chocolate Archives - Inside BruCrew Life

Caramel Pretzel Cheesecake Brownies…Olympic Style

July 20, 2012 48 Comments

The summer Olympics are just around the corner…

There is something so fun in waiting every 4 years for the summer Olympics to come back around.

My favorite sport to watch has always been the gymnastics.

When I was younger I always dreamed of being a world famous gymnast…

it didn’t help that I watched Nadia over and over and over.

Has anyone seen that movie recently?

I would love to watch it with my daughter after the Olympics are over,

but I can’t seem to locate it.

It’s a good thing I decided to pursue my baking dream instead.

That one has worked out much better:-)

Especially since I never even took gymnastics.

So, since I need to get prepared for hours of Olympic watching,

I made some brownies.

Oh, but not just any brownies.

These got a little bit more fun added to them.

Fun…like being sandwiched between a salty pretzel crust

and a caramel cheesecake.

That’s the kind of fun stuff that happens in my kitchen.

Just one bite of this and you might be doing flips down the hall…

even if you have never done them before.

Want to know my favorite part?

The salty pretzel bottom.

And the best part is that it stayed crunchy and salty even after a few days in the fridge.

Gotta love it when that happens.

What are you still doing here?

You have some baking to do before the Olympics officially start:-)

(don’t let the recipe length scare you…these really are super easy to do)

Caramel Pretzel Cheesecake Brownies

by Inside BruCrew Life

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 53 minutes

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 c. coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar

For the Brownies

1 box brownie mix
1 Tbsp. instant coffee

For the Cheesecake

2 (8 oz. each) cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping

For the Topping

1/2 c. caramel candies (about 12 squares)
2 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening

For the Pretzel rings

2 c. pretzel rings
1 1/4 c. vanilla Candiquik coating, melted
blue, black, red, yellow, and green gel food coloring
5 tsp. shortening

Instructions

For the Crust

Stir together the crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 350* for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

For the Brownies

Prepare the brownie mix according to the directions on the back. Add the instant coffee in with the liquids. Spoon 2/3 of the brownie batter on top of the cooled pretzel crust. Set aside.

For the Cheesecake

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and caramel ice cream topping and mix until incorporated. Gently spoon the cheesecake on the brownie batter in the pan. Drop the rest of the brownie batter by spoonfuls onto the cheesecake. Swirl very carefully with a knife. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Cut into squares or circles. Keep refrigerated.

For the Topping

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the caramel squares and the heavy whipping cream until melted. Drizzle over the cheesecake pieces and let set. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and shortening for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to heat 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between each time. Drizzle over the caramel.

For the Pretzel Rings

In a sauce pan over low heat, melt the vanilla Candiquik coating. Divide it into 5 bowls and stir a little bit of gel color into each bowl. Stir in 1 tsp. shortening per bowl and heat in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. Stir. With a fork dip the pretzel rings in the colored coating. Let set on wax paper.

Note

Top with cool whip and candy coated pretzel rings right before serving. The color from the rings comes off on the cool whip when they are refrigerated.

Shared with: I’m Lovin It, Sweet Tooth, Friday Flair, Open House, Kitchen Fun, Free For All, Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friends, Feature Friday, Show & Tell, Weekend Wrap Up, Once Upon a Weekend, Seasonal Inspiration, Strut Your Stuff, Show and Tell, What’s Shakin, Sundae Scoop, Scrumptious, Think Pink, Tip Me, Time Out, Take A Look, Totally Tasty

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)

Filed Under: caramel, cheesecake, chocolate, coffee Tagged With: brownies, caramel, chocolate, coffee, pretzel

Almond Joy Banana Bread

July 11, 2012 41 Comments

I can’t seem to stop buying bananas.

It is probably safe to say they are my favorite fruit.

Every single time we are at the store and they have the “baking” bananas super cheap,

we come home with at least 6 or more bunches + some green ones to eat right away.

Most of the baking bananas get peeled, chopped, and frozen right away for green smoothies.

But I usually set aside at least 4 ripe bananas…

you know to get really good and dark.

To get the best flavor in your baked goods,

the bananas have to be dark…not spotty…like black dark.

Totally grosses me out when I am peeling them,

but I love the way it makes bread and muffins taste.

Oh yum!!!

I bought a bag of Almond Joy pieces too!

The idea for bananas and almond joy had been swirling in my head for awhile.

Coconut is a huge addiction for me.

I love to add it to everything.

It has found its way into cookies, bars, and cheesecake.

My kids don’t even bat an eye anymore when they taste the coconut in stuff!

One point for mom in that category…

totally proves that if you keep offering the same food to your kids,

eventually they will eat it and even like it:-)

So I knew that I wanted to mix some banana with my favorite candies.

