Peanut Butter Brownies!!!

If you are a peanut butter lover or bake for one, you must try these "Peanut Butter Brownies"!!!  They are amazing!!!  These turn out moist and yummy with just the right amount of peanut butter flavor.  This icing or actually it's just sort of a glaze is just perfect for these also!!!    Some refer to these as "School Cafeteria Peanut Butter Bars"!   I don't remember having anything like this during my school cafeteria days, but if you do and have been searching for the recipe,  here you go!!!  Here is what you will need:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1  1/2 cups peanut butter (I used smooth, but you could use crunchy if you like a crunchier texture)

1  1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar packed

4 large eggs

1 Tbs. vanilla

2 cups self rising flour*

Icing

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

2 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9"x 13" baking pan with nonstick baking spray.

Place the butter and 1 1/2 cups peanut butter in the microwave for about  1 minute to melt them.  With an electric mixer, cream in the white and brown sugars.   Add the eggs one at a time and mix.  Add vanilla.  Add the flour 1 cup at a time and mix just until it disappears and is mixed together.  Do not over mix at this point.  

*If you do not have self rising flour, add 2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt to all purpose flour before adding to the mixture.

Spread evenly in the baking pan.  This mixture will be thick.   Bake for 35 minutes.  Do not over bake, it should test, when you stick a pick in it, with moist crumbs.

Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before icing.

To make the glaze, place 1/4 cup peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.   Add the confectioners sugar vanilla.   Add the milk a little at a time until the mixture is thin enough to spread.  It should be thinner than regular frosting.  Spread over the brownies.  Let them sit for another 30 minutes for the glaze to set.  

Cut in squares to serve and get ready for these to disappear in no time!!!  

Strawberry Brownies!

These are so easy you won't believe it.  They are called 'brownies' mostly because of the texture, because they are not chocolate or brown, but they are very much a strawberry flavored brownie.  I love the pretty pink color and can imagine them being great to serve for various holidays and events where pastels are appropriate...baby showers, Easter, Valentine's Day, little girl's parties!!! 

A recipe for these has been floating around the internet for some time now, but I had to modify it some to come out moist and a little more tasty.  

 Here is what you will need:

1 box strawberry cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme)

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/2 Tbs. milk

1 tsp. strawberry flavoring (optional, but makes them much tastier)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the cake mix, eggs, and 1/2 cup oil with a large spoon.  There is no need to beat this with a mixer, and it's better if you do not.  

Spray a 9"x9" or an 11"x9" baking pan with nonstick baking spray.    Spread the batter in the pan and smooth to the edges.   This batter is really thick and sticky so you will have to work it to the edges of the pan some.   Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 14 -15 minutes or until set.  Do not over bake these, just like brownies, they are best a little chewy. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.  Combine the confectioner's sugar, milk and strawberry flavoring until smooth.  Pour over the brownies to glaze. 

 Allow to set until cool enough to cut in squares...if you can wait that long!!!

  These are so good with a cold glass of milk or a good cup of coffee!!!





Cheesecake Brownies!

1 Family Size pkg. brownie mix, plus ingredients called for (for the 9"x 13" pan)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

3 Tbs. butter, softened

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

1 (16 oz.) can milk chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare brownie mix as directed on the package.  Spread into a 9"x 13" baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick baking spray.

In a large mixing bow, beat the cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until its fluffy.  Beat in the sweetened condensed milk.   Beat in the egg and the vanilla until smooth.    Pour the cheesecake mixture evenly over the brownie batter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is just starting to brown.   Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Spread with the frosting.  Cut into bars and serve!





German Chocolate Bars!

