S'Mores Bars

I made these a while back when I was wanting some type of s'mores dessert.  These were super easy and soooo tasty.  I used store bought cookie dough, but you could make your own if you wanted.  I served it warm, but didn't serve it with ice cream as was suggested, but it would probably be good with ice cream.  I made the bar part and added the marshmallows, but didn't brown them until right before serving it so they were warm when I served it at my in-laws.  I will definitely make these again!

S'Mores Bars

From: Say Yes to Hoboken

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients:

Graham Crackers
Cookie Dough (I used store bought)
Hershey Bars
Mini Marshmallows

Directions:
1. In an 8x8 square pan make a layer of graham crackers

2. Spread cookie dough out on parchment to a thin layer to fit over the graham crackers, then place in the pan over the graham cracker layer.

3. Bake according to the cookie dough package for about 8 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and drop small squares of Hershey bars on top of the cookie layer.  (I think I used 2-3 bars, but use as many as you like).

5. Cover with mini marshmallows and bake for a few minutes until the marshmallows become fluffy and slightly brown.

6. Serve warm.  Can serve with ice cream.

Snowmen Cake Pops

We have tons of snow here right now (and negative teen temps!) to make a snowman but these snowmen are way more delicious!  I made these for Christmas treats, but they could easily be a winter treat too!  They are pretty easy to make (at least as far as cake pops go) and I liked the added treat of the reese's cup with the cake pop!

Snowmen Cake Pops
From: Elizabeth's Dutch Oven
Makes 30-40 pops

Ingredients:
Cake Mix flavor of your choice (and eggs, and oil according to directions)
One can frosting of your choice
1 lb white candy melting wafers
Orange tic tacs
black food safe marker
Sucker sticks
Mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Directions:
1. Bake cake according to directions in 9x13 pan.  Let cool completely.

2. Crumble cake very small into a large bow.  Add about 2/3 can of frosting and mix together with hands until evenly moist.  May need to add a little more frosting if needed, but should not be overly moist.

3. Shape mixture into balls and place on wax paper on a cookie sheet.  Freeze for 15-30 minutes.

4. Melt the white wafers.  Stick sucker stick through the center of the mini reese's cup and repeat for all the sticks to make hats.

5. Remove balls from freezer and dip end of sucker stick in melted chocolate and then in the ball.  Then dip ball into the melted chocolate and completely cover. Lightly tap to remove excess.

5. Place cake ball back onto cookie sheet and push down reese's close to the ball.  Lightly push one orange tic tac in the center of one side of the ball that will be the face.  Repeat until all the balls are done.

6. When chocolate is dry, take edible food-safe marker and draw on on eyes and mouth.

*** You can also make with out reese's cups if you don't want them to have hats. :) ***

Oreo Layer Dessert

This dessert is easy and isn't super heavy.  Not to say that it is healthy, it is just light and fluffy and tasty.  And easy and good one to bring for a group.

Oreo Layer Dessert
From: House 344
Prep Time: 15-20 min
Chill Time: 1-2 hrs

Ingredients:
1 Pkg of regular Oreos
1/2 c. of Butter
1 large box instant chocolate pudding (and milk to make according to pkg)
2 (8oz) cool whips
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

 Directions:
1. Crush the whole package of cookies in food processor (or in a bag with a rolling pin). Save a 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top later.

2. Pour remaining crumbs in a 9x13 pan.  Melt butter and stir into crumb mix.  then press crumbs into bottom of the pan to make a crust.

3. Make Chocolate pudding according to package directions and let it set up in the fridge.

4.  In a mixing bowl blend cream cheese until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and mix.  Fold in 1 8oz container of cool whip.

5. In pan, top oreo layer with cream cheese mix.  Then layer on pudding.  Then layer on the last 8oz container of cool whip.  Sprinkle with remaining oreo's on top

6. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Raspberry and Chocolate Layer Parfait Dessert in Jars

This is a really easy summer dessert.  It is light and cool, and making them in individual jars makes them perfect for bringing to someone's house. It is very similar to the Trifle I make, but who doesn't love to serve dessert in jars! I also love that there are so many variations you can make of this.  I made mine with Raspberries and blueberries (red, white and blue for Memorial day - or 4th of July), but you can use any fruit you want.  I also did half of the jars with chocolate pudding and 1/2 with vanilla, bother were delicious!

Raspberry and Chocolate Layer Parfait Dessert in Jars
From: My Mom
Prep time: 20 min
Chill time: 2-3 hours up to overnight


Ingredients:
1 jello pudding instant mix (I used chocolate for one, vanilla for the other)
Angel food cake
Milk (2 cups cold milk to make pudding)
Fruit (I used raspberries and blueberries for red white and blue but you could use anything)
8oz Whipped topping (thawed)

Directions:
1. Make pudding according to package.  Cut angel food cake into 1 - 1 1/2 inch pieces.

