chocolate Archives - Page 9 of 10

Mint Cookies ‘n Cream Brownies

December 14, 2011 ·

Chocolate and mint are a classic combination this time of year, and fortunately these brownies couldn’t be any easier to make. Besides how could you not love chunks of cookies in a brownie! The cookies I used for these brownies were Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe Joe’s (which are amazing, by the way). I assume mint Oreo’s, or whatever your favorite brand, would work just great. The cookies make these brownies so dangerously delicious, they will be a welcome addition to any holiday treat plate!

Mint Cookies ‘n Cream Brownies

Yields: 36 brownies

Ingredients

BROWNIE:
½ cup light butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1½ cups chocolate syrup
1 cup all-purpose flour
12 mint cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, quartered
Cooking spray
MINT CREAM:
½ cup light butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons skim milk
½ teaspoon mint extract
3 mint cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, well-crushed
additional chopped cookies for topping, as desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate syrup until well blended.
Fold in flour, mixing just until blended. Fold in chopped cookies.
Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
Once cooled, frost with Mint Cream (recipe below) and cut into squares.
In a medium bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add mint extract and then gradually add milk, beating until desired consistency is achieved. Mix in crushed cookies.
Spread over cooled brownies and top with additional chopped cookies, as desired.

Adapted from Taste of Home

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: bars, brownies, candy cane, chocolate, cookies, cookies 'n cream, frosting, holiday, joe joe's, mint, trader joe's

Ooey-Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies

December 1, 2011 ·

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Duncan Hines, I was a lucky recipient of several coupons for free Duncan Hines products. Even better…they gave me extra coupons to share with you! I promise the entry details will be very easy, but more about that in a little bit. First, let me tell you about these brownies!

The first time I made these brownies was over 5 years ago for a party. I had to whip something together quickly and fortunately remembered seeing this recipe using a cake mix. Chocolate brownies, marshmallow and peanut butter – bound to be a hit, and using a cake mix ought to speed thing along, right? So I gathered the ingredients and got to work. The convenience of using the cake mix was very useful, and the result….these bars were fab-u-lous! The best part of the night – I caught someone tucking a couple bars in a napkin and placing them in her purse 🙂 I took that as quite the compliment!

Not that I needed any convincing before, but these bars sealed the deal. Always keep a box of cake mix in the pantry. Which leads me to the coupons for a free Duncan Hines product for you. I have a coupon for 8 of you, so you can make these brownies, stock your pantry or do whatever delicious idea tickles your fancy.

The rules are simple – if you want a coupon, send me an e-mail with your mailing address (U.S. mailing addresses only), and I will send you a coupon. That’s it. The first 8 e-mails I receive with a U.S. mailing address will get a coupon. Once the coupons are gone, I will update this post noting the offer has expired. So go! E-mail me at alidaskitchen@gmail.com with your mailing address and get baking! ~ The coupon offer has now expired.

Ooey-Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies

Yields 24 servings

3/4 cup fat free sweetened condensed milk, divided

1/4 cup light butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup skim milk

1 (18.25 ounce) package Duncan Hines devil’s food cake mix

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

3/4 cup peanut butter morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup condensed milk, butter, milk, cake mix, and egg white.
Spray 13 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press two-thirds of batter into pan; pat evenly (layer will be thin). Bake for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, in a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup condensed milk and marshmallow creme. Stir in peanut butter chips.
Spread marshmallow mixture evenly over brownie layer. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes. Cook completely in pan on wire rack.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Disclaimer: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I received a coupon for a free Duncan Hines product (up to $3.99 value) for free. I also received 8 coupons to share with you. The details of my experience are exclusively my opinion, and I was not otherwise influenced or compensated.

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: brownies, chocolate, cooking light, marshmallow, peanut butter, product review, tastemaker

Peanut Butter Surprise Muffins

November 10, 2011 ·

It has been far too long since I have made something with peanut butter. I thought these Peanut Butter Surprise Muffins would be a good way to curb any peanut butter withdrawal. You know anything with ‘surprise’ in the title is going to be something special (good or bad I suppose, but I promise only good things for you).

First you have a peanut butter muffin, which by itself would be quite delicious. Add a surprise in the middle (in the form of a mini peanut butter cup), and you have something that is just plain fun and tasty too!

