Brownies - Turn Ordinary Into Extraordinary! #Foodies #Recipes

Have plain ol’ brownies ever made you yawn? Here’s a pick-me-up that is sure to make you smile. When the box of brownie mix sitting in my pantry made me say, “Meh,” I knew I needed a solution. Quick. So I concocted this fast and easy fix that will turn ordinary brownies into extraordinary! I’ll never look at brownies the same way again.

I call these Double Chocolate English Toffee Brownies and my husband LOVES them.

Bake a batch of brownies as directed on the box. As soon as you pull the pan out of the oven, sprinkle the brownies with 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate pieces (use more, if you like). I use Nestles Mini Morsels because they melt faster than the regular sized chocolate chips. Wait about five minutes and then use a butter knife to spread the chocolate evenly over the top of the brownies. While the chocolate is still lusciously melty, sprinkle about a cup of Heath English Toffee Bits over the top. Wait until the brownies cool and then cut into squares. Delicious!

    

Do you have a quick and easy fix that changes a recipe from ordinary to extraordinary? Please share in the comment section below. 

While I have your attention, can I tell you about the newest book in my A Family Forever Series? A REASON TO BELIEVE is a cute little fairy tale that’s chockfull of Irish Folklore. It’s available in ebook and in paperback. I hope you’ll look for it!

About the book: 

It seems like a grand idea, temporarily trading her pixie wings for a womanly form to help handsome widower Paul Roland with his baby girl. And the moment she holds the precious bairn in her arms, Fern knows true happiness for the first time.

But Fern never anticipates the dizzying emotions she feels for the man who not only needs her as a nanny, but as a woman whose passion can heal his wounded heart. Suddenly the forbidden fairy rule she gently bends because of the baby is in danger of being irrevocably broken.

Some things are meant to be…

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Summery Lemon Blueberry Dessert @DonnaFaz #Recipes #Food

There’s nothing more refreshing as a summer dessert than the combination of lemon and blueberry. This dessert is so easy, you won’t believe it. It’s so delicious, your family and friends will ask you to make it, again and again.

I used a 7 inch by 11 inch clear glass dish in which to assemble my dessert because the graham crackers fit very nicely in the bottom. If you don’t have a dish this size, simply use whatever you have, snapping the graham crackers into pieces that will fit into the bottom for the “crust.”

Summery Lemon Blueberry Dessert

2 boxes (2.9 oz) lemon “cook and serve” pudding

2/3 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (optional)

4 cups water (divided)

1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed

10 graham crackers

1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

1.    In a saucepan, stir together the dry lemon pudding mix, sugar, egg yolks, lemon peel, and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Make sure all of the pudding mix is well-incorporated. Add the additional 3 1/2 cups water and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pudding comes to a boil and thickens. Set aside to cool.

2.    Add Cool Whip to the cooled pudding mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.

3.    Assemble your dessert: Line the bottom of a 7 inch x 11 inch oblong dish with 4 graham crackers. Top with half of the pudding, smoothing into an even layer. Top pudding with half of the blueberries. Add 4 more graham crackers, pressing down a bit so the crackers are in contact with the pudding. Layer on the remaining pudding and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining blueberries. Place remaining 2 graham crackers into a plastic baggie and crush into crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over the top of the pudding.

4.    Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to give the “crust” time to soften.

5.    To serve, cut chilled dessert into squares. Serves 8.

Nutty Chocolate Chip Caramel Squares #recipe

Last year, I found the original recipe for this chocolaty, gooey, nutty, and delectable dessert on the Kraft Foods website. I'd like to thank my friend, Allie, for alerting me to this recipe! As usual, I've done some fiddling with the ingredients, and I offer you the final, decadently rich result. Read through the entire recipe before starting so you can assemble all the necessary ingredients. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 box Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix, 16.5 oz.
1/4 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Stir together the butter, the cake mix, ¼ cup evaporated milk and the egg. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Press half the mixture into the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. This is the crust of the squares. Set aside the remaining half of the cake batter.
4. Now you’ll need:

1 bag Kraft caramels, 14 oz.
1/3 cup evaporated milk, undiluted

5. While crust bakes, unwrap caramels and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/3 cup evaporated milk and heat in microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until caramel is completely melted. Stir until smooth and set aside.

6. Now it's time to assemble. You’ll need:

1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

7. Sprinkle 1/2 cup nuts and 1/2 cup chocolate chunks on the hot crust. Drizzle melted caramel over the nuts and chocolate chunks, being careful to spread caramel to the edges. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup nuts and 1/2 cup chocolate chunks over the caramel. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining fudge cake batter onto the caramel, pressing into caramel with the back of a spoon.

8. Bake an additional 30 minutes. Cool before cutting into small squares. Let’s hear a MMMmmmm!

Peanut Butter Cookies #Recipe - Happy Holidays from @DonnaFaz

Mmmmm. My house smells like warm cookies. Is there a better aroma than that at Christmas time? I just finished making Peanut Butter Crisscross Cookies. This recipe is easy enough to make with your children.

Peanut Butter Crisscross Cookies

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup vegetable shortening

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375º.

Mix together the peanut butter, shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar. Add the egg and stir until well incorporated. Add in the dry ingredients.

Roll dough into ¾ inch balls and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Press a fork into each cookie, flattening slightly, to make a crisscross pattern.

Bake for approximately 9 minutes. Let cookies cool for a few minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet.

*****

Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies:

Make dough as above and roll into balls. Press thumb deeply into each cookie and bake for 9-10 minutes. Fill thumbprints with your favorite jam or jelly.

*****

Tomorrow, I plan to make Spritz Butter Cookies and Molasses Crinkles.

One of my Christmas guests is vegan, so I'll also make a vegan Chocolate Torte. I'm kind of excited to make this as it's a new-to-me recipe. Can't wait to taste it!

What desserts are you making this holiday?

Dying For Chocolate!

I am guest posting over at Dying For Chocolate where I offer up a delicious chocolate dessert recipe: Nutty Chocolate Chip Caramel Squares. Hurry on over to Janet Rudolph's wonderful blog where she talks about all-things-chocolate!

Here's picture of the final result:

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!