Cinnamon Oatmeal Brownies

A cup of Mexican hot chocolate, the delicious combination of chocolate and cinnamon. Here is something I came up with to use this flavor combination. A little chewy, a little fudgy, a little cinnamony. These bars are muy bueno!

1 box (for 9×13 pan) brownie mix
2 cups oats (I used old fashioned)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9″x13″ pan liberally with non-stick spray. In large bowl, stir together dry brownie mix, oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in melted butter until evenly distributed. Press 3 cups of crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven, pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crust getting close to edge but try not to touch if possible. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon chips and chocolate chips. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture evenly over chips and press down lightly. Bake for 20-22 more minutes, will be a bit giggly as it comes from the oven but will set up as it cools. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

One Year Ago Today: Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam Brownies

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

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Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Apricot Bars

I am revisiting a favorite of mine. I have no self-control when I make these bars. In my mind I think, “OK, it is just better when they are gone so they are not around to tempt me”…then I proceed to finish them off. I know, I’m a little nuts when it comes to sweets! Make these bars with dried apricots, dried cranberries, dates, raisins, or a mixture, change up the combination with different chips too. How about raisins and cinnamon chips? Oh no, now I need to whip those up, I better make a plan for giving them away or my jeans won’t fit.

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1½ cups quick or old-fashioned oats
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice, divided
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1 cup white chips
1 cup chopped dried apricots (can use dried cranberries, dates, raisins, etc.)
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 13 x 9 baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Mix in flour, oats, lemon zest, and 1 tsp lemon juice until crumbly.  Reserve 2 cups of mixture.  Press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk and remaining 1 tsp lemon juice.  Pour cream cheese mixture over hot crust, sprinkle mini chocolate chips, white chips, and chopped dried apricots. Sprinkle with reserved flour-oat mixture and gently pat down.  Bake for additional 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set.  Remove from pan and cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Grab foil and remove from pan.  Peel foil down from sides and cut into desired size bars. Enjoy the whole pan or share with others!

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Quick & Easy Mousse

I first tasted this mousse when my friend Colleen made it for book club, chocolate mousse, so creamy and delicious. I decided to try it with different flavors for my daughter’s wedding reception in her colors. The original recipe I believe comes from Eagle Brand. Choose a pudding flavor and whip some up!

1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup cold water
1 (4-serving size) package chocolate instant pudding mix (or flavor of your choice)
1 cup whipping cream, whipped or 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat well. Chill 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream (or whipped topping). Spoon into serving dishes; chill. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

One Year Ago: Strawberry Milkshake Mini Cakes

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

For all those chocolate peanut butter fans!

1 box favorite brownie mix or homemade recipe for 9″x13″

Bake brownies according to package directions or recipe.  Cool completely.

1/2 cup butter
1 (10 oz) pkg peanut butter chips
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbl shortening
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt butter and peanut butter chips over low heat, stirring. Stir in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture over cooled brownies. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave just until melted.  Drizzle chocolate over brownies.  Sprinkle chopped walnuts evenly over top. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

One Year Ago: White Chocolate Candy Cane Fudge

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Coconut Spice Bars

A spice cake mix makes a cinnamon spice shortbread crust with coconut, white chocolate chips, and walnuts in a creamy layer on top.  Tastes like fall time to me!

Crust:
1 pkg spice cake mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg, beaten

Topping:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1½ cups flaked coconut, divided
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.  Mix cake mix, butter, and egg until well combined and crumbly.  Press into sprayed 9″x13″ baking pan.  Mix together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and egg, beat until well combined.  Stir in 1 cup coconut, walnuts, and white chocolate chips, pour over crust mixture in baking pan.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup coconut evenly over topping.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and center is set.  Cool completely and cut into bars.

One Year Ago Today:  Applesauce Oatmeal Spice Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Frosting 

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

Peanut butter & Chocolate!  These bars are easy to make with ingredients almost always in the pantry.  The hard part is waiting for them to cool.  Gooey when warm, chewy when cool and set, you decide how you want to eat them!

