Cherry Pie Squares

 

I am back!  Thankfully my morning sickness is becoming less and less and I actually want to think about food again. 

Yesterday I had quite a hankering for my step-mom’s Cherry Pie Squares.  I change these a bit only in the fact that I like to use 2 cans of pie filling.  I LOVE cherries!

While making the crust from scratch may seem a bit tedious, it really is the only thing to making these.  You use canned cherry pie filling, so these take no time at all to whip up.

 

Look at these beauties!  I love to eat them warm fresh out of the oven when they are gooey.  And I also love them cold out of the fridge for a mid morning snack.

Photographing this little treat was tricky.  It was hard for several reasons.  I know that I should have photographed them cold so that they would hold their shape better and stack well, but I was not about to let them sit long enough before diving in.  Also, my family was smacking their lips just as I was…..they too were not about to wait.

I had to be VERY quick, thus the lack of really excellent shots.  They slid apart quickly.  But oh they tasted so so good!!

Cherry Pie Squares

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup shortening

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

2 cans Cherry Pie filling

Glaze:

pinch of salt

1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Powdered sugar

2 Tbsp butter, melted

2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a bar pan with parchment paper.

2. Mix flour, sugar, and salt.  Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Add egg and milk.  Mix well to form a dough.  Divide in to 2 balls. 

3. Roll one ball on a floured surface to the size of the bar pan.  Lay in pan as bottom crust. 

4. Spread Cherry Pie filling over bottom crust.

5. Roll out second ball of dough just like the first and lay on top of pie filling. 

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top and edges.

7. Make glaze using just enough powdered sugar to make a thin, spreadable glaze.  Put on while still warm.

8. Let cool 5 minutes and cut in to squares.  Store in air tight container in refrigerator. 

Enjoy!!

German Chocolate Cupcakes

 

There is something so decadent about German Chocolate Cake.  The coconut pecan topping, the moist chocolate cake.  The chocolate buttercream puts it over the top. 

These even look like fancy bakery cupcakes.   And, because I used a boxed cake mix with some “secret sauce” add-ins, they were very easy.

German Chocolate Cake

1 box devil food cake

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with 20-24 cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, gently combine oil, eggs and vanilla extract.

3. Sift (for easy mixing) in about 1/3 of the cake mix and stir until combined.

4. Add Buttermilk and stir until combined.

5. Add another third of the cake mix (again, sifting for easy stirring).

6. Add sour cream, then final third of cake mix.

7. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

German Chocolate Topping

1 cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

3 egg yolks,  beaten

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 1/2 chopped pecans

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

On medium heat in a sauce pan, constantly stir evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks and butter until thickened. (Basically, until it boils and it will take approximately 15 minutes.) Stir in vanilla extract, pecans and coconut. Let cool.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups powder sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp milk or cream (use only amount needed to reach desired consistency)

Beat cream cheese and butter for 4 minutes. Add cocoa, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Let beat for 3 minutes. If it is too thick, add milk. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar. Or if it is not dark enough, add more cocoa.

*Pipe chocolate buttercream around edges of cupcakes to create a barrier.  Then place a scoop of topping in the center.* 

Enjoy!!

Recipe found at Your Cup of Cake

Lime Bars

These.Are.AMAZING.  That is all.

Lime Bars
Crust:
2 sticks butter, melted but cooled to room temp.
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Filling:
6 eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup fresh lime juice (12-15 small-ish limes)
zest of 2 limes
pinch of salt
Enjoy your time in the kitchen:
1. Grease a 9X13 pan and line with foil.  Then spray the foil as well.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and move the oven rack to the lower middle position.
3. Mix the crust ingredients in a bowl until combined.  Press in to the bottom of the foil lined pan.  Bake for 15-   17 minutes. 
4. While the crust is baking, mix the filling.  Just whip it all together until is is nice and combined. 
5. When crust is finished baking, let it cool for 2 minutes, then pour on filling and return to oven to bake.  Do not let it cool longer than about 2 minutes. 
6. Bake for 22-24 minutes until set and not wobbly. 
7. Now comes the hard part, practice the virtue of patience and let this cool for 30 minutes before sprinkling with powdered sugar and cutting in to bars. 
*I like these best cold.  Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator*

Flashback Friday

Here is another recipe I posted last year.  I love the salted caramel frosting on this cupcake.  I have also used this frosting on chocolate cupcakes and on carrot cake cupcakes.

