Chocolate Oatmeal Chews

These are my go-to squares when I am in a hurry or doing a lot of baking and need something quick for the freezer. They are so quick to whip up, taste delicious, freeze well, but never last long around this house. Hope your family enjoys them as much as we do.

 

Chocolate Oatmeal Chews

3/4 c. margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream margarine and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Combine flour, oatmeal, baking soda and salt, add to creamed mixture and mix well. Set aside about 1 cup of crumb mixture for the topping and press the rest into a greased 9x13. Sprinkle marshmallows and chocolate chips over the base and then sprinkle that with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

I made these for our Mother's Day BBQ and there are so good (and rich ;)). My husband thought they tasted like Reese Pieces, and needless to say they were all gone within 24 hours!

 

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Brownies:
1 c. butter, melted
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Peanut Butter Filling:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. icing sugar
2-3 tsp. milk

Ganache Topping:
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. butter
2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Add the sugar to the melted butter and beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in cocoa, salt and baking powder, then add the flour till just combined. Pour into greased and parchment lined 9 x 13 pan. (I greased a metal 9x13, then lined with parchment and greased that too, came out slick as ever) Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Then let cool before topping.
Beat peanut butter filling ingredients till smooth and top cooled brownies, then put in the fridge for about an hour until set. While the filling is setting combine the ganache ingredients in a saucepan and slowly melt together and combine. Pour/spread over the peanut butter filling and return to fridge to set.

Chocolate Velvet Dessert

Some people buy their Valentine chocolates and flowers, I bake! And this was part of Lyndon's Valentines' gift this year, and oh boy! was it delicious! Don't count calories with this one, because you don't want to know, but once a year it is fun to make something special and memorable. You only need a thin slice because it is filling. This would be an awesome WOW dessert to make for a crowd :)

 

 

Chocolate Velvet Dessert

 

1 1/2 c. chocolate crumbs

1/4 c. butter, melted

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 egg yolks

1 3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Combine crumbs and melted butter and press into a greased 9" spring form pan, bake at 350 for 10 min. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a large pot, stir till smooth and allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl whisk together egg yolks, cream and vanilla, slowly add to melted chocolate whisking beating vigorously until smooth. Pour into crust and bake at 350 for an additional 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 hour, then run a knife around the edge and refrigerate overnight.

 

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

3 c. icing sugar

3 Tbsp. cocoa

3-4 Tbsp. milk

 

Beat together, and pipe onto cooled cake.

Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter Toffee

This is my absolute favorite holiday candy! It is so addictive, I'll even go to the bottom of my freezer to have a piece. It's not hard to make, and people will be asking you for more (if you decide to share it :))

Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter Toffee
adapted from taste of home

1 1/2 c. sliced almonds
200 g. milk chocolate (I get 2 bars of Co-op Fine Swiss Chocolate)
1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cold water

Toast almonds in 350 oven for  5-10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally and watching closely till they just start to golden. Can give the nuts a rough chop if you like, I usually just leave them as is. Grind chocolate in a food processor until fine (I grate my chocolate bars, with my cheese grater). Sprinkle 1 c. nuts over the bottom of a well greased (or parchment-lined) jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet). Sprinkle 1 c. of ground chocolate over the nuts and set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar and water, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 280-290 (soft-crack stage), I stop at 280 otherwise I find it hard to pour. Very quickly pour mixture over nuts and chocolate. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and the remaining nuts. Chill and break into pieces.

Creamy Christmas Truffles

It is that time of year again ... Christmas baking time! Anyone who knows me knows this is my absolute favorite baking event of the year! I thought I'd give you a little taster of the things I like to whip up this time of year, I hope to post a number of family favorite treats and make ahead appetizers over the coming weeks. These truffles are melt-in-your-mouth perfection, I have always been nervous to try homemade truffles, but they are actually not that hard and if you follow the instructions you should have no problems.

 

 

Creamy Christmas Truffles

 

2/3 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. butter (no substitutions this time)

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

8 squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I use Baker's that you buy in a box in the baking isle)

 

Coatings:

1 1/4 c. finely ground nuts (I used walnuts this time) or chocolate wafer crumbs

 

In a saucepan combine whipping cream, butter and sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture boils. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and chocolate, stirring until chocolate is melted. Refrigerate mixture for 5 hours, or until it is firm enough to roll into balls. Drop chocolate mixture by tablespoon into coating and roll into balls. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.   Makes 36 pieces.

 

Note: you can change the flavour by substituting the vanilla with a liqueur of your choice.

Caramel Chocolate Sheet Cake

The caramel layer on this traditional sheet cake makes this cake out-of-this-world! Makes a big batch for a big crowd.

 

Caramel Chocolate Sheet Cake

1 c. margarine
6 Tbsp. cocoa
1 c. hot water
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream

Boil together margarine, cocoa and water, remove from heat and put into mixing bowl. Add sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla and flour, beat until smooth. Add eggs and sour cream. Spread into jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done. Meanwhile prepare caramel sauce:

3/4 c. margarine
3/4 c. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Boil sauce ingredients for 2 minutes, watch carefully as it scorches easily.

