Peanut butter is one of the best kinds of butter I know. I didn’t think this growing up, in fact, I never really even liked peanut butter that much (crazy..huh). I wasn’t a PB fan until I was an adult…go figure! Now, I have to limit my peanut-butter in-take, who knew that would happen. I actually feel so sorry for all those people allergic to peanuts. If you are not allergic then read on and make these rich and delicious cake bars.
I remember the first time I made these delicious bars, I fell in love. I probably ate most of them too. I made these for a road trip and was so happy I did. The fact that this recipe is a sheet cake makes it easy to take for a family get together or taking to a BBQ or picnic. One thing that is sure to happen is that these Peanut Butter Texas sheet cake bars will get eaten up quickly and people will be asking for the recipe.

Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake

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Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cups of milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
Frosting:
1 stick butter
½ cup peanut butter
6 teaspoons milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 F.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together sugar, baking soda, flour, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Combine butter, water, and peanut butter in a saucepan and bring to boil. Pour over flour mixture.
Step 4: Add milk, vanilla, and eggs. Mix.
Step 5: Pour into large sheet cake pan 13 in X 18 in.. Bake at 400 F for 25-28 minutes. Remove from the oven when the cake is done.

While the cake is baking make the frosting:
Step 1: Bring butter, peanut butter and milk to boil in a saucepan.
Step 2: Add the powdered sugar and until combined. Pour frosting over cake and spread with a butter knife or cake spatula.
Makes about 32
Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

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Greek yogurt is so popular I kind of feel sorry for regular yogurt. One reason that Greek yogurt is so popular because of all the protein it has in it. It has twice the protein as regular yogurt. Protein is good for building muscle and bone, and it stays with you longer than carbohydrates.

Some people poo poo oats  but not me, I love them cold or hot. I’m one of those people that still believes they are healthy for me, especially when they are whole. This breakfast on the go or snack is easy to make ahead of time, taste good and has lots of good for you stuff in it. If you don’t have agave syrup to add for sweetener then just add honey. The recipe makes just two servings. Hope you give this simple little recipe a try.

Healthy Greek Yogurt with Raspberries & Oats

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1 Cup Plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup whole oats
1 cup of fresh raspberries
2-4 Tablespoons of agave syrup

Directions: Mix all ingredients together except a few whole berries for the top. Place in a seal-able container and refrigerate overnight.

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Happy Fall ya’ll!
Autumn is my favorite time to cook and bake, and pumpkin is a favorite flavor of mine. I made these delicious scones in honor of all the pumpkin lovers of the season. I like the warm spices that give pumpkin its unique flavor, because without cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves pumpkin is just a bland tasting squash. Mini-chocolate chips are great to use in these soft scones because they spread out more evenly, giving a bit of chocolate in each bite.
Put this recipe on your weekend to do-list when you have time to savor the flavors of Fall. These scones would make a great start to a day set aside to go to a pumpkin patch searching for the perfect pumpkin to carve. The dough can be made ahead of time rolled and cut then freeze or refrigerate the dough, and pop in the oven when you’re ready.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

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Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all spice
1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg or regular ground
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips + 1/4 c. for drizzle

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
Step 2: In a food processor put cold butter cut into chunks, then flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and turn on until the butter is in small beads. If using a pastry blender by hand just use it mashing the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is in small beads.
Step 3: Add egg and vanilla and turn on food processor to pulse then buttermilk and pumpkin until the dough forms into a ball.
Step 4: Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead chocolate chips.
Step 5: Roll or pat dough out into a circle about 8 in. around and 1-1 1/2 in thick and cut with a pizza cutter like a pie.
Step 6: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Step 7:For chocolate drizzle: melt 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with 1 tsp. of coconut oil in microwave at 30 second intervals stirring after each 30 seconds until completely melted and smooth. Drizzle over the top of the scones after scones have cooled for about 20 min. and enjoy.

