Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats

Two of my all time favorite treat are Muddy Buddies and Rice Krispie Treats. Who doesn't love the both of them? I've been making each of them since I was little and I could barely reach the counter to prepare them. Recently I was thinking rather than always having to choose one over the other I would just combine the two into one, because after all they both begin with rice cereal so they do have something in common. Let me just say these are seriously delicious! Now you, like me, wont have to choose one treat over the other, with these you get two in one. Got to love that! Enjoy!


Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats
Yields 16


Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 (10.5 oz) package miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal


1 cup milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate chips)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar


Directions:
Butter a 13x9 baking dish, set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add in marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly until marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies Cereal. Pour Rice Krispie Treats into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer using a buttered spatula.
In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave mixture on HIGH power in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour melted chocolate mixture over Rice Krispie Treats and spread into an even layer. Using a fine mesh sieve, sprinkle powdered sugar over chocolate layer. Cut into squares, store in an airtight container.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Read More

Blueberry Lemon Brownies with White Chocolate Glaze

I have the feeling this are going to be my new favorite summer dessert. Simply said, I want to stop everything I'm doing and devour the entire pan =). I thought it would be exciting to create a fun brownie recipe that's not your average chocolate brownie, something different that people haven't tried before. I've seen several different lemon brownie photos on Pinterest so I decided I wanted to create my own version.  What goes better together then lemon, blueberry and white chocolate? My husband said these are one of his new favorites, which I was excited by because normally he doesn't care much for lemon. Guess these are just that good =), even those who don't like lemon love these brownies.

Blueberry Lemon Brownies with White Chocolate Glaze

Yields 9 brownies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

6 Tbsp butter, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice (the juice of about 1/2 lemon)

2 tsp lemon zest (the zest of about 1 lemon)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

1 Recipe White Chocolate Glaze, recipe follows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat egg and egg yolks on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in sugar, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla, mix until well blended. Add in dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in blueberries. Pour mixture into a buttered 8x8 baking dish and spread into an even layer. Bake 30-34 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (I used chilled blueberries so mine took about 33 minutes).  Allow Blueberry Lemon Brownies to cool completely, then pour White Chocolate Glaze over top and spread evenly over brownies (I poured it in the center so it didn't all run down the sides of the bars, then I spread it out near the edges). Cut into squares (for cleaner cutting you can freeze bars for about 10-15 minutes to help glaze set before cutting).

White Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, or 3 oz. chopped white chocolate

1 1/2 Tbsp milk or half-n-half

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture on 50% in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. 

Read More

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies (aka Granola Bar Cookies)

Take a moment to think about everything you love about a granola bar, the chewiness, the flavors, the dried fruit and crunchy nuts. Now imagine that in cookie form. What do you get?  These! A loaded, perfectly spiced, chewy, deliciously sweet, thick oatmeal cookie!  They are most definitely one of my new favorite cookies. 

I created this recipe this past weekend because my brother and his family came to stay with us and I knew his favorite kind of cookie was oatmeal raisin cookies.  Of course I couldn't just stick with the plan ol' original oatmeal cookie, I had to spice it up and make it fancy =).  Try these and it's likely that your favorite oatmeal raisin cookie may just be pushed to second place.  Everyone loved these cookies!
Switch up this cookie as you wish. You could add milk or semi sweet chocolate chips in place of white chocolate chips. You could add in almonds for the nut and use 1/2 tsp almond extract along with 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Or, you could even change up the berry and try dried blueberries, mmm yes the blueberry and almond combo would be good together I'm going to have to try that next. Ahh yes or add some orange or lemon zest for a fresh citrus flavor (sorry I'm just thinking out loud in writing now =).  Make these exactly as written or add your own twist, either way I believe you are going to thoroughly enjoy these cookies!

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields about 3 dozen (about 34)


Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries (such as Craisins), lightly chopped into smaller pieces
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until incorporated.  Add in dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and optional nuts.  Roll cookie dough into balls, about 2 Tbsp per ball, and drop onto buttered cookie sheets.  Bake 9 - 10 minutes until lightly golden.  Allow to cool several minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.  Store cookies in an airtight container.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Read More