The Best Pumpkin Bars........

It is scary to think it has almost been 11 months since my last post.  I have missed my blog and sharing all my favorite recipes with you all.  When I last wrote I was seven months pregnant and was not feeling great and ready to be done with this whole pregnancy thing.   Now 11 months later, I am the momma of a 9 month old perfect little boy.  Crazy what can happen in 11 months.  While pregnant I lost all taste and desire for anything sweet and plus had a rough pregnancy so baking was not my thing for those 9 months.  But once I had Jack, my sweet tooth was back and stronger than ever.  It was like my body was making up for the last 9 months it missed out on.   And of course, as I have said thousands of times, I love fall and all things pumpkin.  I had to get on here and share the most amazing, simple and perfectly pumpkin-ee recipe ever.  I have made this several times since I saw it on a blog I enjoy reading called "i heart nap time" and it never disappoints.  It is easy to make, is moist and a perfect mix of fall spices, pumpkin and creamy cream cheese frosting.

The Best Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar 

1 cup vegetable oil
1 16 oz can pumpkin

2 cups flour sifted

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting
(I like to double the frosting)

3 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

2cups powdered sugar

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 15x10 inch pan or I used my jelly roll pan which worked great too. Set aside.

In a large bowl (preferably a Kitchen Aid mixing bowl) beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until fluffy.  Then in a medium sized bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, soda, and spices. Once done with the dry ingredients, slowly add the dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Mix until fully combined but be careful not to over mix.  Once complete, spread batter into the greased pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. My bars took just under 20 minutes to bake, so keep a close eye on them.  Once fully baked, take out and place on a cooling rack.

While bars are cooling, get started on the cream cheese frosting.  I like to double the cream cheese frosting to give it a richer taste.  So to begin, using your mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Mix until light and fluffy.  Then gradually add powdered sugar. Beat the frosting until smooth and creamy.  Once bars have completely cooled frost the pumpkin bars and voila, you have a delicious and yet easy make dessert that will make your guests think you have been in the kitchen for hours baking!!!

Happy Fall Baking!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

The other day I was sitting in a mechanic shop waiting for Thad''s truck to get serviced. I knew that I had about an hour to wait and wondered how I would spend that hour. I looked over and on a magazine rack were Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living and Peoples magazine. Once I saw the magazines, I knew there was going to be plenty to keep me entertained. I started off with the Peoples magazine because, who can resist some salacious gossip? Next I moved on to Better Homes and Gardens and drooled over the gorgeous homes and great recipes. I am sure the receptionist could hear me taring out pages as I found some must try recipes. I then moved onto Southern Living and found some more great recipes. I tore out a page that read "Best-Ever Bar Cookies" and listed on the back side of the page I ripped out, were Mississippi Mud Brownies.

Now I know that it is Spring/Summer and that maybe I should have gone with a fruity treat but these looked too scrumptious to pass up. And after making the beauties I was not disappointed at all. They were amazing. There is something about a dense brownie, topped with marshmallows, toasted pecans and ooey gooey frosting that is hard to resist.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

1 (4 oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking bar
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 cups mini-marshmallows

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 in pan, set aside.

Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, set aside.

Using a microwave-safe bowl microwave chocolate and butter at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Once melted, whisk in sugar and eggs until well blended (I used a large spoon). Lastly stir in flour until completed mixed. Spread batter into greased 13 x 9-inch pan and place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake the brownies until a wooden pick or butter knife inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs

When there is about 5-10 minutes left in the baking of the brownies, start on the frosting.....

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 oz.) package sifted powdered sugar

Once done baking, remove the brownies from oven and place on a cooling rack. Immediately pour the marshmallows onto the warm brownies. Next place the toasted pecans on the brownies. Once pecans and marshmallows are added, pour the frosting onto the warm brownies, spreading frosting to the edges. Let brownies cool for 1 or more hours on wire rack. I find that if they sit overnight they set better and once cut come out prettier.

