Fresh Orange Bars

About a week ago, I made a recipe for Lemon Brownies, and they were awesome!

So, when a good friend of mine was talking about them, I decided to make her a batch.

When I was making them, I took my lemons from my fruit bowl, and saw these really yummy oranges and tangelos I have been buying.  They have been really flavorful and juicy and I thought, I bet this would be a good version of the lemon!

Turns out I was RIGHT!

My hubby thinks they are even better than the lemon, which is good, because better on his hips than mine, right? ;)

When I went to type the recipe though, I got to thinking, they needed a different name.

When I found the recipe for the lemon brownies, I had never heard of such a thing?

Lemon BARS yes, brownies, no?

To me brownies were always brown, and blondies weren't right?

So, I decided to call these Fresh Orange Bars, instead.  Even though, it's virtually the same recipe.

Fresh Orange Bars

for the bars:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons orange Zest

2 Tablespoons orange Juice

*You will need to zest and juice 2 large oranges or tangelos (or one of each) *

for the glaze:

4 Tablespoons orange juice

8 Tablespoons orange zest

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x8 baking dish.

Zest and juice your oranges and set aside.

For the bars: whisk together, eggs, zest and juice and set aside.

In your mixer cream butter, add sugar and flour and salt and combine.

Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown, do not over bake.

For glaze: combine sugar, zest and juice and whisk until smooth.

Pour over the bars and place in the refrigerator to set.

Store in the refrigerator.

Lemon Brownies

My sister lives in southern California.

We try to get the kiddos out to visit once a year, and had the pleasure of doing so last month.

She and her husband have an AMAZING backyard.  It's so tastefully done, and yet it's overwhelming what they have!! Gorgeous flowers, succulents and PALM TREES (swoon!)

Top that off with a beautiful paved patio and fire pit that begs to be seated around, laughing and sipping your drink of choice.

This last year, I literally squealed when I walked out and saw all of the LEMONS!

I hadn't remembered them being there last year, and her trees were FULL of them!!

I said to her ...

"Do you know all of the things I could MAKE with these?"

I rattled off a few ideas, and turned lime green with jealousy; all I had in my backyard was snow.

My Mom was also out in California, thawing out, and on her way back she visited her cousin who lives just north of where I had been oogaling Teresa's lemons.

They have not only lemons and lime trees, but avocado trees, too! She brought me home about 60 of them!

The MOTHER load!!

In addition to that I got a bowl full of lemons and a few limes.

I was so GRATEFUL!  I know that Teresa would have shared with me, but I wasn't going to try and take anything else on the plane... When we all travel together, we are quite a sight to behold in the airport anyway!! 

It's like a PACK.

I made quite a few things with these beauties, but hands down, these were my FAVORITE.

I had seen these posted on facebook from another blogger, My Prairie Window.

Instantly, I knew what I would be doing with a couple of those luscious lemons!

I'd be baking up some of these lemon brownies, and I couldn't be happier that I did!

Flaky brownie, covered in a zesty tart lemon glaze ... heaven in a little bitty bar.

Lemon Brownies

from My Prairie Window

For the Brownies:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

(recipe will take the zest of 3 medium sized lemons and the juice of 1 1/2 of them)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 baking dish with butter.

Zest and juice lemons and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together eggs, zest and juice, set aside.

In your mixer, cream butter with sugar, flour and salt.  Add the egg mixture.

Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes and spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Do not over bake, or bars will be dry.

Cool.

For the Glaze:

4 Tablespoons lemon juice

8 teaspoons lemon zest

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Whisk together and spread on bars.  Place in the refrigerator to set.

Cut to serve.  Store in the refrigerator.

Shared at Wonderfully Creative Wednesday at Nibbles by Nic
Linked at Wined Down Wednesday at Dizzy Busy and Hungry
Linked at Hearth and Soul Hop at The 21st Century Housewife
Shared at the Weekend Social thrown by Kitchen Dreaming and The McCallum's Shamrock Patch

Brownie Bites with Rolos

I am so excited to post my first recipe as a new member of The Secret Recipe Club!

They made my time as a "first timer" an easy one when they gave me a fabulous blog called

Deb's page is one tummy rumbling, lip licking recipe after another.

I have to say, it was hard to choose!

I already have plans to make her Irish Cream Flavored Popcorn as well as Lemon Supreme Desserts,

but of course when it came right down to it, Chocolate was the direction I went in!!

We are BIG fans of brownies around here, and when I saw these with Rolos? I said Oh Yeah!

