Here's another recipe/result of my Pinterest surfing. I currently have 388 pins on my "Sweets" board, which is a little crazy. When in the world am I going to make 388 different desserts!?! The recipes that I actually make have to not only look good, but be simple enough for me to take the time to do. One day a few weeks ago- this recipe fit those requirements, so I gave it a try. It did not disappoint!! Peanut butter and chocolate is always a good idea. These bars add oatmeal and end up a little melty and gooey. I found them best served warm with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Our weather has been up and down A LOT over the last few weeks, but the next time its up and we can host a backyard bbq, this dessert will definitely be on my menu!
Líne a 9×13 pan wíth tín foíl and spray líghlty wíth cooking spray.
In a medíum míxíng bowl, stír together melted butter, sugar, soda, oatmeal, flour & salt untíl ít’s crumbly. Set asíde about 1 cup or a líttle more.
Press the rest of the crust into the prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes.
Whíle crust ís cookíng, ín a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and sweetened condensed mílk.
Once crust has baked, evenly pour and spread peanut butter fíllíng over the baked crust. Be gentle so you don’t pull up the warm crust whíle you spread the fíllíng.
Evenly sprínkle the reserved crumbs on top of the peanut butter and sweetened condensed mílk míxture. Bake at 350 for about 15 mínutes.
After 15 mínutes, remove from the oven and sprínkle the chopped candy bars and chocolate chíps evenly over the top. Return to oven to bake for another 5-10 mínutes or untíl the toppíng ís líght golden brown and candy bars/chíps are meltíng.
Life has been crazy lately! My son started kindergarten, my daughter started preschool, they both have swimming lessons, my daughter has dance class, it goes on and on and on.... I feel like I'm always sitting in the car waiting to drop off or pick up a kid. God bless I-Phones and the Pinterest app! Its a great way to kill time. When you see a recipe that says "The Most Popular Recipe on Pinterest" you have to be a dummy not to try it, right? Well thats what I thought when I saw this one. One day when I needed an easy dessert recipe I decided to try it out.
(Here's our first day of preschool. Clearly she had her big brother's full support!)
These bars are very easy to make. They would have to be these days, I don't have time for complicated. Its a perfect dessert to take to a pot luck, picnic or party, super easy to transport. If you like peanut butter and chocolate its a clear winner. They really didn't last long in my house. Give them a try. If you're reading this in the pick up lane, lobby of dance class or doctors office, I feel your pain. :)
~Wendy
Crunchers
Author: Pinterest
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 16
Ingredients
80 Keebler Club Crackers (or a similarly buttery cracker that has a rectangular shape)
1 c butter
2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 c milk
1/3 c sugar
2/3 c creamy peanut butter
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Line an ungreased 9 X 13-inch baking pan with foil, allowing foil to extend about an inch on either end. Line the foil with 1 layer of club crackers, cutting to fit if necessary.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Begin timing 5 minutes from when you see the first bubbles)
Remove from heat and spread half of graham mixture evenly over crackers. Place another single layer of crackers evenly over graham mixture, cutting to fit if necessary. Spread remaining graham mixture evenly over crackers. Top evenly with remaining crackers.
In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter and chocolate chips. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over top of crackers. Cover, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Lift foil overhang and remove Crunchers from pan. Cut into bars.
You'd better believe this will be making an appearance in the coming month. In my family at least, June is THE month to be born. Heck, don't limit it to family and I swear I know of someone celebrating every other day.
My mom has been making this super easy chocolate cherry cake as long as I can remember. It was automatically on my dad's birthday menu year after year. I will often keep a can of cherry pie filling and chocolate cake mix in the pantry so it won't require a trip to the store and dessert can be thrown together quickly. Best part is that it won't taste like it.
HEAVEN comes in a 9x13 pan.
And if you are a chocolate frosting fan, you're in luck. It's super fudgy in a Texas Sheet Cake kind of way, and there are no cake decorating skills required.
I guarantee all your June babies will be pleased.
Chocolate Cherry Bars
Author: Erin (adapted from a Pillsbury recipe)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
Cake
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling (21 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Frosting
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
5 tsp. butter
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips (one 6 oz. package)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease or spray a 9x13 pan.
Mix together all cake ingredients until well blended, and pour into prepared pan.
Bake 25-35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
In a saucepan, combine sugar, milk and butter.
Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from pan from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth.
Pour frosting over warm bars, and spread to edges.
Allow to cool completely and cut into bars.
Notes
I have had good results with any kind of devil's food or fudge cake mix. You can definitely mix this cake by hand. A mixer works fine too but tends to crush the cherries, so they might not be as obvious in the finished product.
I honestly think I could live without my husband chocolate before I could do without caramel (just kidding honey!). Give me a box of 100 assorted chocolates and I can pick out the one that is just a plain ol' chocolate covered caramel 9 times out of 10. My sister makes these UH-MAZING homemade caramels at Christmas time and gives them as gifts and I have taken to not letting anyone else in my family have any...nice spirit of sharing, right?! I find myself wondering about a person (even my 7-year-old son) if they choose the hot fudge sundae at McDonald's over the hot caramel. They do not even COMPARE in my mind! I have recently become obsessed with the salted caramel pudding that's available at California Pizza Kitchen right now. If you have one within an hour of your house (or maybe even two), get in your car. Now. It is that worth it. If you don't, stay tuned because I am determined to either replicate the recipe or at least come up with something similar that could compare.
When Wendy had her cookie exchange this past December, I made these apple cider caramel cookies but I somehow vastly overestimated how many of the Kraft caramels I would need to buy. I was looking at my 2 1/2 bags of caramels in my cabinet wondering what the heck I was going to do with them barring making a LOT of caramel apples or just giving them to Erin who LOVES them. Being the good friend that I am, I decided to spare Erin's waistline and just try to find a recipe that called for them and sounded good (and then feed her THOSE). I must say this is one of those times that I stumbled upon a recipe and hit the darn jackpot! I found it on the Kraft website (of all places -- duh) and only changed the recipe the teeniest bit by adding more caramel (of course) and a little bit of salt. ~Leah
Caramel Marshmallow Bars
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Leah (adapted from Kraft)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15-20
Pecan shortbread crust topped with caramel, marshmallows, and chocolate.
Ingredients
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
35 Kraft caramels
2 1/2 Tbsp. water
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Process the pecans in food processor until very fine...like sand. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, pecans, salt and cracker crumbs; mix well. Remove 1/4 cup of the crumb mixture; set aside. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake 18 min. or until lightly browned.
Melt caramels with water in heavy saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup crumb mixture, the marshmallows and chopped chocolate.
Bake an additional 12 min. and then broil for another 1 to 2 minutes, keeping a close eye, until marshmallows are lightly browned. Cool. Cut into 20-24 bars to serve.