Peanut Butter Surprise Muffins

Yields 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt (optional)

2 eggs

2/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (chunky or creamy)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

12 miniature peanut butter cups

1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional, for topping)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined.
In a separate bowl, which together eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture until just moistened.
Combine butter and peanut butter. Fold into batter (do not over mix).
Fill each muffin cup 1/4 full with batter. Place a mini peanut butter cup on top of each. Cover with remaining batter. Sprinkle tops with chopped peanuts, if using.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Taste of Home

Filed Under: breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: brunch, chocolate, muffins, peanut, peanut butter, snack

healthy chocolate peanut butter oat coconut bites

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

October 5, 2011 ·

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are an addictive, no-bake snack, made from simple ingredients found in your pantry.

It is no secret that I love peanut butter. So you can imagine my excitement when I was selected to participate in the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with the National Peanut Board. The task was to create a snack recipe using peanut butter and incorporating other ingredients found in most homes. Easy enough!

I wanted to make something healthy, convenient and easy. I also wanted to make something with oats. It was time to roll up my sleeves, grab ingredients from the pantry and experiment.

healthy chocolate peanut butter oatmeal coconut bites

After adding a little here, a touch there,…voila! I finally got the results I was looking for, using simple wholesome ingredients found in my pantry.

This healthy snack could not be any easier to make. The recipe requires no baking; simply measure, mix, roll and chill. The mixture may seem a little dry at first, but as you continue to mix it comes together (or add a little more honey or peanut butter to moisten the mixture to a consistency that works for you). Rolling the balls in a coating as optional. It makes the balls a little less sticky on the fingers, and also is a fun way to vary the flavors, but it is not necessary.

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are a healthy and delicious snack, or even a quick breakfast on-the-go, featuring one of my favorite foods of all time…peanut butter!

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Print

Yields: 16-18 balls

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter, natural is preferred (chunky or creamy)

2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)

1 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or wheat germ

2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

cocoa powder, wheat germ, powdered sugar, chopped peanuts, (optional) – for coating

Instructions

Heat peanut butter and honey in the microwave until easily mixed, about 15-20 seconds. Stir until blended.

In a separate bowl, mix oats, flaxseed and coconut (if using) until combined.

Add peanut butter mixture to oat mixture and stir until incorporated. (Mixture may seem a little dry at first…just keep mixing).

Form a rounded tablespoonful of the combined mixture into a ball and place on a plate. Repeat until all mixture is used. Now, if you do not want to coat the balls, skip to step 6.

Roll each ball in whatever coating suits your preference. Cocoa powder, powdered sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon sugar and chopped peanuts are some ideas.

3.5.3251

Disclaimer: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was provided with 2 jars of Planters peanut butter, from the National Peanut Board, for free. The details of my experience are exclusively my opinion, and I was not otherwise influenced or compensated.

Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Popular, Recipes, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: chocolate, coconut, flaxseed, honey, oats, peanut butter, product review, snack, tastemaker

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

September 28, 2011 ·

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Ghirardelli, I was given the opportunity to sample several of Ghirardelli Intense Dark chocolates, including Midnight Reverie, which is 86% cacao. I thought, what better way to highlight this deliciously dark chocolate than to make it into mousse!

I love the elegance of chocolate mousse, but have a hard time eating or serving it due to the amount of cream or half and half, etc. it typically contains. As a healthier alternative, I have had my eye on a recipe for Chocolate Ricotta Mousse for quite a while.

We enjoyed Chocolate Ricotta Mousse, but found that it is very important to approach this mousse as “mousse.” It is made with ricotta cheese, so accordingly expect the texture to be a little grainy (like ricotta). In return, you get a delicious, light, chocolaty dessert that is higher in protein and lower in calories and fat than its traditional counterpart.

The original recipe calls for cocoa powder, which I substituted for an equivalent amount of Ghirardelli’s Midnight Reverie chocolate. Since this chocolate already contains some sugar, I reduced the amount of sugar in the mousse by half. The result was a perfect balance of sweetness.

