Rolo Brownies

I really haven't been baking that much these past few months. I've learned that's it's another one of those things that I'm just not into when I'm heartbroken. And I've been nursing heartache since the end of October. But I'm on the up (for now) so I am back in the kitchen.

I used to send treats to work with B, and now I work there too. Everyone was pretty pumped that they would get to enjoy my treats exclusively...since I wouldn't be taking turns with my other office. It def makes it worth it when I see how much they enjoy them.

So far I have made them Oreo brownies, M&M cookies, and Rolo brownies.


Honestly, I'm not a big brownie fan (except for the batter! Yum!). But I really did like this variation! And  so did the office; the brownie pan was empty by lunch time. These are good, really good - trust.

Rolo Brownies

by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

1box dark chocolate fudge cake mix

1/3 c evaporated milk

1/2 c butter, melted

12oz bag Rolos

1/2 c PB chips

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8in baking pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine cake mix, evaporated milk, and melted butter. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of sprayed pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove brownies from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Toss in the Rolos and sprinkle PB chips over them. Press the other half of brownie mix onto wax paper into the shape of the pan, then transfer on top of rolo/PB chip mix. (Like you did in step 5 here) and bake for 20-25min.
4. Let cool, cut, serve, impress.

Puppy Chow, Muddy Buddies, whatever you want to call it

This stuff is addictive!

I literally made it three weeks in a row.

And it's so easy! It took about 5 min. This probably contributed to me making it three weeks in a row...

Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddies


9 cups any Chex cereal (except wheat)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 Peanut Butter
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar (more if needed)
1 large brown paper bag

1. Combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a bowl and microwave in 1 minute intervals (stirring in between) until melted.
2. Put cereal into brown paper bag and pour melted mix over. Close bag (fold a few times, obvs), and shake until cereal is coated.
3. Pour powdered sugar into the bag, close the bag, and shake until coated. Add extra powdered sugar if needed.
4. Let cool, and enjoy!

Naked Baking

Just kidding. I could get burned.

Safety first, so I wore my apron!

Pioneer Woman makes the most delicious looking things. I have been following her food blog for a while, and have bookmarked mannnnyyyyy recipes. I decided it was finally time to give them a try. And what more of a delicious place to start than with Knock You Naked Brownies?

These bad boys are easy and quick to make and are delicious beyond delicious!

Knock You Naked Brownies
by the Pioneer Woman

1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix (Duncan Hines)
1 c Pecans (optional...I left them out)
1/3 c Evaporated Milk
1/2 c Evaporated Milk (additional)
1/2 c Melted Butter
60 Whole Unwrapped Caramels (appx. 1 large bag)
1/3 c Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 c Powdered Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl mix together cake mix, chopped pecans (optional), 1/3 c evaporated milk, and melted butter.
3. Divide dough in half and press half into a greased brownie pan (appx 9X9). Bake 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.
4. Melt caramels  and 1/2 c evaporated milk in the microwave. Stir in 1 minute intervals until melted. Pour over cooked brownie base and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
5. Roll out remaining dough onto flowered wax paper to be about the shape of the pan. Flip wax paper over to place dough as the top layer in the brownie pan. 
6. Bake 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool and refrigerate (this will help the caramel to set). 
7. Serve with a nice layer of powdered sugar on top.

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 5 and 6

Step 7

I took these to dinner with Kari. I think her taste buds were overwhelmed with the flavors and sweetness of it all! She loved them so much that she kept some for later!

Grandma's M&M cookies

My absolute fave cookie!

of all time.

end.of.story.

If you've been reading this (and I know you have), then it's obvious that my grandma is the best. She gets a shout out in almost every post! (Hey Grandma! I love you!).

She makes the best of everything, especially M&M cookies. I.die.

I don't know if this is a made up memory or not (does that ever happen to you?), but I have visions of eating these and they are only covered with red and green M&M's. I don't know for a fact that Grandma made these around Christmas when I was little, but eating them makes me think of Christmas and Grandma's house. The two best things in the world!

I love the taste of the M&M's after they've been baked. I love the sweet with a hint of salt. I love that these cookies are more on the firm side, but not because they are overdone. I love everything about them!

I emailed Grandma to get the recipe because I misplaced it when I last moved, and she added this little tidbit in the email:

"Hope these turn out good, but with you making them they will be extra good."

Isn't she the best? And yes, they were extra good.

M & M Cookies

1 cup shortening                   

1 cup brown sugar                 

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla  
2 eggs 
1 tsp. salt             

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. soda

1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) M&M's (Medium bag should do the trick)

                                         

1. Blend shortening and sugars in a separate large bowl. Beat in vanilla and eggs.
2. In a medium bowl sift flour, soda, and salt together, then slowly add the sugar mixture. Mix well.
3. Stir in 1/2 cup M&M's.** 
4. Drop from spoon (I prefer a cookie scoop) onto an ungreased cookie sheet and decorate top of cookies with remaining M&M's.

Bake 375 degree for 10-12 minutes.

**Or, if you are lazy like me, you can just mix in all of the M&M's.

Can't you almost taste the goodness?

Trophy Wife Cupcakes - So good that you'll propose to me after one bite!

Truth.

So why did I only share these with the ladies at Recipe Klub? That was poor planning on my part. Better luck next time!

Al finally got to host RKlub at her house and it happened to fall during Tech Mandy's bday! Naturally I took over volunteered to make her bday dessert. Mandy's requests were chocolate, coconut, creme cheese, or all three together. That's easy enough. I figured I'd just whip up a chocolate cake and add toasted coconut to the frosting. I considered creme cheese frosting, but I haven't made any before and didn't want to risk it on the girls.

So the hunt through my billions of bookmarked recipes began for the perfect chocolate cake! I came across the Trophy Wife recipe that Running Off the Reece's had posted a while back and knew it would be delicious. How could I possible resist a recipe by that name?

**side note. Check of Reece's website. She is super funny and I know I would make her my bff if only I met her in real life. Instead I just stalk her in blog life.

Unlike being a Trophy Wife, this recipe is really easy and quick to mix up!

Trophy Wife Cake (or in this case, cupcakes)
1 3/4 c milk
chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
small box of chocolate pudding
12 oz. of chocolate chips (typically one bag)
1 can Milk Chocolate icing

1. Preheat Oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl mix cake mix, milk, eggs, chocolate pudding mix, and chocolate chips.
3. Pour into greased pan or cupcake pan with liners.
4. Cook time based on what box mix says.
5. 
   Once it's cool remove from pan and stick in fridge.
6. Ice it! I used caned milk chocolate icing.

Toasted Coconut
1 bag sweetened coconut flakes

1. Heat non stick skillet over medium.
2. Pour in coconut flakes (amount depends on how much you will use, I toasted 1/2 a bag)
3. Occasionally stir the coconut so it can evenly brown.
4. Remove from heat once it's fragrant and mostly toasted/light brown.
5. Dip iced cupcakes into the coconut and lightly press down.

Ta-da! Easy peasy!

I also iced a few of the cupcakes with rainbow chip icing (one of my premade faves!). Delish!

I shared the extra with my coworkers so I could continue my campaign to support obesity one cupcake at a time.