Don't these look yummy?! These flew off the cake stand as fast as I could frost them. And the frosting was to-die-for.
This recipe is a part of my challenge to cook my way through the Betty Crocker "Big Book of Cupcakes"
Butterscotch Cupcakes with Salty Caramel Frosting
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup butterscotch chips, coarsely chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
In a Large bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds on medium speed. Gradually add sugar, scrapping bowl occasionally. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, and milk. Beat just until blended. Stir in butterscotch chips.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
* I have found that a #20 ice cream scoop works perfect for filling the right amount.*
Bake 20-25 min until center is done. Cook completely before frosting.
Caramel Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar with a whisk. heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in milk. Return to boiling. Remove from heat and cool 30 min until lukewarm. Beat in powdered sugar with hand mixer. Frost cupcakes right away or this will harden. *you can pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if needed*
Garnish with a pinch of coarse kosher salt.

Apple Pie Bars

I love when I am introduced to new blogs.  I found one recently called Cooking Classy.  These Apple Pie Bars fist caught my eye on pinterest.  I made them for my husband and his parents tonight and they were so yummy. 

Do you have one of these choppers?  You really should.  With this type of apple dessert, you want the filling to be very finely chopped.  I mean, really fine.  It was perfect.  I will keep this filling on hand for apple turnovers as well.  NUM!!

And, if you like sweets at breakfast, these totally replaces a toaster strudel. 

Apple Pie Bars
6 medium Granny Smith apples
2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
Vanilla Glaze
2 Tbsp half and half (I used fat free. You can use milk as well)
1 cup powder sugar                                                                                                                               
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Set out refrigerated pie crust to come to room temperature.
3. Peel, slice and chop apples finely, I like to use my hand chopper.                                                          
4. Place diced apples in a large mixing bowl. Add lemon juice and 1 tsp vanilla and toss apples to evenlycoat.                                                                                                                                                 
 5. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour flour mixture over apple mixture and toss to evenly coat, set aside.
To assemble pie:
Roll one portion of pie dough into a 13x9 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Lift rolled dough into an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish or stone bar pan.
Toss apple mixture once more and pour into baking dish over pie crust.
Roll remaining dough into a 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 inch rectangle and place rolled dough over apples. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over top pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven 50 - 60 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares. Drizzle with optional glaze or serve with vanilla ice cream. Store bars in refrigerator in an airtight container, rewarm in microwave if desired.
Adapted from Cooking Classy

Let Them Eat Cake

Raspberry Lemonade Cake
Cake:

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Filling:

• 1 lb fresh raspberries, washed
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Frosting:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

*2 lbs additional fresh raspberries for garnish*

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mash 1 lb fresh raspberries with a potato masher and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp sugar.  Let sit while you make the cake.  They will get nice and juicy.
3. To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.
4. Pour batter into 2 (8X8) cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
5. To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients (2 tablespoons butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.
6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and mashed berries. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries and store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light APRIL 2002

Plum Pandowdy

Isn’t that a fun name to say.  Boy howdy, let’s have Plum Pandowdy!!  You should have heard all of the ridiculous things my husband and I came up with to rhyme with this recipe.  We always find a way to keep our girls laughing.

Beautiful Plums……10 different kinds grown in California
  (I know it looks burned, but that is just the cinnamon deceiving you)
While Plum Pandowdy is fun to say, there is a history to this desert.  In 1946 Dinah Shore (musician) had a hit called “Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pandowdy”.  A pandowdy is a traditional dessert that can be made with any fruit.  I won’t be making Shoo Fly Pie as I don’t particularly care for molasses.  But my step-dad may start requesting it for his birthday….he loves the stuff.  As the name describes, it is made in a pan and you “dowdy” the crust half way through baking.  Sounds like a complicated step, but it just means you slice the crust so that the juices can bubble up. 