Remove cake from oven, let sit for 5 minutes, poke holes in cake with meat fork about 1/2 inch apart. Spoon some of sauce over the cake, filling all the holes. Let remaining sauce cool till spreading consistency. Then spread remainder of sauce over cake.
When cake is no longer warm, whip:

1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

Spread over caramel layer and top with:

2-3 Skor bars, crumbled

Store in fridge until serving, enjoy:)

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Last week was Hubby's Birthday, and he LOVES chocolate! I've had this recipe for a few years and finally remembered to make it on his Birthday.  I wish I started making it earlier, it's nummy, chocolaty and rich but not overly so, it also takes a bit of extra work, but since I like to make Birthdays special, it is worth it once a year. Hope you enjoy;)

 

Chocolate Truffle Cake

2 1/2 c. milk
1 c. butter, cubed
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
6 Tbsp. butter, cubed
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 c. icing sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

Ganache:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (once again, choc. chips)
2/3 c. heavy whipping cream

In large saucepan, cook milk, butter and chocolate over low heat until melted. Remove from heat; let stand for 10 minutes.
In large bowl, beat eggs and vanilla, stir in chocolate mixture until smooth. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into mixture. Transfer to 3 greased 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans, let cool completely on wire racks before icing.
For filling, in a saucepan, melt butter and chocolate. Stir in icing sugar and cream until smooth.
For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk till smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache is spreading consistency. (This took a really long time for me so next time I think I will make this step when I make the cakes and let it sit on the counter).
Set aside 1/2 cup filling for garnish. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the remaining filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread ganache over top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved filling. Store in fridge.

Cola Marinated Pork Chops & Cola Cake

I guess it was a Cola kind of day, I made our favorite recipe for marinating pork chops using Coca-Cola, and decided to try this recipe for cake using the rest of the Coca-Cola. I love this icing, think it'll be my 'go to' chocolate icing for a while.

 



Cola Cake

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 c. Cola
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. miniature chocolate chips
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. buttermilk (I just put 1/2 tsp. lemon juice in 1/2 c. measuring cup and fill with 2% milk)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour and sugar, set aside. In a saucepan bring cocoa, Cola and butter to a boil (I did this in the microwave in large glass bowl, and it turned out fine). Combine the boiled mixture with flour mixture. In separate bowl combine eggs, buttermilk, baking powder and soda, and vanilla, add to first mixture. Stir in marshmallows. Pour into greased 9 x 13 and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Icing:
1/2 c. butter
1 Tbsp. cocoa
1/3 c. Cola
4 c. icing sugar

In saucepan bring butter, cocoa and Cola to a boil (once again I just mic'd it). Stir in sugar and mix well, I found a whisk worked best for this step). Pour over warm cake, allow to cool and enjoy:)

 

I often down size this recipe for our smaller family, and I get to share the rest of the Cola with the kids :)

 

Cola Marinated Pork Chops

 

1 can Cola (1 1/2 c.)

1/4 c. soy sauce

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. ginger

3/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

6 pork chops

Combine first 7 ingredients to make marinade. Marinade pork chops 8 hours or overnight in refrigerator. BBQ 5-6 minutes per side over medium heat. (You can also set aside 1/2 cup of marinade before combining with pork chops and use it as a baste while grilling the chops)

Brownie Cookies & Oatmeal Cookies

Since I missed posting yesterday, I posted two cookie recipes I made today...

I have made different variations of this recipe over the years (like adding Skor bits instead of oatmeal, yum yum) but found this idea for oatmeal on the blog Mennonite Girls Can cook. It turned out just as good, I love the fact that it is super easy (using a box mix) and that it always seems to turn out for me.


Brownie Cookies

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1/2 c. margarine, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. rolled oats

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool before removing.


Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 c. lard
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. coconut

Cream lard with sugars, add egg and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and stir into lard mixture until well mixed. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Let sit a few moments before removing from pan to cool.

Apparently I have an oatmeal craving today:)

Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

This is a family favorite! And I love it because it makes such a big batch and is pretty enough to bring to potluck, etc. It looks complicated but is really easy to make.

Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars
3/4c. margarine, softened
1 1/2c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
4 c. mini marshmallows
 
In mixing bowl, cream margarine and sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla. Add next 4 ingredients, and stir in nuts if using. It will be thick but spread in greased jelly roll pan (which is a large cookie sheet, took my a while before I figured this out :)) Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with marshmallows then return to oven for 2-3 minutes. Using a spatula (dipped in water) spread marshmallows (I usually just pat them down). Cool.

Topping:
1 1/2c. chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. margarine
1 c. peanut butter
2 c. Rice Krispies

Melt first 3 ingredients in saucepan over low heat. When melted add cereal and spread over bars. Chill. I find it helps to let them sit on the counter for a minute or two before cutting.

Hope you enjoy,
Stephanie