Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

I found this on Sisters Cafe. I read it off to my hubby and he said "You HAVE to make that!". I wholeheartedly agreed! After making it it wasn't as grand as I thought it would be. But then after sitting in the fridge over night, both Josh and I agreed that it tasted better the next day! And having it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream made it even better! Sorry it isn't a better picture. I didn't think to get one until eating this last piece. :)

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

submitted by Michelle

(from Sisters Cafe)

Batter Ingredients:

1 ½ c. sugar

½ c. butter (1 stick) softened

½ c. oil

1 T. vanilla

3 eggs

1 ¼ c. flour

¾ c. cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 c. peanut butter chips (or choc chips)

Filling Ingredients:

1 c. creamy peanut butter

¼ c. vegetable oil

¼ c. sugar

2 T. flour

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla

Frosting:

2 (1-oz) bars unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate

3 T. creamy peanut butter

1 ½ c. powdered sugar

¼ c. water

½ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt

Directions:

Batter:

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 9x13-inch pan. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add oil and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt - blend well. While beating, gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture – mix well. Fold in chips. Evenly spread ½ batter into pan.

Filling: In a small bowl cream together peanut butter and oil. Add sugar and flour – blend well. Add eggs and vanilla – beat until smooth. Carefully spread filling evenly over batter in pan. Top filling with remaining ½ batter and spread evenly. Gently cut through layers to create marble effect throughout brownies. Bake for 30 minutes – do NOT over bake.

Frosting: While baking, in a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and peanut butter over LOW heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients – mix until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add 1-3 T. water. Spread frosting over brownies immediately after baking. Cool in pan 2-3 hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

This is a recipe from my friend Carrie L. It is so, so, YUMMY! She had made it for a fun girls night/baby shower and I just HAD to get it from her. I knew my family would love it, and I wasn't wrong. They all (including me) gobbled it up! Just don't forget to take the seeds out. I made that mistake. Whoops, and ouch on the teeth.
Peanut Butter Popcorn
submitted by Michelle
(from my friend Carrie L.)

2 bags of microwave popcorn or 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn, popped
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Remove seeds from popcorn. Bring sugar and syrup to a boil, and boil for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until melted. Add vanilla. Pour over popped corn and mix. Spread on cookie sheets to cool.

Foil Packet Chicken with Snow Peas and Carrots

Made this very flavorful, yet easy, and healthy recipe from My Kitchen Cafe! My children even liked it too!! Amazing!! Will definitely make this again!!



Foil Packet Chicken with Snow Peas and Carrots
submitted by Camille
(from My Kitchen Cafe)

*Makes 4-6 foil packets, depending on how small you make each one*

18-24 baby carrots
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated (I grated mine on my microplane)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper
4 small chicken breasts ( about 1 ½ pounds), trimmed (with large, thick chicken breasts, I cut them in half by butterflying them and cutting all the way through to make two thinner cuts of chicken - this helps the chicken cook quicker and helps your chicken to go further)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil (heavy duty) about 12 inches square (if you don't have heavy-duty aluminum foil, use two pieces of regular aluminum foil for each packet). In a small bowl, combine garlic and ginger (I used my fingers to gently mash them together).

Arrange the carrots and peas on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle with the ginger/garlic mixture (this doesn't sprinkle like salt and pepper so don't worry if you get a clump here and there - the flavors will absorb while baking), and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the chicken on both sides with the hoisin sauce. Top each portion of vegetables with a piece of chicken. Salt lightly.

Bring opposite sides of the foil up to meet over the chicken. Fold the edges together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over 3 more times. Fold the open edges at either end of the packet together in a ¼-inch fold, and then fold over twice again to seal.

Put the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes. Transfer the contents of each packet to a dinner plate and serve.

Buttermilk Wheat Bread

Had some buttermilk I needed to use up. Came across this recipe, and it did NOT disappoint!!!! It was soooo yummy, and sooo moist, with the crust having just a little of that "french bread" crunch to it!!! Perfect!!!



Buttermilk Wheat Bread
submitted by Camille
from Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Place all ingredients into a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the Basic White Bread setting, then press Start. If the ingredients do not form a ball after a few minutes, add a splash more buttermilk, or a handful of flour if it is too loose. Or.....


As I don't have a bread machine, I made this by hand by mixing all of the ingredients together. I added an extra tsp of yeast, as a hint I got from someone else who made it by hand, and it turned out great!!! Here is how I made it.....
If making by hand, just throw all the ingredients into one bowl and mix. No need to proof the yeast, it will still rise (make sure yeast is fresh). Instead of using extra flour when kneading, which can toughen and dry the finished product, spray your hands with PAM or oil and knead that way. No sticking and no extra flour needed. I let this rise in a warm oven until doubled, then rise a 2nd time in a (9x5) loaf pan. Baked at 350 for 20 min. Brush with butter when it comes out and cover loosely with foil to soften the outer crust.

Lemonade Party Cake

With my last pregnancy I was on a total lemon kick. It has continued on the past 9 months since I had my baby. Sure wish I knew about this cake back when I was preggo! This lemon cake was so yummy and moist!

Lemonade Party Cake

submitted by Michelle

from Betty Crocker Lemon cake box

1 box Lemon Cake mix

water, veggie oil, and eggs called for on cake mix box

1/2 can (12-oz size) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed (3/4 cup)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 (325 for darker or nonstick pan). Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan; cool 15 minutes. Stir together lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch. Drizzle lemonade mixture evenly over top of cake. Run a knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours. Frost cake and then enjoy!

Cool Whip Frosting

1 cup cold milk

1/4 cup powdered sugar

small box vanilla pudding

8 oz of Cool Whip

Beat all ingredients together. Spread on cake.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Received this delicious recipe from my friend Liza a few years ago!!! These cookies are soooo yummy, and soft and chewy!!! They freeze real well too!! If they last long enough to freeze....which doesn't happen very often in our house!!!



Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
submitted by Camille
from my friend Liza

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal (I have used both quick oats and regular oats and both worked fine)

Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oatmeal. Stir dry ingredients in with wet ingredients. Drop by tablespoon fulls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. When cooled, fill cookies with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese frosting.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp peanut butter

Mix all ingredients together.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

This is my Mom's recipe. We had this alot growing up and it was, and still is, one of my favorites!!!! It is very easy and family friendly!!! Also, I always like to eat it with a big dollop if sour cream!!! Yum YUM!!!!




Chicken Tortilla Casserole
submitted by Camille

1 lb. chicken (can be boneless, or not)
1 dozen corn tortilla's
1/2cup-1 cup grated cheddar cheese (my personal favorite is sharp!!)
1/4 cup sliced olives

Sauce: 1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (7oz) salsa

Cook chicken, then debone (if you didn't use boneless) and shred chicken. Tear tortilla's into 1 inch pieces. Make sauce in separate bowl, mixing all ingredients together. Place layer of half the chicken, half the tortilla's pieces, then half sauce in 9x13 inch pan. Repeat layers. Then top with grated cheese and sliced olives. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.