Homemade Snickers Bars

Hello holy homemade Snickers bars. These little puppies are amazing.  If you want to wow your spouse,  or just impress your friends, make these easy bars. They have a few steps but they go together quickly.  

I am not a huge Snickers fan, but these are just delicious. These are not calories friendly, you will not eat huge pieces, but you could.. I really could eat the whole pan.

Homemade Snickers Bars
Adapted From Imperial  Sugar
Ingredients
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
3 Tablespoons  Creamy Peanut Butter
7 Ounces Marshmallow Fluff
1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Dry Roasted Peanuts
11 Ounces Caramels
1/4 Cup heavy Cream
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
3 Tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter

Directions
Line a 11 x 7 baking Pan with Parchment paper.

Place 1 cup of chocolate Chips and 3 tablepoons of peanut butter in a heat proof bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds and stir until smooth. Microwave for Few more seconds if necessary.
Pour Mixture into prepared Pan and spread evenly. Place pan into the freezer For 2-3 minutes until hardened.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, place marhmallow cream, 1/4 cup peanut butter and powdered suger and Mix until a soft ball forms. Remove dough and press on top of the chocolate layer.
Sprinkle peanuts on top. Gently press them in.
In a small saucepan, add the caramels and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted. Immediately pour over peanuts. Spreading evenly.
Refrigerate for 5 minutes until set.
In a Heatproof bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips and peanut butter. Pour over caramel layer. Spread out evenly.
Place pan in the fridge for 10 minutes until chocolate is set.
Cut with a sharp Knife.

First chocolate and peanut butter layer

Marshmallow Creme

Fondant Creme Filling

Spread Into the Pan

Banana... Something Healthy

Peanuts

Caramel bits, so much

caramel

caramel sauce over peanuts

Just delicious... eat up buttercup

Caramel Delights

I found another one... WOW, these are are SO amazing.. I could eat the whole pan. I made these for a tray for a customer. She thought they were delicious. Cheryl loves my Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey bars (featured 10/29/14), but she thought these ranked very high..

It is a mouthwatering combinations of caramel, chocolate and oats.

Holy amazing.. Soft and chewy with a melding of flavors.

They are rich and sweet, but so good.

These would totally melt the coldest heart, or give you a diabetic coma...

Caramel Delights

modified from livforcake.com
Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 10 ounce bag caramel chips (or 14 ounce bag caramels)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with tin foil and coat with cooking spray

In a bowl of a mixer, combine melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, oats and baking soda. Mix well to combine.

Press HALF  of this mixture into the bottom of the 8x8 pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until starting to brown.

While the crust is baking, make caramel sauce. In a small saucepan, add the caramels and cream. Heat over medium/low  heat. Stir until smooth. Set aside

Remove pan from the oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips evenly over the top. Gently pour the caramel sauce over the chocolate chips.

Sprinkle the caramel with sea salt. Will amp up the flavor

Crumble remaining oat/flour mixture over the caramel and return to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

Simple ingredients all added to the bowl at once

Baked crust with the chocolate chips added

Gently melted caramel and cream sauce

Poured over the top of the nuts

Add remaining crumble and bake for 15-20 minutes longer

These beauties are ready to be eaten

Chocolate and Caramel... some of the good things in life.

These are an easy bar. Give them a whirl and let me 

know what you think.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey Bars

SO.... I am on this huge gooey bar kick. This particular bar is absolutely amazing. Oh my Heaven. If you are a chocolate peanut butter lover, these bars are for you. These bars will kick Reese's cups out of the way. Reese's are my husbands favorite. I always try to save some from Halloween. Sweeten his heart... He really knows that I love him very much.

I really need a manicure... 

Just look at the bar, layers of goodness

As we all know, I like easy and delicious. These bars have a few steps, but nothing is complicated and they just layer and go together quickly. I took these to a party and they were devoured. I cut them into small pieces and that was perfect. There was also the thought as making these for a birthday dessert. If you are not a cake lover and like peanut butter and chocolate, holy moses, these are a HIT.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey Bars

modified from recipesfoodandcooking.com

Ingredients

1 Chocolate Cake mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 egg

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup peanut butter

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon peanut butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil, and spray the cooking spray. 