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

Yields 6 servings

15 oz low fat ricotta cheese (room temperature)

1 ounce dark chocolate (melted and cooled), such as Ghirardelli Midnight Reverie

OR 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 egg whites (room temperature)

1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Coarse salt

Cocoa powder, for serving (optional)

Whipped topping, for serving (optional)

In a food processor, process ricotta and chocolate until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
Place egg whites, sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium heat proof bowl set over simmering water. Whisk constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and beat mixture (using an electric mixer) on high until stiff glossy peaks form (about 5 minutes).
With a rubber spatula, gently fold egg mixture into ricotta mixture until combined.
Divide mousse among 6 glasses or bowls. Refrigerate 3 hours (or up to 1 day). Serve dusted with cocoa powder or with a dollop of whipped topping, if desired.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Disclaimer: While this is not my formal write up of my experience with Ghirardelli chocolate, I feel obligated to disclose the following: “As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was provided with Ghirardelli chocolate for free. The details of my experience are exclusively my opinion, and I was not otherwise influenced or compensated.” I will be sharing a full write up of my experience later this week.

Filed Under: dessert, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: chocolate, ghirardelli, light, mousse

Brown Sugar Brownies

September 26, 2011 ·

Back in college, I had a recipe for Brown Sugar Brownies. They were honestly the best brownies I’ve ever had (aside from my grandmother’s of course). I still remember them, but that was ages ago, and sadly my dear recipe is long gone. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I was in the middle of baking and ran out of brown sugar. Mike went on an emergency brown sugar run for me. When he set the bag down on the counter, it happened to be recipe-side up (hmm…do you think that was intentional?). What did I see? Brown Sugar Brownies!

Quick and easy to prepare, this recipe makes a delicious brownie that is more fudgy than cakey. In fact, they are light and airy and almost melt in your mouth. Now, I used dark chocolate that I received from the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Ghiardelli. This would be delicious using unsweetened per the original recipe, but I was pleasantly susprised at the results with what I used. I also used light butter, which has half the fat and calories of regular butter. I like using light butter when I can, because if it works why not, right?

Now for the best part. If I told you these brownies were under 115 calories each, would you believe it? I hardly believed it myself! I did the calculation a few days after making them (and after I had already eaten a few bars). I was eating half a brownie each time because I expected they would come in a lot higher. I did the calculation once, checked it again. It’s true. These babies clock in around 112!

Brown Sugar Brownies
Yields 16 brownies

1/2 cup (1 stick) light butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened OR dark chocolate (such as Ghirardelli Twilight Delight), melted, cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until combined.
Beat in eggs, adding one at at time.
Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.
Gently fold in flour, until combined.
Pour mixture into pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Cut into squares, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Adapted from back of sugar bag (recipe found here here)

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: bars, brown sugar, brownies, chocolate, light, snack, tastemaker

Triple Chocolate Malted Cookies

September 6, 2011 ·

The baby was asleep. The husband was out to dinner. What’s a girl to do? Make Triple Chocolate Malted Cookies, of course!

I haven’t made cookies in ages, and these just happen to be one of Mike’s favorites. Actually, after one bite, they quickly become everybody’s favorite. These cookies are soft, chewy, and chocolaty with a hint of malted milk flavor.

The dough is quite sticky, but becomes much more managable after chilling it in the refrigerator. It is also key to either line your cookie sheet, or spray it with cooking spray. Otherwise the cookies have a tendency to stick.

Despite the minor challenges presesented by a sticky dough, these cookies are worth every effort. They are delicious and the perfect accompaniment to a cold glass of milk!

Triple Chocolate Malted Cookies
Yields approximately 30 cookies

1 cup brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons chocolate malted milk powder
5 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine sugar, malted milk powder, butter, syrup, vanilla and egg; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, stirring (or beating at low speed) until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Chill dough for 30 minutes to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. [Cookies will appear puffy when first taken out of the oven] Cool on pan for 2 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies and cool on a wire rack.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: brown sugar, chewy, chocolate, cookie, cookies, cooking light, malt, malted, snack

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

August 26, 2011 ·

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are perfect for chocolate lovers and picky eaters, and a delicious way to use up some of that zucchini taking over your garden!

I was asked to make cupcakes for a very special birthday party. Mike’s grandmother turned 90! How cool is that! She is an amazing lady, who loves chocolate. This request came shortly after I made Zucchini, Banana and Flaxseed Muffins, and I had zucchini on the brain. Then it hit me – Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes. Perfect!

