whip masterpiece is one of my top 5 favorite desserts of all time! And it’s perfectly refreshing and Spring-y for Easter! I really want to sit here and tell you about how wonderful it is but you just have to try it….and on Sunday night Joel and I spontaneously decided to go to the Final Four games in New Orleans (starting Friday) so all of my free time is being spent on searching for things to do there. I just can’t concentrate on anything else.

Growing up in Kansas, Joel has been a KU basketball fan his whole life so this is a lifetime dream come true for him and the spontaneity of it all makes it even better because this is something we never do. I’m mostly excited about seeing the sights and eating! If any of you live in New Orleans or have visited, PLEASE leave some suggestions for activities/sights/attractions/eats.

So, I’m sorry for the limited details on this dessert because it really does deserve the attention but I’m just too excited! Just try it, I promise you will like it!

Lemon Hush

For crust:
1 cup flour
1 stick butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup walnuts

For layers:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. Cool Whip, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages instant lemon pudding
3 cups milk
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut together crust ingredients until crumbly. Press into a 13 x 9 pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.

2. Combine cream cheese, 8 ounces Cool Whip and powdered sugar until smooth. Carefully spread over cooled crust.

3. Mix lemon pudding mixes and milk until thickened. Pour on top of cream cheese layer and smooth out. Refrigerate until firm then top with additional Cool Whip and walnuts.

Recipe linked to Mangia Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday and These Chicks Cooked.