In a mixer with a paddle attachment. Combine the cake mix, egg and butter together. Beat until combined. Pat down the cake mix batter into your pan. It will take some patience and a few minutes to cover the entire surface of your pan.

Pour the chocolate chips over the bottom layer. Pour the peanut butter chips over the chocolate chips and cover completely.

In the same bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and peanut butter until totally mix together. Add the eggs one at a time. Mixing after each egg. Add the melted butter and mix completely. Add the powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture of the chip layer.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes. The mixture will be puffed up in the center when done. It will only jiggle slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power for a minute. Add the peanut butter. (MAYBE another 15-30 seconds if not totally melted). Stir stir stir. Spread the mixture over the top of the cream cheese layer. (Mine was still warm and made the frosting melt more) Perfect. 

Once totally cooled or slightly chilled, cut into pieces and serve.

I believe everyone knows by now. 

I LOVE all Chips.

When I was a kid, we used to eat them out of the bag.

This is the chocolate mix patted into the bottom of the pan

Chocolate and peanut butter chips

Cream cheese mixture ready to pour over the chips

the bars are cooling and ready for frosting

This bar does benefit from frosting. 

Finishes of the top layer

bites for display purposes only....

ALL I have to say.... mouthwateringly delicious....

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

My next door neighbor made a request. She loves German Chocolate Cake and wanted it for her birthday cake. HELLO, so does most of my family. My baby sister has it every year for her birthday cake. My Mom has always made this cake forever. The melding of the brown sugar, pecans and coconut with the chocolate cake. Heavenly. So, I stumbled upon this delightful recipe. Combine German Chocolate cake with Cheesecake... WOW .. is it. This cake was just amazing. TOTALLY kicking it up a notch. My neighbor and her family thought it was delicious. My Husband stated that it was perfectly delicious and not to change a thing. Please make again.

  

Layers of amazing flavors that melt in your mouth

(improved photo skills)

NOTE: if you put this into 2 8" cake pans, shorten your cook time. You should have enough frosting to cover both layers, but not the sides.

This recipe does have a few steps. Please do not let that stop you. It is really very easy and does not take a long time. It is well worth the effort. This recipe call for a box cake. I amp up my box cakes, so you can either follow my recipe for the cake or make your own chocolate cake. When I made this cake, I was cutting my time short, (excuse) but homemade cake has less preservatives. DO what you want.

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

adapted from mommyskitchen.net

Ingredients

Cake

1 dark chocolate cake mix

1 small package chocolate pudding (cook & serve)

3 eggs 

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup yogurt, plain or vanilla

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

4 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 1/ cups chopped pecans

Directions

Set oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Spray pan with cooking spray. Set aside

Into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, place all cake ingredients into bowl. Beat for 2-3 minutes. Pour half of the cake batter into prepared pan. Place remaining cake batter into another bowl and set aside.

Into the mixing bowl, add the sugar and softened cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Gently pour the cream cheese mixture of the cake batter. Try to cover the whole surface of the cake mixture. 

Spoon remaining cake batter over the cream cheese mixture. Spread to the edge of the baking pan. Bake for 65 - 70 minutes. OR until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (NOTE: REALLY cook this long)

Cool cake for at least a half hour - 1 hour before removing from pan.

While your cake is baking, in a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, butter and egg yolks. Continue to stir and cook. This probably took at least 15-20 minutes to cook and thicken up. Your thermometer should read 180 degrees. Needs to be thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla extract, fold in coconut and pecans. Cool until frosting reaches spreading consistency. 

Frost your cake. Refrigerate any leftovers. This cake can be made a day in advance.

All the ingredients needed for this dessert

(THE OIL was not pictured) sorry

The ingredients for the cake

 A very FULL bowl. remaining half of the cake

eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and cream cheese for the cream cheese mixture

Gently poured over the cake batter

Drizzling the remaining cake batter

Ingredients for the frosting

I first measured out the evaporated milk, but used the entire can

Stirring away... I had forgotten that homemade does take some time

My old wooden smasher. I have had this tool for a long time

Folding in the pecans and coconut

Gently removed the cake from the pan. 

Starting to frost

I used an offset spatula for a smooth surface

Heavenly layers of deliciousness

YES, I ate both of these pieces. OMG, 

Just so good. 

