Captain Crunch Bars

Can I admit here and now that I am not a sugared cereal person.

Buddy- however – loves it.

So twice a year when we go camping I let him pick out one box to bring along.

This year’s choice for the our July 4th Family Camp-Out was Captain Crunch.

And it came home unopened.

Oh dear – now what to do. An entire box of sugared cereal that only Buddy likes.

I know! I’ll feed it to the youth group! They’ll eat anything!

A quick google search and I had several recipes for Captain Crunch Bars. I picked one.

Dagmar (who shares my disdain for sugared cereal) took one look at the recipe and said, “Gross”.

But she made them anyway – and hasn’t stopped eating them since.

They are really yummy!

Suddenly – sharing them with the youth group no longer seemed like such a good idea. 🙂

Captain Crunch Bars

1/2 cup melted butter
1 box yellow cake mix
3-1/2 cup mini marshmallows
8 ounces chocolate chips
3-1/2 cup Captain Crunch cereal
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pout the melted butter over the bottom of a jelly roll pan.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top, followed by the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and Captain Crunch cereal.

Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the whole thing and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Run a knife around the edge as soon as you remove it from the oven.

It will set up as it cools. If you can wait that long.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Almond Macaroon Bars

I couldn’t believe how quickly Dagmar pulled this recipe out when I asked her to make something for a recent potluck!

I guess she’d been drooling over it for sometime – and trust me – it was worth it!

An Oreo cookie crust with a creamy coconut and nut filling covered with a layer of chocolate ganache – oh my!

We didn’t even wait for it to cool down in the fridge before we cut into it and sampled!

Absolutely no calories in these bars – they all fall out when you cut them! 😉

Chocolate Almond Macaroon Bars

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3-3/4 cups coconut
1 cup almond slivers (best if toasted)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream (we used evaporated milk)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Combine Oreo crumbs, melted butter and sugar in large bowl. Firmly press crumb mixture on bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Stir together the sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and almonds. Carefully drop the mixture by the spoonful over the crust and spread evenly.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until coconut edges begin to brown. Cool.

Melt chocolate chips and whipping cream in double broiler on the stove. Cool until slightly thickened, spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with the white chocolate chips.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or until set.

Cut into bars and keep hidden in the back of the refrigerator!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

We had some eggs in the fridge that needed to be used, so I asked Dagmar to make something yummy.

She could make anything she wanted – just use up some of the eggs!

She buried herself in cookbooks and the recipe file looking for that perfect recipe.

I walked through the kitchen later and saw her busy at work with pans all over the counter and wonderful smells saturating the house.

She finally pulled the masterpiece out of the oven – warm and gooey and full of wonderful chocolate peanut butter goodness.

I asked her how many eggs she used.

She looked at me blankly. “Eggs?”

Oops. She hadn’t used any. 🙂

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
(recipe from Pillsbury Baking Cookbook)

2-1/4 cups oatmeal
1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Beat together the oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and butter until crumbly. Reserve 2 cups for topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 greased pan. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla until well blended. Pour over the base. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and peanuts. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Press down gently.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown (the center will not be set). Cool completely, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pink Lemonade Dessert

It’s hot and humid here at Windy Ridge.

So hot and humid that I don’t want to use the oven – even if the AC is on!

A search deep into the back of my recipe file yielded this recipe for Pink Lemonade Dessert that I had copied from an unknown source sometime ago.

It’s one of those recipes that has been in my recipe file for years and I’ve never tried it – until now.

What was I waiting for?

It was sweet and cold and creamy and easy!

And it was a big hit with all my kids and all the extra kids hanging around last weekend!

Pink Lemonade Dessert

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate
12 ounces Cool Whip
red food coloring

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and melted butter. Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate for an hour.

In a blender, combine the sweetened condensed milk, and pink lemonade concentrate. Add red food coloring to achieve the pink color you like.

Pour the lemonade mixture into a bowl and fold in the Cool Whip.

Carefully spread the mixture evenly over the crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.

This disappeared really fast over the weekend! One niece said, “It’s like drinking pink lemonade, you don’t want to stop – and I don’t want to stop eating this!” 🙂

Score for Aunt Melinda!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed With Grace, Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and Tuesdays at the Table over at All the Small Stuff.

Chocolate Macaroon Bars

My husband loves macaroons – and I can’t blame him! The rich combination of coconut and sweetened condensed milk is heavenly!

So I was very excited to find this recipe for a chocolate macaroon. Oh my! Let’s just add some gooey melted chocolate and walnuts to the coconut!

It went together fast and disappeared fast!

I loved them best hot from the oven while the chocolate was still melting and the coconut was toasted and crunchy.

Chocolate Macaroon Bars

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup butter softened
2 eggs, divided
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/3 cup flaked, sweetened coconut, divided
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, and 1 egg until mixture is crumbly. Press firmly into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. In medium bowl, combine condensed milk, 1 egg, and vanilla extract; stir in the chocolate chips, 1 cup coconut, and walnuts.

Spread over mixture in baking pan. Top with remaining coconut. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Are you hungry yet? 🙂

Coconut Macaroons

Macaroons My husband is absolutely the easiest guy to cook for – ever. Seriously. He rarely complains, just enjoys what’s put in front of him.

