Thursday, December 15, 2011

Maple Nut Goodie Bars

Ingredients
  • 1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 (11.5-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) milk chocolate chips
  • 2 cups margarine or butter
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 (12-oz.) can (2 1/2 cups) cocktail peanuts
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 (3-oz.) pkg. vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
  • 1 (2-lb.) pkg. (7 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons maple flavor
How To!
1. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Butter or spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. In large saucepan, melt chocolate chips and 1 cup of the margarine over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat. Add peanut butter; mix well. Spread half of mixture in buttered foil-lined pan. Freeze 10 minutes or until set. Place pan in refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, stir peanuts into remaining chocolate mixture. Set aside.
3. Melt remaining 1 cup margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Stir in pudding mix. Cook until mixture is slightly thickened, stirring constantly. DO NOT BOIL. Remove saucepan from heat. Add powdered sugar and maple flavor; mix well. Cool about 10 minutes or until slightly cooled.
4. Carefully spread pudding mixture over chilled chocolate layer. Refrigerate 30 minutes. 5 Stir reserved chocolate-peanut mixture. Drop by spoonfuls onto chilled pudding layer; spread to cover. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Mississippi Mud Cake

Ingredients

Icing:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Combine the sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Bring the butter, oil, cocoa, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add to the flour mixture.

Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to the chocolate mixture, mix well, and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the icing by melting the butter in the cocoa and milk over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar. Slowly mix in the nuts and the vanilla. Take the cake from the oven, and when it cools a bit cover it with miniature marshmallows. Pour the warm icing over the cake and the marshmallows. Cool the cake before serving.