Caramel Brownies

It's snowing outside...again.  Seemed like a good time to make a comfort dessert.  I had a bag of Ghirdardelli Caramel baking chips that needed a home.  Half the bag found it's way into these brownies.  And I love baking brownies because you only have to clean up a saucepan since you line the baking pan.

Caramel Brownies ~

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup Ghirdardelli Caramel baking chips

Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Stir in sugar.  Add egg, buttermilk and vanilla.  Mix in the dry ingredients.  Stir until smooth.  Fold in the caramel chips.  Pour into an 8 x 8 greased pan (I used non-stick aluminum foil and lined it).  Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.  Allow to cool before cutting.

Instant Pot Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

A bowl of warm raisin rice pudding is a great way to start off this Easter morning.  It took less than 20 minutes to make and the creamy goodness warms you up on a cool Spring morning.  I used golden raisins...they are my favorite.  You can make the pudding without any raisins if your prefer.

Instant Pot Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

Mix together in your Instant Pot ~

1 cup Arborio Rice
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter

Seal your instant pot and cook on rice setting.  Release after 10 minutes and stir in 1 1/2 cups of warm whole milk on saute setting.

In a small bowl, mix together ~

1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar

Stir into rice mixture and turn off the Instant Pot.  Remove the pan and stir in 3/4 cup of raisins.

Crock Pot Apple Crisp

Fall is in the air and it's apple season.  I decided to make apple crisp in my crock pot so I could enjoy the aroma of apples and cinnamon for 4 hours verses 30 minutes in the oven.  

Crock Pot Apple Crisp 

5 apples, I had Gala on hand
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Mix together and spread out evenly on the bottom of the crock pot.

Topping 

1 cup regular oats
3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces.

Mix the topping together with your fingers until the butter and mixture forms small clumps.  Spread out evenly over the apples.  Cook on medium for 4 hours until the apples soften.  Serve warm or cold.  I topped mine with ice cream and caramel sauce.

Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Brownies

Cakelike brownies made with buttermilk in the brownie batter and the icing.  I only had the option of a half gallon of buttermilk at the grocery store so there will be lots of recipes made with it this week.  So far I've made these and buttermilk baked chicken.  I made the brownies in a large saucepan - there's no need to dirty up extra dishes if not needed.



Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Brownies

Place in a large saucepan and heat until the butter has melted

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water

Stir in ~

1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir until smooth.  Pour into an 8 x 8 greased pan (I used non-stick aluminum foil and lined it).  Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.  Allow to cool before icing.

Icing ~

2 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp. buttermilk
2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Ice the brownies and cut into serving sizes.

  

Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

I was craving rice pudding last weekend and decided to try making a smaller (and easier) way to make it.  I buy Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice.  It's the easiest way I've found to make rice and it turns out perfectly every time.  And I ended up only using one saucepan...win win.

Creamy Raisin Rice Pudding

1 bag Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice

1 cup Half and Half

1 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins, I used golden

Cook your boil in the bag rice in a large saucepan.  Empty into the sink and put the saucepan back on the stove with the Half and Half and 1/2 cup milk.  Stir in the sugars, rice (remove from the bag).  Cook over low heat until it thickens.  In another bowl whisk together egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.  Add a little of the hot mixture into the yolk mixture gradually, stirring constantly to temper the egg yolks.  Pour all of the yolk mixture into the saucepan.  Add in the raisins and cinnamon and cook until thickened.  Serve warm or cold.  Refrigerate any leftovers. 

Nutella Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

What better way to brighten up a cold and snowy day than with a luxurious chocolate dessert….this one will definitely do that and it’s easy to make.  I had a fresh jar of Nutella on my counter so I decided to add that to my recipe.  I used dark cocoa since that’s all I have on hand but regular will work just as well.

 

Nutella Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Bottom layer ~

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp dark cocoa (I used King Arthur Flour Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa)
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp canola oil

1/3 cup Nutella

Mix together in a bowl and spread into a greased 9 x 9 pan.

Top with ~

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark cocoa

Combine in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the batter.  Pour 1 3/4 cup of hot water on top.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350°.

Caramel Apple Tart

It's definitely caramel apple season in my home.  This dessert has the smooth, silky caramel on top of an apple tart.  

