Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

1 12-oz. pkg. miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
2 Tbsp. milk
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 recipe Filling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set aside 1/4 cup chocolate pieces to sprinkle on cookies. In microwave-safe bowl combine 1 cup of the chocolate pieces and 2 tablespoons milk. Microwave on 50 percent power (medium) 1 minute or until melted; stir once. Set aside.

2. In bowl beat butter and peanut butter with electric mixer until combine. Add sugar, soda, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; beat to combine. Add eggs, 1/2 cup milk, vanilla, and melted chocolate; beat until combined. Beat in cocoa powder and flour until combined. Stir in remaining chocolate pieces. Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate. Bake 9 minutes or until tops are set. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. To assemble, spread flat sides of half the cookies with Filling; top with remaining cookies.

3. Filling: In bowl beat 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup marshmallow creme, and 2 cups powdered sugar with electric mixer until combined. If needed, beat in 2 tablespoons milk until spreading consistency. Makes 30 servings.

Source

Cannoli Cream for Cannolis

Directions

2 lbs. Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 to 3 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. white rum
Miniature chocolate bits or grated chocolate (as desired)

Directions

1) Be sure to drain the ricotta cheese over a large mixing bowl. Place the ricotta cheese around cheese cloth and then place the cheese cloth package in a mesh strainer and place it over night to drain.

2) Whip Ricotta in electric mixture until smooth and light. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and white rum. Fold in fruits and chocolate. This filling recipe is enough for about 2 dozen shells. After filling shells, dip ends of cannoli into toasted almonds or pistachio nuts. Fill only just before ready to serve. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the tops.

I got this recipe from a website but tweaked by draining the ricotta which is a must and also adding the rum which I got the tip from a baker fried. I made these for MaryBath's dad's 50th birthday because he loves cannoli.

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup milk
2 - 3 cup fresh peaches, sliced
3/4 cup sugar

Directions

Mix together the flour, one cup of sugar, salt and baking powder; add milk. Pour in 8 x 12 inch glass baking dish. Mix peaches and 3/4 cup sugar and pour over batter. Bake 45 minutes in 350 degrees fahrenheit. Serve hot or cold, with ice cream, if desired.

Source: The Best Basic & Easy Recipes of Savannah, Dixie Post Cards & Souvenir Sales, 2000.

We went peach picking this passed weekend an we got so many peaches! We need ways to use them all before they spoil!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients

Brownie Batter

• 1 cup butter, 2 sticks
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 jar (10 oz.) all-fruit seedless raspberry preserves
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 0r 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

Swirl Topping

• 1 package (8 0z.) cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Lightly spray 13" by 9" glass baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
2. Prepare Brownie Batter: In 2 t0 3 quart heavy saucepan, melt butter on medium-low. Whisk in cocoa and cook until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar and preserves. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until throughly blended.
3. In small bowl, stir flour and baking soda; add to chocolate mixture, stirring just until blended. Pour batter into baking dish and smooth top.
4. Prepare Swirl Topping: With mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until blended. Fold in raspberries.
5. Spoon large dollops of topping over brownie batter, spacing evenly. With knife, swirl topping into batter. Sprinkle with almonds, if using.
6. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean with a few moist crumb attached.
7. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into 24 squares.

Source: Good Housekeeping, July 2009, pg. 60.

I made this for the 4th of July for Sunday. My family from Colorado and Massachusetts are here for the holiday. Again the bake time was way longer similar to the Goji Berry Brownies.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

(copied directly from source)

Ingredients

• 1-pound loaf French or Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 15 cups)
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Place the bread in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur.

In another bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the cocoa powder and mix well. Add this to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.

Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture with the milk mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes; let stand, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed most of the milk mixture. Bake the pudding for 1 hour, or until set; a knife inserted into the center of the pudding should come out clean. Serving the pudding warm, or refrigerate it and serve chilled.

