Spooky Cream Cheese Brownies

It is midnight and officially Halloween! I am terribly late with all, or any of my recipes this season but here is a ooey gooey brownie recipe that is sure to make your Halloween even sweeter!

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 c. veggie oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 oz. whipped cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Orange food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking dish with tinfoil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium size bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder together. Add in the eggs, oil and vanilla until well combined. Reserve 1/2 c. of the brownie batter and spread the remaining batter in the pan.

In another mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir together until most of the lumps are gone. Add in the food coloring and stir until you reach the color orange that you like. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownies and spread evenly. Dollop with the remaining brownie batter and swirl with a knife.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cream cheese mixture is firm. Let cool fully before cutting into bars. Top with pumpkin sprinkles if you need more decoration.

Bloody Blondies

It's that time of year again....my favorite time of year that is. It is now officially sweatshirt, bonfire, pumpkin spice weather! Along with this season comes my favorite holiday of all time which is Halloween! I have been in the process for the last few months moving into a new house (well, a new, used house) which has taken up most of my husband and my time currently. I have over one hundred recipes to update, and over 60 restaurants to review for my other blog Small Town Girl, Foodie World and I am literally backed up since this past May. Yikes! Hopefully I will slowly be able to catch up, but for now, enjoy this spooky and easy to make treat!

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 c. veggie oil
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
1/8 tsp. burgundy food coloring gel (or red liquid food coloring)
Spooky sprinkles! (Bloody Bones Sprinkles)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, veggie oil, egg and milk together until it is a sticky paste-like substance. Use a butter knife to scoop out about 1/8 of a teaspoon of the burgundy food gel and scrape it into the bowl. gently mix the batter with the gel. I wanted a marbled look, but if you want it fully mixed in, that is also okay. Spread the batter out in an even layer in the pan. Top with a few scattered bloody bone sprinkles (they will melt in the cooking process to give it a shiny random surface). Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges of the bars are golden brown. While it is still hot, sprinkle a few more bloody bones on top! Wait for the bars to cool before cutting and serving.

Rhubarb Lemon Bars

 

Stop every dessert recipe you are doing involving rhubarb and pay close attention. This, is the ONLY rhubarb bar recipe you will ever need! It is tart, sweet and has an amazing cream cheese crust. It makes a ton of bars, and is perfect for any summer gathering!

Puree Ingredients:

3 c. rhubarb, chopped
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. water

Cream Cheese Shortbread:

4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 butter (salted or unsalted)
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. flour

Rhubarb Curd:

4 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
Rhubarb puree recipe
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. flour
1-2 dots pink food dye

In a small saucepan, combine the rhubarb, sugar and water on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool slightly and then transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line  a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper or tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. In an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add in the flour on low speed, and gradually increase the speed and mix until everything comes together.

Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread evenly to the edges and bake for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk the rhubarb curd ingredients together, minus the flour. Add in the food coloring (or omit if you want, it's only to add color), and whisk until everything is combined. Add in the flour slowly and whisk until incorporated.

Pour the curd on top of the shortbread and bake for 20 more minutes. Let cool for a half hour on a wire rack, and then transfer to the refrigerator to finish cooling. Cut into squares, and make sure to keep refrigerated when not serving!

Blackberry Pie Bars

It's summer and the blackberries are looking amazing! A small 6 ounce container of these beauties makes a big impact in these blackberry pie bars! They are definitely a new, easy dessert recipe for the summer!

Crust Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks margarine

Filling:

2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. light sour cream
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. blackberries, cut in half

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. With a food processor, pulse the crust ingredients together until a crumbly dough forms together. Reserve 3/4 c. of the dough and pour  the rest into the prepared pan. Spread out and press down the dough. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

In a medium size bowl, combine the filling ingredients together (minus the blackberries) until smooth.

Sprinkle the blackberries on top of the crust and pour the filling batter on top.