Brownies lovers, this recipe is for you, a chocolaty brownie with marshmallows, pecans and chocolate frosting, you can't go wrong, so give these try, you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy!

A Fat Witch Brownie.......

Picture by Bake or Break

When I lived in DC, every so often my friends and I would venture to Georgetown and take in the sights. There were always great places to eat in Georgetown and fabulous stores to visit. I remember the first time I went to Dean & Deluca, I was mesmerized by it. It is a gourmet foods store fool of the finest of all foods and treats. They had cheeses of every kind and living in France I love my cheeses. They had fine meats, candy, all sorts of oils and vinegars and most importantly a Bakery. They had the most finest of bake goods that not only look perfect but their taste rivals their appearance. So when I was there I bought a brownie that was divine. It could stand alone without any frosting and melted in my mouth.

So when I came across a recipe posting on the cooking blog Bake or Break for some specialty brownies that are sold at a New York bakery called Fat Witch Bakery, I had to try it because first of all it reminded me of Dean & Deluca and secondly, getting the recipe for a famous brownie made me feel like somehow I was getting away with something or was just lucky to have it.

When I tried this recipe I loved it and what I loved about it was the delicate yet rich taste. And I also loved that surprisingly this brownie was not dense but light in its consistency. This definitely is the sort of brownie that would go into my "must make again" recipes collection.


Fat Witch Brownie
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips
1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
pinch of salt

Start of being preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Next grease a 9″x 9″ baking pan with butter, dusting it with flour, a getting rid of the excess flour by hitting the sides and bottom of pan. Set aside and let cool.

Using a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, making sure to stir constantly. Once done, Set aside. In another bowl (I use my kitchen aid) beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed. Once mixed well, add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended.

In another small bowl sift together the flour and salt, mix together. Then add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, mixing gently until well combined.

Lastly, spread the chocolate batter evenly in prepared pan. Place in oven and bake 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only dry crumbs. Once done remove from oven and place on cooling rack for 1 hour before cutting into bars. Makes 12-16 brownies.

So if you are a brownie lover like myself and love a rich but light brownie, then this recipe is for you. So enjoy and eat up!

Happy New Years Eve!

Missionary Brownies

Who doesn't love a good brownie recipe with a creamy chocolate frosting? Well these little guys will make you weak in the knees. Missionary Brownies are a Nelson family favorite. When I was a teenager, we moved to France for a couple years for my dad's job. We use to have the missionaries from our church over a lot and our house sort of became a safe haven for them. My mom was like their second mom and would make them some good homemade "American" food which was hard to come by in France. For dessert she would make these buttermilk brownies and they became such a hit with the missionaries that we started to call them the missionary brownies.

Years later they have continued to be a Nelson dessert favorite. I made them for Thad recently and he said these were the best brownies he had ever had. What I love about this recipe is the buttermilk and how moist they are, and the creamy frosting tops them off and makes it so just having one piece is almost impossible.

Missionary Brownies
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
2 sticks butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Start off by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Then grease and flour either a jelly roll pan, which is best or a 9 x 13 inch pan which will make the baking time vary. Set aside.

Begin by sifting together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Next bring the 1 cup water to a boil; then add the butter and cocoa. Mix well. Once the liquid mixture in combined, pour into the dry ingredients. I usually do this recipe with a good old fashion bowl and spoon. Stir all ingredients together, making sure to get the sides and bottom on the bowl. Then add the buttermilk. Get out a separate bowl and beat the eggs with a fork and then incorporate into batter. Lastly add vanilla and nuts. Mix well.

Pour the prepared batter into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes if in a jelly roll pan and then about 30-35 minutes if baking in a 9 x 13 pan. Either use a toothpick or butter knife to check for doneness, when inserted if comes out clean then it is done. Watch closely to prevent from over cooking. Once done remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack until completely cool.

Once completely cool frost with your favorite chocolate frosting or to use my favorite chocolate frosting click here

Missionary Brownies will become your new favorite brownies, and who doesn't need a killer brownie recipe.

Enjoy!