The first thing I thought of was cookies…but then I had an intense craving for banana bread.
I opened the bag of candies, even had a handful headed toward my mouth,
when I realized that I could have my bread and my candies together still!
If I can make Twix Banana Bread, why not Almond Joy banana bread?

I am so glad that I made this because
after tasting it…I have to say it is one of my favorite breads.

Dense, banana-ey, full of coconut, and yummy candy…
anyone want to come over for coffee and help me devour the rest???

Addicted to Almond Joy like me?

Sweet & Salty Trail Mix

June 10, 2012 17 Comments

Summer vacation number one is done. (insert sad face here)

We just got in a few hours ago from the long 17 hour drive.

I would say I am tired from driving so much,

but honestly I didn’t drive at all.

Not that I can’t or wouldn’t…

my hubby likes to do all the driving when we go long distances.

(I really think he doesn’t like my driving:-)

Why is it when you are going TO vacation

the long hours don’t bother you as much?

It sure seemed longer coming home.

I think it was:

A. There was no cruise boat waiting for me in my driveway

B. I didn’t have any snack mix left to munch on as we came home.

The long drive there was very much worth it though.

We had such a great time on the cruise…

the kids loved it.

And spending time in the Bahamas wasn’t too shabby either:-)

We did some snorkeling,

some sun bathing,

and a whole lot of nothing else.

It was totally laid back and totally relaxing.

I will have some pictures for you later in the week

after I get them loaded on the computer.

Until then, how about some pictures of our travel trail mix???

A few days before vacation, we were at Walmart picking out some travel food.
I had a bag of the new M&M Trail Mix in my cart,
when I had a lightening bolt of inspiration.

Why not just buy all the ingredients and make a giant batch of the goodness?
Sure I was spending a little bit more that way,
but I had a much bigger bowl of goodness for the long drive in our van.

This is the perfect snack mix too
because you can totally customize it with whatever you have in your cupboards
or with whatever you are craving at the moment.
Feel free to substitute something different to make it your own:-)

Sweet & Salty Trail Mix

by Inside BruCrew Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 c. pretzels
1 1/4 c. salted peanuts
2 c. mini chips ahoy cookies (8 oz. bag)
2 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. M&M’s
1 c. mini peanut butter cups
1 c. mini oreos (bite sized)
2 c. Reeses Puffs cereal

Instructions

Combine everything in a bowl and toss gently until all combined. Store in an air tight container.

Note: Feel free to substitute with something different from your cupboards. I also added 2 c. Golden Grahams cereal after I took the pictures.

Shared with: Market Yourself, Mix it Up, Mouthwatering Mondays, Melt in Your Mouth, Making You Crave, Mingle Monday, Crazy Sweets, Talent Show, Tasty Tuesday, A Little Birdie Told Me, Tasty Tuesday, Whimsy Wednesday, Sweet Party, Creative Party, It’s a Keeper, Chic & Crafty, Sweet Tooth, Strut Your Stuff

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)

Filed Under: chocolate, miscellaneous, oreo, peanut butter Tagged With: candy, chocolate, oreo, peanut butter, pretzel

Cheesecake S’mores Danish

April 26, 2012 27 Comments

The great outdoors and I have never really been one.

It’s part of the reason that I prefer to do my camping from a hotel….

that and mosquitoes eat me like I eat sugar!!

But I will brave the elements to enjoy a good campfire every once in a while.

The thought of ooey gooey marshmallows gets me there every time!

I have to admit that one of my favorite parts is roasting marshmallows

and eating s’mores until I feel sick!!!

My husband is super patient and will slowly toast his marshmallows

until they are all golden brown and pretty!

Now me on the other hand…

get it in there, burn it good, slap it on a cracker with chocolate

and eat the crunchy goo! Then repeat 10 more times.

Then you have our kids.

They hold it barely over the fire and then wonder why it isn’t getting warm,

or they put it right into the center and poof it goes up in flames.

We have no sympathy for them.

You burn it or drop it…oh well!

Get another one and try again!

It’s a good thing marshmallows are cheap.

I am always on the lookout for other fun ways to enjoy the s’mores flavor

without having to breathe fresh air!

The thing with s’mores is that it has been made into everything.

So many yummy things have been created

using the delectable combo of chocolate and marshmallows.

Most things have even been done 10x’s or more.

And then when I think that I have a brilliant idea

that I am sure no one has ever done…

google lets me down HARD!!!

This week I thought…breakfast s’mores!

It has been done before, (insert sad face)

but I went with it anyway!!!

Don’t you want chocolate cream cheese and marshmallow fluff

all wrapped up in a graham cracker roll?

Yes, please! I know I sure do!!!!

I just love that sweet rolls are a completely acceptable morning treat…

even filled to the brim with marshmallows and chocolate!

