Peanut Butter Heavens

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups peanut butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
2 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

Directions:
1. Cream together the butter, vanilla, salt and peanut butter. Stir in 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, nuts and all but 1/2 cup of the graham cracker crumbs. Add the last 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs only if needed; otherwise it may be difficult to mold the balls.
2.Form the mixture by hand into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in the remaining cup of confectioners' sugar. Set the balls in a single layer on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).
3.To Dip Balls In Chocolate: In the top half of a double boiler; melt the chocolate chips and shortening just until the chips are melted. Remove from heat but leave over hot water. Insert a toothpick into the chilled balls or use 2 straws in a chopstick fashion and dip into the melted chocolate until coated. Set on waxed paper until hardened.

Mississippi Mud Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. miniature marshmallows

Directions:
1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels in a small microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.

2. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chopped pecans and 1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels.

4. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press 3 marshmallows into each portion of dough.

5. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks

Chocolate PB Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix

1 cup cold milk

1 pkg. (4-serving size) vanilla Instant Pudding

1/2 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 cups thawed Whipped Topping

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate

1/4 cup peanuts

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare cake mix and bake in 24 paper-lined muffin cups, as directed on package. Cool only 30 min. (Cupcakes need to still be warm to fill.)
3. Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Add peanut butter; beat well. Spoon into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag or pastry bag; seal bag. (If using plastic bag, snip off one of the corners from bottom of bag.) Insert tip of bag into center of each cupcake; pipe in about 1 Tbsp. of the filling.
4. Microwave whipped topping and chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min.
5. Dip the top of each cupcake into glaze. Sprinkle evenly with peanuts. Store cupcakes in refrigerator.

Review:
very yummy, if you like the peanut butter chocolate combo then you will LOVE these. A big hit with the chocolate lovers of my family.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups uncooked regular oats
1 package semisweet chocolate mega morsels
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, bakingsoda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Add oats; stir well. Add to butter mixture; stir until well blended. Gently stir in morsels and pecans. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until brown around edges. Cool on pan 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Review:The mix of the creamy chocolate, the crunch of the nut and the texture of the oatmeal, make these cookies so very delicious. You must try a batch to see for yourself :)

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions:
1. Finely crush cookies to a fin crumb
2. Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.
3. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs or other decoration such as holiday sprinkles or nuts. 4. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Rating: Soooo yummy! If you are a chocolate lover then you will go crazy for these. These disappeared quickly at my Christmas party.

Pumpkin Chocolate-chip Squares

by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

4. Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

Review:
I didn't have a 9X13 pan, instead I used a 9X10 pan so my squares came out thicker...and I definitely advise against making these thicker since they became more prone to crumbling and it was too much chocolate in one bite. they are definitely yummy but make sure they are cooled all the way before serving-there is a distinct difference in taste between the non-cool and the cool squares. enjoy!

Sour Cream Spice Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

FROSTING:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold into batter.
2. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
3. For frosting, in a heavy saucepan, bring brown sugar and water to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 242 degrees F (firm-ball stage). In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add hot sugar mixture; beat on high for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
4. Add vanilla; continue beating until frosting reaches desired consistency, about 2 minutes. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Review: Super soft and moist. The frosting sets, so make sure to work semi-quickly when frosting.-it should be at a consistency such as meringue- you can make pretty peaks if you desire. My cake however was for a birthday party (hence why it has decoration on the top).