Cream Cheese Lemon Bars with Kit Kat Crust

cream cheese lemon bars w/ kit kat crust

Yield: 16 to 20 bars

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Really great recipe to use leftover Halloween candy! The Kit Kats make a yummy crust for these lemon bars.

Ingredients:

CRUST:
5 (1.5 ounce) Kit Kat Candy Bars (or about 14 mini-sized Kit Kat Bars)

FILLING:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, measure then sift
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

TOPPING:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon additional lemon extract
2 Tablespoons butter, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Prepare the crust: In the food processor, finely chop the Kit Kat Bars. Spread evenly in the bottom of an 8x8-inch square pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Prepare filling: In a large bowl with electric mixer, blend cream cheese on high. Add powdered sugar and egg and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add lemon juice, lemon extract and lemon zest, and mix well. Pour filling evenly over Kit Kat crust.

4. Prepare topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon extract, and softened butter, and blend with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over lemon bar filling.

5. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned. Let cool completely; cut into bars.

Tips:

*Lemon extract can be found at Whole Foods and other specialty markets. The imitation stuff they sell in the regular grocery stores isn't so great.

Original Recipe found here.

S'more Brownies

Be prepared for some decadence! Theses are heavenly and rich, but so delicious! (I cheated and just used a brownie mix.

s'mores brownies

Yield: 12 brownies

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 60 min

Everything you love about S'Mores- but in a brownie...

Ingredients:

CRUST:
7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (8 or 9 whole graham crackers)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch of salt

BROWNIE:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

TOPPING:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
3 to 4 cups mini marshmallows
about 1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs (1 whole cracker, crumbled)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 8x8-inch pan with foil so it hangs over the edges a bit. Spray with nonstick spray. (You can use 9x9-inch pan, but baking time might need slight decrease and your end result will be a thinner brownie).

2. Prepare crust: In a medium bowl, mix butter with crumbs, sugar and salt. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Prepare the brownie: Place butter and chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Melt for 1 minute; stir. Melt another minute; stir. Keep microwaving at 1 minute intervals until mixture is completely melted. (Alternately, you can melt this mixture in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water on the stove). Add sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate and mix together. Add eggs and beat vigorously until you see a thick and glossy batter. Stir in flour and mix just until incorporated. Pour batter over the baked crust. Bake until top is set and toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, 35 to 40 minutes (you don't want to overbake the brownie- a little gooey inside is good).

4. Remove pan from oven. Turn up heat on the oven to broil. Sprinkle chocolate chunks over the baked brownie. Add a nice, thick layer of marshmallows next. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top.

5. Place your pan of brownies back into the oven (they should be 6 to 8 inches away from the heating element). Toast under the broiler until golden- KEEP AN EYE ON IT- it can go from golden to burned in a matter of seconds. 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler should be plenty.

6. Cool for a few minutes, then use foil to remove brownies from the pan and set on a cutting board. Carefully pull the sides of the foil away from the marshmallows and brownies. Cut brownies into 12 squares. Helpful tip: Use a large, WET & SHARP KNIFE to cut the brownies. Slice through the brownie, then clean the knife and slice through again with a clean, wet knife. Keep cleaning off the knife after each cut for the cleanest cuts.

Original Recipe found here

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pastry for double-crust pie
• 6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I made these this weekend and they turned out great!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch pan.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a large rectangle, about 24 by 16 inches. Cut into 6 square pieces. Place an apple on each pastry square with the cored opening facing upward. Cut butter into 8 pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in the opening of each apple; reserve remaining butter for sauce. Divide brown sugar between apples, poking some inside each cored opening and the rest around the base of each apple. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.
3. With slightly wet fingertips, bring one corner of pastry square up to the top of the apple, then bring the opposite corner to the top and press together. Bring up the two remaining corners, and seal. Slightly pinch the dough at the sides to completely seal in the apple. Repeat with the remaining apples. Place in prepared baking dish.
4. In a saucepan, combine water, white sugar, vanilla extract and reserved butter. Place over medium heat, and bring to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Carefully pour over dumplings.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Place each apple dumpling in a dessert bowl, and spoon some sauce over the top.

I found the recipe here.

I just made this and I cannot stop eat it!


Vanilla Yogurt Cake with Orange Glaze

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp + 6 tbsp orange juice
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnut, slightly toasted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with baking spray.

Using a stand mixer, beat together the egg, egg yolk, and sugar on medium-high speed, until it turns pale yellow, about 3 mins. Add the vanilla extract and oil, beat 1 more min, until fully incorporated.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

With the mixer on low speed, add half the amount of dry ingredients. Then add half the amount of yogurt, and 2 tbsp of the orange juice. Add remaining dry ingredients and followed by the remaining yogurt. Remove from mixer and finish mixing by hand using a spatula until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 mins.

Remove from oven. Using a toothpick or large wooden skewer poke holes into the cake. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 2 tbsp orange juice over hot loaf.

Let cool for 10 mins and remove from pan. Place on wire rack to finish cooling. When cool, glaze cakes.

