Sometimes you just want some chocolate but you just don’t want to dive into a candy bar, am I right? I wanted a brownie like nobodies business and you know what I did? I didn’t go out and buy any that’s for sure. I made some because well, I wanted brownies that I am used to! Good old American brownies!

Brownies are really quite easy to make at home that the only reason you would make them from a box is well, if you wanted to. I’m not too good for a box mix brownie at all. You have a brownie and I am pretty much there with open hands and drool coming out of my mouth.

Brownie recipes are pretty much always the same, aren’t they?

Since we’re in Australia and they don’t have Reese’s peanut butter bars you can just buy in any store (you have to go to a speciality shop that sells American candy), I figured I would do one better and make something similar to it. I thought of doing the cups but, you know what? That’s a lot of work! So, I took the bar route after I saw them on Pinterest from Our Best Bites.

Really though, even when I still back home, this has me thinking, “Why have I not made this before”? It is so cheap and easy to make that the thing that took me the longest was trying to figure out the conversions for the recipe.

These bars really tasted quite similar to Reese’s peanut butter cups that I was surprised and in love. Naturally, since they don’t sell graham crackers in Australia I had to substitute it with Maria biscuits which don’t taste anything like a graham cracker but was what I read up on to substitute for. Mine were a bit crumbly but I am sure not complaining.

If you want a quick treat that takes no more baking than melting the chocolate and the butter in the microwave then this is definitely the kind of recipe that you want.

The longest part to it is waiting for it to firm up to dig into them! I even had a bar for breakfast. Hey, it’s got peanut butter and dairy in it, it’s got to be semi-healthy right?

It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Sorry about that, I had the best of intentions but you know how that goes when other things don’t line up as well, it kind of goes flat and then so did my efforts. So, I figured I would come back with a bang and that bang is this cake which I am sure you have seen floating around on Pinterest in it’s original glory which is from Art of Dessert.

When I first saw it I must admit I drooled, I think that everyone did. If you didn’t drool all over your keyboard or phone (whichever you saw it from) you lie or maybe you just don’t have free flowing saliva like me? Lucky.

Now you also may have noticed that this was for a second birthday, and you could be thinking “that’s not a good kid cake” and you might be right except for my son is a total and complete chocoholic. He will eat chocolate at any chance he could get, what kid wouldn’t, right? I figured this cake would be the perfect birthday cake for him and well, I wanted to make it and any excuse will do.

He had a blast sticking his fingers in the frosting and trying to steal the eggs on top, and sticking his fingers in the chocolate drizzle as well. I think he had more fun stealing bits of the chocolate here and there than anything else. Little thief.

With this cake, instead of the candy bars on top I used Cadbury creme eggs because they were on sale since Easter had just passed. When I make it again (oh, and I will) I will definitely use different candy bars because I think that the creme eggs were a bit of an overkill. This cake was insanely rich and delicious.

I just used a boxed mix for the cake itself because I didn’t feel like making a cake from scratch so Betty Crocker lead the way with it. For the frosting I used a chocolate buttercream recipe which is like all others except that it used heavy cream instead of milk, I think I prefer it with the cream, it was delicious and silky.

On the sides of the cake were chocolate chips pressed into the side which I must say, was absolutely messy to do! I ended up with chocolate buttercream all over my hand.

The top, as I mentioned previously, was creme eggs just put on it as well as chocolate drizzled on the top. By the time it was done I swear you could have taken the whole lot off like it was a top, it was quite awesome.

I think the birthday boy quite enjoyed it as well, and that’s what makes me the most happy.

(licking the frosting off the spoon)

So, for awhile, the site is going to be a hot mess, bear with us while I work on the new look!

Anyway, I made a lot of Halloween cookies just because it is such a fun holiday and you can do so much with it!  I just used the normal sugar cookie recipe and royal icing. Like I always do now. I just love it. These were fairly simple. Just a round cookie cutter for the spider ones. And of course, a ghost cutter for the ghost cookies.

When it came down to decorating the spider cookies, I had a lot of fun. You just make round circles in the white royal icing and use a toothpick to drag across to make the webs! Now, piping the spiders was a little difficult. But I did my best with it and I am pleased with them!

Now maybe I can start baking some Thanksgiving/fall cookies!

The recipe is just a simple sugar cookie one.

3 cups of flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup sugar

2 sticks salted butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

See, very simple! These cookies come out so soft and tasty too! I am really into baking Halloween cookies. There’s just so much that you can do. So many different characters to pick from!

So, when you are ready to bake some cookies, pick your favorite Halloween themes and go with it! You’ll have loads of fun with it!

Keeping with the pumpkin theme that will be continuing here for a bit, here is the classic pumpkin bread.

You can’t just pass through October, November, and December and not have any pumpkin bread!

There are so many recipes and variations of pumpkin bread out there that it is hard to choose the one you want to make.

I did it though. I chose one and I’m pretty happy with it. It’s called Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread.

It is a pretty easy recipe and was ready in about an hour and made the house smell delicious.

True to the excerpt on the page, it does taste better the next day.

Warm it up, slap some butter on it, and then go to town. You’ll love it!

When trying to find different things to make with pumpkin, Browneyedbaker posted this recipe for Pumpkin Pie Bars. Seriously? First thought, I must make these.

And I did, and all was right with the world.

Seriously, these bars are absolutely delicious and live up to their name. After they were cut I put them in the refrigerator and had one later. Okay, it might have been two or three.

Who’s counting?

They are even more delicious cold. They taste just like pumpkin pie minus the crust. Moist and dense and just yum.

I am definitely making these again and urge you to make them. They’re simple, they’re quick, they’re calling my name.

I had no idea that they made Halloween Funfetti cake mixes before I saw this in the store. I think I have been living under a rock.

I love the funfetti cakes, they’re well, fun.

There wasn’t much to them, just a basic box mix. However, they’re quite cute looking!

Nope, I did not make this!

That is unless you count opening the box, reading the directions, putting in the oven, timing it, then taking it out. Then I did make it.

I first saw these Banquet Fruit Pies in our freezer. Yep. My brother and mom had bought them first. I had never seen them before so I had to get my own. As well as my husband, but that goes without saying.

The price? 88 cents. Now that’s a deal!

The taste? Just like an apple pie that you would expect. Of course we put our own ice cream on top.

Jamie had the peach pie. I didn’t get to taste it.

He sucked it up faster than I could sit down.

They also have a Cherry Berry pie that we haven’t gotten to taste yet.

However, if you are craving something sweet, warm, and delicious but don’t have the time to bake anything, you could give these a try and will not be disappointed.