This is a far cry from a glamorous dessert.  It is a sloppy, gooey mess of delicious fruit filling.  I love it.  And it nearly reaches perfection when topped with ice cream.  Seriously….don’t let the pictures fool you.

Plum Pandowdy
10 plums, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
zest from 1 small lemon
juice from 1 small lemon (1-2 Tbsp)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup flour
1 pie crust (we only use a top crust for this recipe
2 Tbsp cinnamon sugar
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place plums in a large bowl and add brown and white sugars, spices, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in flour.
3. Pour fruit filling in to an ungreased 8x8 baking dish.
4. Roll out pie crust and lay over fruit.  Gently tuck the edges under the fruit.  It won’t be perfect, and it will be messy.
5. Brush melted butter over the crust and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake 30 minutes, “dowdy” the crust in to 12 pieces and bake 20 minutes longer until bubbling.  To “dowdy” the crust, just use a butter knife to push the crust down in to the fruit.  Almost like scoring a piece of paper.  It is ok if it cuts all the way through, but it doesn’t have to either.  Perfection is not the end result here.
*Your kitchen will now smell like heaven and angels may start singing when you open the oven door*
7. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.  When serving, it will be a messy event.  Top with ice cream and serve with a smile.  You will wonder why you have never baked with plums before.
*Store any extras covered in the refrigerator.  This makes a really yummy breakfast*

No Bake Cookies

It has been hot all over the country.  We rarely see the 90’s here in the mountains, but this summer is different.  Yesterday we were enjoying 97 degrees and ate a cold dinner.  But, I had a major hankering for a cookie.  I certainly was not going to turn on the oven to bake.  So, No Bake Cookies fit the bill.

I probably have not made these since last summer.  And they are so yummy.  My husband likes them really cold out of the fridge.  I like them first thing in the morning with my coffee.

Make these for your next BBQ or work potluck, you will be glad you did.
No Bake Cookies
4oz butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick cook oats
1. Combine butter, milk, sugar, and chocolate chips in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to boil for 1 minute.
2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract.  Stir until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, pour chocolate  mixture over oats.  Stir to combine. 
4. Drop by large spoonfuls on to wax paper.  Enjoy when hardened. 
Enjoy your summer treat!

Simple Summer Cherry Pie

Look at those beautiful cherries


Pitting these cherries is a bit of a messy project, but it really did not take much time at all. 



This is the perfect recipe to use for all those delicious cherries being sold this time of year. 

Simple Summer Cherry Pie
Gather your ingredients:

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 cups pitted cherries
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Enjoy your time in the kitchen

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bottom crust in pie pan. 
2. In a large mixing bowl combine tapioca, salt, sugar, cherries, and extracts. Let stand 15 minutes. Pour into bottom crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust, flute edges and cut vents in top. Place pie on a foil-lined cookie sheet--in case of drips!
3. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Let cool for several hours before slicing.  If the crust browns too quickly, cover with foil while it finishes cooking.

Double Chocolate Pudding Cake

This cake is so so yummy!  And it was so quick to make.  My husband came to the kitchen after putting our 3 year old to bed (it only takes about 15 minutes), and he saw me cleaning up my Kitchen Aide mixer.  He was surprised that I just last minute decided to whip up a cake.  But, when you  need chocolate….you need chocolate. 
I had a box of yellow cake and a box of chocolate pudding in pantry.  I found a recipe that used both….and some other ingredients I didn’t have.  So, I doctored it and whipped up this delicious chocolate cake.  I dare say, it is my new favorite chocolate cake.  It tastes like the kind of cake you make for Sunday dinner when family and friends come over. 
Double Chocolate Pudding Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
12oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Enjoy your time in the kitchen:
1. With an electric mixer, mix the yellow cake mix, the instant pudding mix, eggs, oil, and sour cream.  Mix until smooth.  Doesn’t take long at all.
2. With a spatula, fold in 3/4 cups chocolate chips. 
3. Spoon half the batter in to a well greased Bundt pan.  Sprinkle on 1/3 cup chocolate chips and top with remaining batter.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
5. Let cool about 30 minutes before removing from pan.  Enjoy!