If you love anything German Chocolate, like I do, then these "German Chocolate Bars" will be right up your alley!  These are like a really gooey German Chocolate brownie bar and they do start with a German Chocolate cake mix so they are not hard to make at all.  Here is what you will need:

1 pkg. German Chocolate cake mix

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

16 oz. caramel candies, melted

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cake mix, eggs, butter, 1/2 of the sweetened condensed milk, water, the melted semisweet chocolate, and the vanilla in a bowl.   Mix well.   Spread 1/2 of this mixture in a 9"x13" pan that has been sprayed with nonstick baking spray. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Melt the caramels in the microwave or in a saucepan combined with the remaining sweetened condensed milk.   Pour over the baked layer.   Sprinkle with the white chocolate chips and pecans.   Spread the remaining cake batter over all.

Bake for 20 additional minutes.  

Allow to cool completely, cut into bars and serve!





Snickers Cream Cheese Brownies!

These "Snickers Cream Cheese Brownies" are a combination of three of my favorite things...chocolate, cream cheese and Snickers candy bars!  It just doesn't get much better!  These are so good, I need to not make them very often, because I will eat them until they are gone!  This is an easy brownie that starts with a brownie mix so anyone can make these and they will turn out great! 

These would make a wonderful Valentine treat for someone special! 

Here is what you will need:

1 family size brownie mix (19.5 oz.) and the ingredients called for (9"x13" pan)

14 fun size Snickers candy bars, divided and chopped

1 (8 oz.) pkg, cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the brownie mix according to the package directions.

Chop the fun size snickers in pieces and fold 1/2 of them into the batter.  Pour into a 9"x13" baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. 

In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, egg yolk, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Drop by spoonful evenly over the batter. 

With a knife swirl the cream cheese with the brownie batter.  Don't over swirl or the effect will not look like a swirl and will just be all cream cheese. 

Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. 

Five minutes before the brownies are done, remove from oven and sprinkle the top with  rest of the snickers bars.   The candy bars on top should just be partially melted.  Remove from the oven when done and cool before cutting into squares.  These are rich so cut the squares a little smaller than you normally would.





Decadent Turtle Brownies!



These "Decadent Turtle Brownies" are just that....decadent!  They are sort of a combination of brownie and candy.   They actually start with a boxed brownie mix also, which I am not usually all that fond of, but by the time you finish with it, you will never recognize that a mix was involved.  If you love the chocolate turtle candy, you will really love these brownies.   Here is what you will need:

1 (19.5 oz.) family size brownie mix, plus the ingredients called for to make the cake-like brownies

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (like Eagle Brand)

1 (14 oz.) bag of individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (12 oz.) bag chocolate chips

2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare brownie mix according to the package directions.  For the more cake-like brownies, you usually add an extra egg.

Line a 9"x 13" baking pan with parchment paper or nonstick foil.  Spray the paper or foil with nonstick baking spray.   This brownie mixture tends to stick if you don't do this.  

Pour half of the brownie mixture in the pan and spread it evenly.   Bake for 10-15 minutes or just until it's just starting to set. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, caramels and sweetened condensed milk together over low heat.   Stir often so it doesn't scorch.    When it's all melted and blended, remove from heat and add the vanilla.  You can also melt this together in the microwave.

Carefully spread over the brownie layer. 

Sprinkle the caramel layer with the chocolate chips.

Carefully spread the rest of the brownie mix over all and then sprinkle the top with the pecan halves.

Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes! 

Allow to cool completely.   Lift them out of the pan using the foil for handles and place on a cutting board to cut.

 Cut in small squares and serve!   These are rich so a little goes a long way!



Nana's Lunch Lady Brownies

Yesterday I went to cook with my mother to get some of her best and most requested recipes.  She has so many that I want to feature on here for people who have asked over time for the recipes, but we decided to do her from scratch brownies and her homemade yeast rolls which are both to die for.  When I refer to Nana on here it's because my mother is Nana to her five grandchildren who are now basically all grown up, but she will always be Nana to them.  Her recipes and certain things she cooks will always be Nana's also.  Each one of them has their favorites and Nana knows what they are for each one.  When they are visiting those dishes are going to be prepared and ready for them.  I am starting with these brownies because they are actually one of my favorites. Once you make these brownies, the boxed mix will never be the same to you again.

