Desserts

Gluten Free Almond Joy Brownies

~ Grace ~ Leave a comment

Every year I try to add at least one gluten free item to my list of Christmas goodies.  I have several family members and friends that are on gluten free diets and it can be a hard time of year for them with all the “full of gluten” goodies being passed around.  These brownies are wonderfully tasty and simple to make.

Gluten Free Almond Joy Brownies

Chocolate, coconut and almonds are a few of my favorite things!!

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Gluten Free Almond Joy Brownies
 
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Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 eggs
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup almond pieces
Instructions
  1. Mix together the softened butter, cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla.
  2. Stir in the eggs one at a time, completely incorporating after each egg.
  3. Mix in the coconut flour and stir until there are no lumps.
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips, coconut and almond pieces.
  5. Pour into a greased 8x8" baking dish and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Coconut flour is a very dense four so that’s why this recipe calls for 6 eggs!  With the add ins of almonds, coconut, and chocolate chips along with 6 eggs and coconut flour, these are not the most frugal brownies.  If you would like you can leave out the last 3 ingredients and they will still be yummy, gluten free brownies!! (just not almond joy brownies)  😉

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This recipe was adapted from this recipe at Heavenly Homemakers.

Here are a few more of my favorite Christmas recipes!  Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookies – Holiday Spritz Cookies – Dipped Pretzels – My Favorite Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies –

This post was shared at: The Weekend Potluck –

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

~ Grace ~ Leave a comment

I needed one more excuse to use my homemade pumpkin puree and homemade pumpkin pie spice mix and this is a GREAT way to use both.  I made pumpkin dip last year and followed a recipe with powdered sugar……it was WAY to sweet.  So, this year I decided to come up with my own pumpkin dip.  I was aiming for rich, creamy and naturally sweetened.  It took me a couple tries to perfect it, and I’m excited to shared it with you just in time for Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Chesecake Dip

Rich, creamy, and sweetened with 100% maple syrup……yummmmm!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1¾ cups pumpkin puree or one 15 oz. can
  • 1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • liquid stevia, powdered sugar (optional)
  • Graham crackers and apples for dipping
Instructions
  1. Whip together the heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.
  2. In a separate bowl blend together the rest of the ingredients until smooth then fold in the whipped cream.
  3. Give it a taste, if you think it needs to be sweeter you can add a little more maple syrup or stevia or a little powdered sugar. We usually add about 10 drops of liquid stevia, and that does the trick.

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Mary’s Super Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread (With NO Vegetable Oil)

~ Grace ~ Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again, the zucchini is pouring out of the garden.  I love the abundance of this versatile veggie, and have many recipes to use them up.  Zucchini bread has always been a good way to use it up, but this one is a super duper amazing way to use it!  I’m going to freeze lots and lots of zucchini just so I can make this bread all year long. ;D

marys bread

It’s so moist and smooth and sweet and wonderful and it all came about by accident.  Mary is the one that first made this, hence the name: “Mary’s Super Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread”.  She had a recipe to follow, but we hadn’t been shopping for a while and didn’t have some of the ingredients, so she “improvised”.  We were all pleasantly surprised with the results. 🙂

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This is not only very tasty but healthier than most quick breads too!

Mary's Moist Chocolate Zucchini Bread (With NO Vegetable Oil)
 
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This will make 2 loaves.
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups of sugar (I use a bit less)
  • 1 stick melted butter (half a cup)
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 and ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
  1. Grease two loaf pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the first 5 ingredients until well combined.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  4. Divide the batter between the 2 loaf pans.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min then lower the temp to 300 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from the loaf pans and cool completely before cutting.

Another great thing about this bread is you have options!  I love options. 🙂

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You can add a 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips and have “Mary’s Super Moist Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread” (this is my girls favorite).

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Or you could leave out the cocoa powder and have “Mary’s Super Moist Zucchini Bread” and it’s still, oh so good!!

Wait, there’s more!….We made three batches of this last week (6 loaves).  Six loaves for four people is a bit much, so I froze 2 loaves and took them out yesterday for breakfast and took some to our Bible study.  They froze VERY well and I think they might have even tasted better from the freezer!?!? WHAT?

I have noticed that while this bread is delicious still warm from the oven, it’s very crumbly if you don’t let it cool completely first.  Its even easier to cut after being in a zip lock bag over night.  But, it tastes great ANY time. 🙂

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

~ Grace ~ 3 Comments

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

The other day Mary asked me what my favorite cookie is.  Without much thought at all, I answered “Chocolate No Bake Cookies”.  Then I wondered why the heck I don’t make these more often.  Then I remembered how I can’t stop eating them and it’s probably good I don’t make them very often.  Then I got the ingredients out and whipped up a batch. 🙂

Start by heating up butter, milk, cocoa powder, and sugar in a saucepan on medium heat. (stirring constantly)  Bring it to a boil and keep stirring for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat, add vanilla & peanut butter and stir until all the peanut butter has melted and is completely incorporated.  Then pour into a big bowl with the oatmeal.

making Choc Cookies

Stir together.

cookies

Then plop a spoon full at a time onto wax paper and let them cool.  It will take 20 to 30 minutes.