M&M Sugar Cookies

*Warning: you will need to double this recipe…they will disappear quickly*

You all are in for a real treat!  I love to read a blog called The Girl Who Ate Everything.  She has a fun personality and she always shares some really great recipes. 

Typically, I wouldn’t get real excited about a sugar cookie.  However, these have cream cheese, M&M’s, and are rolled in sugar……um, yes please!!

Be sure to head over the The Girl Who Ate Everything.  You will love the things she shares.  And her pictures are phenomenal.  I really need to do some reading up on food photography.  She inspires me.
M&M Sugar Cookies
Gather your supplies:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
2 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1 1/4 cups M&M's

Enjoy your time in the kitchen:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine 1 1/2 cups of sugar and cream cheese in a large bowl (no need to stir them together yet). Put the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a pie plate and set aside. Pour the warm butter over the cream cheese mixture and whisk to combine - the mixture won't be completely smooth yet, that's fine. Whisk in the oil then the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

4. Use a rubber spatula to start folding the dry ingredients into the wet. When the dry ingredients are partially incorporated, add 3/4 cup of the M&M's to the dough. Continue mixing until a soft dough comes together. (Don't wait to add the M&M's until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated - you'll end up overmixing.) Refrigerate 2-3 hours.

5. Portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a cookie scoop, using about 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Working quickly (if you handle the dough too much you're more likely to wind up with flat cookies), roll the dough into a ball with your hands then roll in the sugar set aside in the pie plate previously. Repeat until you've used all of the dough, placing 12 cookies on each baking sheet.
6. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the dough balls into discs that are about 2 inches in diameter. Gently press 3 more M&M's into the top of each cookie. NOTE: Your M&Ms on top will crack from the heat while baking so I wait to put the M&Ms on top of the cookie until right after they come out of the oven. Just press how ever many your want on top right when they come out and they won't crack!

7. Bake the cookies, 1 tray at a time, for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set (do not wait until the edges or brown or the cookies will be over done….you want these to be a soft chewy cookie).
8. Remove from oven and press the M&Ms on top if you haven't already put them on top. The tops of the cookies will be puffy and slightly cracked. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to the rack to cool completely.
Makes about 24 cookies.

Caramel Apple Galette

This is basically a flat apple pie with caramel, and it is AWESOME!

We celebrated my mom’s birthday this weekend.  She requested a yummy summer dessert that was also “Hawaii diet friendly”.  She is taking a trip to Hawaii next month and has been so good at eating healthy.  I was really excited to find this recipe in one of my Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient magazines. 
I would never have guessed that this was a low point treat.  Very very yummy and fresh.  We sat on the front porch in warm summer evening weather and enjoyed dessert and lots of chatting.
Caramel Apple Galette
4 Points Plus per serving.  Serves 12.  135 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving
1 tablespoon light stick butter
3 cups thinly sliced, peeled, Granny Smith apples (about 2 large apples)
1 can refrigerated pizza crust dough
3 tablespoons truvia sugar
1/2 cup sugar free caramel topping
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add apple slices and saute 4-5 minutes until tender and golden.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the paper with cooking spray.
4. Unroll the pizza dough and fold over edges to create a border.  Spoon apple sliced on to dough. 
5. Sprinkle filling with sugar and bake for 17 minutes until the crust is golden. 
6. Let cool 3-5 minutes before slicing in to 12 servings.  Drizzle with caramel before serving. 
source: Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient, 15 minute recipes.  February/March issue

Blondies: 4 ways

Today while the girls napped, I experimented in the kitchen.  Science experiments with lots of sugar and butter are my favorite kind.

