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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
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup condensed milk, butter, milk, cake mix, and egg white. 
  3. 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.
  4. In the meantime, in a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup condensed milk and marshmallow creme.  Stir in peanut butter chips.
  5. Spread marshmallow mixture evenly over brownie layer.  Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture. 
  6. 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: , , , , , ,

Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone

October 7, 2011 ·
Years ago, I aspired to make risotto for the first time.  But I hesitated, because it was a little intimidating and seemed quite difficult.  Coincidentially, around the same time, I happened to catch a cooking show about risotto.  The chef explained step-by-step how to make it and alleviated any uncertainty I had.  Armed with a recipe from Cooking Light, I was bound and determined to perfect the art of making risotto!
Fortunately, risotto was just as easy to make as the professionals on television led me to believe.  Years later, we are still enjoying that same recipe, however since then I have incorporated a few changes to the original recipe.  I swapped oregano for thyme, added lots of fresh spinach and used vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian dish.
While we enjoy this risotto as a vegetarian entree, it of course makes for a wonderful side dish.  Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone is a household favorite, suitable for company, and a definite crowd pleaser.
Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups boiling water
  • ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 14 ounces vegetable broth
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice (or other short-grain rice)
  • ¾ cup chopped shallots
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine boiling water and mushrooms; let stand for 10 minutes. Drain through colander over a bowl. Reserve 1¼ cups soaking liquid, and chop mushrooms.
  2. In a small sauce pan, bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer (do not boil), keeping mixture warm over low heat.
  3. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots and garlic; saute 5 minutes, or until the rice gets browned and toasted.
  4. Add wine and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
  5. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture and cook until liquid is nearly absorbed (about 5 minutes); stirring frequently.
  6. Add remaining broth mixture ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently, until each portion of the broth mixture is nearly absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
  7. Remove pan from heat. Add mushrooms, cheeses, oregano, spinach, salt and pepper, stirring gently until combined and cheese melts. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4 servings
Adapted from Cooking Light
Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, sides Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Chill dough for 30 minutes to overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  5. 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: , , , , , , , ,