2 cups flour
2 cups old fashioned oats
1½ cups brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray 9″x13″ pan liberally with non-stick spray.  In large bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Mix in melted butter until evenly distributed.  Press 3 cups of crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from oven, pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crust getting close to edge but try not to touch.  Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.  Sprinkle remaining crust mixture evenly over chips and press down lightly.  Bake for 18-20 more minutes.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

S’more Ice Cream Cake

It finally feels like summer around here, so this recipe seem fitting.  I found it in Women’s Day magazine and we think its delicious!  Smores Ice Cream Cake Recipe – Woman’s Day

10 graham crackers, divided
2 Tbl butter, softened
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips)
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1½ tsp vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°.  Line bottom of 8″ springform pan with parchment paper.  In food processor, pulse 8 graham crackers until finely ground.  Add butter and pulse until blended.  Press graham mixture into bottom of prepared pan.  Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.  Let cool completely, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate in microwave, let cool slightly.  Using electric mixer, beat chocolate, half the condensed milk (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons), and 3/4 tsp vanilla in large bowl until combined.  Add 1 cup of the heavy cream and beat on high speed until thick, stiff peaks form.  Fold in marshmallows.  Spoon mixture on top of cooled crust and spread evenly.

Using electric mixer, beat remaining condensed milk, vanilla, and heavy cream until thick, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.  Spread on top of chocolate layer.

Break remaining 2 graham crackers into tiny pieces.  Sprinkle graham pieces and remaining 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips over top.  Cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and up to 2 weeks.  When ready to serve, unmold cake and transfer to platter.  Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

One Year Ago Today:  Harvest Grain & Pecan Pancake/Waffle Mix

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Dark Chocolate Coconut Brownies

Can there ever be a bad brownie?  I guess if it is too dry or way too under cooked.  But really, if you are a chocolate lover, a rich fudgy brownie can be a little bit of heaven.  Add other favorite flavors and your heaven increases.  This is my slice of heaven for today, would only be made perfect if I were eating these with my whole family sitting around me!

Brownie Batter:
1¹⁄3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup Special Dark unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)

Coconut Layer:
3 cups shredded coconut, chopped fine
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 13”x9” baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

In small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Melt butter in large saucepan, remove from heat.  Stir in cocoa, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients and nuts if using.  Spread half of brownie batter into bottom of prepared pan.  In medium bowl, stir together coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.  Carefully layer coconut batter over brownies batter in pan (I used my fingers to drop coconut batter in little bits evenly over top of brownie layer.  Top with remaining chocolate batter (if batter has thickened, microwave for about 12-15 seconds to thin so spreads more easily).  Pour over and spread gently.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until top center is set.  Cool in pan before removing with foil to cutting board, pull foil away, and cut into bars.  Refrigerate, when cold brownies cut into clean squares.

One Year Ago Today:  Homemade Granola

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Creamy Lemon Oat Bars

After looking around on the web, I believe this recipe must go way back.  It pops up on many pages and with different variations, but it is a winner.  If you love lemon desserts, try these incredibly easy, but oh so wonderful lemon bars.

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
Lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1¼ cups flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375°.  Line 8″x8″ pan with enough foil so it has over-hang on each side, spray foil with non-stick spray.  Stir together sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.  In another bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Mix cut in softened butter until distributed and crumbly.  Press half of crumb mixture into even layer on bottom of prepared pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Spread lemon mixture over crumb crust.  Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over lemon layer and press down slightly.  Return to oven and bake 20 minutes.  Cool completely, remove from pan using foil over-hang to cutting board.  Peel foil down from sides, cut into bars.

One Year Ago Today:  Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware & kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

 

Sweet Milk Bread

A beautiful, sweet braided loaf made with sweetened condensed milk.  Just a few simple ingredients make something so wonderful.  I also used a small amount of the dough to make six little buns for our pulled pork sliders for dinner.

                       

1 cup warm water (110°)
2¼ tsp yeast (1 pkg)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
3¼ cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbl oil

In mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water, and pour sweetened condensed milk over yeast.  Let stand 5 minutes until foamy.  Blend in flour, salt, and oil to make a soft dough.  Knead until smooth and elastic (by hand or mixer).  Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and turn onto lightly floured surface, divide into three equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a 20″ rope.  Place three ropes parallel to each other on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or Silpat.  Start braid at center of ropes.  Place right rope over center rope, left rope over center rope, continue to the end, pinch ends together and tuck under.  Turn baking sheet around to work other side so unbraided ropes face you.  This side place center rope over right rope, then center rope over left rope, continue to the end, pinch ends together and tuck under.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350° and bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Cover with foil during baking to prevent from getting too brown.  Brush with butter as comes from oven.

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.