Caramel Apple Tart

Tart Shell ~

1 ¼ cups flour

¾ cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ cup cold butter, sliced in small pieces

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla

Put all the dry ingredients in your food processor with the blade and pulse until combined.  Add in butter slices.  Pulse again until just combined so the butter doesn’t get too warm.  In a small dish, combine the milk, egg and vanilla.  Pour into the flour mixture and pulse until a dough forms.  Remove the dough from the processor and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for a half hour.  Remove from the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes.  Roll out until the dough is ¼” thick.  Butter  the bottom only of your tart pan.  Place dough in pan.  Only lightly pressing down and on the sides.  Trim off any extra.  Return to refrigerator while your oven heats up to 350°.  Cover the bottom of the dough with aluminum foil and add pie weights.  When the oven is heated, bake for 30 minutes.

Let the tart cool for 15 minutes.  While that is going on, melt 1/2 cup butter and allow to cool slightly.

When cool, stir in ~

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Skin and slice 2 apples and lay in a circular pattern on your tart crust.  Pour butter mixture evenly over the top.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 50 minutes.  Allow to cool.  In a microwave safe bowl, heat 20 caramels and 1 tbsp of milk for 1 minute.  Drizzle over the top of the cooled tart.

Blackberry Pear Crisp

I have loved this flavor combination ever since I made jam using them together.  It's makes a perfect dessert for a nice (or even rainy) Fall day.  

Blackberry Pear Crisp

3 pears, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2  cup water
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 large egg slightly beaten
1/2 cup butter melted

Place the blackberries and pears in a greased 9" square pan.  Mix first five ingredients together and stir into blackberries and pears.  Sift remaining ingredients (not the butter) together, add the beaten egg and stir until crumbly.  Sprinkle over top of the fruit mixture.  Drizzle melted butter over topping.  Bake for 1 hour at  325°

German Chocolate Brownies

I originally thought about making cupcake but then decided to make some brownies and top them with coconut & pecan icing instead of a chocolate fudge icing.  It was my first time making this icing and it's really simple to do...much better than the premade stuff.

German Chocolate Brownies

Brownies -

In a medium saucepan -

Melt 1 stick of butter
Stir in -
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder.

Pour batter into an 8 x 8 pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil.  Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.

Icing -

1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut

Combine the evaporated milk, egg yolks, butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla.  Stir and then add in the pecans and coconut.  Allow to cool to room temperature before icing the brownies. 

Red, White & Blue Icebox Cake

Here’s a dessert to make for the 4^th of July holiday.  I used my own cookie recipe but you can use graham crackers or Nilla wafers just as easily and it would save you time.  Allow 8 hours for the cookies to soften so you can cut into the cake easily.

Red, White & Blue Berry Icebox Cake

Cookies ~

White Crack Cookies ~

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream together butter, shortening and sugars.  Add in the egg and vanilla.  Mix together dry ingredients in a small bowl and gradually add into batter.  Roll in balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350°.  Let sit on the baking sheets for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Filling ~

8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
Lemon zest & juice from 1 lemon

1 ½ cups of blueberries, raspberries and slice strawberries.


In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone and whipping cream.  Whip until it thickens.  Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Line cookies in a layer at the bottom of a  9" springform pan.  Place 1/3 of the cream mixture evenly on top.  Place a layer of berries on top in any order.  Repeat for 2 more layers.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.  Decorate the top with additional berries before serving.

Pizzelle S'Mores

These are not your ordinary pizzelles but ones that have graham cracker crumbs added into the batter to make an authentic S'more.  I used jumbo marshmallows...next time I might just go for the regular sized ones.

Pizzelle S'Mores

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup flour

Beat eggs until they are light.  Add in sugar, oil and vanilla extract.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Drop by teaspoonfuls into the center of your heated pizzelle maker.  Close the lid for about 30 seconds.  Carefully remove the pizzelle and place on a wire rack.  Place 4 Hershey bar squares on top of the bottom pizzelle.  Roast your marshmallow over an open fire until a nice, toasty brown and place on top of the chocolate.  Top with another pizzelle and enjoy.  

