Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Smores Rice Krispies Treats

My yearbook students have met their FINAL deadline!!! It seems like just yesterday we were in Athens planning out the book, discovering a theme, and creating layouts. This year has definitely flown by and I can't believe we have successfully created another ahhhh-mazing yearbook!

I made these for our celebration party and let me tell you, my students devoured them in minutes! So that means you have to make them. I love the combination of all of the traditional flavors...marshmallowy goodness paired with graham crackers, chocolate, and rice krispies.
You'll have a hard time eating just one, I promise.

S’mores Rice Krispies Treats
Recipe by Glorious Treats

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup Golden Grahams cereal
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate chips
10 full sized graham crackers, broken in half
40 large marshmallows

Directions:
  • Lightly spray with cooking spray a 9″x13″ pan.
  • In a large pot over medium heat, place 3 tablespoons of butter and 4 cups of marshmallows.  Cook until butter and marshmallows are melted, stirring gently.
  • Add rice krispies and golden grahams cereal and stir to combine. 
  • Add mini chocolate chips, stir quickly, and immediately pour mixture into prepared pan.  Press into pan with spatula.
  • Melt chocolate chips in a microwave (at 50% power), in 30 second intervals, stirring between intervals.  Heat until just melted.  Spread chocolate on top of rice krispies treats in pan.
  • While the chocolate is still warm, lay graham cracker squares on top, leaving a tiny bit of space between each cracker, so you know where to cut them.
  • Cool the entire pan until the chocolate has set, Cut into squares with a sharp knife, using the lines between the graham crackers as a guide.  Place treats on a large baking sheet, separated slightly.
  • Cut large marshmallows in half, and place cut side down onto graham crackers.
  • When all the graham crackers are topped with marshmallows toast the marshmallows in the oven.  Preheat your oven to broil.  Place baking sheet of treats in the oven, leaving the oven door slightly ajar.  Broil about 30 seconds, watch them, they can burn quickly!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day last week, some festive cupcakes were definitely in order. They are chocolaty and rich…and are incredibly moist with a slight hint of Guinness.
They seriously might just be the best cupcakes I’ve ever made.
I used my trusty go-to cream cheese frosting and it’s a perfect complement for these cupcakes. It’s not as sweet as a traditional buttercream frosting, which I really like.  
All in all, I think they turned out great! CHEERS! :)

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
for the cupcakes
1 cup Guinness
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

for the frosting
4 cups confections sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions:

to make the cupcakes
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 cupcake cups with liners. In a sauce pan, combine butter and Guinness over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
  • Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth, remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and Greek yogurt together.
  • Add the Guinness mixture to the eggs/sour cream and beat to combine.
  • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just to combine.
  • Fold the batter, using a rubber spatula, until completely combined.
  • Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way.
  • Bake for about 18 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
to make the frosting
  • In a large bowl, using a stand or electric mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese until very light and fluffy.
  • Slowly add the confectioners sugar, mixing as you add the sugar. Continue adding sugar until the mixture becomes stiff.
  • Add the heavy cream and whip until combined.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Strawberry Tart

I don't usually buy strawberries this early in the year but Publix was having an awesome deal the other day, so I couldn't resist...3 for $5 is a steal!
I've been wanting to use my new tart pan so when these beautiful strawberries came along it wasn't difficult to decide what to make! Ever since I saw this strawberry cream cheese tart on Pinterest I knew I had to try it out.
This tart is sweet, fresh and satisfying. It's the perfect blend of berries, smooth cream cheese and a hint of chocolate. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner... and maybe for a snack too!

If you're a fan of strawberries like me, you might also want to check out my Strawberry Cupcakes, Strawberry Basil Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake, or Strawberries and Cream Bars.

ENJOY! :)
Strawberry Tart
Ingeredients:
1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust
1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, quartered

Directions:
  • Heat oven to 350°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch tart pan. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
  • In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and butter. Melt for 10 second intervals and stir until smooth. Spread chocolate in bottom of cooled baked shell. Refrigerate 1 hour.
  • In small bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add in vanilla and lemon zest and combine. Carefully spread over chocolate layer in shell.
  • Place strawberries evenly over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

There's just something about whoopie pies...they are the perfect little snack! 
These little sandwiches are very light and fluffy, with orange specks from the carrots.  I made my classic cream cheese frosting and sandwiched it between the cookies. 
Carrot cake + cream cheese frosting = best dessert EVER.  
The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger was amazingly delicious! This is the perfect option if you're looking for a dessert to make for Easter.  

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Recipe adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventure
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated carrots

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt together.  In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined.  Finally, add the grated carrots.

Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Using a small cookie scoop, place cookies on a prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies spring back when gently pressed.  Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes then remove the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely. 

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
8 ounces light cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups confectioner sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
Directions:
In a mixer, beat softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add confectioner sugar until just incorporated.  Add vanilla and beat until smooth.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Thin Mint Brownies

Since St. Patty’s Day is just around the corner and I had a box of thin mints recently delivered to our house, I thought I’d make one of my all time favorite desserts. 
These rich and fudgy brownies have bits and pieces of thin mint cookies throughout, topped with a perfect mint colored frosting, and then topped with more cookies! 
This is the perfect dessert to take to a party because the recipe makes so many - and plus I would devour the whole pan if they were lying around my house! 
These are seriously good. You have to make them!!
Thin Mint Brownies
Ingredients:
1 package brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 water
2 eggs  
1 box thin mint cookies, chopped
1/2 stick of butter softened
2 TB milk
2 cups powdered sugar 
few drops green food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine brownie mix, vegetable oil, water, and eggs. Fold in 1/2 of the thin mints and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Cool for about an hour. 
  • In a medium sized bowl mix butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and green food coloring until fluffy. Spread frosting over brownies. Top with the rest of the crushed thin mint cookies. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into squares.