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These are sooo stinken easy to make!!  It’s the perfect cookie to make with your kids.  That’s probably why most people have fond childhood memories of these delicious, easy cookies.  🙂

5.0 from 1 reviews
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 3 cups of oatmeal
Instructions
  1. Heat the butter, milk, cocoa powder and sugar in a sauce pan on medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Let it boil for 3 minutes while continuing to stir. Remove from the heat and add vanilla and peanut butter stir until peanut butter is melted and incorporated. Then pour into a big bowl with the oatmeal and stir. Drop a spoon full at a time onto waxed paper. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

 

Tip: Doing a little prep work before you start making these cookies is a good idea.  I lay out my waxed paper and measure out the peanut butter and oatmeal ahead of time.  Once you take your chocolate mixture off the heat you want to hurry and finish before your mixture gets to cool.  If it cools to much you will end up with chocolate granola instead of cookies.  Chocolate granola is tasty but a little frustrating when you were looking forward to cookies. 🙂

Easy no bake cookies

 

This post was shared at: The HomeAcre Hop – The Weekend Potluck – Simple Saturdays Blog Hop –

 

 

 

Deeeelicious Peach Cobbler

~ Grace ~ Leave a comment

Peach Cobbler

Peaches are my very favorite fruit…..I think??  I love all fruits…well pretty much I love all food.  Lets just say if I made a list of my favorites, peaches would be right at the top.  There’s nothin like sweet, peach juice dripping down your chin on a nice, warm, summer day. 😀  We are lucky enough to live very near some large peach orchards and it’s peach season!!  I tried this recipe last year and absolutely LOVED it.  I’ve been waiting for fresh peaches just so I could make this cobbler again. 🙂

Here’s how to make Deeeelicious Peach Cobbler:  Peel and slice your yummy fresh peaches and put them in a bowl with 1/2 a cup of sugar and the almond extract. Set that bowl aside and pour your melted butter into a 2 quart baking dish.  Set that dish aside as well and in another bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar.  Then add the milk and stir well.

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Now pour the batter evenly over the butter, do not stir.  Then top it off with the peach mixture.  Now bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes.  So easy!

This is wonderful warm from the oven with some whip cream or vanilla ice cream!

Deeeelicious Peach Cobbler
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 cups of peeled sliced peaches
  • ¾ cup of sugar - divided
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup butter - melted
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup milk
Instructions
  1. Mix together the peaches, ½ cup of sugar, and extract; set aside. Pour melted butter in a 2 quart baking dish. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar; stir in milk. Mix well and then pour it evenly over the butter (do not stir). Top with the peach mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.

 

This post was shared at: The HomeAcre Hop – Thrifty Thursday –

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

~ Grace ~ 7 Comments

These are beyond a shadow of a doubt the BEST peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had!

Peanut Butter Choc Chip CookiesI cannot take credit for finding this recipe, it was all my kids.  It all started with this:

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Little Chef came home to find this on her bedroom door.

My boys are smart, when they want cookies they know who to ask.  The next thing I know, Little Chef is asking if I will show her how to look up cookies on Pinterest.  She wanted to  find a “new” recipe.  I did, and just like her mama, Pinterest sucked her in and she was there forever looking through thousands of pins of delicious looking cookies.  I think her brother became worried that cookies were never going to become a reality.  I heard him say something about peanut butter and chocolate chips and bless her cookie lovin’ heart she searched for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and decided on this recipe.

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookiesA little while later I walked through the kitchen and stole a chunk of warm cookie (it was a broken piece and NEEDED to be eaten)……as the sweet, buttery, chocolaty, warm, piece of cookie melted in my mouth.  The clouds parted,  the sun shone through, the angels sang and my taste buds rejoiced.  I think I said something like “Holy cow, those are stinking amazing,  I’m NEVER going to be able to stay away from these cookies.”  I really didn’t need to worry about that though, they were completely devoured shortly after that by other members of our household.

Here’s the recipe so you can hear the angels too!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons of milk
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl beat together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and mix well then add the eggs and mix well again. Next add the milk and vanilla stir well. Measure all the dry ingredients into a separate bowl and then add to the peanut butter mixture. Stir just a bit and then add chocolate chips and stir until everything is combined. Let the cookie dough sit for a few minutes to firm up. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop 1 or 2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet a couple inches apart and bake for about 10 minutes. They will look a little under done. If you leave them on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes they will be much easier to remove to a cooling rack.

