Death by Chocolate

My dad has been making this dessert for as long as I can remember. I haven't had it in years, and wanted to give it a go for Andy's brother's graduation party. I'm so glad I did. This dessert is impossible to screw up, even if you aren't a baker, and makes you look like Martha Stewart. A definite crowd pleaser. 

Death by Chocolate:

Ingredients: 

1 box chocolate cake

2 small packages instant chocolate pudding

1 16 oz whipped topping

candy of your choice

Directions:

1. Bake the chocolate cake and prepare the pudding. Cut chocolate cake into bite size pieces and layer in in the the bottom of a glass bowl. Top with pieces of candy (I used kit-kats). Don't be shy with the  candy here!

2. Add an even layer of chocolate pudding and top it with whipped topping. Repeat the layering the cake, candy, pudding, and whipped topping. Garnish with the left over candy, and dig in!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I was looking for a quick recipe to try out my new Kitchen Aid Mixer and this one from How Sweet It Is fit the bill. Everything Jess cooks up has been a hit and these are no exception. Chocolate peanut butter perfection.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars: Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients: 

2 sticks of butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 package peanut butter chips

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy. 

2. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined. 

3. Fold in peanut butter chips. Spread dough in a 9 x 13 baking dish, and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Candy Buckeyes

Buckeyes are pure Ohio culture. We grew up learning about buckeyes, rooting for the Bucks, and making a candy version during the holidays. This recipe is always a crowd pleaser. Even if you aren't an Ohioan, make these for your next get together. Dip them all the way and you have a truffle!

Buckeyes:

Yield: about 50-60 balls

Ingredients: 

1 stick of butter at room temperature

3 cups of powdered sugar

2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Baking chocolate for dipping 

Directions:

1. Cream butter, peanut butter, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Slowly add in powdered sugar until incorporated, and the dough sticks together nicely.
2. Form dough into one inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax freezer. Pop in the freezer until firm.
3. Melt baking chocolate in the microwave for 30 second increments until smooth.
4. Dip peanut butter balls into the chocolate using a toothpick, leaving a small portion of the peanut butter uncovered. Let excess chocolate drip off and place back on the wax paper. Allow chocolate to firm and refrigerate your buckeyes in a covered container. 

Pumpkin Bread

I've wanted to try my hand at pumpkin bread for a long time. After doing some research I decided to try out Paula Deen's recipe, which did not disappoint. The recipe took just minutes to whip together, and the result was a super moist bread with the perfect blend of spices. I will definitely be making this again before fall is over. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread: Adapted from Paula Deen Magazine

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients: 

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

4 large eggs

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease 2 (8x5-inch) loaf pans. In a medium bowl, beat pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine.
3. Pour into pans, and bake for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Palmiers

Sunday was our annual cookie exchange with my aunts and my grandma. I finally had an excuse to try out Ina Garten's palmiers which I have been dying to make. These were the perfect cookie to spice up our cookie tray. I added some cinnamon to the recipe and voila! 

These were so tasty (and easy) that I will be making them again before Christmas! 

On a side note: If you are interested in making these (you should), I would recommend using less sugar. Enjoy!