The Everything But The Kitchen Sink Brownie Bar

Ever since getting married I have been on a baking terror. Seriously I need Bakers Anonymous or something. I can't go a week without whipping up something insanely tasty (and insanely unhealthy). I swore to myself I was going to limit my baking activities, which lasted until last Friday when my brother looked at me with these big puppy dog eyes and inquired when I was going to bake something because his sweet tooth was acting up. Now who am I to deny a child his dessert? (He's actually 19, but just go along with my baking justification).

So, I gave in. I baked cookies. I baked brownies. I baked Oreos. I baked it all in ONE DESSERT! All these ingredients and more were required in these "Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar" from a blog called "Kevin & Amanda". Try saying that recipe name three times fast. And on top of that, I added my own spin on things. Before I give out the recipe, feast your eyes on these pics and try to refrain from drooling on your keyboards. 

So much goodness 

Photo from www.kevinandamanda.com 

Ready to bake? Here is the recipe:

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo
Fudge Brownie Bar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix

1 Bag of pre-unwrapped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (*My personal revision)
1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Sprinkle Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on top (if you are adding my revision). Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting — brownies may still be gooey in the middle when still warm, but will set up perfectly once cooled. Enjoy!!

To half this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, simply half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients.

First layer: Cookie dough

Next layer: Double Stuffed Oreos 

Third layer: Brownie mix 

Add the Reese's 

Fresh out of the oven

Pros: Just reading the recipe again makes me want to bake it all over again! Seriously, how can you go wrong with those ingredients?! It was all that I hoped it would be and more. The recipe was easy to follow and the baking time for my oven was just about accurate although it did take me the full 25 minutes for the second baking time period for the brownies to cook all the way. I would definitely recommend letting it sit after it is done baking so that everything can settle otherwise it will be a bit runny. I know, the wait is the torturous part, but it is worth it! I've devoured this warm and room temperature and either way it is delicious. After a few days out I would recommend heating it up though just because the only thing that starts to go a little stale is the cookie part.

Don't forget the vanilla ice cream!

This leads me to the good (and bad) part of this dessert: it lasts for days. I would recommend making this when you either 1. Have a lot of people to feed or 2. Have people in mind to force this dessert on the next day so you don't end up with a whole pan to eat by yourself. Unless your metabolism is supernatural, then I say keep it all for yourself! 

Cons: The only real problem I had was figuring out when it was done. I didn't want to burn the cookies or under bake the brownies. I think mine turned out just fine, but once again, the cookies dried out faster than the brownies after a few days left out.

Revisions: If you remotely enjoy Reese's I say adding them is a must! That little bit of peanut butter really put this dessert over the top. In fact, I think you could really get creative and add some crushed butterfingers, M&M's, caramel sauce, etc and make it your own.

I don't even feel like I should have to say it but, we are all in agreement that this is a Hall of Fame recipient right? Right. 

Happy Day After Valentines Day!: Brownie Stuffed Oreos

Hope you all are not still in a treat induced coma because I have an after Valentine's Day treat for you! Don't know what to do with all that leftover baking sugar, chocolate, sprinkles, etc? Then how about whipping up some Brownie Stuffed Oreos. Yes I just went there. And yes, they are delicious.

I actually wrote this blog for Valentine's Day for my high school bud and fellow blogger, Esther. She writes an insanely awesome blog called "Lovingly Thrown Together" and when she asked me to blog for her...well you'll find out the rest when you check out my guest blog. Here is the link with the recipe of course: http://www.lovinglythrown.com/2012/02/when-brownie-met-double-stuffed-oreo.html

Enjoy!

Mini-Mint Truffle Brownie Bites-Need I Say More?

These Mini-Mint Truffle Brownie Bites caught me eye while I was perusing Pinterest a few days ago. I happened to have received a bag of Mint Truffle's Hershey Kisses in the mail that day from my aunt (that may seem weird to some, but that's just my aunt, it's her form of baked goods). Anyway, I was excited to find a recipe that would incorporate my delicious little Kisses and happened to included all ingredients I already had in my house.

The recipe comes from "Lauren's Latest" which is amazing and super legit foodie blog (I mean the woman was on Good Morning America-come on!). Her tag line says it all: Everyday Ingredients-Extraordinary Food; now that's my kind of woman. 

The recipe makes 48, but I had no need for 48 brownies (nor did my waistline) so I halved the recipe instead.

Her's. They are adorable. Photo from www.laurenslatest.com

Surprise inside! Photo from Laurenslatest.com

Mine (See Revisions below) 

Not as pretty, but same result!

   

Here it is:

Mini Mint Truffle Brownie Bites

yield 48

Ingredients:

for the brownies-
1 cup butter
6 oz. Scharffen Berger bittersweet dark chocolate 
5 tablespoons Scharffen Berger cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
4 whole eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
48 Mint Truffle Hershey Kisses, plus more for garnish if desired

All the soldiers 

Note: I have no idea what Scharffen Berger chocolate and cocoa are. I had Hershey's Cocoa and Ghirardelli Chocolate in my pantry so that's what I used. It's good enough for me. 

for the frosting-
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
splash of milk, if needed
green food coloring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 48 mini muffin tins with paper liners and set side.

Melt butter and chocolate together in microwave. Stir in sugar and cocoa. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir in all dry ingredients. Spoon into prepared pan to fill 2/3 way. Unwrap Mint Truffle kisses and press 1 into each brownie bite. Bake 10-12 minutes or until brownie is thoroughly cooked. Cool completely.

Pre oven 

Fresh out of the oven

For the frosting, whip all ingredients together in a large stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Frost the tops of each brownie bite and add a piece of mint truffle kiss to each one as decoration. Serve.

My prettiest one. It was downhill from here. 

Pros: They are delightfully good. The softness of the brownie with the gooey Kiss inside makes it a dessert that you can't have just one of. These are definitely for the true mint lover.

Cons: I'm not sure why, but my brownies stuck to the mini muffin liners really badly. I've never had that happen before. This next one is really a personal con, but I stink at using a pastry bag. I used one of the disposable ones that you stick a nozzle in one end, fill the bag with frosting, and then squeeze it onto the brownie. This is the first time I've used one and let me tell you it is a messy business! Also, I completely missed the part where you are instructed to fold down the top end so that it doesn't end up coming out the nozzle and the top of the bag while you are decorating. Frosting was everywhere. I would have taken a photo if I didn't have icing all over my being. So noted. 

In lieu of a pastry bag I think you could just smooth some frosting on with a knife and they would be just as good. Throw on some sprinkles or another Hershey Kiss to cover up any mistakes. It takes awhile to learn how to ice, I'm still learning obviously, and if I can be completely honest, after 18 I said forget it and just iced them with a butter knife. They taste just as good. 

Revisions: I noticed that it took more like 13-15 minutes for my brownies to bake. Also, I added a splash of heavy cream in with my frosting because I had some that I had to use up and while not the healthiest option, it is delicious. I also had a little milk thrown in, but next time I would use one or the other because my frosting was a little watery. 

Also, as you can tell, mine look a lot different from Lauren's (unless you are color blind). I didn't have green food coloring in the house, so I figured red would do. And I was too lazy to half the Kisses and use them as garnish, so I threw a pearl looking sprinkle I had on top. Sometimes you just have to use what you have and make it work. As long as it tastes good, that is what is important! 

Overall these get two thumbs up. They do take some time, but true to her word, they involve most ingredients one already has in the house and they are actually extraordinary.