Combine the 6 tbsp orange juice with powder sugar together with a whisk. Pour over cakes.

Scatter walnut on top.

recipe here!

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing

I made these to take to Keith and Shelley's the other night and everyone really liked them! Then, we left the pan on the back of the car when we were leaving and lost the rest of the bars and the pan! Sad!! Oh well, I'll just have to make some more!

Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 2/3 c sugar
1 c oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (about 2 cups)
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Beat the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until fluffy. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and then add to the pumpkin mixture.

Bake in an ungreased 15x10x1 pan 25-30 minutes @ 350. Let cool and spread with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
3 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar
milk as needed to moisten

Beat together, adding powdered sugar slowly. Add milk to make good spreadable consistency.
Store in fridge. Freezes well.

I made a few healthier changes to the pumpkin bars and they were still really good!
For the 1 c. oil I used melted coconut oil. And I used half regular flour and half white whole wheat flour. Yummo!

Fruit Custard Pie

Made this tonight with end of season raspberries from the Farmer's Market - this has to be my favorite pie ever!!

2 c. washed fruit (raspberries or peaches - you could use frozen if you wanted, but fresh tastes best!)
3/4 sugar
3 rounded Tbsp. flour
1 c. cream or evaporated milk

In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar and flour. Add cream or evaporated milk and mix together.

Use 9 in pie pan and crust. You can use store bought crust or make your own (I'm not at that level yet.) Place fruit in bottom of crust. Pour mixture over fruit. Add a little (not too much) more evaporated milk or cream to fill the pie out (not to the top, and the fruit doesn't have to be submerged, just surrounded, if that makes sense).

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce to 325 and bake for 30-50 more minutes. Pie is set when it is just a little jiggly like jello and a little bubbly on the edges. Cool pie in refrigerator or freezer and eat once cooled. Yum!!

cheesecake-marbled brownies

I have been waiting to make these and small group was the perfect time last night! YUM!

cheesecake-marbled brownies

Makes 16 2-inch square, thick brownies

Brownie batter
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cheesecake batter
8 ounces cream cheese, well softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Plus
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Make brownie batter: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Heat butter and chocolate in a 3-quart heavy saucepan — though I did mine double-boiler style, placing the mixing bowl I was using over simmering water, thereby creating one less dirty dish and melting the chocolate more gently — over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

Make cheesecake batter: Whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula.

[I actually like using a butter knife because the tip of it is round enough that you can use it to fold bits of the brownie batter over the cheesecake batter for a more visibly marbled effect. Try it!]

Sprinkle chocolate chips over cheesecake/brownie batter swirl. Although it might be more logical to just mix them into the cheesecake batter (and feel free to do this, it will have no ill-effect) I thought it might interrupt the swirl-ability of it.

Bake brownies: Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

original HERE

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

These were super yummy!! I am trying so hard to not go to my fridge right now and eat the rest! :)

Original Recipe found HERE

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars


Crust
1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9″-square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.
Cookie Dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Filling
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended. Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.

Bake about 30-35 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.

For chocolate topping, melt 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. (Tip: put the chocolate chips into a zipper bag and heat on 50% power for a few minutes. Cut the corner off the bag and squeeze the bag to make drizzling less messy). Use a teaspoon to drizzle chocolate over top of bars. Cool bars in pan completely, about an hour. (Stick the bars in the freezer for 5 minutes to set quickly if you're in a hurry).

Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove bars from pan. Cut into bars (clean the knife after each cut) and serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

YUM!!! Have made these twice this week. DELICIOUS!!


COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Original Recipe HERE

Ice Cream Cake

I made an ice cream cake this weekend for the family and it turned out so well.

I started out with this recipe and the girls helped me choose the ice cream flavor. We decided on cookies and cream ice cream with Hershey's cookies and creme candy bars. How could we go wrong, right?

Basic Ice Cream Cake Recipe

15 3 Tb 2 2 quarts 12 oz

Chocolate crème-filled sandwich cookies Butter or margarine Favorite candy bars Flavored ice cream (your choice) Frozen whipped topping, thawed

Multicolored sprinkles or small candy decorations

On a cutting board, finely chop cookies, 2-3 at a time. Place butter in small microwave-cooker. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Mix in cookie crumbs. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of a springform pan. Freeze 15 minutes.

Cut candy bar into 4-5 pieces; wrap in plastic wrap and freeze 10 minutes. Chop into small pieces.

Cut ice cream container apart to expose block of ice cream. Cut half of ice cream into 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange ice cream slices over cookie crust, cutting pieces to fit. Spread into a smooth layer. Sprinkle with chopped candy bar. Top with remaining ice cream prepared the same way as first layer. Smooth top with spreader. Cover with aluminum foil. Freeze 3 hours or overnight.

Attach open star tip to a decorator. Fill tube with whipped topping and set aside. Run knife around edge of ice cream cake. Release collar from pan. Lightly frost top and side of ice cream cake with remaining whipped topping. Decorate with whipped topping using decorator. Top with sprinkles. Freeze 1 hour or overnight. Once whipped topping is frozen lightly cover cake with plastic wrap.