I'll let you in on a little secret.  I had been wanting one of these pans, and this was the PERFECT reason to treat myself! 

mmmm... the inside

Brownie Bites with Rolos

Cooking on the Front Burner

Brownies:

1 box brownie mix

package of Rolos, I used mini baking ones

Frosting:

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons warm water

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla

Caramel Sauce for drizzling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare brownie pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix according to box instructions.

Fill sections about 2/3 of the way full, and place a Rolo in the center.

Mine made about 18, so I baked these and then when they cooled made another batch. (yay for me!)

Bake for about 25 minutes or until done.  If you use the toothpick inserted in the center trick, avoid that gooey Rolo! ;)

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then on a rack the rest of the way.

Make your frosting, and dip the tops of the brownies into the frosting, and place on a rack or waxed paper to set.

Drizzle with caramel sauce.

Enjoy!

I didn't have any caramel, so I made my own Salted Caramel Sauce and it was perfect on them!

An InLinkz Link-up

Strawberry Sour Cream Crumb Pie Bars

You may have heard me mention once or a hundred times, that I would pick pie over cake any 'ol day.

But sometimes, pie is hard to take somewhere.

In most cases, it requires a plate and fork...

In some cases is served "a la mode"...

and these are good things, 

but when I am asked to make something like "bars" for food committee for school or church, I want to leap beyond the brownie, or the cookie bar...

and jump right into pie!

That's why these are the best of both worlds.

Tastes like pie, no need for ice cream with that yummy (almost cheesecake like) sour cream filling, and you can eat them (almost effortlessly) with your hands.

And, guess what? If you don't want them to be Strawberry, make them any 'ol flavor your little heart desires!

Personally, my next plan for these is to make them cherry... drool.

But for now, I am going to share the recipe for these beauties:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumb Pie Bars

recipe adapted from: the recipe critic

Crust:

1 stick butter, melted, and cooled to room temperature

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

About 3/4 of a 20 ounce can strawberry pie filling, can substitute other fruits

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

Melt butter in microwave and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line an 8x8 square pan with either non-stick foil or parchment paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

To make the crust, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Pour in the melted butter, mix making sure to completely incorporate the butter, dough will be crumbly.

Reserve 1/4 of your crust mixture, and press the other 3/4 firmly into the bottom of your pan. Set aside.

For the filling, mix together the sour cream, sugar, 1 Tablespoon flour, egg and vanilla.

Pour over the crust and smooth out.

Spoon strawberry filling over the top, and gently swirl with the sour cream mixture.

Sprinkle with the remaining crust and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown

Cool in the refrigerator, cut and serve.

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Shared at Munching Mondays - At Nibbles by Nic

Lunch Lady Brownies

From the moment I saw these posted at my friend, Joan's site, Chocolate, Chocolate and More I knew I had to try them!

I will be honest, typically if I am making  brownies,  it's in a rush, and it's the boxed kind.

If I want to jazz said box brownies up, my trick is to top them with my Chocolate Ganache!

But I saw her post for these and how much her family loved them, and I trust Joan, I mean, her site is pretty much ALL about CHOCOLATE, right?!

I made them, they were rich and fudgy, and downright tasty!

How many of you remember the Adam Sandler Chris Farley skit from SNL many years ago, when he sang the song "Lunch Lady Land?"  

Hilarious!

LINK to Video

I mean, seriously? I haven't been able to eat a sloppy Joe or work in the lunch room at school without singing this song!

(yes, my kids LOVE me! ;)

So, of course, the night we had these for dessert...we had Sloppy Joe's for dinner!

Lunch Lady Brownies

Chocolate, Chocolate and More

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x13 pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, cocoa and sugar. Mix in flour and beat well. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.

Batter will be thick.  Spread in bottom of your prepared pan.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For frosting, sift together sugar, cocoa and salt.  Cream butter in a mixing bowl, and gradually add in sugar, alternating with milk. Mix until creamy

Frost warm brownies.

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

My Mother-in-law has a facebook page, and my father-in-law says he doesn't need one, because he just uses hers!!

Like most of you, if you're reading this. you love when people post recipes online.

(I love it even more when you all post MINE!! )  *grin*

My Father-in-law, Denny, loves sweets, even more, he loves coconut and chocolate.
My kids always give him all of their Almond Joy bars from their Halloween candy bag.

When he was perusing facebook and actually REQUESTED I make these, how could I resist?
I hit the jackpot in the Father-in-Law department, after all!

If you don't ever read Confessions of a Cookbook Queen's blog, you really should check it out.
I speak her language of sarchasm and mommyisms, and always enjoy her posts.
That is where I found the recipe for these Almond Joy Brownie Bites!