I knew this birthday crowd would appreciate the use of zucchini in these delectable goodies, though you would never guess that’s the secret ingredient simply by taste. (Score if you’re serving a picky eater!) The zucchini creates a moist cake, makes it slightly healthier, and is the perfect complement to this delicious chocolate cupcake!

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

These are a delicious way to use up some of that zucchini taking over your garden. Perfect for chocolate lovers and picky eaters. You would never guess there's zucchini in there!

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

1½ cups brown sugar
¼ cup melted butter
¾ cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini (squeeze out excess moisture)
¾ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dutch processed cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Frosting:
½ cup (1 stick) butter
⅔ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

CUPCAKES: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and cinnamon.
In a separate medium bowl, cream the brown sugar, butter and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, zucchini and chocolate chips.
Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined (do not over mix).
Spoon batter into muffin pans, filling them until about ¾ full. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in pan and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, frost with chocolate frosting and decorate as desired. Store cupcakes at room temperature in an air tight container.
FROSTING: Melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth.
Stir in vanilla and alternately add powdered sugar and milk, using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) to beat to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed.

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: cake, chocolate, cupcakes, zucchini

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

August 5, 2011 ·

My maternal grandmother was incredible in the kitchen and notorious for her baking. She always had a vast array of ‘Grandma Goodies’ on hand, which certainly pleased her lucky grandchildren! She knew everyone’s favorite goodie (granted it was near impossible to choose just one) and loved to make sure those favorites were always available. One of my favorite goodies was a peanut butter rice krispie treat she made. Much to my delight, she once told me it was okay to have one for breakfast. “It has cereal after all!” is what she told me. Who was I to argue with such reason! I tried using that rationale to convince my parents, but it didn’t quite go over the way I hoped. I found myself faced with yet another bowl of cereal for breakfast.

My grandma was a wise woman and definitely on to something, if you ask me. I think she would support me wholeheartedly today, because I am going to tell you IT’S OKAY TO HAVE CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST!

Chocolate in the form of Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins, that is! After all they are made with banana, peanut butter and whole wheat! I think individually each would be reason enough to forego your everyday cereal in favor of these muffins. Together, there is no excuse really.

These muffins are phenomenal. Chocolate and clove are a genius combination. The spices, along with the banana, take this muffin from a chocolaty dessert to a chocolate spice muffin. Combined with the peanut butter, it becomes the perfect breakfast muffin. My grandma would have definitely approved of this!

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white whole wheat flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground clove
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup mashed ripe banana (approximately 2 large bananas)
⅓ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 large egg
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
8 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners or by spraying with cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt (if using), cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas and yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture and fold gently until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with the batter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butte into the center of each cup. Evenly divide remaining batter to cover the peanut butter.
Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Christina Marsigliese and Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes Tagged With: brunch, chocolate, muffins, peanut butter

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

July 20, 2011 ·

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins are a healthy muffin recipe made with buttermilk, brown sugar and topped with chopped peanuts and chocolate chips.

When I boldly declared Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins as my favorite muffin of all time, Mike was not surprised in the least. Not only do they have peanut butter, which I love, but they also have brown sugar and buttermilk, two of my favorite baking ingredients. Chocolate chips and chopped peanuts don’t hurt either. 🙂

Today I am sharing with you a muffin recipe that I thought was lost forever. Many years ago, I bought a bag of whole wheat flour, and featured on the back was a recipe for peanut butter muffins. I decided to give the recipe a try and was blown away. The muffins tasted just like a peanut butter sandwich only in muffin form. They were incredible.

Fast forward years later, after many moves, the recipe sadly got lost in the shuffle. Until now! I googled away and found my beloved recipe at A Tasteful Garden. I had all of the ingredients on hand, so immediately got to work.

I decided to swap canola oil for butter and add chopped peanuts on top. I also used mini chocolate chips. I like that with small chips, it seems as though you get more chocolate per bite. As with most quick breads made with whole wheat flour, these muffins are dense and hearty. I find they are best enjoyed with a big glass of milk.

These muffins are even better than I remembered, and now thankfully will never be lost again!

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional)
⅓ cup chopped peanuts, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with cooking spray or muffin liners. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Cream together the oil and brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Scrape sides of the bowl often to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Add half of the buttermilk, mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and remaining buttermilk. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if using. Bake until golden brown, 22-24 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from King Arthur Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins, found on A Tasteful Garden