Category Archives: Easy recipes

Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Ruthanne

What was your least favorite Halloween Candy? You know…the one left at the bottom of that plastic pumpkin at Thanksgiving? Mine was the Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kiss. The distinctively wrapped orange and black chewy candy with peanut butter in the middle– remember those? I remember trying to trade my brother 10 of them for a Nestle Crunch and being refused.

My goal: Make something WONDERFUL out of Mary Jane PB Kisses.

The result: AMAZING! Seriously the best caramel sauce I’ve ever had.

This creamy caramel with just a hint of peanut butter flavor stays soft even when used as an ice cream topping (it’s really good with apples too!– reeeeeallly good…..!)

INGREDIENTS:

15 Kraft Caramels (unwrapped)
15 Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses (unwrapped)– (I found mine at Walgreens: 99 cents/bag)
1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. butter

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and melt, stirring constantly.
Stir until melted and completely smooth (about 6 to 8 minutes)
Cool a little and pour over ice cream (or anything else that would taste good with gooey caramel sauce!)

My thoughts: I experimented with these horrible little candies all weekend…They melt in the microwave in 15 seconds (and they smell TERRIBLE burnt!) Once they melt, they harden and form crystals within seconds (no dipping apples in THAT). They do not combine with chocolate. They DO combine with peanut butter, but YUCK– they form a dough-like consistency that sticks to your teeth.

Adding them to my best caramel sauce was the answer– and they really do taste WONDERFUL in this-they add a sweet peanut butter flavor that goes PERFECT with caramel. So a month from now, when you find these little gems still sitting at the bottom of your kids plastic pumpkins, think of easybaked and make some caramel! 🙂 -r

8 Comments

Posted in Candy, Easy recipes, Miscellaneous and tagged apple dip, caramel, caramel and peanut butter, caramel and peanut butter sauce, caramel sauce, creative dessert, dessert, Halloween candy dessert, ice cream topping, mary jane peanut butter kisses, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Caramel Pecan Cookies

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Ruthanne

Have you ever tried Duncan Hines Caramel Cake mix? It is soooooo good! As a general rule, I use Duncan Hines when I bake cakes by mix. This is one of the BEST flavors out there. A couple of weeks ago I posted a recipe for German Chocolate Cake cookies that use a cake mix for the cookies. The cookies turned out so yummy that I decided to try a different cake flavor….caramel! These caramel cookies are topped with chocolate and pecans– a perfect fall treat!

INGREDIENTS:

1 box of Caramel cake mix
1/3c. softened margarine
1/2 box of cream cheese (4 oz.)
1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted)
1 egg
24-30 chocolate stars or kisses
24-30 pecan halves

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together margarine and cream cheese until smooth.
Add egg, stirring until smooth.
Blend in melted chocolate.
Add cake mix last and stir until combined. Use your hands to knead mixture into a heavy cookie dough.
Make evenly- size small balls of dough (I use a Small Cookie Scoop) and place on cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
Remove from oven and press chocolate (star or kiss) into center of cookie. Return to oven for 1 minute.
Press pecan into softened chocolate on the top of each cookie. Cool until chocolate is hardened.
ENJOY!!

My thoughts– easy easy easy and wonderful caramel yummy-ness! you can’t go wrong with these cookies!

Fudge Brownies

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Ruthanne

These rich, thick brownies remind me of a dessert from an expensive coffee house. The secret??? They use a mix! Quick, easy and SO yummy- love ’em!

INGREDIENTS:

2 boxes of Duncan Hines Fudge Brownie mix
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
3/4c. vegetable oil
frosting (make your own or use a tub of ready-made for SUPER easy brownies)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine together mixes, eggs, water and oil.
Mix until well blended (about 50-75 strokes)
Pour into a greased 9×13 cake pan
Bake 30-45 minutes (until center is set and sides are pulling away from pan a bit)
Cool
Frost
Cover with tin foil and freeze overnight (or longer)
Thaw about 8 hours before you need to serve.