My mother actual got this recipe many years ago from the lady that ran our elementary school cafeteria, who was an excellent cook herself.   I always looked forward to lunch on the days we had these wonderful brownies.  I still remember the big sheet pans they baked them on and drooling as they cut them in the perfect squares to serve us. 

 What ever happened to school lunches serving real, from scratch, food like that?  Maybe, they do in your area still and I hope so, but I can tell you the schools I have been in, do not.    I always considered these my mother's brownies, but when several of you asked me about 'lunch lady' brownies, I remembered that Mama got the recipe from Mrs. Drummond, our very own lunch lady, so I changed the name and wanted to give her the credit.  Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup water
1 stick butter*
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 Tbs. cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1tsp. vanilla

Icing:

1 stick butter*
4 Tbs. cocoa
6 Tbs. half and half
1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

**You can use margarine in this, but we basically never cook with margarine.  The recipe will turn out fine, but it will not taste as good.  Margarine has a lot of water content in it, especially the whipped varieties and we know what water tastes like. 


Here is what you will need for the cake part of the brownie:

Vanilla, vegetable or canola oil, cocoa, butter, sugar, salt, self rising flour, buttermilk, baking soda and eggs.

Sift  2 1/2 cups flour into a mixing bowl, add 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix together.

Place one stick butter, 1 cup water, 4 Tbs cocoa powder, 1/2 cup oil in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil.  As soon as it begins to boil remove from heat.  Pour over the dry ingredients and mix together just until moist.

Beat up two eggs with wire whisk, add 1/2 cup buttermilk.  Add this mixture to the cocoa mixture and mix just until blended with wire whisk.  Add 1 tsp vanilla and mix.  Do not over mix and do not use electric mix, just use the whisk.

Pour this into a greased 11" x 15" pan.  This is a sheet cake pan.  If you don't have a sheet cake pan, you could use a 9" x13" pan and an 8" x 8" pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. 

During the last ten minutes of baking, start your icing.  Here is what you will need:

1 stick butter, 4 Tbs cocoa, 6 Tbs. half and half, 1 lb. confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Place 1 stick butter, 4 Tbs. cocoa,  and 6 Tbs. half and half in a pan.  Bring to boil, as soon as it boils remove from heat and add 1 lb. confectioner's sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Beat well with whisk until smooth.  You can add 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or if you don't care for nuts, leave them out. 

Pour over the warm brownies and spread to cover. Let them sit and cool just slightly, you can serve them while still a little warm though.

Yummy!  These are absolutely the best brownies you will ever eat. Everybody always loves them!   

German Chocolate Brownies!

I love German Chocolate in any way....German Chocolate Cake,  German Chocolate Pie, anything German Chocolate, so German Chocolate Brownies sounded really good to me!  Guess what, German Chocolate Brownies are not just good they are excellent.  They are also much easier than making a German Chocolate Cake.   Here is what you will need for these:

2 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 (4oz.) pkg. German chocolate, melted
3/4 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter, melted (1  1/2 sticks)
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine eggs and sugar and beat well.  Add the melted butter and the melted chocolate that has cooled slightly.  Add the flour, pecans, vanilla and pinch of salt.   Combine well.  

Spray a 9 inch square baking pan well with nonstick spray or grease it.  Pour the batter in the pan and place in oven.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  Do no over bake or they will get too hard.

To make the frosting,  combine milk, sugar, butter and egg yolks in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat.   Cook and stir until it thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in pecans, vanilla and coconut. . 



Allow to cool and then spread over the brownies.  Cut in squares.

German Chocolate Brownies!

Rocky Road Brownies!

