Coconut-Chocolate Bars

Coconut-Chocolate Bars

1-1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 cups flaked coconut
½ cup caramel topping *
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips**
½ teaspoon vegetable oil

*I used the Smucker’s squeezable caramel ice cream topping and just eye-balled the amount I used

**I had a hard time getting the chocolate chips and vegetable oil to the right consistency for drizzling. So I spread it the best I could then sprinkled extra coconut and chocolate chips on top to hide the blobs of chocolate. Next time, try melting it in a double boiler or maybe adding a bit more vegetable oil.

Heat oven to 350©F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in flour and cocoa until soft dough forms. On low speed, beat in 1 cup of the coconut. Press mixture in pan. Bake about 25 minutes or until center is set. Drizzle caramel over baked layer; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup coconut. In resealable freezer plastic bag, mix chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Microwave on high 30-45 seconds, squeezing chocolate in bag every 15 seconds, until smooth. Cut ¼-inch tip from corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over coconut. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.

1 bar: 200 Calories; 12 g total fat; 95 mg sodium; 21g carbohydrates, 1g protein.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (=1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted
1 pkg (11-1/2 oz.) semisweet chocolate chunks, divided
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
18 mini chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; blend well. Add butter; stir until crumbly. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the crumb mixture; set aside for later use. Press remaining crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes or until crust is light brown around edges.

Microwave 1 cup chocolate chunks in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add milk and peanut butter, mix until well blended. Spread onto crust. Combine remaining chocolate chunks, the peanut butter cup pieces and 1-1/2 cups reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake 25 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely. Cut into 40 bars to serve.

This takes about 45 minutes total, but only about 20 of it is hands-on...the other 25 is waiting for it to bake.

It even comes out like the photo that was on the original recipe...which doesn't always happen! :)

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I got two thumbs up from Greg on this one!

Recipe and photo courtesy of www.simpleanddelicious.com

New Recipe - Fruit Tart

Updated 3/27/08: Here's pictures per your request. I've made this dish twice and both times it turned out wonderfully. Once w/ apricot preserves, the other with strawberry...I liked the strawberry better. Also, the first time had kiwi which added fun color/texture/shapes but this weekend the kiwis didn't look that great at the store, so we didn't get any. That's the fun of this recipe though: flexibility!

Many of us are preparing for Easter weekend which means family-time and special meals. Let me share this recipe with you...I'll be making it tomorrow. It's from a friend at work:

Fruit Tart
CRUST:
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cups all-purpose flour

*When you stir up the crust it is the consistency of sticky sugar cookie dough...don't panic...it turns out good! Also, when you go to take it out of the oven, it may have risen close to the top of the pan. Don't worry...it will sink back down when you take it out of the oven.

FILLING:
2 ounces of vanilla or white chocolate chips, melted
2 tablespoons of Preserves
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, whipped
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained*
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

*Make sure you save the pineapple juice to make the glaze with! Or, if you're like me and don't pay attention to that helpful tidbit, make sure you have internet access so you can find a glaze recipe that doesn't require fruit juice! :)


GLAZE:
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

DIRECTIONS For crust, In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour; mix well. Press into an ungreased 11-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Bake at 300 degrees F for 22-24 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat melted chips and whipping cream. Add cream cheese and preserves and beat until smooth. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse fruit; reserve 1/2 cup of juice from canned fruit, set aside. Arrange fruit over filling.
For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool; brush over fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

*** I found it easier to have the butter partially melted when creaming it with the sugar and flour. When pressing dough into pan, only have dough be a thin layer (it will rise) and have it partially up on the sides of the pan. You can substitute any fruit you desire, just be sure to have a different flavor of preserves for a variety; the fruit can be as heavy or light as you wish. The portions of fruit above are for heavy fruit, you will have leftover fruit. Also, you can try doubling the recipe if you wish and putting it in a 9"x13" cake pan, or 12"x17" Cookie/Jello pan. ***

Enjoy and happy Easter!!!

