Butter Pecan Cake Mix Truffles-12 Days of Christmas Treats

Recently I was visiting over at Averie Cooks and ran across  a recipe for No-Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Truffles.  This recipe took only 5 ingredients and sounded delicious.  It made me think of the fact that I love the Butter Pecan flavor of cake mix.  I have not been able to find that flavor for awhile, but last time cake mixes were on sale at Safeway, there it was on the bottom shelf.  I purchased my sale limit of 3 boxes that day.  I wondered if I could adapt the recipe using Butter Pecan cake mix.  I also thought that ground pecans added might be a good idea.

You may have to play with the dough a little bit, adding more milk or cake mix to get it just right.  The mixture should be like stiff cookie dough.  I chose Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers to dip the dough ball in, but white chocolate chips would be OK to use, too. I would add 1 1/2 T. shortening or coconut oil to the white chocolate chips.  It will take a little guessing as to the correct amount of dipping mixture to make.  I used 1 1/2 c. of the Melting Wafers.  Out of curiosity, I measured my package of cake mix, and it contained about 3 cups, enough for 3 batches of truffles.

Averie says these will keep a very long time in the refrigerator or freezer.  I doubt that that would be the case at our house.

Thanks, Averie for a great recipe idea.

Butter Pecan Cake Mix Truffles
adapted from Averie Cooks

1/3 c. pecans, preferably toasted
1 c. dry Butter Pecan Cake Mix
1/4 c. plus 1 T. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 T. agave nectar (optional)  use another T. of milk if you don’t have this
1 1/2 c. white melting wafers or white chocolate chips
1 1/2 T. shortening or coconut oil if using the chips

Place pecans in a blender or food processor and process until finely ground.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Add cake mix, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and agave.  Mix until very well blended.  Add more cake mix or milk, if necessary, to get the mixture to a moldable dough.  Refrigerate or freeze the dough at least 15 minutes.  Remove dough from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls.  You will have about 20 or so.  Refrigerate or freeze balls at least 15 minutes.  When ready, melt wafers or chips according to package directions.  Remove dough balls from refrigerator and dip into the white chocolate coating.  Place on parchment or waxed paper to firm up..  Makes about 20.  Store tightly covered in the refrigerator or freezer.

Linking to Weekend Potluck

Easy Maple Nut Fudge-12 Days of Christmas Treats

I love the frosting that comes on maple bars.  This easy fudge is reminiscent of that frosting.  It goes together in less than 10 minutes if the nuts have already been chopped and toasted.  I chop and toast a large batch of nuts at a time and keep them handy in my refrigerator.  Either walnuts or pecans work well in this recipe.  10 minutes of real work and a couple of hours of wait time, and you have another delicious flavor to include in candy gifts.

The maple extract is listed as optional, but you will get a more pronounced maple flavor if you use it.  Measure and then sift the confectioner's sugar.  I actually like to put the sugar through a fine sieve using the back of a spoon

This is a softer fudge than usual, so I keep it well, wrapped in the fridge, cutting it and letting it set to firm up a bit when I serve it.

Maple Nut Fudge
1/4 c butter or margarine (I always use butter)
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. maple extract (opt.)
4 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted or put through a sieve
1 c. chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts

Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add maple syrup, milk, vanilla and maple extract.  Stir till well blended.  Remove from heat, add confectioners’ sugar, stirring until sugar is well incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in pecans or walnuts.  Turn into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Chill in refrigerator until firm.  I like to store this, well-wrapped and uncut in the refrigerator, cutting the fudge as needed and letting it set a while to firm up.  Makes 64 1-inch squares.

Butter Rum Fudge-12 Days of Easy Sweets

12 Days of Easy Sweets

This recipe is another flavor variation using the candy chips/canned frosting ingredients.  It is one of my favorites, caters a little more to adult tastes and is a nice flavor addition to those Christmas candy plates.

The hardest part of making this candy is the amount of “elbow grease” it take to stir the chips while they are melting.

I have slightly adapted this recipe from Pillsbury.

Butter Rum Fudge
1(11-oz.) pkg. butterscotch flavor chips
1 (16 oz.) can vanilla frosting
1 t. butter flavoring (optional)
3/4 t. rum extract
1/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 c. chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts

Line a 8 or 9-inch square pan with a piece of foil big enough so that the extended ends will fold back beyond the middle of the pan.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Place butterscotch chips in a microwave-save bowl and microwave at 50% power for 1 minute.  Stir.  Continue microwaving at 50% power in 15 to 20 second intervals, stirring each time until the chips are melted and smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Spread candy in prepared pan and fold foil ends back over the candy.   Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.  I like to store this candy, well wrapped in the foil, in the fridge without cutting, and cut into squares as I need it, allowing 30 minutes or so for the fudge squares to firm up.  Makes 64 1-inch squares.