Almond Joy Brownie Bites

Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

1 - 9x13 size bow brownie mix (or your own homemade)

4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 -14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 package of chocolate almond bark or chocolate candy quick

4 dozen almonds

Prepare mini muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix according to the package instructions, and fill muffin cups about 1/2 full.

Bake according to package directions.  Mine took about 25 minutes.

Remove from tins and cool on counter.

My mix made exactly 4 dozen.

In a bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and coconut.
Stick an almond in the top of each brownie.

Place a ball of coconut on top of each brownie, and put in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate candy according to package instructions.
Dip the tops of the brownies in chocolate and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, place in the refrigerator to set.

Candy Corn Salted Nutrolls

My recipe for Salted Nutrolls is a favorite here on my blog!

I make them EVERY year at Christmas and they are one of the first things gone from the cookie plate!

Here is the link to the post I did for them one Valentine's Day:

LINK to Post Click HERE

We were invited over to the neighbors for a football party last weekend.

He was christening his new out building.

I decided to make a platter of Salted Nutrolls but add some candy corn to make it festive!! 

These are a fun fall treat.  If you love Salted Nutroll or Payday candy bars...you'll go nutty for these!!

Candy Corn Salted Nutrolls

Click HERE to view the recipe for Salted Nutrolls

I added the candy corn version to the bottom.

Mint Brookies

Wednesday morning my oldest daughter informed me that she was having dinner at my niece's house with all of her cousins to send my nephew, Alex, off to college.  

She offered to bring dessert.

Now mind you she was headed to school from 8-3:30, and worked until 6. I wasn't sure when she planned to make the brownie mix she had in her hand?

She told me she was just taking it over my niece's and making it there.

yea, right.

I'd like to think I was teaching her entertaining skills...but that morning I felt like I was failing miserably.

I decided that a regular 'ol brownie mix wasn't going to be the way to go.

I decided that cookies would be a better option.

My baking cupboard was looking pretty sparse.

So....how about Brookies?

Yes!! It's the best of both worlds, a cookie and a brownie!

I dug through my cupboard and found some mint chips, perfect!

Mint/Chocolate is my niece, Leah's favorite combination!

*she grins*

So this is what I came up with!

Using the brownie mix and my muffin pan, these Mint Brookies were created!!

I was later informed by Liz, my departing nephew's girlfriend, who was also leaving for college, that it was the perfect idea, being since they were attending South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota!

Score one for me that I didn't even know about!

*winks*

Mint Brookies with Milk based Mint Ganache Drizzle

Brookie

1 brownie mix that makes a 9x13 pan, made according to box instructions

plus, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

3/4 cup mint chocolate chips

Mint Chocolate Ganache Drizzle (made with milk not cream)

1 cup mint chocolate chips

3 Tablespoons milk

dash of peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix as directed on package, and add in extract and mint chips.

Pour into muffin tins, I filled them about 1/3 of the way full.

Note: They got a little bit thicker than I had intended. If you want them more like a cookie, they would make more, my batch made 20, but you would have to vary the baking time a bit, and bake them for a shorter amount of time.

Bake for 15 minutes, watch them closely!

Cool in pans for a bit, then remove and cool on your counter for a little while longer.

Place chips and milk in a sauce pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the chips are melted.

Add dash of extract and give it a swirl with a whisk.

Drizzle over the brookies.

Drizzle will firm up some, if you don't want them quite as gooey, place them in the fridge for a bit before serving.

cousin love

Iced Snickerdoodle Bars

I did a trial run on these bars a couple of weeks before my son's graduation party.

My family loved them!!

I decided they would be gracing my dessert buffet for sure!

I thought and thought about what I wanted for desserts and I decided to do an assortment of cookie bars.

Here's the recipe for these.

Iced Snickerdoodle Bars

recipe from Betty Crocker

2 1/3 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Filling

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon sugar

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

In your mixer combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until creamy.

Slowly add in dry ingredients until combined.

Spoon and spread half of the batter into the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Dollop the rest of batter evenly in teaspoon sized amounts over the top of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for one hour.

Stir mixture for glaze and drizzle over the top of the bars.  

Cut into squares.

Makes 24 bars.

Sugar Cookie Bars with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Easter from my family to yours!!

Everybody loves a sugar cookie right?

Well I took this recipe that has been made time and time again, and changed it up once I spotted those White Chocolate M & M's on the shelf!!

I am just going to post the links for you to both recipes found here on my blog.

Just make the cookie bars according to recipe. (I used the vanilla version)

Top them with White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting and M&Ms!!

