Something in the Middle Brownies with Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge Frosting

The credit for this goes to my son Hunter. He loves to bake with me and these are his concoction. I give him a box mix to start and then lay out a bunch of mix ins on the counter and he chooses what he wants and runs with it. All of it is his idea. And WOW were these amazing. Fluffy marshmallow combined with peanut butter and fudge : ) OOOOO a tastebuds heaven : ) He also named them : )

1 box of fudge brownies and all ingrediants for it
FILLING
smuckers marshmallow ice cream topping
1/4 c jif peanut butter
FROSTING
fudge frosting (we used betty crocker)
smuckers marshmallow ice cream topping
jif peanut butter


1 Mix batter according to directions on box

2 Pour 1/2 the batter into your prepared pan (spray with non stick cooking spray)

3 Mix marshmallow and peanut butter in a bowl until desired taste and consistancy

4 Drop a teaspoon every 2 inches into batter in pan (i used perfect brownnie pan so i put one teaspoon into each brownie section)

5 Top with remaining batter

6 Bake in oven according to directions on box (in PBP i baked it at 325 for about 28 minutes)

7 Remove from oven and cool.

8 Mix fudge frosting, peanut butter to taste in a bowl.

9 Now add marshmallow to taste

10 Frost cooled brownies and enjoy the somthin in the middle : )

A Twist to Green Beans

My daughter hates green beans and over the years i have tried to make them in soo many ways but this is one of two ways she will eat them. (they other way is fresh and stir fried in garlic) This is so easy and the end result is really tasty, even my veggie hating kiddies will eat these : )

2 cans green beans, drained (i used one can french cut and one can kitchen cut)
about 3 teaspoons minced garlic in oil
granulated onion
garlic powder
badia or sazon complete seasoning (i used sazon)
seasoned italian style bread crumbs (i used progresso)
1/2 stick butter or margarine (can use unsalted if desired)


Put beans in a glass casserole or baking dish. Add dabs of butter over top of beans. Sprinkle minced garlic over beans

Sprinkle granulated onion over top of beans

Sprinkle garlic powder over top of beans

Sprinkle with Complete Seasoning and Seasoned italian bread crumbs

Toss gently and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes

Fully Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch

I got this recipe off of a flour bag many years ago when I first started baking cookies for the holidays. I tweaked it to my liking, adding the peanut butter chips and the nuts among other things lol and my family loves when I bake them! I was going thru my recipes on my computer for my daughters cookbook and came across this one and thought I would post it. No idea why I only make them at Christmas, except for the fact that I rarely have time to bake from scratch with work and the kids and all the other things i am involved in lol. but i think i will try to make a batch again soon! They are many of the things i love rolled up into one cookie : )

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar,packed

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 1/4 c all purpose flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3/4 cup crushed pecans, or chopped fine

3/4 c milk chocolate chips ( i use ghirardelli)

3/4 c peanut butter chips

3/4 c butterscotch chips or toffee chips (i use toffee)

Directions
1 In a large mixing bowl mix together both sugars, butter and egg.

2 Stir in flour, soda and salt. (this will make a stiff dough)

3 Now stir in nuts and chips.

4 Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 min until light brown. Centers will be soft.

5 Allow to cool slightly on cookie sheet and then transfer to cooling rack

Chili Double Cheese Dip with a Kick

A good friend of mine brought this to one of my get togethers and i was hooked. I have seen similiar recipe but dont recall seeing this exact one so I decided to post it. You can omit the jalepenos if you arent into the spicy kick they add. Either way the dip is delish! I serve it with the fritos scoops. the corn flavor of the fritos works so well with the dip. Its quick and easy and can be put together at home and cooked when you arrive so that its nice and fresh and hot : )

2 cans hormel chili, no beans
	1 large block of cream cheese
	2 packages shredded colby jack cheese
	1 can black olives, sliced or minced
	1 jar jalapenos, sliced or minced

Directions
1 In a glass, rectanglular baking dish spread out one can of chili

2 Slice cream cheese into thin slices and placce them on top of chili covering entire thing

3 now top this off by spreading the second can of chili over the cream cheese

4 sprinkle half the olives and jalapenos over the chili

5 Top this off with the shredded colby jack cheese (depending on size of dish you may use one or two bags.)

6 If desired sprinkle the remaining jalapenos and olives on top

7 Microwave on high for 3 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes

8 Microwave again for 1 minute

9 Serve with Scoopable frito corn chips....and be prepared to become addicted : )

Blueberry Jam Cake or as I call it "The Ugly Duckling Cake"

