Peanut Butter Brownies

1 cup butter 

3/4 cup baking cocoa

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1 2/ cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 jar peanut butter, (18oz) creamy or chunky

1/3 cup milk

10 large marshmallows

2 cups powdered sugar

IN a saucepan, toss in 1 cup of butter and stir in 1/2 cup cocoa until smooth and remove. In an electric mixer toss in the eggs, sugar and vanilla beat well.  In a small bowl toss in flour and salt and gradually add this to the egg,sugar and vanilla mixture.  Next, pour in the cocoa mixture and mix well. Grease a 15x10 baking pan or cookie sheet that is at lease 1 inch deep.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Let cool.  In a saucepan toss in the peanut butter and melt over medium heat.  Stir well.  Pour and spread the PB mixture over the brownies.  In another saucepan toss in 1/4 cup cup cocoa and stir in milk until smooth. Add the marshmallows and 1/2 cup butter and stir until the mixture is smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar and stir well.  Spread this over the PB layer and refrigerate for 30 minutes ( and the minimum)  Cut into bars.  

Make about 48 bars. 

Chocolate Caramel Bars

1 box club crackers
1/2 cup butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
 1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup peanut butter

Grease a 9x13x2 baking pan.  Layer the club crackers on the bottom of the baking pan.  In a saucepan melt butter and then add graham cracker crumbs, sugars and milk.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour half of this mixture over the cracker layer in the baking pan.  Now add another layer of crackers and pour the other half of the mixture on top.  FInally add another layer of crackers.  (You should have 3 layers of crackers).  In a small saucepan melt chocolate and peanut butter, mix until smooth.  Pour this over the top and let cook.  Refrigerate if necessary.  Cut into bars.   

Heavenly Brownies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 oz chocolate
4 eggs
1 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup walnuts

Melt butter and chocolate together.  Remove from heat, add sugar and eggs. Toss in the rest of the ingredients and pour into a greased pan.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

BYU Mint Brownie

1 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 Tbsp honey

4 eggs

2 cup sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts (I left these out)

Melt butter and mix in cocoa.  Allow to cool.  Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  Add nuts.  Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool.

Mint Icing

5 Tbsp butter

dash of salt

3 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

2 1/3 C powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. mint extract

1-2 drops green food coloring

For the mint icing.  Soften butter.  Add salt, corn syrup and powdered sugar.  Beat until smooth and fluffy.  Add mint extract and green food coloring.  Mix.  Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

Spread mint icing over brownies.  Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing.  Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate frosting.

This recipe did not come with a chocolate frosting recipe so I used my own and spread it over the mint layer.  Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp baking cocoa
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4-5 tbsp milk

In a electric mixer toss in the butter and cream. Add the sugar and vanilla beating until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides as you go. Next add the cocoa and milk. It should be nice and fluffy. 

We loved these and I made them for a party and they were a hit.  It's an easy recipe and makes about 24 .

Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 cup Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ cup Butter

¾ cup Sugar

¾ cup Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Peanut Butter 

2 Eggs

1 ½ cup Quick Oats

PB layer

3/4 cup peanut butter

Chocolate layer

½ cup Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ cup Powdered Sugar

2 tbsp Cocoa

¼  cup Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

In a electric mixer toss in the butter, sugars, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Next,  toss in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until incorporated then toss in the oats. Take this mixture and spread it onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool.

The PB layer is spread over the cooled bars.  I like to whip the peanut butter up in an electric mixer until its fluffy (about 3 minutes). Finally the Chocolate layer.  In a small sauce pan over medium heat toss in the butter, milk and gradually add the cocoa and stir constantly. Just as it begins to boil remove the pan from the  heat and add vanilla. The final step is the powdered sugar, gradually incorporate the sugar. It will begin to thicken and that is the sign to pour it over the peanut butter. Gently spread the frosting all over the bars. Before you cut it into squares make sure it's completely cooled.  Serves about 24 bars

Pumpkin Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 can evaporated milk (5oz)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 package cinnamon chips
1 jar marshmallow creme (7oz)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil. Next, in a large saucepan toss in the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and pumpkin. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture boils and stir constantly.  Reduce heat to medium-low and continue boiling at a steady rate, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 234 degrees, or the soft-ball stage (about 20 to 25 minutes).  I sometimes need to adjust the heat to maintain a steady boil. Remove saucepan from heat and candy thermometer (if you used one). Stir in cinnamon chips and marshmallow creme.  Walnuts is an option and you toss them in at this point. Immediately spread fudge evenly in baking pan. Let it cool. When it is firm you can lift it out of pan. and cut into squares. Cover tightly and keep it in the refrigerator. Makes 95 squares.

Black and White Fudge

2 cups sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 package white baking pieces (12 oz)

1 jar marshmallow creme (7 oz)

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped 

In a 8x8 baking pan line with foil, extending the foil over edges of pan and butter the foil.

Butter the sides of a 3-quart saucepan. Toss in the sugar, evaporated milk, and salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from the stove and toss in white baking pieces and marshmallow creme. Beat mixture consistently until mixture starts to thicken. Pour 2 cup or half of the hot mixture into a bowl and stir 2 teaspoons of the vanilla into mixture in bowl.  This will be for the white chocolate layer. 

Now in a sauce pan toss in the 4 ounces chopped dark chocolate and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into mixture. Stir this until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove 1/3 cup of the dark chocolate mixture. Pout the remaining dark chocolate mixture evenly into the 8x8 buttered pan.

Spoon the white chocolate mixture over the dark chocolate mixture and spread evenly to edges of pan. Finally, Swirl in the 1/3 cup dark chocolate mixture. Cool for 15 minutes. 

Note: You can sprinkle with finely chopped dark chocolate on the top.

Cover with foil and chill for 2 to 3 hours or until firm. When fudge is firm, using the edges of the foil, lift fudge out of pan. Cut fudge into squares.

Crispy Delight Bars

1 Cup Regular Peanut Butter
1 Bag Butterscotch Chips
8 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal
2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate
1/4 Cup butter (room temp)
2 Tbsp water
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 13x9 Baking pan, greased

In a small sauce pan melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter stirring until smooth.  Toss in the cereal and mix well. Divide this mixture in half and spread it into the 13x9 pan.  Set aside additional cereal mixture. In another small pan melt chocolate chips and butter and stir until smooth.  Stir in water and gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Spread this mixture over the top of the cereal spread in pan.  Place in refrigerator for 12 minutes or until the chocolate layer is firm.  Remove from refrigerator and spread the remaining cereal mixture on top of the chocolate layer. Place in the refrigerator before cutting into squares.

Cocoa Conversions

Here are some conversion for chocolate if you don't have it and only have cocoa powder. I
made brownies with this conversion and it worked wonderfully.

Unsweetened Chocolate
3 tbsp of cocoa and 1 tbsp of oil equals 1 oz of baking chocolate

Semi-sweet Chocolate
1/4 cup Cocoa, 2 tbs and 2 tsp oil, 1/4 cup and 2 tsp of sugar equals 4oz semi-sweet chocolate

Lemon Bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, room temp
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice, I prefer fresh but use what you have
1 tbsp flour, may need 1 tsp more
1 tbsp lemon peel, grated

In a medium bowl toss in flour and powdered sugar, then butter. Use your hands to mix until you have round pearl size crumbs. Press this into a 9 x 12 baking dish and bake at 350 until golden, about 20 minutes. Next, in a electric mixer toss in eggs, sugar, lemon juice, flour and lemon peel. Blend well. Pour into crust and bake at 350 until mixture is set, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Sift powdered sugar over top cut and serve.