Sopapilla Cheeseake Bars

So I was on this whole healthy kick thing for like 2-3 weeks I was doing HerbaLife shakes in the AM and not stuffing my face/baking constantly. IT WAS HELL! I think deep down I am meant to be a fat rich person. Okay so the rich party might not happen as easily as the fat part, especially if I keep buying butter and sugar at this rate. Everyone always tells me it's going to catch up to me! Well, it hasn't yet ;) 


Anyways I ended that whole healthy phase and baked like a maniac for a good 2 weeks then this week I decided to stop. :( Sad day. So I went to the gym on Monday and ate pretty healthy. Ate healthy today and went on a walk. And then there was about 5 hours where I was doing everything I could to control myself from not baking. And then I find myself here  telling you all about my lack of self control.


Anyways..I have seen these on Pinterest for ages. Everyone seems to have made them. I decided to give em a whirl! I looked at a few recipes and they all were for 9X13 but I wanted to practice some control so I made some in a 8X8 pan! I just made up my own recipe as I went and it was great. But I don't think you can mess it up- you may just be more cinnamony or more sugary. :) 


I ate this right out of the pan when they were still hot. I hate when a recipe says wait until completely cool. UM no that is not physically possible for me. I loved them hot, my mother described them as a warm almost custardy-bread pudding like. They were yum. Then the bars sat in the fridge all night. They were so delicious cold as well. Either way they are amazing and take all of 2 minutes to prepare. 


Ingredients: 


1 8oz Can of Crescent Rolls
1 8oz Package Cream Cheese 
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 TBSP of Vanilla 
1/2 Cup of Butter
1 TSP Cinnamon 
1/3 Cup Sugar 


Directions: 


1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8X8 pan. 
2. Lay out half of the crescent rolls on the bottom of the pan. 
3. In a small bowl mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until well combined. Smooth over the top of the crescent rolls. 
4. Top the cream cheese mixture with rest of the crescent rolls. 
5. In a small bowl melt the butter and then add in the cinnamon and sugar. Pour over top layer of crescent rolls. 
6. Bake for 20-23 minutes. Serve warm or chilled. Both are delish! 

Not your average Brownies

A few months ago I received a wonderful cookbook in the mail! Ree Drumond's On the Frontier. Each recipe has TONS of pictures of step by step process! I LOVE!!! I tend to only purchase cook books that have pictures - it just doesn't seem right not being able to look at the recipe completed. 

This cookbook has tons of delicious recipes for anytime of the day! I saw this recipe and I had to make them!! 

In April for one of my best friends birthday I sent her some Dorothy Lane Brownies- because they are amazing :) These brownies are dupes for DL. 

Make these scrumptious little brownies asap! You will NOT regret it :) 

Ingredients: 

1 Box of Devils Food Cake Mix

1/3 Cup plus 1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk 

1/2 Cup Butter Melted

1 Cup Chopped Pecans (Optional) 

30 Unwrapped Caramels 

1 Bag of Chocolate Chips 

Powdered Sugar for dusting on top of Brownies 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 8X8 pan with foil and grease it. 

2. In a large bowl mix together the cake mix, 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, melted butter and the pecans. It will be nice and thick. 

3. Divide the dough in half and spread half into the bottom of your baking pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

4. While the brownie base is baking in a medium saucepan over medium heat mix together the unwrapped caramels and the rest of the evaporated milk. Mix until nice and smooth, be careful not to burn. 

5. On a piece of wax paper take the rest of the brownie batter and form into the same size as the baking pan to lay on top. 

6. Once the brownie base has cooked for 8-10 minutes take it out and pour the melted caramel over it and then pour the chocolate chips on top and finish with the brownie layer. 

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, dust with powdered sugar and then let set in fridge for a few hours. Enjoy :) 

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks Food From My Frontier, Knock you Naked Brownies

Reese's Stuffed Smores Bars

Some of my favorite memories growing up were walking to the local 7-Eleven with my best friend to get a bottle of Sprite and a King Size pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. We did this as often as we could. I LOVE Reese's! But I am one of those people who knows the difference between a good/fresh pack of Reese's and a not so good one. Some people think that I am crazy but I swear there is a DIFFERENCE!!! Just like bottled water Arrowhead has its own taste!! It's GROSS! Anyways back to the Reese's they are just so good. I was craving Smore's bars and Reese's so I decided why not combine them? Yes, an amazing idea. I made some and brought them in to work to share. My sister was working and when I told her what I made she just gave me a look like you are crazy!! Who puts Reese's in Smore's Bars?? ME, ME, ME!! 

YOU should too because they are amazing!! :) 

Ingredient's:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 12 regular size Reese's peanut butter cups 
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place peanut butter cups over dough. Spread marshmallow fluff over peanut butter cups. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe adapted from Lovin in the Oven

Random Quotes I love

Peanut Butter Marshmallow White Chocolate Bars

WOAH are these babies good! When I saw this recipe it automatically went on my "To Bake" list. I won't lie it has taken me a while to come back to these as my "list" is ever-growing. I wanted to use up what I had in my baking cupboards and I happened to have all of these ingredients on hand :) YAY! And I have a kids birthday party to go to and I am going to work tonight so I can hopefully get rid of the whole pan so I don't sit and eat every last bite myself! Yes, I have done that before on many occasions :/


These bars are delicious and very rich! I like to cut the bars into small squares because they are so rich but any size will do! Enjoy!




Ingredients: 


1 Yellow Cake Mix 
1 Stick of Softened Butter 
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
3/4 Cup Marshmallow Creme
14oz Can of Condensed Milk 
11 oz Bag of White Chocolate Chips 
3/4 Cup Mallow Bits


Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9X13 pan with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray or butter the pan. 
2. In a medium sized bowl mix together the cake mix, butter and egg until combined. You will end up with a thick dough. Press the dough into the pan.
3. In a medium sized bowl mix together the peanut butter, marshmallow creme and condensed milk until combined. Pour over the dough. Top with white chocolate chips and mallow bits. 
4. Bake for 24-26 minutes. Enjoy :) 

Recipe slightly adapted from Picky Palate

Chocolate Smore Gooey Bars

Ever since I made the White Chocolate Gooey Bars I knew I wanted to make a chocolate version! This recipe is so simple and so delicious! I couldn't stop picking at the pan-I secretly always pick at the pan and create another straight line so it's not obvious how much I have actually devoured! :) Enjoy :) 

Ingredients: 
1 Box Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix 
1 Stick Softened Unsalted Butter 
1 Large Egg
2 1/2 Cups of Milk Chocolate Chips 
1 Cup of Mini Marshmallows 
1 Cup of Chocolate Marshmallows (I bought some at Target)
1/2 Can of Condensed Milk 


Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350F & Grease a 8X8 Pan. 
1. Place the cake mix, butter & egg in a large bowl and mix together until combined- you will be left with a thick dough. 
2. Press half of the dough into the prepared pan. Layer the dough with graham crackers, chocolate chips and marshmallows. 
3. Press the rest of the dough on top of marshmallows then drizzle with condensed milk. 
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. As tempting as it will look coming out of the oven do your best to let it cool as it will be super gooey! And you could easily burn yourself or make a huge mess! 

Recipe based off of Picky Palate recipe