Ok so its not the prettiest cake in the bakery lol, the addition of the jam makes the cake a very dark color as does the addition of the blueberry juice to the glaze, but as my son says "its not how it looks but how it tastes that matters!" And let me tell you this turned out amazing! It is like a giant, super moist, super flavorful blueberry muffin! the glaze gave it that extra flavor, however this cake is so delicious it can stand on its own or you can dust it with a bit of powdered sugar. I was bored after work yesterday since my son was off with his daddy and i hit the kitchen. Groceries were slim pickens lol since i am back to work and have to wait till fridays to shop now. : ) So I pulled out a few things from the frig and cabinet and this is what i came up with!! Will definitely be trying this with other flavors of jam!! Dont let the funny color turn you off, if you make this cake you will absolutely love it!!

Ingredients
1 pillsbury moist supreme classic white cake mix
16 to 18 oz jar of blueberry preserves or jam (i used smuckers)
1/2 c milk
1/2 c oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 extra large eggs
GLAZE (AMOUNTS DEPEND ON HOW MUCH GLAZE YOU WANT) (I DID JUST A DRIZZLE)
confectioners sugar
milk
blueberry juice (to taste)



Preheat oven to 350 and spray and lightly flour a bundt pan

Put all ingredients for cake into a large bowl and mix on low speed till blended, then on medium speed till well mixed (about 2 minutes)

pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated 350 oven for 50 to 60 min or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean.

Remove and allow to cool. Then invert cake pan onto plate and tap gently to release. (i use a very thin rubber spatula to loosen it around edges)

For Glaze : In small bowl mix confectioners sugar and milk to desired consistancy

Add blueberry juice till desired taste is reached. (you mak have to add a bit more sugar if it thins up too much)

Glaze cake and enjoy!! (It really isnt the prettiest cake lol but the taste and smell will oh so make up for that, after all remember the Ugly Duckling ; )

Strawberry Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

This was an experiment because my son loves strawberry banana and of course he wanted chocolate chips lol. This is a soft cookie filled with yummy chocolate and topped off with strawberry icing and sprinkles. So easy and now a favorite with my little guy : )

Strawberry Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

1	strawberry cake mix
	2	large eggs
	1/2 cup	butter (softened)
	1 cup	chocolate chips
	1 tsp	banana extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Mix the cake mix, eggs and butter together until just moist.
3. Add the chips and extract and mix.
4. Drop by the spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.

Strawberry frosting (canned or mix the juice from container of strawberries into your favorite vanilla frosting

Allow cookies to cool and then pipe icing on top

Peanut Butter Surprise Brownie Cookies

Big Big hit with the family! Chocolatey Brownie Cookies, filled with milk chocolate chips and topped off with a creamy peanut butter thats hidden under a chocolatey coating. These are decadent and delicious and well they are chocolate, lol enough said! : )

 

Peanut Butter Surprise Brownie Cookies

Ingrediants:

1 Box Fudge Brownie Mix

1/4  cup butter or margarine, melted

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips (i use ghirardelli)

Peanut Butter surprise:

1 c powdered sugar

1 c peanut butter (creamy)

1 container milk chocolate frosting (you can also use fudge frosting)

1 In large bowl beat the brownie mix, cream cheese, butter and egg until well blended. This will result in a sticky dough.

2 Fold in chocolate chips

3 Drop by well rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and smooth around edges of cookies to keep them round.

4 In another bowl mix peanut butter and powdered sugar with a spoon until it forms a ball..

5 Using rounded teaspoonful of dough roll into balls with your hands and lightly press the peanut butter balls into the middle of the brownie balls.

6 Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 10 to 14 minutes

7 Remove cookies and cool for about 30 minutes

8 Take cookies from the cookie sheets and spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting over the peanut butter centers. (I did this while still slightly warm because i wanted the chocolate to melt.)

