Chocolate Peanut Butter Goodness

Three words. Best. Bars. Ever!

Glazed Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons water

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze

1-1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, water and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

                              

Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned.

For glaze, in a microwave, melt chips and peanut butter;

stir until smooth.

Pour over warm bars;

spread evenly.

Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. 

Yield: 4 dozen bars.

I've been making these scrumptious bars for many years now and they are still one of my favorites! They will not disappoint. 

Another Triple C Recipe!

Nothing is prettier than something chocolate with a cherry on top!

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

1 chocolate cake mix

1 recipe Creamy Cocoa Frosting (Below)

1 recipe Creamy White Frosting 

Marchino cherries

Prepare and bake cupcakes according to package directions. Cool completely. Then prepare Creamy Cocoa Frosting.

Creamy Cocoa Frosting

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

About 3 Tablespoons milk

Mix butter and cocoa in large bowl. Stir in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Place the frosting in a microwave safe bowl, and heat for about 30 seconds, until frosting is melted. Stir. Dip cooled cupcake tops into frosting. Dip all the cupcakes before doing the next step, so they have a chance to dry. 

Prepare Creamy White Frosting. Once chocolate frosting is dry, place white frosting in piping bag with large star tip. Pipe a small swirl in the center of each cupcake...

…and top with a cherry!

Simple as that.

I'd have to say that the homemade chocolate frosting is what makes these cupcakes taste amazing. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself and see!

Chocolate Sunday Mud Pie

Ok, is this pie beautiful or what?! Chocolate pie, fudge sauce, whipped cream, and cherries. How much better can you get?

Chocolate Sunday Mud Pie
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 teas. vanilla
1/4 teas. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
1/4 cup fudge sauce or fudge ice-cream topping
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Maraschino cherries with stems

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a round pan, 8 x 1-1/2 inches, or a pie plate, 8x 1-1/4 inches. Mix sugar, margarine, vanilla, salt, eggs, flour and cocoa in a large bowl; stir in nuts. 

Pour into pan. 

Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted halfway between the center and the edge comes out clean. Immediately prick holes in pie. 

Next, pour and spread the fudge sauce over the top of your pie. Cool completely. Tip: Stick it in the freezer for a while

Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in a bowl until stiff; spread over pie.  

Drizzle with additional fudge sauce...

...and top with cherries!

Ah, what a delicious blob of of fudge coated fluffed out cherry dazzled chocolate mud pie. 

Every last bite was totally worth it. 

Pizza for Dessert

Although it may seem like a random assortment of ingredients, this dessert pizza is not only fun and colorful, but it actually tastes quite yummy!

Chocolate Dessert Pizza

4 cups mini marshmallows

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup chocolate chips

6 cups chocolate crisp rice cereal

1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips

Maraschino cherries 

Gummy worms

Place marshmallows, butter, and chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for one minute.

Stir in chocolate rice cereal.

Press mixture into a large greased round pizza pan or two small ones. Set aside.

Slice cherries in half and dice gummy worms.

Melt the white chocolate chips. 

Drizzle the white chocolate over the "crust," leaving a small plain edge.

Add the cherries for "pepperoni" and the diced gummy worms for "onions" and "peppers."

When time to serve, cut into wedge shaped pieces.

Enjoy!

Neapolitan

"Ah, an ice cream recipe" you might say. 

But no. 

This is not neapolitan ice cream, it's...

...a neapolitan cupcake! 

      

Neapolitan Cakes

Marbled Buttercake

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour

1/3 cup milk

pink food coloring

1/3 teaspoon strawberry extract (optional)

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons milk, extra

Butter cream

1 stick butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

pink food coloring

1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract (optional)

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons milk, extra

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, vanilla, sugar and eggs in small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in flour and 1/3 cup milk. Divide mixture evenly among three bowls. Tint one mixture pink, and stir in the strawberry extract. Mix the cocoa and  extra milk into another mixture. Leave third mixture plain.

Drop alternate spoonfuls of the three mixtures into baking cups. 

Pull a skewer backwards and forwards through the mixtures for a marbled effect; smooth surface. 

Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove cakes to wire rack to cool.

Now for the fun part!

For the frosting, beat the butter in a small bowl until as white as possible; beat in powdered sugar and milk. Divide mixtures evenly among three bowls. Tint one mixture pink and mix in strawberry extract. Stir cocoa and extra milk into another mixture. Leave third mixture plain.

When cupcakes have cooled, frost them.

Frost one third chocolate...

...one third vanilla...

...and one third strawberry! 

And there you have it! Neapolitan cupcakes!

This marbled cake with scrumptious butter cream frosting creates a delicious twist on a classic ice cream favorite!