Shower Brownie Bites

Just another variation, using some frosting from the store and M&Ms for decoration! These were for a bridal shower last month~

Also, it'd been a while since I'd posted the recipe I use when making these lil'guys, so here it is;

My Brownie Recipe
1/2 C. softened butter
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2/3 C. Sweetened Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 T. Hersheys Syrup



Mix Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla (I mixed using a wire whisk so as not to over mix).
Add Flour, Salt & Cocoa Powder mixing after each ingredient until well combined. Add syrup and stir in using a spoon or spatula.

Eggnog Brownie bites

I love brownies bites- easy, peasy portable lil'desserts that are always party-perfect.
These are my Holiday version, served for our 2008 Cocktail/Ugly Sweater Party (I am obviously a bit behind with my blog updating...)
Anyhow, these were just plain ole brownie bites on the bottom, but topped with a egnogg frosting that I sometimes use on gingerbread cookies~




Brownie Bites
For the brownie batter I use MY BROWNIE RECIPE (HERE)http://tinyurl.com/df8a7n, but in a pinch 2 boxes of brownie mix can be used to whip these up quick!

Grease a mini-muffin tin and preheat the oven to 350. Follow brownie recipe for a double batch, this should be enough for 4 batches using a 24 muffin mini-muffin tin.
Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full with brownie batter (brownies will rise, so just a bit over halfway.) Bake about 7 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Eggnog Frosting
1 1/4 c butter, softened
4 T. Eggnog (the thicker and spice-y-er the better
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tsp spiced rum
2 1/2 c powdered confectioners sugar

Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, add eggnog & rum. Continue to mix on medium and slowly add powdered sugar & nutmeg. Whip until the frosting comes together and forms stiff peaks.
Frost cooled brownie bites and dust with nutmeg.

Tuesday's With Dorie~Caramel-Peanut Topped Brownie Cake

While I do not have the beset photos of this delicious cake that I actually made back in April, I will say the only reason I didn't make it AGAIN to re-shoot, was because it was so delicious and we didn't have anyone coming over this weekend to help eat it, I knew I'd eat the whole thing...it's that good.

I was excited to see that Tammy ofWEE TREATS BY TAMMY chose Caramel-Peanut Topped Brownie Cake for this weeks TUESDAYS WITH DORIE because I loved this recipe and had to make it this past spring, but was saving it to post when it was picked...

April and March are chock full of Birthdays in our lives! Mine is March 16, then my sister-in-law's is March 31st, then my mom's is April 2nd, and Nate's is April 10th!!
So this cake was made to celebrate all of our birthdays this year!



It starts out with a super rich chocolate brownie-like cake...



Then comes homemade caramel sauce!!




The first time I saw (a much better photo than mine) this cake was on Peabody's Blog when she made it and I had been dying to make it! It brings together so many of my favorite things!



Head on over to the TUESDAYS WITH DORIE site to learn more about Tammy and visit all the beautiful TWD Cakes!!

Brownie Cherry Cheesecake Cups

We're both big fans of chocolate-cherry goodness. I have always loved Black Forrest cake, or rather make that, Black Forrest anything...
I had not baked anything in a while and I actually baked these LAST week, before we headed out to Mammoth for an awesome weekend, but scooted out of town before I was able to create this lil'post. So, anyhow, my sweet tooth was acting up I dug around and threw this portable yummy desert together. I used MY BROWNIE RECIPE, but this recipe can be made one step quicker if you had a boxed mix on hand or wanted to go that route...This is also the easy cheesecake recipe from the time I made Puff Pastry Cheesecake Cups with Pear Topping (I only made 1/2) since it was a topping.



Brownie Cherry Cheesecake Cups

Brownies
1/2 C. softened butter
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2/3 C. Sweetened Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 T. Hersheys Syrup

In a large bowl mix Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla (I mixed using a wire whisk so as not to over mix).
Add Flour, Salt & Cocoa Powder mixing after each ingredient until well combined. Add Syrup and stir in using a spoon or spatula. Grease a muffin tin and fill each cup about 1/2-2/3 full..I filled them about 2/3 and I will fill them a little less next time :)

Cheesecake

1 8oz block cream cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg at room temperature
1/3cup + 2 T sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon zest

In a medium bowl cream together sugar and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Cream in egg, then add vanilla and lemon zest and mix until well combined. Pour the cheese cake on top of the brownie mix already in the muffin tins.

Preheat oven to 350.

Open a can of cherry pie filling and spoon 3-4 cherries onto the top of each brownie-cheesecake cup.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Top with more cherry pie filling if desired & enjoy!

Birthday Snickers Brownies~

This is the debut of my own homemade brownie recipe! YAY!! I made these to take with us to Oregon for Charlie's Birthday.
I was pretty happy with how these came out and will definately make them again!

My Brownie Recipe~
1/2 C. softened butter
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2/3 C. Sweetened Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 T. Hersheys Syurp
3 King Sized Snickers Bars Thinly chopped into slices (putting them in the fridge or freezer for 15-30 minutes helps make slicing eaiser)

Mix Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla (I mixed using a wire whisk so as not to overmix).
Add Flour, Salt & Coacoa Powder mixing after each ingredient until well combined. Add Suryp and stir in using a spoon or spatula.
Pour mix into a greased & lightly floured 9x13 pan. Layer the Snickers slices over the top of the brownie batter and bake at 325 for about 25-30 minutes (my oven is crazy so keep an eye on em!) or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan completely before cutting & serving.

Cheesecake Brownie Bars

Ahh, my favorite type of desert~ This can be as homemade or semi-homemade as you like it and the possibilities are endless. Next time I will either top this with crushed oreo cookies and drizzle with chocolate syurp, or top with fresh fruit like we did tonight (sliced strawberries) OR I'll add a layer of either black cherry or blackberry pie filling in between the brownie & cheesecake layer.
I made these the other night LATE while Nate was playing with his new toy~ The Xbox360~





Start by preparing your favorite brownie recipe
Or Make brownies from a box
I use the Ghiradelli recipe (shown here below) or This One from ALL RECIPES

2 Eggs
3/4 C Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 butter, melted
3/4 Cup sweet Ghiradelli ground chocolate powder
2/3 C unsifted flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, butter- mix well
Sift in chocolate powder, flour, baking powder and salt
Mix well and bake in a 9 x 13 or 8 x 8 pan greased baking pan at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let Cool completely
Prepare the No-Bake Cheese Cake mix
8oz Cream Cheese
1 T Lemon Juice
2 tsp Vanilla extract
A bit of lemon zest
1/3 C White sugar
Lastly, either 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream whipped or 1 tub of coolwhip thawed (your choice)

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, zest and vanilla until smooth, but with out overmixing- fold in whip cream
Spread evenly over cooled brownies and refridgerate covered for 2 hours before serving.