To serve, cut into wedges. (If cake was frozen overnight, place in refrigerator 10 minutes before slicing.)

Yield: 12 servings

Chocolate Cake

The best chocolate cake. EVER. My aunt's recipe!! YUP!!

Betty Crocker's Best Chocolate Cake

2 C flour
2 C sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 stick butter (8T or 1/2 cup)
4 oz choc bake

Preheat oven 350 degrees
grease and flour 9x13 aluminum pan
Measure dry ingredients into mixing bowl
Zap butter until softened
Zap choco bake for 20 seconds
Add buttermilk, water, eggs vanilla, butter and chocolate
Mix 30 seconds on low
Scrape bowl. Mix again on high for 3 minutes
Pour into pan
Bake for 38 minutes and check w/tooth pick
Cool completely

Glossy Icing

3 T butter
3 oz Choco Bake
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
1/3 C milk
1 t vanilla

Melt butter and choco on low in sauce pan. Add sugar, salt, milk and vanilla. Whip all together with wire wisk until mixed. Stick the pan in the freezer and check in a few minutes. Whip up and put on cake.

YYUUUMMMMM!!!!

Carmel Shortbread Squares

I found this recipe and love these! They aren't quite like a twix, but definitely similar. I also attached another readers changes because I followed those with the recipe as well.

INGREDIENTS 

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips (added a little milk)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together 2/3 cup butter, white sugar, and flour until evenly crumbly. Press into a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes. Pour over baked crust (warm or cool). Cool until it begins to firm.
4. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, then stir and continue to heat and stir at 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over the caramel layer and spread evenly to cover completely. Chill. Cut into 1 inch squares. These need to be small because they are so rich.

Another readers changes:

I greased and floured a 9x9 pan and they came out looking just like the picture. I poked holes in the raw shortbread and then cooked for the time stated...then let it cool for only about 10 minutes....then added the carmel mixture (I did add a little extra milk)...let it set up well and then melted the chocolate with a little bit of half and half. I put it in the fridge for about a half hour...scored them and then let them sit in the pan...in the fridge all night. 

You can find the original recipe here.

Mint Chocolate Brownies

I made these for small group on Friday and then we cancelled and i figured I would just save them for next week. It is Sunday and there are only four left in the freezer. They are SO SO SO Good!!!!


(I totally stole this picture from the blog I got this recipe from-lets hope she doesn't sue me, but I had to show how yummy they looked!!!!!!!!!!)


Mint Chocolate Brownies

******First Layer******

2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs beaten
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts (i didn't add these)

-line 8x8 with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray
-oven 350 degrees
-in saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat
-combine in mixing bowl with sugar and eggs
-add flour and nuts and combine well
-pour batter into pan and bake 20-25 minutes (mine took a little longer)
-cool completely

******Second Layer******

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
green food coloring

-mix all together and spread over cooled brownies

******Third Layer******

2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
2 Tablespoons of butter

-melt together in saucepan
-pour over green frosting
-tilt pan back and forth to cover entire top in thin layer

put in freezer to harder,
take out and pull away foil, cut into small squares
they freeze really well, if you have discipline

Blueberry Cream Cheese Dessert

I have had a WONDERFUL over abundance of blueberries lately thanks to the pick-your-own places. So I have been finding ways to use them...here is a great dessert I just made for a picnic...Enjoy the fruits of the season:):)

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE DESSERT

CRUST:
1 cup chopped pecans1/2 cup butter, melted1 cup flour
FILLING:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened1 cup powdered sugar8 ounces Cool Whip
TOPPING:
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen1 cup sugar, divided3 tablespoons cornstarch1/4 cup water
Combine crust ingredients; spread in a 9 x 13-inch pan and cook for 15 minutes at 350 F. Cool.
Cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in Cool Whip.
Spread over cooled crust.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add water then 2 cups of the blueberries. Cook over medium heat. stirring constantly, until thickened and translucent. Crush some of the blueberries as they cook.
Remove from heat and add remaining sugar and blueberries. Cool. Spread over cream cheese filling and chill.
Serving Size: 12

See the original recipe here.

Frozen Yogurt Popsicles

We love making popsicles because it's so much fun to do together and you can make them super healthy. Here's one of our favorite popsicle recipes:

2 cups plain lowfat yogurt
2 cups frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or cherries) thawed for 1 minute in the microwave
1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

Combine the fruit, yogurt, and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Any of you have another good popsicle recipe?

Lemon Cake

I love anything made with lemon. I always keep a bottle of lemon juice in the refrigerator just in case I might have a craving for lemon bars, lemonade, or lemon cookies. Here's my favorite lemon cake. I have one baking in the oven right now! And I'm very excited!

Lemon Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
3 oz. box lemon Jello, dry
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. veg. oil
4 eggs (add 1 at a time, mix well after each)
Bake in a greased 9x13 or tube pan (which is my favorite way) at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
When cake is done and still warm, punch holes in it and frost with:
2 c. powdered sugar and 6 tbsp. of lemon juice

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are so so so yummy, we make them (and give them away!) almost every week!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.