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Toll House Kookie Brittle – Aunt Billie Rae loves these

  • 1 cup margarine
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 – 6 ounce package chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup chopped nuts

Combine margarine, vanilla, and sugar. Add flour, mix well. Add chips and 3/4 cup of nuts. Press into an ungreased 9X12 pan. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top and press in lightly.

***Cut as soon as they come out of the oven, Roger uses a pizza cutter.

Bake at 375 degrees F, for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

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Chocolate Cheesecake

Makes one 9-inch cheesecake

Crust

  • 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
  • 5 TBS melted butter

Filling

  • 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 ounces (2 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted

Frosting

  • 6 ounces (6 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  1. To prepare crust, in a medium bowl, mix together chocolate crumbs and melted butter until well blended. Press into a 9-inch springform pan.
  2. Preheat oven to 300.
  3. To prepare filling, in a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and eggs at a medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Spoon half of cream cheese mixture into crust.
  4. Stir chocolate into remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended. Drizzle over batter in crust to make swirls.
  5. Bake cheesecake for 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
  6. Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours.
  7. Uncover cheesecake; carefully remove sides of pan.
  8. To prepare frosting, in a small bowl, mix together chocolate and sour cream. Spread over cheesecake. Chill briefly until frosting is set.

Baking Tips

Cheesecake can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and kept, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Or, the cake can be frozen for up to 3 weeks. Defrost before serving.

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Toffee-Topped Bars

  • 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9X13 baking pan; set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar and flour.
  3. Using pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside.
  4. To mixture in large bowl, add baking powder and salt. Using a fork, lightly beat in vanilla, milk, and egg.
  5. Continue beating until a smooth batter forms. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
  6. In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips and walnuts. Fold in the coconut.
  7. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top of batter in pan. sprinkle with the chocolate chips, and walnuts.
  8. Using a long flat spatula, spread topping evenly over the top of the batter in pan.
  9. Bake bars for 35 minutes, or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
  10. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Cool bars in pan completely before slicing.
  11. Using a serrated knife, cut into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Butterfinger Lush

  • 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
  • Vegetable oil, water, and egg called for on cookie mix pouch
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
  • 2 boxes (4-serving size each) chocolate instant pudding mix
  • 3 cups cold milk
  • 3 Butterfinger candy bars (1/9 oz each), unwrapped, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  1. Heat oven to 375. Make and bake cookies as directed on pouch. Cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
  2. In food processor, process half of the cookies to coarse crumbs. Remove to medium bowl. Continue to process second half of remaining cookies to coarse crumbs; add to bowl. Stir in melted butter until well blended. In ungreased 9X13 glass baking dish, press cookie crumb mixture firmly in bottom. Set aside.
  3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl frequently. Beat in 2 cups of the whipped topping. Spread over cookie crust.
  4. In another medium bowl, beat dry pudding mix and milk with a whisk about 2 minutes or until thick. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Spread remaining whipped topping over top of pudding layers. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.
  5. When ready to serve, sprinkle chopped candy bars on top. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining dessert.
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Strawberry Shortcake Lush

  • 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
  • Butter and egg called for on cookie mix pouch for drop cookies
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1 container (7.5 oz) strawberry cream cheese spread, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup strawberry jam
  • 1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
  • 2 boxes (4-serving size each) vanilla flavor instant pudding
  • 3 cups cold milk
  • 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
  1. Heat oven to 375. Make and bake drop cookies as directed on pouch. Cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Set aside 4 cookies for garnish.
  2. In food processor, process 1/2 of the remaining cookies to coarse crumbs. Remove to medium bowl. Continue to process second half of remaining cookies to coarse crumbs; add to bowl. Stir in melted butter until well blended. In ungreased 9X13 glass baking dish, press cookie crumb mixture firmly in bottom. Set aside.
  3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese spread, powdered sugar, and jam with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping down side of bowl frequently. Beat in 2 cups of the whipped topping. Spread over cookie crust.
  4. In another medium bowl, beat dry pudding mix and milk with whisk about 2 minutes or until thick. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Drop remaining whipped topping by spoonfuls over pudding layer; spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.
  5. When ready to serve, crumble remaining 4 cookies; sprinkle cookies and strawberries on top. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pieces.
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Reese’s Peanut Butter Layer Bars