This is my mother's "Rocky Road Brownie" recipe that she has been making for years.  She always makes these when her grandchildren are coming to visit, along with tons of other sweets.  These grandchildren are all pretty much grown now, the youngest being a set of twins who just turned twenty, but when they are all around you would think not one of them is over five years old. 

Of course, that is what is so special about both being a grandparent and having grandparents, the relationship doesn't have to actually grow up.  It's the one place, you can always go back to and still be that dependent, adored child that never does anything all that wrong or disappointing, because grandparents never see it from any viewpoint, but yours.  

 Every person should have that "Nana" or "Papaw" that adores them like they were five all of their lives.  My son and his cousins have had that and will have that as long as they have their Nana and Papaw and for that, today, I am very thankful.  I hope they are as thankful and realize how blessed they are.  I think they know, even if they don't always express it as much as they should.  

These are a 'from scratch' brownie, but they couldn't be easier.  They look really appetizing and make a nice item for a dessert tray or even to make as a home baked gift for that special person that would be inexpensive to give.  Here is what you need for these brownies:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1  3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1  1/2 cup self rising flour

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 tsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add in the eggs.  Mix in the cocoa powder, flour, and vanilla.

Spread in a well greased 9"x13" baking pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Don't over bake this.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the top with the nuts if you are using nuts and the marshmallows.  Place back in the oven for 5 minutes.  The marshmallows should be just starting to slightly brown.  Watch carefully so the marshmallows don't get too brown.

Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and stir to blend well.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top.  We use a squirt bottle to do this and it makes a thinner line and you can control where it goes a little better, but you can just drizzle with a spoon.  Anything with chocolate drizzled over it makes a nice presentation!  That's it..."Rocky Road Brownies"!  Aren't they easy? 





Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes!

When I get a craving for something sweet, nothing satisfies it more than something that is chocolate and peanut butter.    I love the combination of the two and a Reese's peanut butter cup is one of my favorite candy treat, so when I decided to make a cupcake using a brownie mix and I had a bag of miniature Reese's candies, the natural thing was to stick one in the middle. 

I will say that the best part of this whole thing turned out to be the fluffy peanut butter icing...oh my goodness, it is so good!  I could eat it by itself...as a matter of fact I did eat a good deal of it by itself.  I cannot make this very often though, because it's dangerous for me.   Fortunately, my son's girlfriend also loves peanut butter and she weighs about 90 pounds soaking wet ... I, on the other hand, DO NOT, so I sent her some of these to get them out of my sight.  I am not trying to sabotage her petite cuteness, but I refuse to buy bigger pants!   

This recipe is very simple because you use a brownie mix, even the icing goes together very easy for homemade icing.  Here is all you need:

Ingredients:

1 family size box of brownie mix, makes a 9x13 pan  (prepared as directed for cake like brownies, so you need eggs, oil and water)

24 miniature Reese's candies

Fluffy Peanut Butter Icing:

5 Tbs butter, softened

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup half and half or cream

dash of salt

Prepare the brownie mix as directed on the package for cake like brownies.   Either spray two 12 cup muffin pans with nonstick baking spray or place cupcake liners in the cups.  I recommend the cupcake liners for easier cleanup.  Fill the cups half full.  Unwrap the Reese's candies and place on in each cup.  Cover with the rest of the batter, filling each one to 2/3 full.  Place in a 350 degree preheated oven for 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before icing.

While the cupcakes cook, prepare the peanut butter icing.  Cream the butter and peanut butter together with an electric mixer.  Add in the sugar, half and half or cream, vanilla and dash of salt. Beat until it is light and fluffy.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to get it all blended.  Also, the dash of salt might sound odd, but don't leave it out, it really adds something to this.  Just a dash though, not much!  This icing is to die for!  I am not a huge icing kind of person, but this is so good! It might be because it's peanut butter and I do love peanut butter, but you have to try it!



When the cupcakes have cooled, frost them with the icing. Store in an airtight container or on a covered cake plate.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cup Cakes!