The kids (and grownups) will love them!!

Happy Easter!!

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

I pinned these on Pinterest last year, and have always wanted to try them.

The recipe comes from A Little Bit Crunchy, A Little Bit Rock 'n Roll

I decided to whip them up yesterday for the kids for a fun Halloween treat.

They were super easy, and the kids loved them.  

Plus, they make a bunch!!

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla (+1/2 tsp almond extract, optional)

5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add vanilla and eggs, and beat well.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well.

Spread into greased 13x18 pan, bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool, and then frost.

Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon almond extract

pinch of salt

4 cups powdered sugar

5 Tbls milk

food coloring (optional)

sprinkles (optional)

In a mixer, cream together butter and shortening, add vanilla and salt.

Add powdered sugar and milk a little at a time, mixing until fluffy.

I tinted mine orange for this batch and topped with Halloween sprinkles.

The second batch I made (4 days later!!) I varied a bit. had a friend make them and add almond extract to the batter and to the frosting.  So I gave it a whirl.
YUM!!

I baked these up for a function at my husband's office tomorrow, 

I tinted them lime green!!

So, with or without the almond extract, they are SUPER YUMMY!!

Tiffany blue with multi -colored sprinkles

At Easter I made them with my White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and added White Chocolate M&Ms!

These were ESPECIALLY GOOD!!

Can you say bake sale??

:)

I 

I cut them with my pizza cutter!!

Mexican Chocolate Frosted Brownies

Mexican frosted chocolate brownies with cinnamon whipped cream

Every luncheon needs one main ingredient.... CHOCOLATE.

My Valentine luncheon this year was no different.  

I do a bake along challenge with Danielle, from Hugs and Cookies XOXO 

and this month it was for frosted brownies.

Danielle challenged everyone to put their own spin on things, though, with candy toppings, etc.

I decided I would "kill two birds with one stone" and make them Mexican chocolate.

With the reading I did, it seemed that pretty much meant adding cinnamon.

Have you ever had a Mexican hot chocolate??

AMAZING.

Some recipes called for cayenne pepper, but I decided to leave that out.

Here is the link to the original recipe on Hugs and Cookies XOXO for frosted brownies.

Mexican Chocolate Frosted Brownies

1 2/3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2 T Water

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13x9 pan.

Combine sugar,  butter ad water in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, stir into sugar mixture.  Spread into prepared pan.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Cool.

Frosting:

Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy:

1 stick butter

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 T cocoa powder

2 T milk

1/4 t cinnamon

splash of vanilla

Frost cooled brownies.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream frosting topping

by Your Cup of Cake

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 stick butter

2-3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whip cream until fluffy, remove from bowl and set aside.

Beat butter for 5 minutes.

Add whipped cream back in, add cinnamon, vanilla and powdered sugar slowly.  More sugar if you prefer it sweeter.

Pipe on and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Salted Nutroll Bars

 a little sweet and salty love from my kitchen

These are hands down my MOST favorite candy bar on earth.

Honestly, they aren't always easy to find.

Maybe some of you who don't live here in the Midwest can tell me, 

"have you ever heard of Salted Nutroll candy bars?"

homemade salted nutrolls

I don't know what's in the middle of a Salted Nutroll, it's like this magical goodness.

It's not marshmallow, like these bars are, but I am here to tell you, they run a VERY close second.

salted nutroll bars

I used to make these every year at Christmas, they were one of the first things missing 

from my cookie platters!  

I haven't made them for the last couple of years, 

trying to mix it up I guess...

This week  I made a couple of kinds of bars to take up to school for Parent Teacher Conferences.

I made some mint chip brownies and then I made these.

peanut love

I made sure I had leftovers, and after school my kids WOOFED them down!!

Salted Nutroll Bars

Crust:

1 1/2 c flour

2/3 c brown sugar

1/2 t baking powder

1 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

stick of butter

2 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 359 degrees.  Mix the above ingredients together and press into a greased 9x13 pan.

(I line with non-stick foil...that stuff ROCKS)

Bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Top with 3 cups miniature marshmallows and bake for 3 minutes more.

Cool.

On a low heat until melted:

2/3 c corn syrup

1/4 c butter

2 t vanilla

1 - 10 oz bag of peanut butter chips

To this add: 2 cups of Rice Krispies and 2 cups salted and roasted peanuts.

Stir.

Pour over the top of the marshmallows.  

Cool.

Cut into squares.

To make this fun fall version, with candy corn, add 1/2 cup of candy corn to the peanut mixture before  pouring over the top of the marshmallows.

Candy Corn Salted Nutrolls

ENJOY!