2. In Jars (or other cups) layer pudding, top with angel food cake, then whipped cream, followed by fruit.  Repeat once.

3. Chill for a couple hours up to overnight. Serve.

Easy S'Mores Dip

In the summer, I love a campfire.  Even more so, I love campfire treats like s'mores!  Since we don't have a firepit in our back yard I don't get them very often so I'm always interested in s'more type desserts.  This one appealed to me because of how simple it seemed.  And it was simple but more importantly, it was delicious.  Definitely more fattening since I inhaled about 1/2 the bowl immediately, but totally tasty!

I realized as I was making this that it reminded me of my grandma Mimi.  If I was at Mim's house and she didn't have any candy (she usually always had candy for us grand kids) then I would take some chocolate chips and marshmallows and heat it up in the microwave until they were melted and then mix them together and eat it with a spoon. I only ever did this at her house.  Probably because she was the only person who wouldn't scold me for eating marshmallow-chocolate goop with a spoon.  She always just thought it was a weird funny snack.  Since what I used to make is essentially what this dip is, I cant believe I never thought of this before!  This dip is a little more socially acceptable than just scarfing down melted marshmallow-chocolate goop with a spoon, so it is a keeper!

Easy S'Mores Dip
From: Bakeaholic Mama
Prep/cook time: 10 min

Ingredients:
1 cup of milk chocolate chips
2 Tbsp milk
1 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
Graham crackers for dipping

Directions:
1.  In a medium sauce pan add chocolate chips, milk, and 1 cup of marshmallows.  Mix continuously over medium heat until melted and smooth.  (Meanwhile preheat broiler)

2. Pour/Scrape mixture into a small casserole dish. Top with Remaining marshmallows.

3. Place dish under broiler for approximately 60 seconds or until the top has started to brown.  Serve with graham crackers.

Primal Peanut Butter Fudge Cups

I'm trying to eat cleaner and therefore less processed foods.  Unfortunately (or fortunately for my health), that means I don't get to eat much candy.  The good news is that it is really easy to make some of my own healthier treats!  This was so easy to make, it only took 5 minutes, and is so rich and creamy.  They look like Reese's cups, and while there is a peanut butter flavor to them they don't taste exactly like them, but definitely a good enough substitute for my sweet tooth! 

Primal Peanut Butter Fudge Cups
From: Practical Paleo
Prep Time: 5 min
Chill Time: 30 min


Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (or almond butter)
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Melt coconut oil (I did mine for about 15 seconds in the microwave).

2. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor.  Pour into paper-lined muffin tin cups or silicon muffin cups - fill to 1/2 inch full.  Makes 10 (you could probably do 12 and just have thinner cups).

3. Chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 min.  When firm, remove.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Like a lot of people these days, I'm trying to make my snacks instead of buying granola/snack bars that I don't really love or know what exactly is in them.  This one looked not only easy, but delicious.  I think they turned out great, and were great to bring with to work for a snack when I'm feeling like a need something a little sweet in the afternoon.  I might try throwing Chia Seeds in the mix next time.  I do suggest storing them in the fridge because i left one at my desk all morning and it was still delicious, but a little difficult to eat because it was soft.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
From:  The Marathon Mom
Prep/cook time: 10 min
Chill time: 1 hr
Makes 8-10 bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup local honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup oats (not quick oats)
2 Tbsp wheat germ or ground flax seed (we used Flax)
1/2 cup coconut (I used some slivered almonds because I wasn't too keen on coconut)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Melt the butter, peanut butter, and honey in a pot over medium to low heat, stirring constantly.  Turn off the burner when mixture is melted together.

2. Pour in the cup of oats and Flax/Wheat germ.  Stir til combined.

3.  Wait until it cools and stir in the almonds/coconut and chocolate chips.  Or you can put both in before it cools and the chocolate will melt and will give it a more chocolaty taste overall (which is what I did and really liked the flavor).

4. Spread into foil-lined 8x8 pan and stick in the fridge.

5. Once cooled, flip out hardened bars and cut to the size you like.

Strawberry, Angel Food Cake, and Chocolate Skewers

I saw this pinned on Pinterest without really a recipe, but figured I could figure it out myself.  They looked so cute and easy to make.  They were a great light dessert and were perfect for Valentines (yes, I know that was months ago, I'm back logged on my recipes), but I think they would be an even better summer dessert.

