Honey Chocolate Chip Bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup peanut butter

5 cups old fashioned oat

4 1/2 cup crisp rice cereal

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (16 squares)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup crushed peanuts

1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine butter, oil, marshmallows. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is completely melted with a smooth consistency.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in the honey and peanut butter.

In a small bowl, combine oats, cereal, cracker crumbs, coconut and peanuts.

Pour into marshmallow mixture. Stir well.

Press granola mixture into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Cool for 10 -15

minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, gently press chips into mixture.

Let granola cool completely before serving.

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vinegar

Mix all of the ingredients well with a mixer. It should be brown and smooth. Free of lumps. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Cupcakes will turn out moist and delicious.

Buttermilk or milk may be substituted for water. Melted butter may be substituted for oil.

Goblin's Delight Cupcakes

A Halloween Treat For All Ages

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
2 drops each red and yellow food color
1 c. Hershey's chocolate chips

CUPCAKES:

1 1/2 c. unsifted all purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1/3 Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 c. water
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling: Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, salt, food color in small bowl. Beat until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Set aside. Cupcakes: Combine ingredients in order listed in large mixing bowl. Blend well on low speed. Fill 24 paper muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cheese filling onto each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake portion comes out clean.

Devil's Food Cupcakes

2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs (one at a time)
3 c. flour
1/2 c. boiling water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. sour milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda

Cream together sugar and shortening. Add eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, salt and cocoa. Add to mixture. Add sour milk and vanilla. Beat well. Then add soda in boiling water and mix well. Bake at 325 for 235-35 minutes.

CUPCAKE FILLING:

2/3 c. Crisco (or more if needed)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. milk (or less) use whole milk or cream

Beat at high speed of mixer in order given until fluffy for about 5 minutes. Fill a decorator tube with filling. Insert tube into center of cupcakes and squeeze until the filling comes to the top.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

FILLING:

2 tablespoons heavy cream (whipping cream)
2 squares (2 oz.) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter

An hour before baking prepare the Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream to boiling. Add the chocolate and sugar, stirring until the chocolate melts.

Refrigerate the mixture until firm but not hard, about 40 minutes.

CUPCAKES:

6 squares (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar (optional)

Line twelve 2-1/2 inch muffin-pan cups with paper baking cups. In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin-pan cups. Using the palms of the hands, roll rounded teaspoonfuls of the chocolate-peanut butter filling into 12 balls. Push one ball into the center of the batter in each muffin-pan cup. (Make sure that the chocolate peanut butter ball is covered by the cupcake batter.)

Bake the cupcakes 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched lightly with fingertip. Cool the cupcakes completely in the pan on a wire rack.

These taste best after they have cooled completely.

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

CUPCAKE:

1 c. + 2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
6 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract; beat until creamy. Beat in egg. Blend in flour mixture. Spoon mixture into paper-lined muffin cups, using 1 rounded tablespoon batter for each.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F and spoon 1 tablespoon of topping over each cupcake. Return to oven. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

TOPPING:

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
6 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In small bowl, combine brown sugar, egg and salt; beat at high speed until thick (about 5 minutes). Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla extract.

Makes 16 cupcakes.

Worm Dirt Cake

1 to 1 1/4 lb. pkg. Oreo cookies
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups milk
1 (12 oz.) tub Cool Whip (can use chocolate)
2 (3 1/2 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla or chocolate pudding
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 gummy worms and/or other critters

This popular "novelty" cake is a hit at children's parties, especially around Halloween. You'll receive many appreciative compliments from your guests such as "Ewww, that's gross!"

It really resembles a pudding more than it does a conventional cake. If you serve it as an everyday family dessert, rather than as a fun decorative element, it's possible that your family may not understand it!

Crush Oreos. Put 1/3 of the crushed Oreos into a new, clean flower pot. Set aside.

Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar and vanilla together. Set aside.

Combine milk and pudding mix. Fold Cool Whip into the pudding.

Fold together pudding mixture and butter-cream cheese mixture.

Layer this mixture (about 1/3 of it) onto the crumbled cookies in the pot. Next, add another layer of the pudding mixture, then another layer of cookie crumbs, continuing until all ingredients are used.

As you're layering the ingredients, decoratively place several gummy worms and critters in the "soil" so they will be seen emerging. If you have a toy (clean) garden trowel, a plastic daisy, or some edible flowers, these can also be used creatively to embellish the presentation.

Chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Mud Pie Dessert

103 Oreo's crushed
1/2-1 stick butter, butter or oil
1/2 gal. vanilla ice cream (partially thawed)
Hershey's Fudge topping
Cool Whip

Crush the Oreo's, frosting and all. Melt butter and mix with Oreo's. You use enough butter, butter or oil to have it stay together. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Add the vanilla ice cream, then the fudge topping, then the Cool Whip. Let it freeze until firm.

Minty Chocolate Delight

1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. Duncan Hines delights devil's food cake mix
1 1/2 c. water
2 eggs

FROSTING:

1 1/4 c. skim milk
1 (4 serving size) pkg. sugar free vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling mix
2 envs. whipped dessert topping mix
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. peppermint flavor
2 to 4 drops green food color
2 chocolate covered creme de menthe mint wafers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (8 or 9 inch) round cake pans.

For cake: Empty mix into large bowl. Add water and eggs. Mix, bake, and cool following package directions.

For Frosting: Place milk in large bowl. Add pudding mix and topping mix. Blend at low speed of electric mixer. Blend in peppermint flavor and food color. Beat at high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until stiff, scraping sides and bottom of bowl constantly. Frost between layers and on sides and top of cake. Cut thin slivers across narrow side of mints. Place randomly on top of cake. 12 servings.

Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
32 cupcake papers
Chopped walnuts
Powdered sugar

FILLING:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
Dash of salt
12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix cake as directed; fill cupcake papers 1/3 full. In a separate bowl, combine filling ingredients; drop a heaping teaspoon of filling on each cupcake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and powdered sugar. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 32 cupcakes.

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1-1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peppermint Buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until sugar is fully dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, and stir until completely mixed.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until all clumps of flour have been dissolved.

5. Add milk and vanilla, and stir until batter is smooth and velvety. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from heat.

6. Let cool for 15 minutes in tins, then remove and let cool outside of tins for at least 1 hour.

7. For Peppermint Buttercream, cream butter for 45-60 seconds. Add powdered sugar, and beat by hand, or with an electric mixer until mixture comes together and makes peaks. Add cream, peppermint extract, and food coloring if desired, and beat for 45-60 more seconds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

9. Once cupcakes are fully cooled, add Peppermint Buttercream. Serve with coffee or milk.

*These are good to serve on St. Patrick's day, or on Christmas. For Christmas, double the recipe, and for second batch of buttercream, use red food coloring instead of green

Bat Cupcakes

24 chocolate cupcakes

chocolate frosting

1 (11.5 oz.) package fudge stripe cookies

1 (6 oz.) bag milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

1 tablespoon red gel icing

Directions

Prepare cake according to package directions for making cup cakes. Cool.

Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

Break each fudge stripe cookie in half. Press both halves into cupcakes to make wings. The stripes on the cookies should be facing the chocolate frosting on the cupcake.

For each cupcake, place one chocolate kiss onto surface with the point facing forward to make it look like a bat body.

Use red gel icing to make two red eyes (make eyes at point of the chocolate kiss).

Apple Brownies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

3 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine melted butter and sugar; beat until fluffy. Fold in the apples and walnuts.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture; blend. DO NOT OVERMIX.

Spread batter evenly into baking dish.

Bake 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Regular Brownies

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. chocolate
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Blend melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. In separate bowl, mix flour, chocolate, baking powder, and salt. Fold egg mixture into flour. Put in greased pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Turtle Brownies

1 box German chocolate cake mix

2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided

1 6-ounce pkg. semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 bag caramels

3/4 cup melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry cake mix with 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Press half of mixture into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 5 minutes.

Unwrap caramels and melt with remaining 1/3 evaporated milk. Sprinkle chocolate chips over partially baked brownie base. (You don't have to let this partially baked brownie base cool before adding chocolate chips).

Sprinkle on walnuts. Pour caramel mixture over top. Pat reserved cake mixture into flat pieces with your hands. Lay randomly on top of caramel.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Peanut Butter Brownies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add peanut butter; stir until peanut butter is melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla.

Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well.

Remove 1 and 3/4 cups batter; stir cocoa into this part. Spread chocolate batter into prepared pan. Spread remaining batter on top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until brownies just begin to pull away from side of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes about 36 brownies.

Frosted Fudge Brownies

2 cups sugar

8 oz. butter (2 sticks)

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

4 oz. (4 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate

1 cup sifted flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

4 egg whites, beaten until stiff peaks form

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put sugar in mixing bowl. Melt chocolate and butter together over low heat, stir until well blended and smooth.

Add sugar; mix well. Add beaten egg yolks; mix well. Add flour and vanilla; mix well. Stir in chopped pecans. Fold in beaten egg whites.

Spread in a 10x15x1-inch greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. When cool, spread on chocolate brownie frosting.

Chocolate Brownie Frosting

1 stick butter (4 oz.)

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

1 box confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons milk

Chopped pecans, optional

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat; stir until smooth then add confectioners' sugar. Heat milk until hot; add to chocolate mixture. Add vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over brownies and sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.

Caramel Fudge Brownies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus additional for the pan

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

16 small chocolate covered caramels or 16 pieces of Rolo candy, halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper or heavy aluminum foil, making sure the paper or foil extends beyond the edges of the pan. Lightly butter the paper or foil.

In a heatproof container set over, but not touching,

a saucepan of barely simmering water, heat the butter and unsweetened chocolate, stirring constantly, until the mixture is melted and smooth.

Remove from heat; set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

Reduce the speed to low, add the chocolate mixture and mix just until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix just until blended. The batter should be smooth. Using a spoon, stir in the chocolate covered caramel pieces. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a small knife, loosen the sides of the brownies from the pan. Carefully lift the paper and the whole uncut brownie in 1 piece from the pan. Remove and discard the paper.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup water
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp water
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. Grease 3 9-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. in a small pan over low heat, combine 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup water. Stir until chocolate chips have melted and mixture is smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Sift together flour, soda, and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
4. in a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate mixture. Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend until smooth. Divide batter into 3 9-inch pants, and smooth tops.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10-15 minutes, then invert on wire racks; turn right side up to cool completely.
6. Place 1 cake layer upside down on cake platter. Spread with 1/2 inch layer chocolate whipped cream. Repeat with another cake layer. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost with remaining cream.
7. To make chocolate whipped cream frosting: in a small saucepan over low heat stir 1 cup chocolate chips, honey, 2 tbsp water and 1/8 tsp salt until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; cool completely. in medium bowl beat cream until it holds its shape. Gradually fold about 3 large tbsp cream into chocolate mixture, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining whipped cream until blended.

The Ultimate Brownie

The Ultimate Brownie
8 1-ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
5 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat; set aside. in a mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla at high speed for 10 minutes. Blend in chocolate mixture, flour and salt until just mixed. Stir in the nuts. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool and frost if desired, but that is not necessary.