I had to run to the grocery store the other day

to pick up some dinner ingredients

when I saw this chocolate cream cheese spread.

I had seen it before but hadn’t bought it yet…

today I knew exactly what I was doing with it.

Into my shopping cart it went!!!

At home I quickly lined up my ingredients and got to work.

I recommend working on these 2 at a time.

The dough gets too soft and tears really easily then.

1. Lay out the crescent rolls into 4 rectangles. Press seams together. Spoon on the graham cracker and marshmallow mixture. Press into the dough with the back of the spoon.

2. Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. Squeeze it together.

3. Bring the ends of the dough together and press it into each other.

4. Use your thumbs to make a large indent in the middle of each roll. Don’t worry if it isn’t the prettiest. Mine were having issues too!

5. Fill the indent with marshmallow fluff and top it with chocolate cream cheese.

6. Bake and cool.

I just love how the marshmallow fluff breaks through the chocolate

in such random patterns on each danish!!!

Once they cool, sprinkle on some marshmallow bits,

light a candle and eat your masterpiece!!!

Who says you have to wait for breakfast???

Cheesecake S’mores Danish

by Inside BruCrew Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Ingredients (4 rolls)

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 c. marshmallow bits
1/4 c. marshmallow fluff
1/4 c. Philadelphia chocolate cream cheese

Instructions

Stir together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Stir in the marshmallow bits.

Separate the dough into 4 rectangles on a baking sheet. Press the seams together to seal. Top the dough with 4 heaping teaspoons of crumbs. Press into the dough.

Roll up the rectangles, starting on the shortest side. Pinch edges together. Stretch the roll out and squeeze together. Coil it around in a circle and pinch the ends together. Use your fingers to press the center down making a cavity. Fill with 1 heaping teaspoon of marshmallow fluff. Cover the fluff with 1 heaping teaspoon of chocolate cream cheese.

Bake at 350* for 16 minutes. Cool completely. Sprinkle with extra marshmallow bits. Refrigerate if not eaten soon.

Shared with: Tastetastic Thursday, It’s a Keeper, Sweet Treats, Catch a Glimpse, Made Famous By, Chic and Crafty

I’m Lovin It, Sweet Tooth, Friday Flair, BFF Open House, Weekend Potluck, Free For All, S’mores Roundup

Strut Your Stuff

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)

Filed Under: breakfast, chocolate, marshmallow Tagged With: chocolate, crescent rolls, marshmallow

Buckeye Buttons

December 19, 2011 21 Comments

Christmas is only one week away.

Did you hear me?

ONE WEEK!!!

Now it is officially freak out time…

We need to finish shopping,

wrap everything,

bake cookies,

and finish cards.

Then bake my husband’s birthday cheesecake!

Yup, freaking out just thinking about it all!!!

I’m not sure why,

but every year I get more and more behind.

I tell myself that I am going to start shopping early

but that never happens.

So the few weeks before we go from one store to the next

in a rush hoping to find the perfect gift.

And then there are the cards…

I’m a huge fan of making my own cards.

But this poses a slight problem when you start

a week before Christmas.

(maybe everyone will get them by New Year’s)

I’m sure that more chocolate and peanut butter

will calm my panic mode.

In fact, I have a whole jar of these buckeye buttons

just waiting to give away…

but maybe just a few will make it all better.

No one will notice if the jar isn’t completely full, right???

Buckeye Buttons

6 tbsp. salted butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. marshmallow cream
2 c. powdered sugar

mini ritz crackersmelting chocolate
shortening

In mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, and marshmallow cream until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the sugar. Roll into small 1 inch balls. Place on top of a mini ritz cracker. Top with another cracker and gently press down. Melt chocolate in microwave stirring every 30 seconds so the chocolate doesn’t scorch. Stir in a small amount of shortening to thin slightly. Dip buttons coating both sides. Tap on side of bowl gently. Place on wax paper lined baking sheet. Top with sprinkles. Let set.

Linked to:

Makin You Crave, More the Merrier, Melt in your Mouth, Market Yourself, Sweet Party

Chef in Training, NapTime Creations, Mandy’s Recipe Box, Tea Party

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)

Filed Under: chocolate, miscellaneous, peanut butter Tagged With: chocolate, peanut butter

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Banana Butter Cream

July 26, 2011 25 Comments

Want to know a common misconception about me?
Most people thing I am an awesome cook…
but you guys know better, right?
I mean do you ever see “real” food on here?
Nope! Just loads and loads of sugar!

(I should probably do something about the sugar overload!)

Now honestly I can cook…I just don’t LIKE to do it.
When dinner time comes around, my mind hits a brick wall
and I seriously can’t think of a single thing to make.
Well, other than chocolate chip cookies and brownies:-)
Thinking of desserts is the easy part!