Strawberry, Angel Food Cake, and Chocolate Skewers
From: Pinterest
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: none

Ingredients:
Strawberries
Angel Food Cake
Chocolate Chips (or melting bark/wafers)
bamboo skewers

Directions:
1. Cut green tops off of strawberries and cut angel food into small squares.

2. Slide skewers through Angel food cake and strawberries alternately.

3.  Melt chocolate in microwave and drizzle over skewers.  Let cool and serve.

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Squares

This recipe is everything a peanut butter treat should be.  It is smooth, creamy, and has just enough peanut butter and chocolate, but not so much that it is too rich to eat.  I still really like my original PB Bars but this recipe only makes about half as much so it is better for a smaller group or if I end up eating 1/2 the pan myself.

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Squares
From: Souffle Bombay
Prep time: 20 min
Chill time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:
1 lb white chocolate
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (or 12 oz)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1. Line your 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment or waxed paper, leaving an overhang.

2. Melt the white chocolate int he microwave for about a minute, stir until the chocolate is melted and creamy.  Add in the peanut butter and stir until blended smooth.

3. Spread mixture in pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until a bit firm.

4. In a saucepan, combine your milk chocolate and cream and heat over medium high heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly.  Pour/smooth over peanut butter mixture.

5. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.  Later, lift out candy and cut into small squares.

Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs (with sugar free powdered sugar)

 

Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs are one of my favorite Easter snacks (Second only to the Cadbury Mini  Eggs).  Something about the ratio of peanut butter to chocolate is way better than a regular Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.  When I saw this recipe for "healthier" PB Eggs I knew I had to try it.

These turned out SOOO good and pretty easy.  The coconut oil gives a hint of coconut flavor, but I kind of like it.  They aren't exactly like a Reese's PB Egg, but they are as close as you will get especially with making it a little healthier.  I made my own Sugar Free Powdered sugar (recipe coming soon) but you could easily use regular powdered sugar.  If you love Reese's PB Eggs then you should definitely try these!

Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs (with sugar free powdered sugar)
From: Chocolate Covered Katie
Prep Time: 20 min
Chill Time: 2 hrs 
Makes: 6-9 small eggs

Ingredients:
1/4 cup natural Peanut Butter (or regular BP, or any nut butter)
dash of salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar or Sugar Free Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Virgin Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp pure Maple syrup or liquid stevia to taste

Directions:
1. Mix together PB, powdered sugar, and salt together in a bowl until it becomes crumbly doughy.  I found with the natural Peanut butter that I had to add a little extra powdered sugar (maybe 2 Tbsp or more).

2.  Form dough into flat ovals/egg shaped. Place on wax paper and put in freezer for an hour or until hard.

3. Melt coconut oil if it is not already melted (I melted mine in the microwave on high for 15 seconds).  Mix in cocoa and maple syrup/stevia drops until it looks like chocolate sauce.  Taste to see if it needs any additional syrup or cocoa. 

4.  Working quickly dip egg into the chocolate and cover with sauce (I actually used corn cob skewers as she suggested and this worked pretty well.  Place it back on the wax paper ind put it in the freezer until hardened.  Enjoy!

Note:  These should be stored in freezer (thaw a minute or two before eating, or eat frozen).  If you don't want to store them in the freezer you can just melt some chocolate chips for dipping instead of the cocoa mix above. 

Chocolate Covered Peeps Pops

I like to make cakepops, but they take a lot of prep time, so for Christmas I tried doing chocolate covered oreo pops instead and they turned out great. I decided to do something similar for Easter.  Peeps Pops!  These were so easy!  I decided to try them in Pink Wilton wafers, a white fondue wafer, and a milk chocolate fondue melting to see the difference (and to have different colors).  Hands down the milk chocolate was the easiest to dip and tasted the best.  It was the thinnest of the three so it dipped easily and didn't weigh the marshmallow down, and in turn the coating wasn't as thick as the other two.  The white and pink were definitely prettier for Easter, but I think next time I would just go with Milk chocolate.

 Chocolate Covered Peeps Pops
From: Gimme Some Oven
Prep Time: 20 min


Ingredients:
Bunny Peeps
Melting wafers (white, pastel color, or chocolate)
Popsicle sticks
Sprinkles

Directions:
1.  Separate the bunnies and prep a cookie sheet with wax paper, or use a Styrofoam block to stick the sucker sticks in.

2. Heat melting chocolate in microwave until melted stirring every 30 seconds.

3. Dip end of stick into the chocolate and then push into bottom of the bunny (go pretty deep because the chocolate can get heavy).  Then dip bunny into the chocolate and coat all sides.  Be careful the bunny doesn't flop over or of the stick as the marshmallow is pretty flimsy against the heavy chocolate.

4. Place chocolate coated bunny on wax paper or push into in Styrofoam block.  Shake sprinkles over bunnies.  Let dry until chocolate is firm and store in a air tight container.

Our "Bunny" Buckley

No-Bake Nutella Oatmeal Cookies

This is another Nutella recipe I wanted to try for Bill.  This is similar to the No Bake Oatmeal Cookies I make, but it cuts out some of the peanut butter and adds Nutella.  While they were ok, the turned out a little dry and crumbly.  The flavor was good though, so definitely worth it if you like Nutella!

No-Bake Nutella Oatmeal Cookies
From: ingredients, inc.
Prep time: 20 min
Cook: 5 min

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk or almond milk
1 Tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup Nutella
2 cups rolled oats

Directions:
1. In a medium to large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium to medium-low heat.  Add sugar, milk, and cocoa powder and mix until combined.

2.  Stir in the peanut butter and Nutella until melted, followed by the oats.  Continue mixing until all of the ingredients are incorporated.  Reduce heat to lowest setting.

3.  Working quickly, scoop and shape into balls and place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.  Store in airtight container int he refrigerator.

Christmas Oreo Pops

 

Last year at Christmas I made Rudolph Cake Pops to go with my gifts.  While they were cute and fun, cake pops can be time consuming during a busy holiday season.  So this year I tried something a little simpler.  These oreo pops were very easy and quick to whip up.

Chocolate tip: I used fondue chocolate (found at a craft store) instead of the melting wafers.  I've found that these melt easier, do not over heat easily(like the wafers can and be ruined), and leave a thinner coat of chocolate.  I have used the fondue chocolate for the cookie dough balls in the past, but I think I may now also switch to these for cakepops as well.  I highly recommend them!

Christmas Oreo Pops
From: CampClem
Prep time: 20-30 min
Cook time: none

Ingredients:
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
chocolate melting wafers or fondue chocolate of your choosing
Sprinkles
sucker sticks

Directions:
1. Spread wax paper across 2 cookie sheets.  Take an oreo and push the sucker stick through almost to the other side (be sure to hold it tightly together with your other had).  Repeat until all oreos have sticks.

2. Melt chocolate in microwave until melted - stirring every 30 seconds.  Dip Oreo in chocolate and place on wax paper.  Sprinkle with colored sprinkles of your choosing.  Let cool/harden on counter or in fridge.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Pie

Sometimes I just want something chocolatey and peanut buttery, but don't want to do too much work.  This dessert is perfect for that.  I whipped it up in about 5 minutes or so and it was very good and not too heavy. 

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Pie
From: Coupon Cousins
Prep time:  5-10 min
Freeze Time: 1 hr.

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (recipe said chocolate cookie, but I used graham)
1 large box of instant chocolate pudding (can use sugar free)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 8oz tub of cool whip (can use light or sugar free)
Reese's Peanut butter cups (about 10 large ones or 20 minis)

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, mix the pudding with the milk.  Whisk in the cool whip.

2. Unwrap the Reese's peanut butter cups and roughly chop. Fold in chopped candy into pudding mix.  Pour all into the chocolate pie crust.

3. Top with a few more chopped peanut butter cups.  Store int eh freezer until about 15 min before serving.

Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bites

I saw this on Pinterest and was intrigued. Frozen bananas are always tasty and this recipe seemed like a good treat.  I tried using both semi sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate melting wafers (for fondue).  The melting wafers worked better and covered the banana better, the semisweet chocolate got really thick really quick.  These were tasty, but not sure if it is worth the work.

Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bites
From: Namely Marley
Prep time:  15 min
Freeze time: 20 min

Ingredients:
Banana, sliced
Peanut butter
Semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk melting chocolate


Directions:
1. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Put a small amount of peanut butter on each slice of banana.  Lay sliced banana on waxed paper and place in freezer for 5 -10 min.

2. Melt chocolate chips in microwave (or melt milk melting chocolate).  Use fork to dip each banana slice in chocolate.  Return to wax paper and place in freezer until frozen through.  Store in freezer.

Carnation Instant Breakfast Smoothie

This is a shake disguised as a breakfast smoothie... yum.  Bill came up with it based on a Men's Health recipe.  It is super easy and delicious... plus an excuse to eat ice cream (or frozen yogurt) for breakfast.

Carnation Instant Breakfast Smoothie
From: Bill & Men's Health
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup milk
1 carnation instant breakfast packet (we use milk chocolate)
3-4 scoops frozen yogurt (or ice cream)
1/4 - 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 banana

Directions:
1.  Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!