I’m not sure if this is the result of living on his own it for several years before we met and fell in love – or if he has always been so easy going?

But since he seems to like everything I cook 🙂 – when he does compliment a dish, I take notice!

I first tried this recipe a few years ago – never dreaming that he really liked coconut. Surprise! He finished off a tray hot from the oven!

So simple. So yummy. What a great way to make my handsome guy happy!

Coconut Macaroons

Combine:

1/2 cup flour
3-3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/8 tsp. salt

Add:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well. The batter will be stiff. Drop by tablespoons about 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 2-1/2 doz.

Enjoy!

Pecan Fudge Torte

My parents have been pretty much snowed in the last week, thanks to the “Christmas Blizzard of 2009”. They used their solitary confinement to work on their to-do list, which included sorting through the recipe tub. Nana shares these thoughts…

Papa and I have been sorting the “collected” recipes in my recipe file (which has grown over the years until it is now a small plastic tub!) What a nostalgic journey!

As we sorted and discarded we discovered:

Our tastes changed over the years.

We cook with different ingredients.

Some of the newly-clipped recipes were identical to old ones in our file, just a different name.

We have developed some “cooking habits” over the years that we are not ready to give up!

The picture on a recipe clipped from a 1996 newspaper looked delicious and since it would use up the rest of a can of sweetened condensed milk that was sitting in our refrigerator, we made it.

It does require several steps, but it is as good as the picture!

Pecan Fudge Torte

Filling:
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cake:
1 pkg Devils Food Cake Mix
1/3 cup oil
1 (15 oz) can sliced pears, drained
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp water

Sauce:
1 (17 oz) jar caramel ice cream topping
1/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9″ or 10″ round layer pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine filling ingredients and microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Stir to combine. Set aside. In large bowl, combine cake mix and oil; blend at low speed for 20 or 30 seconds or until crumbly. (Mixture will be dry). Place pears in blender or food processor, cover & blend until smooth. In another bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the cake mix mixture, pureed pears and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly in pan. Drop filling by spoonfuls over batter. Stir nuts and water into remaining cake mix mixture. Sprinkle over the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool for 1 1/2 hours before cutting. Combine sauce ingredients and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
To serve: Spoon 2 tablespoons warm sauce on to each serving plate; top with wedge of torte. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Wasn’t sure at first glance if this was a “keeper” – but after tasting it – it will definitely go back in file!

Until next time,

Nana Shirley

Bachelor Bars

Here’s a yummy classic from Nana and my youngest sister – who has spent time at Mom’s while her husband is traveling on business! Sure wish I was there too…

Our daughter was baking a cake and had some sweetened condensed milk left. Rather than put it in the refrigerator, where it would probably get lost & forgotten, she whipped up these Bachelor Bars. They are named because easy to make with few ingredients! They look & taste yummy enough to impress anyone! (She halved the recipe and put them in a 8″x 8″ pan.)

Bachelor Bars

(From Sandy’s Kitchen)

1 packet graham crackers

1 stick butter or margarine

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup coconut

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

Melt the butter/margarine. Crush the graham crackers and put in bottom of 9”x13” pan. Pour melted butter/margarine over the crackers, mix and pat into bottom of pan. Pour milk over graham crackers. Pat coconut into the milk. Sprinkle chips over ingredients. Bake 350 ° for 20-25 minutes. Let cool. Bars will thicken as they cool. Cut & serve. Leftovers do freeze well.

Till next time!
Nana

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

In my continuing effort to introduce my children to a more varied diet, I served white bean pizza recently.

But since I have also learned that “a spoonful of sugar helps the white beans go down” , I also served a yummy dessert.

Call if bribery if you will, but it is effective!

So what delicious dessert did I choose to reward my children for eating their white beans? A gooey peanut butter chocolate bar.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

In large bowl mix together 2-1/4 cup oatmeal, 1 -1/4 cups packed brown sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 cup butter or margarine.

The mixture will be crumbly.

Set aside 2 cups for the topping and press the remaining crumbs into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Mix together 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Pour over the crumb base. Sprinkle with 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over the top, pressing down gently.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. The center will not be set, but it will firm up as it cools.

What a rich and yummy reward- definitely worth eating those beans for!

Chocolate Cherry Dessert

I love church potlucks! Not only are there tables overflowing with good food, but there’s the unique opportunity for a wise cook to try out a new recipe on an unsuspecting crowd.

If it’s a hit, you proudly claim it. If it isn’t, you sneak it quickly out to the car without acknowledging that you made it!

I used a recent potluck to try out a new chocolate dessert, and I’m glad to report that it was a hit. And yes, I claimed it as my own!

Chocolate Cherry Dessert

Crust: Mix 3 cups of crushed Oreo cookies with 2/3 cup of melted butter. Press it into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely.

Filling: Mix together 2 – 14 oz. jars sweetened condensed milk, 2/3 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoons almond flavoring, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip.

Spoon over cookie crust.

Cover with 2 cans of cherry pie filling.

Refrigerate and enjoy!