Nutella Brownies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate, (2 ounces) coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp table salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp hazelnut extract
1/4-1/3 cup of Nutella

Directions:
Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake or pie pan. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add in the chocolate chunks. Whisk until blended.In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, eggs, and extract with a fork until just blended. Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until just blended. The batter will be kind of dry, don’t worry. Add in the nutella and stir until combined. Scrape the mixture in to the pan and spread evenly. You might have to press the mixture in to the sides if you are having trouble spreading with a spatula.Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in to the center comes out with only a few gooey pieces clinging to it. Transfer the baking dish to a cooling rack and let cool. Cut into wedges, squares, or just eat from the pan:)

White Chocolate Cranberry Coconut Bark

Ingredients:

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped

½ cup dried sweetened dried cranberries

1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (or other nuts)

2 tablespoons coconut, toasted

½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions:

Melt the 3 ounces of high quality white chocolate over a double-boiler of simmering water or slowly in the microwave. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Add the cranberries, pecans, coconut, and almond extract. Drop onto waxed paper or use a mold. Melt the remaining 3 ounces white chocolate and drizzle in a crisscross pattern using a piping bag. Refrigerate or freeze until firm. Store in an airtight container. Can be stored in the refrigerator for several months.

Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2-1/3 c all-purpose flour

1 c unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 tbsp (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 c firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs, at room temperature

1-1/2 c buttermilk, at room temperature

24 Oreos, one side twisted off and reserved for frosting

For the frosting/filling:

1-1/4 c whipping cream

2 tbsp powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c Oreo cookie crumbs, made from reserved Oreo sides

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Place one oreo in each liner, cream side up.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour, beating after each addition.
Divide the batter between the prepared liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 19 to 24 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

For the frosting/filling:In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs. Scoop the mixture into a piping bag (or gallon sized ziplock bag), and using a 1M tip, inject filling into each cupcake by sticking the tip into the middle of the cupcake and squeezing a bit. Frost the cupcakes and top with 1/2 of an Oreo.

Let the cupcakes cake cool completely before filling and frosting.

Raspberry Tuxedo Brownie Squares

Ingredients:
1 package (21 oz.) brownie mix (9 x 13 size)
1/2 C seedless raspberry jam
2 C fresh raspberries, or frozen whole raspberries without syrup, thawed and drained, divided (I used 1 1/2 cups frozen for the dessert and then used 1/2 cup fresh to garnish the top)
3 squares (1 ounce each) white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
2 packages (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/4 C milk
1 C heavy whipping cream, wh ipped to stiff peaks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare and bake brownie mix according to package. Cool completely. Spread jam onto brownies. Reserve 1/2 cup of raspberries for the garnish, arrange the remaining 1 1/2 cups raspberries evenly over jam. Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl, mix well. Gradually whisk in melted chocolate and milk. Fold in whipped cream. Spread carefully over raspberries. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Cut into squares. Garnish with reserved raspberries or chocolate curls. Store, covered in the refrigerator. Yields: 15 servings

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:

2 C chocolate chips (your choice - dark, semi sweet or milk)
1 can (1 1/3 C) evaporated milk
1/2 C butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Melt chips, butter, milk and powdered sugar. Bring to a boil. Cook for 4 minutes - stirring constantly. Take off heat and allow to thicken. Add vanilla.

Great gift idea!

Marshmallow Caramel Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:
1 package Kraft large marshmallows, frozen in freezer overnight
Kellogs Rice Krispies
1 package caramels
1/2 cup margarine
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
You might want to have a couple of helpers on this. The faster you move, the less need there is to re-heat the caramel mixture.
1. Put caramels, margarine, and sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring constantly until melted together.
2. Remove from heat.
3. With a toothpick, dip frozen marshmallows into the mixture, then immediately roll in Rice Krispies.
4. Let them cool on wax paper.
5. Store them in the refrigerator.

Easy Donuts

All you need is a can of refrigerator biscuits, some oil, and cinnamon & sugar!

Cut the center out of the biscuit. Heat the oil until its nice and hot. You can use a deep fryer or a frypan. Cook on each side until golden brown and place on paper towels to soak up the oil. Roll in cinnamon and sugar.

Peppermint Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
frosting
crushed peppermints
candy cane sticks

Directions:
Prepare cupcakes according to box directions adding in the peppermint extract to the batter. Bake according to directions. When cooled, frost and decorate with crushed peppermints. Use a candy cane stick for a straw.

Donut Hole Acorns

Ingredients:
Plain or glazed doughnut holes

Chocolate frosting (or peanut butter)

Toffee bits (in the baking aisle by the chocolate chips)

Pretzels

Directions:
Frost 1/3 of the doughnut hole with chocolate frosting or peanut butter. Roll in toffee bits. Add a small piece of pretzel for the stem