Sprinkle the reserved dough on top and bake for another 45 minutes. Let cool fully before cutting into rectangles.

Healthy Avocado Brownies

I highly recommend these brownies if you want something slightly sweet but still healthy. Now, I will warn you, if you've baked with coconut flour before and do not like the texture, then you will not like these brownies. I'm only saying that because coconut flour is slightly on the gritty side and some people can't get past it. I on the other hand don't mind it at all, and these brownies are perfect for something on the healthier side and still chocolatey!

Ingredients:

1 avocado, peeled and cored
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 c. coconut flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non stick spray (or the small pans with dividers to make individually cut brownies). In a food processor, pulse the avocado, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla together until you reach a smooth consistency. Pour out into a large bowl and add the eggs. Add the dry ingredients and stir until everything is combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 25-28 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan before removing (or removing and cutting).

Apple Bars with a Walnut Crumble

Ready for one of the best recipes for apple bars EVER?

Ingredients:

Apple Mixture:
4 medium size apples, cored and peeled, small rough chopped
3 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Crust Mixture:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. butter, softened
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1 egg

Crumble Mixture:
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. butter, cold, diced
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter together until a paste forms. Add the egg and mix until well combined. With the mixer off, add the dry ingredients on top. Turn the mixer on slow and gradually increase speed as the ingredients mix. Line a 13x9 pan with tinfoil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Pour the crust mixture into the pan and press on the entire bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides. Set aside.

In a medium size saucepan, melt the 3 Tbs. butter. Add the apples and sugar and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon juice, flour and cinnamon and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, using the same mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, salt, butter and walnuts together until small crumbs form.

Pour the apples on top of the prepared crust, leaving half of an inch from the edges in case the apples and liquid expand while baking. Use your hands to grab a handful of the crumble, warming it slightly, and sprinkle on top of the apples. Bake in the oven for 35-38 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Let the bars cool fully before trying to cut them into squares (if they aren't cooled, they will not hold shape).

Glazed Fruitcake Truffle Bars

 Fruitcake, if done right, is always such a dense and chewy bread that even one slice can get pretty overwhelming. This recipe takes all of the great flavors of fruit cake and turns it into little bite size truffle, slathered with a bourbon glaze!

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 bag chopped fruitcake mix (candied cherries, etc)

1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon butter, melted

4 teaspoons bourbon or brandy (plus 2 tsp. bourbon for glaze)

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs. milk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and powder, salt, ground cloves and brown sugar together. Add in the walnuts, fruitcake mix, ginger, egg, butter and 4 tsp. bourbon and stir with a spatula until everything is combined well. Spread into your prepared pan and smooth out the top while pressing down.

Bake for 38-40 minutes until the edges are golden brown. It may still look or act gooey, but it is fully cooked and will firm up while cooling. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes. Remove and place on a wire rack to continue cooling. 

When the fruitcake is fully cool, cut 1 inch strips in one direction as shown above. Then cut again in the opposite direction to make 1 inch cubes. Place in a candy paper baking cup or mini cupcake liner. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and 2 tsp. bourbon and stir. Slowly add the milk in until you have a pouring consistency yet still slightly firm. With a pastry brush, brush the tops of the fruitcake truffles and decorate with edible glitter.

Walnut Butterscotch Bars

Two of my husband's favorite things put into one sweet and crunchy, flavor-packed bar!

Ingredients:

1 c. margarine, melted
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butterscotch chips (plus 1 Tbs.)
1 c. chopped walnuts (plus 1 Tbs.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and non stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk the melted margarine, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add int he flour, baking powder and salt and stir until everything are well combined. Stir in the butterscotch chips and walnuts and the spread into the prepared pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the top with the extra butterscotch and walnuts. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes. Let cool fully before cutting into bars.

Meanwhile, stir 1/2 c. powdered sugar and 2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream together. Place a dollop on top of each bar and top with a piece of walnut.