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Isn’t everything cuter in mini form? For example Mini Mouse, a mini-saga (which I learned has only fifty words in it), Mini Cooper (such a cute car), miniature horses, mini tea set, mini beauty queens, Polly Pockets, mini donuts, mini chocolate chips, mini cupcakes, mini muffins, and finally my mini cheesecakes . In our world of “supersize it” it’s kind of amazing that we still love mini anything…but we do. We tend to say the words awe, sweet, precious, and adorable when we are presented with mini’s. Although, I really don’t think if I were given some mini size fries I would be pleased and say how adorable they are. I am led to believe that in our ever-growing obsession with extra-large food portions we still like mini things too, a perfect example is these mini cheesecakes.

Cheesecake is rich, decadent and delicious but I can only handle it in small doses. I would like to eat large pieces of cheesecake but it’s almost physically impossible for me. Men don’t seem to have this problem-consuming cheesecake or other rich desserts in large quantities.  My dad can eat a large piece of cheesecake in 3 bites and chocolate fudge by the handfuls.  My mom taught me to savor rich foods while my dad taught me to inhale so you get your fair share.  It’s a good thing I’m a little bit of both and can eat my cheesecake and fudge slowly but when it comes to popcorn watch out because I tend to turn on the hoover vacuum.

These mini cheesecakes are perfect for little people and big people. The recipe makes about 15 regular cupcake size cheesecakes and they were perfectly moist and creamy too. We love lemon curd and lemon everything at my house so I made a quick and easy microwave recipe of lemon curd and put it on top of the cheesecakes and then topped that with raspberries. Raspberries are in season now because these raspberries tasted like real fruit and not one was sour either, they were incredibly good.

Mini-cheesecakes with lemon curd and raspberries

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Ingredients:
1 package graham crackers (4.90 oz.) or 1 cup finely ground
2 T. sugar
3 T. melted butter
16 oz. cream cheese softened or room temp.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 T. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
15 cupcake liners preferably silicone, or foil but the heavyweight paper will work too.

For the curd:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice from about 3-4 lemons
lemon zest from 1 1/2 lemons

Directions for curd:
Step 1: Melt butter in the microwave, set aside to cool slightly.
Step 2: Whisk together sugar and eggs in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in lemon juice and zest. Finally, whisk in the butter.
Step 3: Microwave on 50% power for one minute. Stir. Continue microwaving at 100% power in one-minute intervals, stirring at 30-sec intervals until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the zest, optional.

Directions for crust and cheesecake:
Step 1: In a food processor fitted with the blade put one package of graham crackers in and pulse to get fine crumbs. Now add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons of melted butter and turn the food processor back on to mix thoroughly.
Step 2: Put cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and put about a tablespoon of the graham cracker crust in each cupcake liner and press down evenly. If you have silicone cupcake liners you can just put the liners on a baking sheet and fill with the crust.
Step 3: Clean out the food processor and put the blade back in, then add the cream cheese and sugar, turn on until mixed well then scrape the sides down. Turn on the processor again and add eggs one at a time through the shoot. Turn off and scrape down the sides, add the lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest then turn on until mixed.
Step 4: Turn on oven to 350 degrees F. Fill each of the cupcake liners with the cream cheese mixture about 3/4 full. I used an ice cream scooper to fill my cupcake liners it took two scoops for each one. Now bake the cheesecakes for 20 min. Do not let the tops get browned or cracked. When the cakes start to crack it means they are getting too done. When the cakes are done take out and let cool.

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Scones, scones how I love thee! I crave scones on a regular basis but don’t make them as often as the craving hits because I do try to maintain my weight . The holidays are here and I love to use cranberries in my baking so I couldn’t resist putting these flavors together. Oranges are especially good this time of year and that bright citrus tastes goes so well with cranberries. These scones tasted really good and hit the spot for that craving I was having. These scones would make a great Christmas morning breakfast or brunch since you can make them ahead of time, up to the dough and cutting into the triangles stage, then put them into the freezer. When ready to bake just pre-heat oven and bake until golden brown, so simple! But don’t forget the glaze it’s a must have.

