Peanut Butter Brownie Pudding Cake

1 Family Size Package of Brownie Mix
1 pkg. Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 3/4 Cup Milk
2/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2 cups Cool Whip

Cook brownies according to package directions using a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish sprayed with non-stick.  Cool brownie mix completely.  Scoop out 24 small holes in the brownies making sure not to go through the bottom.  Reserve for later.  Mix pudding and milk until blended and starts to thicken.  Whisk in peanut butter until blended.  Whisk in cool whip until blended.  Spread over brownies.  Sprinkle with brownies that were spooned out.  Refrigerate at least 2 hrs.  Makes 24 servings.

Comment:  This was a Kraft recipe that I made just some small changes to.  I used the family size instead of the regular size.  I only used 1 3/4 cups of milk instead of 2 and the milk I used was almond milk.  I didn't drizzle the top with melted peanut butter because there was enough flavor in the pudding mix and just didn't think it needed it.  These turned out so good!  Everyone that was lucky enough to try them raved and wanted more.

Snicker Pie

5 Snickers cut in pieces or 18 small bars

2 regular size pastry shell baked

12 oz cream cheese

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place Snickers in bottom of the cooked pie shell.  In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, sour cream and peanut butter; beat on low speed just until combined.  Pour into pie shell over Snickers.  Bake  for 25-30 minutes or until set.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips as soon as they come out of the oven.   Refrigerate overnight or for several hours.

Comments:  This recipe came from a friend of mine and I finally decided to give it a try.  She used the 5 regular size snickers but to cut cost I bought a bag of the individual size and ended up using 9 bars in each shell.  She also used just 1 shell which apparently was a deep dish.  I had the regular shells so I used 2.  The only other difference between mine and her pie was the chocolate.  She melted the chips were I cut down the prep time by sprinkling the chips over the top of the hot pie.  Baking time may varies by the shell.  With me using the 2 shells I found 30 minutes to be perfect.  I determined the pie was done when a toothpick in the center didn't come out wet.  If you use the 1 deep dish shell you might want to add 10 minutes to your baking time.  But don't overcook or your pie will become hard.  

Layered Wheat Germ Brownies

Bottom Layer
1 cup Untoasted Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Unbleached White Flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 Tbsp.butter, melted

Chocolate Layer
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup margarine/butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs or 1/3 cup egg substitute
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup Untoasted Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Unbleached White Flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the bottom layer ingredients.  Lightly pat evenly in an ungreased 9" square pan.  Set aside.  To make the chocolate layer, melt cocoa and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally  Beat in sugar, eggs or egg substitute and vanilla.  Stir in wheat germ mixed with flour, baking powder and salt.  Spread over bottom layer.  Bake 25-30 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Spread with chocolate icing.  Cut in small squares.

Chocolate Icing

2 Tbsp. margarine
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp. hot water

Melt margarine and cocoa.  Remove form heat and mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 1/2 Tbsp. hot water.  Spread over cooled brownies.

Comments:  I'm going to call this a healthy brownie since it has wheat germ and cocoa instead of all flour and chocolate chips.  At least it's healthier than most.  These are the steps I changed just a bit.  For the bottom layer I melted my butter in the microwave and mixed the wheat germ, flour and brown sugar with my hands to make sure it was blended well before adding the butter.  The Chocolate layer called for melting the cocoa and butter over low heat.  I placed mine in a bowl and microwaved it which worked perfectly.  After adding the sugar and vanilla it was cool enough to add the eggs.  For the Icing I again melted the butter and cocoa in the microwave and instead of adding it after the brownies were cool I spread it over while they were still a little warm to the touch allowing some of the icing to seep in.  I don't eat chocolate but from what my food testers have told me, these are some of the best.  They are sort of like brownies yet sort of like a cake.  They are all gone so they must have been good.

Candy Bar Pie

5 Snickers cut in pieces
1 pastry shell, deep dish, baked
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup peanut butter
2/ cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. whipping cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place Snickers in bottom of pie shell.  In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, sour cream and peanut butter.  Beat on low speed just until combined.  Pour into pie shell.  Bake 35-40 minutes.  Cool.  In a small saucepan melt chocolate chips with cream over low heat until smooth.  Spread over cooled pie.  Refrigerate over night or for several hours.

Comment:  This recipe came from a friend who does some catering on the side.  I'm not a chocolate lover but the response I've received from everyone who was lucky enough to try this, it was delicious.  I did make one mistake.  I melted my chips in the microwave.  Actually I made 2 mistakes.  I used chips that I had in the pantry for a while.  Yes, chips do get old and don't melt as well as fresh.  But I still used them as a crumble over the top of the pie.  I also used the Almond Snickers and Almond Butter so I sprinkled my pie with sliced almonds.  I think this would be a fun dish to make with other candies too.

Nutella Cookies

1 jar (13 oz.) Nutella
1 cup all purpose flour
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together.  Roll into walnut size balls.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Comments:  I found this recipe on Pinterest and it has to be one of the easiest cookies I've ever made.  The original recipe called for 1 cup of Nutella.  I spooned what was in a 13 oz. jar into a measuring cup and it's barely over a cup so I'm suggesting you just use the whole jar.  When mixing the ingredients, I first used a spoon and then my hands.  The finished mixture comes out like play dough and is really easy to work with.  The original recipe also suggested baking 6-8 minutes.  On 350 degrees I found mine needed to cook about 10 minutes so I'm suggesting you might want to cook 8-10 minutes.    I really wish I had thought to pick up some hazelnuts to put into my cookies.  I think that would be a delicious addition.  Anyway, these are a must try cookie for anyone who loves chocolate.

Coca Cola Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl mix:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a saucepan over medium high heat stir and bring to a boil:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup coca cola
1/2 cup buttermilk

Take off heat and add to flour mix and whisk until combined.

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp., vanilla extract

Mix and pour into pan.  Bake about 30 minutes.  Don't over-bake.

When cake is nearly done make the glaze by mixing in a saucepan:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coca cola

Bring to a boil.  Remove and slowly stir in 4 cups of confectioners' sugar.  Whisk until smooth.  Add 1 cup chopped nuts.  Once cake is done and out of the oven  (toothpick should come out clean), pour warm glaze over hot cake.  Serve warm or cold.

Comments:  This recipe was on Pinterest and posted by MayFlaum I followed this recipe to the letter and apparently it's delicious!  I don't eat chocolate so I can't say personally but all of my food testers have raved about it's moistness, flavor and richness.  For my cocoa I used Dark Chocolate so the coloring came out almost black!  It really looked great.  A cherry on top would have been perfect.

Triple Chocolate Cake

3 eggs
2 cups cake flour or all purpose flour (I like cake flour)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
3 oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate, grated

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl mix together flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In another large bowl cream butter until smooth.  Continue to cream adding sugar 1/2 cup at a time.  Start adding eggs one at a time to the butter mix.  Add 1/2 of the four mixture and whipping cream.  Mix until smooth.  Add remaining flour, milk and vanilla.  Fold in grated chocolate.  Pour into a angel food or bundt pan that's been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Drizzle:
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup cooking cream cheese

Mix together and spread over top of cake allowing to run down sides.  Sprinkle with chocolate (optional)

Comments:  If you like chocolate you can't help but love this cake.  It's full of chocolate and so moist that you can actually eat it with very few crumbs.  Changes can be to add a few finely chopped nuts to the batter or the drizzle.  You could also add a little coconut to the drizzle.