My thoughts: This recipe is just about perfect- easy, inexpensive, can be make way ahead of an event and the results are WOW(!!) chocolate happiness!!! This recipe came from my co-worker Lisa. They are her mother-in-law Gloria’s specialty and she claims the freezing makes these into the wonderful consistency that people rave about. This recipe really does come straight from the back of the Duncan Hines Box with just a few alterations- two boxes of mix, less oil and a longer cook time. (plus the freezer time, of course). Give them a try for your next event that calls for a dessert! Hope you love them as much as I do! Thanks Lisa and Gloria 🙂

5 Comments

Posted in Brownies, Easy recipes. Bookmark the permalink.

Toffee Pecan Crunch Bars

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Ruthanne

Crunchy toffee, pecans and chocolate make these bars irresistible! This is a wonderfully quick and easy recipe for a last minute treat.

INGREDIENTS:

10-15 sheets of graham crackers
1c. finely chopped pecan pieces
1 stick of butter
1 stick of margarine
1/2 c. sugar
1c. mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Line an 11×17 jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper (cut to size)
Break graham crackers into quarters and lay out on parchment paper.
Sprinkle pecan pieces over grahams.

Make sauce by melting butter, margarine and sugar together in a saucepan.
Bring sauce to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. (sauce should be yellow and syrupy)
Pour sauce over grahams and pecans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Top with chocolate chips and allow to sit until hard (you can chill to speed this process)

Peel up using parchment paper and break into pieces.
YUM!!!!!

My thoughts: Easy, tasty and fun….I got this recipe from a coworker many many years ago and it is a great last-minute recipe. If you like heath bars this is the perfect recipe for you! Enjoy! r-

2 Comments

Posted in Bar cookies, Candy, Easy recipes and tagged bar cookies, chocolate, crunchy heath bar cookies, crunchy toffee cookies, dessert, heath bar, sweets, toffee, toffee and chocolate. Bookmark the permalink.

Sweet Granola Cups

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Ruthanne

These sweet granola cookie cups filled with yogurt and fruit are a perfect breakfast or brunch treat. Fill these cups with anything you like the rest of the day— ice cream? fresh fruit? Granola tastes great with so many things!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 to 2 cups of Just Bunches cereal (just the granola part of Honey Bunches of Oats!)
1 tube of refrigerated cookie dough
Fillings for cups (whatever you want!!)

DIRECTIONS:

Break cookie dough into pieces in a large bowl.
Add cereal, mixing with hands, until cereal stops combining well (I wanted as much granola in there as possible, but eventually it is too crumbly to shape with your hands.)
Divide dough among 16 regular muffin tins.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes (edges should be brown)

Remove from oven and press centers into a cup using a tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon.
Allow cups to cool and then using a small knife, loosen the edges and remove from muffin tin.
Cool completely and add toppings as desired! YUM!

My thoughts: EASY recipe! I am a little addicted to cookie cups and the idea adding things TO the cookie dough – like Fruit Loops or Pretzels– just makes me smile. So here’s granola! I love the idea of this easy but elegant breakfast- make the cups ahead and all you have to do is fill them in the morning– or let people create their own masterpiece! Fun! Hope you enjoy these!!

5 Comments

Posted in Cookie Cups, Easy recipes and tagged breakfast, brunch food, Cookie, cookie cup, dessert, fruit cup, granola and fruit, granola cup, party food. Bookmark the permalink.

Raspberry Truffle Tart

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Ruthanne

Smooth dark chocolate and tangy raspberry filling topped with a shiny glaze make this tart one of the richest and creamiest desserts you’ve ever had!