Strawberry Tart

Warmer temperatures outside and you start thinking about Spring...despite the long term weather forecast.  One of my favorite fruits are strawberries and they are starting to look really good in the grocery store.  You can also use frozen whole berries...either way you'll love the buttery crust, creamy filling and berries on top.

Strawberry Tart

Tart Shell ~

1 ¼ cup flour

¾ cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ cup cold butter, sliced in small pieces

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla

 

Put all the dry ingredients in your food processor with the blade and pulse until combined.  Add in butter slices.  Pulse again until just combined so the butter doesn’t get too warm.  In a small dish, combine the milk, egg and vanilla.  Pour into the flour mixture and pulse until a dough forms.  Remove the dough from the processor and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for a half hour.  Remove from the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes.  Roll out until the dough is ¼” thick.  Butter  the bottom only of your tart pan.  Place dough in pan.  Only lightly pressing down and on the sides.  Trim off any extra.  Return to refrigerator while your oven heats up to 350°.  Cover the bottom of the dough with aluminum foil and add pie weights.  When the oven is heated, bake for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.

Creamy filling ~

12 oz mascarpone, room temperature

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Spread evenly over tart shell.

Strawberries cut in half and arranged in a circle around the cream filling.

Glaze ~

3/4 cup good quality strawberry jam

Heat the jam in a small saucepan and brush over the strawberries.  Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Berry Panna Cotta

It's not easy finding good fruit at this time of the year but berries are always in season and the best looking in the supermarket besides citrus fruits.  I decided to stack the raspberries and blueberries inside my dessert glasses.

Berry Panna Cotta

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
3 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 package gelatin and 2 tbsp hot tap water to dissolve it in
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Fill the dessert glasses with the berries of your choice.  Heat the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and softened gelatin.  Pour into dessert glasses over the berries.  Chill until firm - about 3-4 hours.  Top with whipped cream and some leftover berries.

Peach Pie Calzones

Peach pie filling wrapped up in a nice package that is perfect for business or school lunches.  Send along a plastic knife and it can be shared with a friend.  I thought of this as I was watching a commercial for calzones and thought too bad they don't have desserts like that...aha moment.  I used my easy to make pizza dough recipe that you make in a food processor.

Peach Pie Calzones 

Peach Pie Filling ~

1# frozen peaches, diced
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Allow peaches to thaw.  It's easiest to cut them when they are partially thawed.  Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken.

Calzone dough ~

2 cups flour
1 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup canola oil

Place the warm water, honey and yeast in a large measuring cup and let sit for 10 minutes Put the flour and salt in a food processor with the chopping blade.  Pulse until mixed.  Add in the yeast mixture and pulse again until it's all incorporated into the flour.  Switch to run and pour in canola oil and let the dough knead in the machine.  Remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface.  Knead for a couple minutes.  Cut in 4 equal pieces and roll into a ball.  Let dough sit for about 30 minutes. Roll out into 8" circles and place the filling in the center.  Pull over the back side and roll up edges.  Seal by pressing fork tines down along the edges.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Melt 2 tbsp of butter and brush on the top of each calzone.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.  Bake for 20 minutes at 400°,

Pear Tart

Fall is a time for fresh pears of all kinds.  I picked up some to make a tart twice.  Sweet ripe pears are hard to resist eating on their own.  The tart dough is easy to make since it's all made in a food processor.

Pear Tart

Tart Shell ~

1 ¼ cups flour

¾ cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ cup cold butter, sliced in small pieces

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla

Put all the dry ingredients in your food processor with the blade and pulse until combined.  Add in butter slices.  Pulse again until just combined so the butter doesn’t get too warm.  In a small dish, combine the milk, egg and vanilla.  Pour into the flour mixture and pulse until a dough forms.  Remove the dough from the processor and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for a half hour.  Remove from the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes.  Roll out until the dough is ¼” thick.  Butter  the bottom only of your tart pan.  Place dough in pan.  Only lightly pressing down and on the sides.  Trim off any extra.  Return to refrigerator while your oven heats up to 350°.  Cover the bottom of the dough with aluminum foil and add pie weights.  When the oven is heated, bake for 30 minutes.

Let the tart cool for 15 minutes.  While that is going on, melt 1/2 cup butter and allow to cool slightly.