Tip: These are amazing cookies anytime but if you want to see the clouds part and hear the angels sing you have to try them when they are still warm. 🙂  The only small draw back to these cookies is that they are pretty delicate, I would not recommend these for baking and shipping in the mail…..they would be awfully tasty crumbs though!

This recipe was adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

This post was shared at : Weekend Potluck – Clever Chicks Blog Hop – HomeAcre Hop – From The Farm Blog Hop –

Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookies

~ Grace ~ 4 Comments

These might possibly be my favorite Christmas cookies.  They are so DELICIOUS but the best part is the absolutely wonderful aroma that fills my house while they cook.  A Christmas candle or Scentsy Pot can’t even touch the Christmasy (is that a word?) smell from these cookies!  My sister told me about this recipe a few years back and I have made them every year since.

Peppermint Crunch CookiesThe secret to these amazing cookies is Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips.

Pettermint baking chips These things are creamy, melt in your mouth, goodness!  Add them into a cookie with oatmeal and coconut and…….WOW!  Or you could just upend the bag into your mouth, that would work too.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookies
 
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This makes about 30 cookies.
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1 cup sweetened grated coconut
  • 1½ cups peppermint crunch baking chips
Instructions
  1. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
  3. On low speed, add baking soda, salt and flour. Mix completely.
  4. Stir in oats, coconut, and peppermint chips.
  5. Measure 1-2 Tablespoons (depending on how big you want them) of dough and place round balls on a cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
  6. Press lightly on each ball to flatten a little and sprinkle some of the remaining chips on top of each cookie.
  7. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 min.
  8. This made about 30 cookies.

Christmas Cookies 2Note:  It is a little tricky to figure out when these are done.  I check on them at 10 minutes and don’t take them out until they are a little brown around the edges.  After they come out of the oven if you let them rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes they will stiffen up a bit and be much easier to lay on a cooling rack.

This recipe was adapted from tootsie.com.    I am in no way being compensated for saying these things about these baking chips, I just think they are delicious and Christmasy!

Holiday Spritz Cookies

~ Grace ~ 6 Comments

Holiday Spritz CookiesA few years ago I inherited my grandma’s cookie press, and now it’s a tradition to make these cookies every December.

Vintage Cookie PressI think she would be so pleased to know that her great grand daughters are using her cookie press. 🙂

Christmas CookiesThese are a lot of fun, especially for kids and the recipe is really simple.  Picking what shape of cookie to make and getting a little crazy with the sprinkles are the best parts….well and eating them too. 😉

5.0 from 1 reviews
Holiday Spritz Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Cookies
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter - softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all purpose flour
Instructions
  1. Mix butter, sugar, egg, salt, and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour and blend well. Following the directions for your cookie press, force the dough through the press onto an ungreased baking sheet in desired shapes. Sprinkle with holiday sprinkles. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 9 minutes.

This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book.

Spritz CookiesHope you are enjoying making cookies and memories this Christmas!

Award Winning Chocolate Chunk Brownies

~ Grace ~ 31 Comments

Brownies 4In the past I have tried to share only recipes that are on the healthier side…this is not one of those!  I feel compelled to share it with you though, because they REALLY are award winning brownies (not to mention easy and delicious).

Brownies 5In 2009 when Little Chef was 6 years old I asked her if she wanted to make some cookies and enter them into the fair.  She said  “no, I want to make brownies”.  So we found a brownie recipe that looked easy enough for a six year old and she went to work (with a little help from mom).  That year she brought home the huge purple “Top Of Show” ribbon.  Over the past four years that recipe has become our “go to” dessert.  If I need a dessert quickly this is the recipe I grab.  I usually grab my daughter too and have her make them! (lots of grabbing going on, sorry)  She never says no to making “her” brownies. 😉  So when her 4-H leader told us about “Food Activity Day”  the natural recipe of choice was………..you guessed it,  Chocolate Chunk Brownies.  On food activity day the kids pick a recipe and bring everything they need to prepare that recipe (or meal).   They set to work while the judge watches.  When they are done and the kitchen is clean they get to share their food with the judge and answer any questions they have.  My daughter was so excited about this day, and she had soooo much fun!  She was asking if she could do it again next year before they even handed out the awards. 😀  She received reserve champion in the Junior class for her brownies and brought home another purple ribbon and a blue ribbon!

Brownies 2They are soooo soft, gooey, and chocolaty rich, and they just melt in your mouth!

Brownies 3

5.0 from 2 reviews
Award Winning Chocolate Chunk Brownies
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter - melted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 eggs - slightly beaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup simi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl add the sugar, vanilla, and eggs to the warm melted butter and blend well. Add flour, cocoa and salt; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into a greased 13X9-inch pan.
  2. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until set. Let cool for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled before cutting into bars.

As you can see this is not a healthy recipe but definitely worth sharing. 🙂  Well….maybe I just wanted to brag about my Little Chef, that’s not so little any more.

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