INGREDIENTS:

One refrigerated pie crust
1c. Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate chips
2c. Ghirardelli Semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
5 egg yolks
5 T. heavy whipping cream
3 cups plus 5 T. powdered sugar
2 T. vanilla
12 T. butter (divided and melted)
2t. raspberry flavoring
red food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8 or 9 inch tart pan with cooking spray and line with pie crust. Poke holes into bottom with fork and set on a cookie sheet.
Melt together 1 cup of bittersweet chips and one cup of semi-sweet. Allow this to cool to room temperature.
In a separate bowl combine eggs, cream, vanilla and 5 T. powdered sugar.
Add cream mixture to chocolate and blend well. Pour into crust and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until center is set.
Cool tart completely and then remove outer ring.
For filling: Combine remaining 3 c. of powdered sugar with 6 T. melted butter and blend well. Add raspberry flavor and food color. Blend well (add extra powdered sugar if needed for thick frosting-like consistency) and spread over the top of cool tart.
For Glaze: Melt 6 T. butter (do not use margarine here!) with remaining cup of semi-sweet chips and stir until smooth. Pour over top of tart and smooth to edges.
Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.

My thoughts…soooo rich (take a small slice!) and so flavorful! This tart recipe (minus the toppings) is one of my last-minute go-to recipes. Its SO quick and easy and you can serve it right out of the oven warm -with cool-whip or ice cream. The toppings are a bonus if you have a little more time- mix those flavors up! Great with mint and peanut butter and maple and coconut– such a fun and versatile recipe! ENJOY!!!

A special thanks to my friend Brie from Color Canvas Media who is teaching me about my camera and who helped me take these photos far better than I could have alone! I’m addicted to Foodgawker and thus far I’ve had 36 photos rejected and 2 accepted (lol!!) I’ve never had any interest in photography and now I think I’m addicted- fun new hobby! So here’s to better blog pictures! Thanks Brie!!!!!

23 Comments

Posted in Easy recipes, Tarts and tagged bittersweet chocolate, chocolate, chocolate glaze, crust, dark chocolate, dessert, filling, fresh, raspberry, summer dessert, tart. Bookmark the permalink.

Nutter Butter Flip Flops!!!!

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Ruthanne

These just make me smile!! I’ve seen several versions of these recently on blogs and in stores and I had to try them- talk about quick and easy! I have no idea who originally came up with this – but kudos in the creativity department!!! Love ’em!

INGREDIENTS: (printer friendly recipe)

One package of Nutter Butter Cookies (32 cookies)
6 ounces each of Wiltons candy melts in 4 fun colors: Yellow Orange
Blue Purple
Candy Flowers (I found mine at Michael’s Arts and Crafts)

DIRECTIONS:

Melt 7oz. (1/2 a bag) of each color of candy in 4 separate bowls in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
Dip one cookie at a time in the candy melts, covering it completely and then lifting it with a fork and tapping excess melted chocolate off. Set on parchment paper to harden.

Spoon remainder of each color into small ziplock bags and clip a corner. Using a contrasting color, carefully pipe a flip flop “strap” on each cookie.
Add a candy flower or other candy decoration to strap before it hardens.

ENJOY!!!

My thoughts: Quick easy and fun. I’d love to serve them on brown sugar “sand” sometime…. Be sure you get the vanilla flavored chips– tastes just like white chocolate- even though its comes in such pretty colors. The final result tastes a little like a Butterfingers (I think…) Happy Summer to YOU! -r

31 Comments

Posted in Cookies, Easy recipes and tagged chocolate, cookies, desserts, flip flop cookies, kids dessert, Nutter Butter, peanut butter, summer cookies. Bookmark the permalink.

Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Ruthanne

These decadent fudge cookies are filled with creamy peanut butter…the secret ingredient? Philadelphia Cream Cheese! You’ll have a hard time deciding if you are eating candy or a cookie- so you’ll have to eat another of course- to help you decide!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 25-30 cookies)

1 bag (approx. 25-30) miniature peanut butter cups (unwrapped)
8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup each Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Meltsand Wilton White Candy Melts (for decorating)

DIRECTIONS:

Soften Philadelphia cream cheese in microwave until completely smooth.
Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between.
Add cream cheese to melted chocolate and blend well.
Add flour and stir into a thick dough consistency.
Flatten about 1 T. of dough in your palm, place a peanut butter cup in the center and gently wrap the dough around the cup until it is completely covered.
Roll cookie into a ball and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove warm cookies from cookie sheet and place on parchment paper.
To decorate: melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
Dip 1/2 of each cookie into the white chocolate and set on a fresh piece of parchment paper.
Drizzle dark chocolate over the top of each cookie and allow toppings to harden (you can refrigerate to speed this process along!)

My thoughts: This is another recipe submission for Real Women of Philadelphia- this community brings out my very best creativity- love it! I think you will love these cookies- they are fun to make and SO fun to eat!!! YUM!!

12 Comments

Posted in Cookies, Easy recipes and tagged cheesecake, chocolate, cookies, Cream Cheese, dessert, filled cookies, fudge, peanut butter. Bookmark the permalink.

Fruit Loop Pie!!!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Ruthanne

Don’t wrinkle your nose at the name- this tart cream filling is perfectly balanced by a sweet fruity crust. Let your inner child rejoice– its FRUIT LOOPS in a PIE!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

3c. of crushed Fruit Loops (crush before you measure)
1/2c. butter (melted)
1/2c. sugar

Pie:

8oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 (0.22 oz.) packet Kool Aid- Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade flavor
2c. marshmallow fluff
8 oz. Cool Whip (refrigerator temp).

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together Fruit Loops, butter and sugar.
Press mixture into an ungreased 9 inch pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Cool completely.
Cream together Kool Aid and Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Add Marshmallow fluff and blend well.
Fold in 1c. of Cool Whip.
Spoon into cooled crust
Top with remaining Cool Whip
Sprinkle Fruit Loops over the top
Freeze for at least 2 hours.
Serve chilled.

My thoughts: This recipe has been simmering in the back of my mind ever since I made my raspberry lemonade truffles for RWOP a few weeks ago. Adding Kool Aid to Cream Cheese…using fun cereal as a crust…finally I just did it. It won’t qualify for the contest as it really needs some time in the freezer to set properly– NOT within the one hour time limit! What a fun and refreshing dessert this turned out to be– I hope you try it and love it!! -r

This recipe was shared on these wonderful blogs:

37 Comments

Posted in Easy recipes, Pies and tagged cool whip, Cream Cheese, creamy, desserts, Fruit Loops, fruity, fun, kids dessert, pie, sweet, tart. Bookmark the permalink.

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Ruthanne

These bar cookies are full of all your favorite Rocky Road ingredients with a twist– rice crispies and a thick Cream Cheese fudge. Easy and quick to make, this is sure to be one of your new go-to recipes!

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2c. mini marshmallows
2c. rice krispies
1c. dry roasted, salted peanuts
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4c. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until smooth.
Soften cream cheese in microwave until creamy and smooth.
Combine chocolate and cream cheese until well blended.
Take one cup of chocolate/cream cheese mixture out and set aside in a separate bowl.
To original mixture, add marshmallows, peanuts and rice krispies- stirring well to completely coat.
Press this mixture into a 9×9 pan that has been lined with foil.
To remaining bowl of chocolate and cream cheese, add peanut butter, mixing until smooth.
Add powdered sugar to desired consistency (should be thick yet still spreadable)
Spread this fudge layer over the top of the bars and freeze for 30 minutes.
Remove bars from the pan using the foil to lift out. Cut into squares and serve!

My thoughts: This was another recipe created for the RWOP website competition….no winning for me yet, but I’m going to keep trying! 🙂

It was inspired by bar cookies my grandmother used to make with me when I was little. Hers were called O’Henry Krispies and they were delicious! The addition of cream cheese gives these bars a rich and creamy feel. This is an incredibly easy dessert- but oh soooo yummy! Hope you enjoy them! r-