It doesn’t matter that we just made a meal list the day before
AND went shopping for all the ingredients.
Poof!
It just vanishes!
I seriously can’t think of a single thing to make:-(

Kids, we are having mac-n-cheese AGAIN!
(Insert groaning)

We can survive on mac-n-cheese and cereal, right?
Because that is about the extent of my dinner planning:-)

LOL! I’m kidding about the noodles and cereal…
but not about the poof part.
Totally true.

It is a very good thing that I have a husband that LOVES
to cook and plan meals, otherwise it could get boring.
There is only so much mac-n-cheese we can handle!

Now when I get an idea for a cupcake…
that never disappears.
(Even though I try very hard not to think about it!)
But seriously, cupcakes with whole reeses baked into
the bottoms are very unforgettable!
I mean look at that delicious cupcake bottom!!!
You want one, don’t you?

What’s that?
You don’t want one???

OH, you want TWO!!!

I understand♥
You don’t need dinner!

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Banana Butter Cream

1 white cake mix
3/4 c. water
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs
1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp. honey
reeses pb cups

Preheat oven to 350*. Add all ingredients EXCEPT the reeses in a mixing bowl. Beat for 1 minute on low, and then 2 minutes on medium. Place cupcake liners in pan and place an unwrapped reeses cup on the bottom of each liner. Fill liners 3/4 full with batter. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until the tops spring back to the touch. Cool on wire rack. Top with a little bit of chocolate glaze. Pipe on the banana butter cream. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Keep refrigerated when not being eaten.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 stick butter
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove when melted. Combine the cocoa powder and powdered sugar in a bowl. Add the butter, vanilla, and milk and beat until creamy.
If you have leftover glaze, it is very tasty over ice cream:-) Keep it stored in the refrigerator if you don’t inhale it right away.

Banana Butter Cream

1/2 c. mashed bananas
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 stick butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
8-9 c. powdered sugar

Stir the lemon juice into the mashed bananas and set aside. Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add the vanilla, salt, and bananas and beat again. Slowly start adding the sugar 1 c. at a time. Continue to beat until all is incorporated.

*this will frost 24 cupcakes when piped generously…if you don’t want that much frosting, just make half the recipe.

Linked to:
Today’s Creative Blog, This Chick Cooks
Rook No. 17, Lady Behind the Curtain
Mandy’s Recipe Box, The Trendy Treehouse
Reasons to Skip Housework
33 Shades of Green
HoosierHomemade
Six Sister’s Stuff

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)

Filed Under: banana, chocolate, peanut butter Tagged With: banana, candy, chocolate, cupcakes, peanut butter

Peanut Butter Easter Bunnies and Eggs

April 19, 2011 31 Comments

Why is it that as a kid
things seem so much larger than what they really are?

My husband just cracks up
when I talk about the chocolate bunnies
we used to get in our Easter baskets.

I swear they were 2 feet tall and solid chocolate!!!!

He just laughs at me and says,
“Do you realize how much one like that would cost?”
“There is no way your parents bought 5 of those!”

I don’t care how silly I sound…
I still say they were that big:-)
and I always ate them ears first!!!!
They pretty much lasted a good month or more!

This time of year also brings back
great memories of going to my grandparent’s house
for our annual Saturday egg hunt.
The best part was the huge peanut butter eggs
that had our name on them!!!
(they were at least a pound each;-)

They were the absolute best!
I am not sure where they got them…
but they were delicious!

I found this homemade peanut butter egg
recipe in an old Quick Cooking annual recipe book…
and it intrigued me so much that I had to try it.

GUESS WHAT?
It totally reminds me of the huge eggs
that had our names on them.
You know where I am going with this right?
Yup my kids are getting huge peanut butter eggs
with their names on them.
I think it is a great tradition to start up!

I adapted the recipe just slightly and
decided to fill an old bunny candy mold
that I had from when I was little….
but you could totally shape it into eggs
and dip those too.
(some time this week I am making those big eggs)

Peanut Butter Easter Bunnies

by Inside BruCrew Life

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

6 tbsp. salted butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. marshmallow cream
2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. melting chocolate, melted
2 tsp. shortening

Instructions

In mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, and marshmallow cream until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the sugar. Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave 1 minute. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir and paint the inside of your candy mold. Refrigerate for 2 minutes. Check mold to see if there are areas that need a little more chocolate. Refrigerate again. Fill with peanut butter mixture and top with more chocolate. Refrigerate until firm. Flip the mold over and pop out the yummy bunny. You can also just shape the peanut butter mixture into eggs and freeze for 20 minutes. Then dip into the melted chocolate, set on waxed paper, and add some sprinkles.

Linked to:
seven thirty three, A Glimpse Inside
33 Shades of Green
Crafty Soiree

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)