Serve it warm or cold, with whipped cream or a dessert sauce.

Source: Paula Dean, Paula's Home Cooking, Food Network.

I made this for Father's Day because my dad likes bread pudding a lot.

Orange-Peanut Butter Scones

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 tbs. whole milk
• 2 tbs. orange juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter
• 2 tbs. orange marmalade
• 1 tbs. freshly grated orange zest
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbs. light or heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until resembles coarse meal.
3. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the milk, orange juice, eggs, peanut butter, orange marmalade, and orange zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and knead until combined. Try to handle the dough as little as possible, as this create a more tender scone.
4. Pat the dough into a large round and cut into triangles or use a biscuit cutter to cut into rounds. Place the scones on an un-greased cookie sheet.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and cream. Brush the mixture on top of each scone to glaze. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar the scones.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Source: Personal Library: The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, Quirk Books, 2005.

This was a more complicated baking recipe that I had made before, but I went very slow and took my time in making it. They look good. I got 16 instead of 12 like the recipe said. We will have them for dessert when my brother and sister came over for dinner. They came out really really good! They are very heavy and very filling! If I make them again I will add dried cranberries in them, orange and cranberry go good together.

Fruit-Cup Shortcake

Ingredients

• 15 oz can fruit cocktail
• 16 oz can chocolate syrup
• 2/3 cup canned light whipped cream
• 11 oz pound cake

Directions

1. Hack off a slice of pound cake and put it on a small plate. 
2. Drizzle on some of the chocolate syrup.
3. Plop on some fruit cocktail.
4. Squirt on some whipped cream.

Source: Personal Library: A Man, A Can, A Plan, Rodale, 2002.

This hardly counts as a recipe but we had everything in the house and I like updating my blog with recipes so why not. I only made one serving thought, my mother had left over fruit cocktail. It was good, so simple but I would not have thought of it on my own.

Goji Berry Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of goji berries
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup apple sauce
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees, and grease and flour an 8 x 8 baking dish. In a small bowl, soak goji berries in boiling water for two minutes, then drain. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until blended.
2. Pour batter into prepared baking dish, and bake about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and enjoy.

Source

This recipe is from the vegan bakery Sweet Avenue Bake Shop in East Rutherford. I never heard of goji berries so I tried this recipe and made it for Mother's Day also. The batter was very thin and liquid like, I do not know if I did something wrong. I tried one and they are different but good, I do not think my family will like them because they are not very adventurous with food like I am. Also, the link above lead to what goji berries are, they seem very healthy. I wonder what else I can do with them! I got them at Whole Food in Paramus. 

Correction: I made them a second time for Christian's birthday because he loved them. The batter came out how it is supposed to because I used cocoa powder. The cooking time also is never right! Last time it took 50 minutes, it seems like it will be the same thing this time.

November 2009- I gave this recipe to my friend Bethany from Ramapo because she is vegan and she wanted to share a vegan dessert with her family. She said they were very fudgey and they "were a hit!"

Aunt Terry's Coffee Cake

Ingredients

For the crumbs:

• 3 sticks of butter
• 1.5 cups of brown sugar
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp. of cinnamon

For the cake:

• 1 stick of butter
• 8 oz. of cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cups of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups of sifted flour
• 1 tsp. of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. of baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• 1/4 cup of milk

Directions

1. For the crumbs, cream brown sugar and butter. Blend in flour and cinnamon.
2. For the cake, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
3. Add flour and mix with milk, mixing well.
4. Pour in greased-floured 13 x 9 pan.
5. Crumble over the crumbs over batter, bake in preheated oven 350 degrees fahrenheit 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown.

Source- secretary at work

I tried this once already because the secretary at work made it and let me taste it, it is delicious! By mistake I used regular sugar for the crumbs and not brown sugar, I had to start all over and get more butter that cost me 5 dollars! I made this for coffee hour at my church for Mother's Day because my sister signed up and I offered to make this.