Chocolate Waffles

On Tuesday, it was National Waffle Day.... No we did not have waffles. I had actually started a dinner of a Chili Soup with Sweet Potatoes in it. I could have punted and save it for Wednesday, but how often do I have dinner started..... RARELY..... The chili was very good. I really like the sweet potato in it.

SO.... on Wednesday, I made waffles for dinner. I know that in the past, I have featured a recipe for my sister's waffle/pancake recipe. Those are also quite delicious, but these chocolate waffles are just somewhat different. O my goodness. Delicious. And they could definitely be made into ice cream sandwiches with some sliced fruit and chocolate sauce on top. That would be out of this world. Breakfast for dinner, breakfast for dessert or just for breakfast. We had chocolate waffles, over easy eggs, turkey bacon and a fruit smoothie for dinner. My Husband said it was the best dinner of the week. He is really not a complicated eater and is totally spoiled. Was this a perfect low calorie dinner, NO, but is was not horrible. Moderation during the day, and a hard work out in the morning. All is good.

I did not have any whipped cream, or I would have thrown that on top.

The Smoothie was a fruit theme with Chocolate Almond milk.

Chocolate Waffles

adapted from several recipes

Ingredients

6 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, HEAPING

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk (I used Almond Milk)

Directions

Warm up waffle iron and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add melted butter and sugar. Mix together. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla extract. Add flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Start to mix gently, pour in the milk. Continue to mix until totally incorporated and few lumps appear. 

Pour into your waffle iron and cook until firm. I place the extra waffles in a low temperature (250 degree) oven while the other waffles cook. 

Eat up and enjoy with some good maple syrup and fruit.

Just a few basic ingredients

The batter will be thick. 

There are no pictures in the waffle iron. I forgot

Good to Target or Walmart, get an inexpensive waffle iron and MAKE your own Waffles

Forget -- Eggo waffles, those are not real. 

This was a complete meal that went together quickly. 

Your family will find it FUN to eat breakfast for dinner. 

LIVE OUTSIDE the BOX. 

Chocolate Heaven Smoothie

A month long series. OR.... How many of these is she going to make. People, people, people, I am only beginning. I am also finding summer smoothies with melons in them.  I am SO excited for summer. But last night my Husband was craving something sweet. He really wanted ice cream without the fat. Whatever that is.. So, I thought for a moment and away I went.

Chocolate Heaven Smoothie
adapted by ME
Ingredients
1 cup Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
1/2 Vanilla yogurt (I was all out of Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup of grated almonds
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
1 or 2 squirts of chocolate syrup

Directions
Place ingredients in the blender in the order they are listed and BLEND

ADD ICE IF YOU WANT A THICKER CONSISTENCY

5 Simple Ingredients

IF you do not want chocolate, DO NOT add. 

My Husbands loves Chocolate 

If you saw that face that went with the, "why can I not just drink my smoothie"

Very good. 

Brownies from Heaven

How many Brownie recipes can there really be? I have asked myself that before. BUT, these Brownies are the bomb. One bowl wonders of amazing deliciousness.(is that a word) I have made these brownies four times now, and each time they were perfect. No debate.

These brownies are frosted. Some might say, that these would be "just fine" without frosting, but I disagree. The frosting is put on when you take the brownies out of the oven. It just melts in, adding more flavor.

Morsels of moist chocolaty deliciousness.

Brownies from Heaven

adapted from beckysrecipes.blogspot.com

Ingredients
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup of cocoa powder
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
Turn on oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a 9 x 13 pan. I have also used tin foil in my pan for easy removal. Spray tin foil if using that method.

In a large bowl, add butter and chocolate. Place in microwave and melt for a minute or two. Time depends on the power of your microwave. Continue to check and stir until completely melted. The butter will melt first, and then the chocolate.
Remove from the microwave and with a spatula, gently stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and mix. Then add remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined. Spread batter into baking pan and place in the oven for 28 minutes. Bake until toothpick comes out mostly clean, with a little bit of fudgey.

One bowl is all you need to make these brownies, NO mixer today

This is a full pan of brownies

Frosting

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter softened

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 - 2 cups of powdered sugar

Directions

Beat until combined to the consistency you like. Will be slightly stiff. Frost while the brownies are warm. The frosting will melt over the brownies. These brownies will not dry out. Let cool completely before cutting. 

A nice layer of frosting to add more flavor

Another quick easy recipe, that would be a hit at any party.