When cool, stir in ~

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Skin and slice three pears and lay in a circular pattern on your tart crust.  Pour butter mixture evenly over the top.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 50 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Sprinkle some powered sugar on top.

Apple Strawberry Crisp

Nothing says fall like the aroma of apples and cinnamon coming from your oven.  I decided to mix things up and toss in some strawberries for a change.  I’ve made just strawberry crisps before and it turned out as did this combination. 

 

Apple Strawberry Crisp

4 apples, pared and diced
2 cups strawberries, top removed and sliced in half
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

Topping
1/2 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup butter, cold and sliced thin

Mix together the apples and strawberries in a medium sized bowl.  Drizzle the lemon juice over and add in white sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon.  In another medium sized bowl, mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and sea salt.  Gradually add in cold butter slices and mix by hand until crumbly.  In a greased 9 x 9 pan, add in the fruit mixture and then top it with the oat mixture.  Bake for 50 minutes at 350°.

Caramel Apple Bars

It’s that time of the year that all the fruits and vegetables are ripe and ready to be used, canned or frozen.  I decided to make a pan of bars using fresh apples and caramel and share them.

 

Caramel Apple Bars

1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup brown sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ cups quick oats

Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Gradually add in the salt, cinnamon and flour.  Stir in the quick oats.  Pat 2/3 of mixure in the bottom of a 9 x 13 greased pan.  Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Top bottom crust with 3 apples that are peeled and diced that have 1 tbsp of lemon juice mixed in. 

Unwrap 1 10 oz bag of caramels and place in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 2 tbsp milk and microwave until melted.  Stir so milk and caramels are completely mixed.  Pour over the apples.  Sprinkle the remaining  crust evenly over the top.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Peach Pizza

Peach season is my favorite time of the year so creating recipes for it are always fun and tasty.  I had made a pizza last week and froze the 2^nd dough ball for later use and decided to make a fruit pizza.  You can make a powdered sugar drizzle but I opted not too since it was already sweet enough.  The juices release enough while baking to give you a nice, crisp crust.

 

Peach Pizza

 

Pizza crust (makes 2) 

2 cups flour
1 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup canola oil

Place the warm water, honey and yeast in a large measuring cup and let sit for 10 minutes Put the flour and salt in a food processor with the chopping blade.  Pulse until mixed.  Add in the yeast mixture and pulse again until it's all incorporated into the flour.  Switch to run and pour in canola oil and let the dough knead in the machine.  Remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface.  Knead for a couple minutes.  Cut in half (one half can be frozen for later use within a month).  Let dough sit for about 30 minutes.  This will give you time to get the rest of your ingredients ready.  Stretch out on a greased pizza pan.

3 peaches, peeled and sliced

¼ cup sugar

Mix peaches and sugar together and let sit for 10 minutes.  Place peaches on top of dough in a circular pattern.

Streusel

3 tbsp butter, melted

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine together and sprinkle over top of the peaches.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350°.

Double Chocolate Brownie Bites

This is a perfect bite-size dessert for summer picnics and reunions.  The brownies have mini chocolate chips baked into them and they are topped with a light whipped cream topping.

Double Chocolate Brownie Bites

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
3 tbsp cocoa
3/4  cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking power
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Melt the butter and dark chocolate chips in a large saucepan over medium low heat stirring frequently.  When melted and smooth, add in the vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.  Add in the dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  Use a small cookie scoop and fill greased mini cupcake pans.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350°.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing carefully from the pans and place on a wire rack.  

Icing 

1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup Mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Whip cream until stiff peaks form.  Add in Mascarpone and powdered sugar and beat for another minute.

Makes 36.  

Raspberry Peach Cobbler

Fresh Georgia peaches are now in my grocery store so I couldn't resist making a peach dessert this weekend.  I added in some raspberries for a little bit color and flavor and topped it with a cinnamon dough.

Raspberry Peach Cobbler

4 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 pint raspberries
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flour

Mix the fruit, lemon zest, sugar and flour together in a medium bowl.  Pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan.  In another medium bowl, combine the following -

1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cut in 2 tbsp cold butter with a pastry blender.  Stir in 1/2 cup buttermilk and spoon over the fruit.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.