  • 1 pouch (17.5 oz.) Betty Crocker double chocolate chunk cookie mix
  • oil, water, and egg called for on cookie mix pouch
  • 3/4 cup (14 oz. can) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup (from 8 oz. package) Reese’s mini’s peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup Reese’s peanut butter chips
  • 1/2 cup cocktail peanuts
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9X13 inch pan with cooking spray.
  2. In large bowl, mix cookie mix, oil, water, and egg with spoon until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes,
  3. In small bowl, mix condensed milk and peanut butter. Pour evenly over baked crust, carefully spreading to edges. Sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanuts over top. Bake 18-22 minutes or until bubbling along edges. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
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Six Layer Brownie Bars

  • 1 box brownie mix, water, vegetable oil and egg called for in mix
  • 1/2 cup flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 2/3 cup(from 14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark non-stick pan). Line 8 inch square pan with foil, allowing some to hang over edges of pan. Grease bottom and sides of foil with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in pan.

Bake 35 to 38 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inch from side of pan comes out almost clean.

Top with coconut, toffee bits, chocolate chips and pecans. Drizzle evenly with condensed milk. Bake 18 to 22 minutes longer or until golden brown and bubbling along edges. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 3 hours. Using foil to lift, remove brownies from pan, and peel foil away. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

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Key Lime Bars With Animal Cracker Crust

Crust

  • 5 oz animal crackers (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Filling

  • 2 oz cream cheese, softened
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 Tbsp lime zest, grated (about two limes)
  • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 regular limes or 20 key limes)
  • 1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8X8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil, press into corners and up the sides of the baking dish, leaving and overhand to easily remove bars when done. Spray with cooking spray. For the crust: add animal crackers, brown sugar and a pinch of salt to a food processor. process until you have fine crumbs. Drizzle in melted butter and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the filling: Stir together softened cream cheese, a pinch of salt, and grated lime zest. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. Add the lime juice and whisk until smooth and creamy. Last, whisk in the egg yolk. Pour mixture over warm baked crust and spread out evenly. Return to oven and bake until filling is set barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 17-20 minutes.

Let cool on wire rack to room temperature (about 1 1/2 hours). Cover with foil and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Remove from pan using the foil overhand; cut into squares and serve.

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Pumpkin Dessert (from Krista Loiacono)

  • 1 (29 oz) can of pumpkin (Store extra pumpkin in freezer in bags measured out for recipe because it only lasts about 1 week in the fridge)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
  • 1 box of yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup chopped nuts whatever kind you like
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 by 9 pan

Mix first 3 ingredients. Add spices and slowly blend in the milk. Pour into the pan. Sprinkle the cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Use a fork to break up any clumps. Sprinkle the nuts. Melt the butter and drizzle evenly over the cake and nuts. Bake for 50 minutes or until firm. Serve with cool whip or plain. Enjoy!

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Butterfinger Poke cake

Cake

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1/2 creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs

Filling

  • 1 box (6 serving size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
  • 3 cups cold milk

Topping

  • 1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 1/4 cup chocolate flavor syrup
  • 4 Butterfinger candy bars, chopped (about 1 2/3 cups)

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 fro dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom only of 13 by 9 inch pan.

In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan. Bake 26 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven to cooling rack; cool 5 minutes. With handle of wooden spoon (1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter), poke holes almost to bottom of cake every 1/2 inch, wiping spoon handle occasionally to reduce sticking.

In large bowl, beat filling ingredients with whisk 1 minute (mixture will thicken). Pour over cake; spread evenly over surface, working back and forth to fill holes. (Some filling should remain on top of cake.) Refrigerate 1 hour.

Spread whipped topping evenly on top of the cake. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. sprinkle with chopped candy. Store covered in refrigerator.