I will give you the base recipe and directions.  You choose your chip combination.  I did one with butterscotch chips, one with semi sweet chocolate chips, one with white chocolate chips, and one with a combo of white chocolate and butterscotch chips. 
Blondies
Gather your ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup “chips” (chocolate, butterscotch..etc)
1/2 cup pecan chips
Now,enjoy your time in the kitchen
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray 7X11 baking dish with pam or crisco spray
3. Cream butter and sugar together.
4. Add in eggs one at a time and mix well.
5. Mix in vanilla.
6. Add dry ingredients and until combined.
7. Stir in by hand chips and pecans. 
8. Spread in baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9.  Cool completely and cut in to bars.  Enjoy with ice cream.

Campfire Cookies

I love the idea of camping.  I like the first 4 or 5 hours of camping.  I do NOT like sleeping in a tent.  I do ok if sleeping in an RV of sort.  I much prefer day camping or camping in my back yard. 
However, I LOVE s’mores.  My friend and I used to roast marshmallows over her stovetop in college.  Nursing school made us a little crazy….we resorted to stovetop s’mores and very weird hours of the night.

Even if you do go camping, and you do make the real thing, these are a pretty tasty treat to have at home.



I think of s’mores…..I think of the movie The Sandlot.  Have you seen it?  If not, add it to your summer “must watch list”

The recipe comes from fahrenheit350.blogspot.com
Campfire Cookies
Cream together:
1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 cup packed brown sugar
Add in and beat thoroughly:
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Mix in:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Stir in:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Drop by spoonfuls on to half a graham cracker and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Knock You Naked Brownies

I finally did it.  I bought the new cookbook by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman).  I love her first cookbook…..I equally love her second.  I found these brownies in the back of the book, and after laughing about the name, I knew I had to try them.
My sister really loves brownies.  I think I better make these for her when I visit this week.

Don’t those look drool worthy.  Trust me…they are THAT good.  I shared with my family and my aunt was still talking about them today at work.  If you need to win over your boss, or suck up to a co-worker for some help on a project, make these brownies.  I think I could even get my 12 year old brother to call me princess for the rest of my life if I promised to make him these brownies.

When I cook one of The Pioneer Woman’s recipes, I imagine what it must be like to live on a ranch.  My husband has family who are ranchers.  I really need to go visit during branding season one year and cook out of the wagon.  Can you imagine how much all those cowboys would love me if I made them some of the recipes from her book?!!  Ree’s recipes will win you instant friends. 
Knock You Naked Brownies  *From Ree Drummond: The Pioneer Woman*
Gather your ingredients:

• 1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (Duncan Heins and Pilsbury make this size. Betty Crocker only makes a 15.75oz size) *and it HAS to be German Chocolate Cake*
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
• 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Now, enjoy your time in the kitchen:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.
Press half the mixture into a well-greased 8 X 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.
In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.
Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.
These brownies might not knock you naked, but if you are worried about it, eat them at home. 

Whatever You Call Them

On my dad’s side of the family, we call them O’Henry Bars.  On my mom’s side of the family, we call them Chocolate Scotcharoos.  My husband just calls them Scotcharoos.  They should be called a candy bar. 
Whatever it is that you call them, they are GOOD!

Nothing like starting out with a LOT of sugar.  Granulated sugar and liquid sugar (kayro syrup)

The topping is the best part. 

There is a layer of peanut butter coated rice krispies under there…..only because its unacceptable to eat the frosting by itself.

V knows the good stuff.  She loves to lick the spoon.

I have had way to many of these and I now need to enforce my exercise goals. 
O’Henry Bars-Chocolate Scotcharoos-Scotcharoos
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup kayro syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1. In a small sauce pan, bring sugar and kayro syrup to a boil over medium high heat.  Stir constantly.
2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.  Wisk in until smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl, pour the sugar sauce over 6 cups of Rice Krispies and gently stir until well combined
4. Press in to greased 9X13 dish
5. In microwave, heat the chips 30 seconds at a time and stirring well in between.  Heat just until melted, taking care to not burn them.
6. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in dish.  Spread evenly and let cool.  Slice in to bars and serve with a smile.  Or save them all for yourself for that 3 pm sugar craving.