Cranberry Salad

This is one of my favorite seasonal treats. It's a recipe my aunt makes. She got it from her late Mother-In-Law. I made it this weekend for a friends' party and took it in the bowl my aunt gave me. It turned out super good.

Two tips: you can grind the cranberries very easily in a food processor or blender. And two: I got slivered almonds (which were good) but 1/2 cup of those went a long way. My aunt usually uses chopped walnuts and the full cup of those turns out well too. I guess it's really just your preference and what you have on hand. The reason I chose almonds was because I couldn't remember which walnuts were kind I like (black or english?), and which ones were the ones that I don't.

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Cranberry Salad

1 package 12 to 16 ounces) fresh cranberries, ground (in produce isle)
1 cup sugar
1 cup drained crushed pineapple

Mix, let stand overnight in refrigerator. Add next morning:

1 package (10 ounces) miniature marshmallows
1 cup Cool Whip
1 cup chopped nuts

Chill.

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Happy Thanksgiving (early)!
Michelle

In the spirit of Halloween...

...here's the Skull cupcakes I made for a halloween gathering we went to last night...they were super easy to make, looked great and tasted yummy too!

Happy Halloween (early)!!! ~~

No bones about it, partygoers will get a scream out of this playful treat.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
12 marshmallows
Confectioners' sugar
24 unfrosted cupcakes (white or yellow works best)
White frosting
Junior Mints, chocolate chips, and slivered almonds
1. Cut the marshmallows in half widthwise using kitchen shears dipped in confectioners' sugar (this keeps them from sticking). 2. Carefully pull each cupcake liner partially away from the cake and tuck half a marshmallow between the paper and the cupcake to create the skull's jaw. 3. Frost each cupcake and marshmallow, then add Junior Mints with white frosting dots for eyes, a chocolate chip nose, and slivered almond teeth.

Recipe from Family Fun

Creamy Lemon Squares

Here's a recipe a co-worker shared with me recently and it is divine! Great cool summery treat for an office gathering, baby or bridal shower, or picnic.

Creamy Lemon Squares

20 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold margarine
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (she used the 1/3 less fat and it was just as good)
1 cup granulated sugar (can use Splenda)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. grated lemon peel, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Combine wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and the brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. lemon peel, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.

BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining 2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel just before cutting into squares to serve. Store leftover squares in refrigerator.

Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookie Cake

This is the recipe I made for David's graduation (from the Kraft website) and it was a HIT...easy to make too! Enjoy!

They say it serves 16, but it's very hard to get the pieces cut small enough to serve. Though it is rich, so I wouldn't make them larger than you have to.

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food chocolate cake mix
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut up
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
12 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, coarsely crushed
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare and bake cake mix in two (9-inch) round cake pans as directed on package. Cool in pans 5 min. Invert onto wire racks; remove pans. Cool layers completely.
PLACE chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool 5 min.
BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add the whipped topping and cookie crumbs; mix lightly. Place 1 of the cake layers, top-side down, on serving plate; spread with the cream cheese mixture. Cover with the remaining cake layer, top-side up. Spoon glaze over top of cake. Let stand until set.

A Simple Post Today...

...in honor of the warmest weather so far this year, one of my favorite summertime recipes, perfect for picnics, potlucks, and easy dinners on these longer warm nights.

BLT Salad

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1¼ cups celery, diced
1¼ cups mayonnaise
5 teaspoons white vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt (our family uses garlic salt instead)
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, green onions, tomato, and celery. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over macaroni mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, add bacon. Makes 12 servings.

Enjoy! Oh, and PS...It has the same great tastes as a BLT, but it doesn't have lettuce, or any "L" ingredients for that matters so the name is probably not technically correct. But oh well.

Sweet and Savory Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoned salt. Blend in dried cranberries, celery, bell pepper, onion, and nuts. Add chopped chicken, and mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill 1 hour. 12 servings (according to the original recipe...we eat it in about 6 servings as a main meal).

LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. Easy and good.