Peanut Butter Mississippi Mud Bars

It's so good to be back home.  My family was on vacation in the great northern woods of Wisconsin.  Sadly, we've dubbed it the second worst vacation we've ever taken.  Don't you just love it when you get sick when you are leaving for vacation?  Three out of six vacationers ill and one bathroom.  Ahh well.  It was a good place to recoup.  I'm happy to be home.  Happy to be to my laptop, the Internet, and my favorite blogs.

One of my favorite dessert cookbooks is Debbi Fields' Great American Desserts.  This recipe is her Peanut Butter Mississippi Mud Bars.  I can't believe how much chocolate when into an 8" x 8" pan!  Bless her! 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided into two 4-ounce portions
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided into two 4-ounce portions
1 cup coarsely- chopped pecans, toasted and divided into two ½-cup portions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the baking pan, line it with aluminum foil, and butter the foil.

Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and blend until smooth using an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in the peanut butter until smooth.

Stir the egg and vanilla together in a bowl and add to the peanut butter mixture until combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and combine well.

Stir in 1 portion each of the white and semisweet chocolates and combine. Add 1 portion of the pecans and mix until combined.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is soft but no longer runny. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the remaining white and semisweet chocolates over the top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and set aside to let the chocolates melt.

When melted, swirl the chocolates together with the tip of a sharp knife to make a marbleized effect. Sprinkle the remaining pecans over the top. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

To serve, cut into 2-inch squares and arrange on a serving plate.

Laurel's Coconut Oatmeal Crisps

These cookies are the reason I blog--to resurrect recipes that I've disregarded for a long time.  I have had this recipe forever.  It was one that I received from a friend.  They are truly amazing and I haven't made them for years.  What was I thinking?  Generally, cookies with oatmeal are dense and chewy.  These are as light as a feather and crispy and delicious.  (Family members:  These are in the family cookbook.  They were called Yummy Cookies.  I changed the name...)

1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup oatmeal (not instant)
1/2 cup nuts (finely chopped) - I used toasted pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Mix butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla together.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to mixture. Mix well. Stir in corn flakes, oatmeal, nuts, and coconut.

Form 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7 minutes. Makes approximately 8 dozen.

Optional: Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.

Ultimate Chocolate Brownie

I used to study ballet as a much younger woman.  After learning a new sequence of dance steps, my instructor used to say, "Okay that was the rehearsal.  Now let's see the performance."  In other words, it's time to do it better.

I started blogging earlier in the year with "the rehearsal" blog and now it's time for "the performance."  So, I'm starting from scratch--new blog, new name, new design.  I'm so glad to be back.  I love sitting in my kitchen in the morning, savoring my first cup of coffee and seeing what my favorite foodie friends have been up to.  These are my favorite blogs to follow so far:

Mennonite Girls Can Cook - They sure can!  They cook with love.

My Year On The Grill - Mr. Dave has a great sense of adventure and I think of him as "the kitchen alchemist."  I'm going to be sad when he leaves the Virgin Islands because it's nice to read about his adventures in a tropical paradise.  Although, I will gladly follow him back to Kansas City.

Noble Pig - This is one of the first blogs I started reading religiously.  Her recipes are family friendly and ones that my kids love.  If you'd like to laugh so hard tears run down your face, read some of her earlier posts.

One Perfect Bite - Mary is a very sweet lady and her recipes are healthy, beautiful, and inspirational!

For The Love of Cooking - Pam also has wonderful family-friendly recipes.  My son loves her Neapolitan Pancakes.  It has become a favorite.  (I actually do try recipes from other blogs and Pam's are great.)

Soup is Not a Finger Food - Meg is funny!  She has a way of taking mundane things and seeing the humor.  Reading her insights is a fun way to start the day.

Snooty Primadona's Sparkling Outlook on Life..Or Not... - Ms. Snooty.  What can I say.  I am always excited when she puts out a new post.  What wisdom will Snooty Primadona impart today?  She is funny, wise, and passionate.  I'd like her to be my neighbor. 

Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen - I want her kitchen.  It's beautiful.  But I really want to eat in her kitchen because if her food is as good as it looks, the yum factor is very high.

Let's Have a Cocktail - Jennymac makes my makeup slide down my face and onto my neck.  She is outrageously funny.  Everyone should read her blog.  It's therapeutic!

Cream Puffs in Paris - Just the name of the blog makes you want to be there.  Her recipes are to die for.

Alive in Wonderland - This is the most recent blog that I've added to my favorites.  It's like taking a vacation right from my kitchen.  Don't you love it when someone can transport you to a new place?

There are certain recipes that very definitely need to be shared and this brownie recipe is absolutely one of them.  I used it on my old blog and here it is again. 

3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup margarine, melted and divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2-inch, or two square pans, 8 x 8 x 2-inch. In medium bowl, combine cocoa and baking soda. Blend in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Add boiling water and stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs, and remaining 1/3 cup melted margarine. Stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla, and salt. Blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan; 30 to 35 minutes for square pans or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan(s). Frost with One-Bowl Butter cream Frosting. Cut into squares. Yield: 36 squares.

One-Bowl Butter Cream Frosting:

6 tablespoons margarine, softened
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In small mixer bowl, cream butter. Add cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups.