Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

These are yummy, but very rich. Keep them refrigerated and serve them cold. They are sweet, so I cut my into little 1'' squares.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Batter

1/2 C butter, cut into small pieces

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

2/3 C flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

3/4 C sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Filling

1/4 C butter, melted

1/2 C powdered sugar

3/4 C creamy peanut butter

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Butter and line a 8'' square pan with parchment paper.

Batter

Melt chocolate and butter over stovetop. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk until mixed together. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until combined.

Filling

Stir together filling ingredients in a bowl until smooth.

Assemble

Pour 1/3 of batter into pan and spread evenly. Dollop 1/2 of peanut butter filling on top of batter. Pour the remaining batter on top and carefully spread it out. Dollop the rest of the filling on top. Create a swirled, marbled effect with a butter knife.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

Perfect One Bowl Brownies

So I've made these a few times and LOVE them! I hate the taste of homemade brownies in general...they just can't compete with the box! And I hear everyone's argument of how much quicker and easier it is to make them from the box. But THESE and so quick and easy and delicious! I can literally decide to make them and get them in the oven in all of 10 minutes. I usually always have the ingredients on hand too. So yummy!

I can't seem to get a picture taken whenever I make these....so I'm posting them without one! Sorry, just trust me :)



Perfect One Bowl Brownies
Source: The Sister's Cafe


1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa powder
4 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 C flour
Chocolate Chips (about 1 C)


Preheat oven to 350. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the butter, oil, sugar, and cocoa. Add eggs, salt, vanilla, and flour. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.


Easy, right?

Chocolate Chip Blondies

It's been awhile since I posted a dessert. Okay, a week, but still. I love baking. Baking helps me in so many ways! It's just a great stress reliever. It helps get my mind straight and calm. I was going to make these last night and didn't. They were perfect for today. I was bored and needed something to do!

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Source: Taste and Tell

1 stick butter, melted

1/3 C sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C flour

1 tsp. salt

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

(WOW! I just remembered all that without looking at my recipe. Awesome!)

Whisk together the melted butter and sugars. Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour and salt, but don't over mix! Add half the chocolate chips. Pour into an 8" square pan that is lined with tinfoil and sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Lemon Squares

Okay, so three dessert posts in one day. I know what you're thinking...but I promise we didn't eat these all ourselves! I baked them all for a party we went to! So, happy birthday Andy...sorry Charlie ruined the surprise :)

Lemon Squares

Source: Food and Family, Spring 07

20 vanilla wafers, crushed

1/2 C flour + 2 T

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C cold butter

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 T grated lemon peel

1/4 C fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8" square baking pan with foil. Combine wafer crumbs, 1/2 C flour, and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.

While baking, beat cream cheese, and sugar with mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and 2 T flour. Mix well. Blend in lemon peel, lemon juice, and baking powder. Pour over baked crust.

Bake 25-28 minutes. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares.

Black and White Brownies

These brownies remind me of eating an Oreo! Which is great because we don't keep cookies in the house. Hence, the reason I bake so much!

We had friends over for dinner and of course I had to make dessert! We also have to go to dinner at another friend's house tonight and I'm bringing dessert. So this was the perfect recipe. I've been eyeing it for awhile now and it was so worth making! It wasn't hard, but there were a few steps involved.

Black and White Brownies
Source: My Kitchen Cafe

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line dish with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both long sides, then spray parchment.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Increase speed to medium; beat until incorporated.

Reserve 1 cup of dough; cover, and refrigerate. Press remaining dough into bottom of prepared dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake until base is set and edges are puffed, 22-25 minutes (don't over bake or this brownie layer will be too hard and crumbly). Let cool in dish on a wire rack.

Mix cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread over cooled base; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish on wire rack, then lift out using overhang. Cut into 24 squares. Squares will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.