9 I topped mine with peanut butter chips : )

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Maple Frosting

I had to make my son pumpkin cookies the other day and he loved them. (I got the recipe from A fellow JAP member and they were wonderful) This morning he asked for them again and I was out of half the ingredients lol So I used what I had on hand to try to duplicate the homemade cookies from a few days ago. This was so easy and they were delicious.  The original recipe called for a cream cheese frosting but HUnter doesnt like it so I improvised and made a maple frosting since he loves pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup. Yum to die for!

 

Ingrediants:

Pumpkin Spice Bread Mix

1/3 c pumpkin

1 egg

1/2 c softened butter

1 T cinnamon

Mix all ingrediants in bowl and drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes.

ICING

1 container vanilla frosting

a few drops of maple syrup

Blend icing ingrediants and top off cooled cookies with it

Anise and Walnut Biscotti

My family loves anise and they love biscotti. This is a biscotti recipe that starts with a mix and it is pretty easy to do. I made anise walnut flavor but you can use a lemon mix and lemon extract with a lemon glaze, or orange mix, orange extract and a chocolate or orange glaze, or maybe a white mix and almond extract, crushed almonds and a chocolate glaze. the possibilities are endless. We love our biscotti with our morning coffee. yum

 

1 box yellow cake mix
5 eggs
2 t anise extract (yes 2 tablespoons)
3/4 c oil
1 c chopped walnuts
favorite vanilla frosting with anise extract blended in

Directions

1

Pour cake mix in large bowl

2

Add oil

3

Add all five eggs

4

Mix by hand until blended. Add extract and walnuts

5

Now beat with mixer on high for about 2 minutes

6

Pour into jelly roll pan sprayed with non stick spray. (Mixture is kind of thick)

7

Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. (it will be slightly pulling away from edge of pan and a nice golden color)

8

Remove from oven and allow to cool

9

Once cool slice with knife vertically and then horizontally into size desired. Turn oven temp up to 350 degrees

10

Now remove from jelly roll pan gently and place cut side down on UNGREASED cookie sheet, Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes per side. (flip over and bake other side)

11

Cool slightly and then frost or drizzle with anise icing. Store in tightly sealed container at room temp once biscotti are completely cooled.

12

Read my notes for other flavor variations on this crisp on the outside and softer in the center flavorful cookie.

Banana Walnut Loaf with Easy Banana Frosting

My family loves banana cake, loaf, bread, muffins lol you name it. This is a very moist loaf, sort of a cross between bread and cake. Its great all on its own but my mom loves it with banana frosting. I made this frosting from a canned white frosting and banana extract. OMG it was insanely delicious. I put the cake out on the counter and about 2 hours later the whole thing was history.

1 1/2 c flour, unbleached
1 c brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened at room temperature
2 eggs
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 1/4 c mashed ripe bananas
1 1/4 t vanilla extract (do not use vanilla flavoring)
1/2 c sour cream or 1/2 c vanilla or plain yogurt
1/2 c crushed walnuts
1 can white frosting (white, not vanilla)
banana extract


1
Using mixer cream butter till fluffy. Add sugar to this and blend well. Add eggs one at a time mixing well in between each egg.
2
In seperate bowl sift flour, baking soda and salt.
3
Add a third of the dry mix and a third of the mashed banana to the creamed butter mix, blending well. then repeat this until all dry mix and bananas are blended into creamed butter mixture.
4
Now add your vanilla and blend in. Then blend in sour cream or yogurt (i used sour cream) gently until well mixed. Add cinnamon and blend into batter. Now fold in walnuts.
5
Using a non stick loaf pan sprayed with non stick cooking spray (or lined with parchment paper) Pour batter into pan.
6
Place pan into preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for about an hour (checking after 45 minutes by inserting toothpick into center, if it comes out clean it is done. Top of bread should be firm not jiggly)
7
Allow to cool on wire rack.
8
Invert onto plate or tray and allow to cool completely. (you may have to run a butter knife gently around pan to loosen, and/or tap gently on bottom. make sure cake is cooled so it doesnt fall apart when inverted)
9
Empty 1/2 to 3/4 can of white icing into a small bowl. Add banana extract and stir until completely blended. taste frosting and add additional extract until it is the flavor you desire. Frost top of cake with banana frosting. (it may drizzle down sides)
10
Enjoy with a cup of coffee, iced coffee or maybe a scoop of ice cream (i like banana or vanilla