Also for a quick update on my life/blog/year, I haven’t posted a recipe in 6 months or so because I have been going through a divorce this whole year and with that comes a lot of changes. I have been a stay-at-home mom for 20 years and married for 25, and that status has changed to part time working mom and full time student. My desire for cooking has dwindled with my family not being traditional now. I haven’t had the desire to cook or blog or had much time to do either. I know that when my life slows down and I have more happiness than sadness in my life I will do the things I like to do again and just my writing this post says that happier days are climbing above 50/50 now :). I’m not writing these things to make you feel bad for me, it’s just “life” and “it is…what it is.” I’ve been learning and growing much more than I thought possible this year and that much growth is a tad bit painful, like when you are a kid and your legs hurt from growing pains. I have no doubt that “better things are ahead”(sorry for all the trite sayings here, but they seem appropriate) and I’m looking forward to that. As for my schooling in case you are interested, I am going to school to become an occupational therapy assistant. I’m very excited about this new career path and can’t wait to help others in this way, I hope it really suits my desire for work fulfillment.

I hope that everyone enjoys the holidays with family and friends as I will be doing. I may have a few more recipes to post on here since I will be out of school for 6 weeks! Enjoy life it passes much to quickly.

Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Scones

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Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 orange and juice
1 cup half and half
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into chunks
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Step 1: Put lemon juice in 1-cup measuring cup, pour in half and half to 1-cup mark, and let stand a few minutes to make soured cream. Put the cranberries in the juice from the orange to plump them up.
Step 2: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
Step 3: In a food processor put cold butter cut into chunks, then flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and turn on until the butter is in small beads.
Step 4: Add egg and vanilla and turn on food processor then add soured milk until the dough forms into a ball.
Step 5: Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead in the drained cranberries and white chocolate.
Roll dough out into a circle and cut with a pizza cutter like a pie. Put the scones onto the baking pan and pop into freezer for about 1/2 hour or over night (if you put in the freezer over night make sure they are covered with something like foil or plastic wrap)
Step 6: Bake until golden brown 15-20 minutes if straight from the freezer. If you froze the scones over night the bake time will be 20 minutes.
Step 7: When scones are down let them cool on the baking sheet while you mix the glaze up. Take 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. orange zest, and 1 T. orange juice, mix together with spoon or fork to make a glaze. If the glaze is too thick add a little more orange juice if it’s too think then add some more powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over the scones let cool and enjoy.

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If your in the mood for chocolate cake you have come to right recipe! This cake is fantastically chocolate and the frosting is light and airy, plus a special treat of candy bars surprises you in the middle. The recipe is one of my baker friend’s favorite and famous cake, I know her kids request it for birthdays, she can probably whip this out in her sleep. The cake is very moist and rich and soooo delicious. I have changed a few things like using extra dark Hershey’s cocoa and not as much candy bar in the frosting, but that’s all. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we do and everyone who tries this cake.

Candy Bar Chocolate Cake

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Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s “Especially Dark” cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup sugar
10 Hershey bars with almonds, divided
1 12 oz. Cool Whip

Directions:
Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9 inch pans or three 8 inch pans by greasing with cooking spray and a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of each pan will insure that the cake will come out.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients into one large mixing bowl.
Step 3: In a medium mixing bowl mix together the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and beat for about 2 minutes. After two minutes slowly pour the boiling hot water into the batter. Stir well until mixture is combined. Batter will be thin.
Step 4: Pour the batter evenly into the pans. For two 9 in. pans bake for 30-35 min. or when cake tester inserted comes out clean. If baking 3 8 in. pans bake 25-30 min. When cakes are done let cool in pan for 10 minutes then flip the cake pans onto a wire cake rack to cool completely.

Frosting Directions:
Step 1: Beat cream cheese and sugars at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Chop 8 candy bars finely. Add to cream cheese. Fold in Cool Whip. Chop remaining candy bars, and sprinkle on top.

For 2 or 3 layer cake (I recommend using 3- 8 in. pans): Spread between layers, sides, and top.
For 9×13 pan size: Cut recipe in half. Spread on top of cake. I use 4 candy cars in the frosting, and 2 on top.
Keep leftover cake in fridge.

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