Coconut White Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling-Improv Challenge

The theme that Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker chose for this month's Improv Challenge was ebony and ivory.  At first, I couldn’t quite put my brain around this one.  With an explanation that the recipe could be any combination of black/brown or white/ecru, I began to develop an idea.

There are many recipes out there that combine brownies with a cream cheese filling.  I decided to reverse this idea and make white brownies with a chocolate cream cheese filling.  I took my favorite white brownie recipe and added a cream cheese filling which included melted chocolate chips.  I decided to add coconut to the brownie dough and pecans to the chocolate filling for a little extra zip.

This makes a very dense, moist cookie that will become denser as it sits in the refrigerator.

Coconut White Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling
1 c. butter or margarine, melted (I use butter)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1/2  c. sweetened flaked coconut
1 c. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
2 T. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, regular or low-fat, softened (see tip to soften quickly here)
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. chopped, toasted pecans

Melt butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Add sugar and mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.  Beat in vanilla with the last egg.  Add flour and mix until well blended.  Stir in coconut.  The batter will be stiff.  Set aside.  In another microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter about 1 minute at 50% power.  Stir.  Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until chips are melted.  Add cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla and cornstarch and beat until well blended.  Stir in pecans.  Spoon half of the white dough in a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pans.  Spread evenly to make a thick layer.  Spoon chocolate mixture over bottom layer, spreading evenly.  Dollop spoonfuls of white dough over cheesecake layer and smooth out as evenly as possible with a damp metal spatula.  Bake 30-40 minutes in a 350-degree oven.  Cool and cut into bars.  Makes 36.  Store, tightly covered. in refrigerator.

Next month's challenge is lemon and lime.  To find out how to join in the fun, visit Kristen's Improv Page.

Check out the links below to see what other bloggers have made with ebony and ivory.

An InLinkz Link-up

Graham Cracky Bars-12 Weeks of Christmas Treats

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Brenda from Meal Planning Magic has come around for 2013, and I am so excited.  This is the third year that I have participated so my Christmas Treat recipe file is overflowing.  I can’t wait to add to it with this year's goodies.

If you read my blog or check out my recipe index, you will see that I love, love, love (did I say love!) bar cookies.  Why do I love bar cookies so much:  they are easy to make, and you only need to bake one pan thus saving on electricity; they can be “down home” or “uptown” depending on the recipe; you can freeze them without cutting them into bars, thaw and then cut them for fresh cookie taste.

Because I love bar cookies so much, I have decided that my 12 Christmas treats for 2013 will be bar cookies.  Each week I will share a different bar cookie recipe.  Some will be for 9x13-inch pans and some for 10x15-inch pans.  I hope that each of you finds one or two new favorites in the bunch.

This first bar cookie was adapted from a Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe that was submitted sometime in the first 18 years of the Bake-Off.  That would have been from the late 1940’s to the late 1960’s.  The recipe comes from Pillsbury”s Bake-Off Cookie Book.  My copy is well-used, missing its covers and half the index.

This is a cookie for the person who cannot make up their mind what they want.  Want a brownie, it’s in there; want a graham cracker, it’s in there, want a chocolate chip cookie, it’s in there.  No matter what you’re craving this cookie has you covered.

I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa for a deep chocolate flavor, but regular cocoa is OK.  I also used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips because I wanted chips in every bit, but regular chips are OK, too.

Graham Cracky Bars
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. milk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 T. cocoa (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
1 T. vegetable oil
3/4 c. chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
15 single graham crackers
1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (regular can be used instead)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, salt, soda, butter, sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla.  Mix at medium speed until well blended.  Remove half of the dough to a medium mixing bowl.  Mix together the cocoa and the vegetable oil.  Add to the dough in the mixer bowl and mix at medium speed until cocoa mixture is well blended in.  Stir in pecans or walnuts by hand and spread chocolate mixture evenly in the bottom of a foil-lined and greased 9x13-inch pan.  Arrange the graham crackers over the chocolate dough.  Add the chocolate chips to the dough in the medium bowl and mix until well blended.  Drop dough by tablespoons over the crackers and spread carefully and evenly to cover.  It may help to use a metal spatula that has been dipped in water to do this.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Cool and cut into bars.  Makes about 36 bars.

To see the other treats that fellow bloggers have shared this week, check out the links below.  If you would like to join us for the next 11 weeks or whenever you can, the information about joining the fun is here.

Linking to these great parties:

Show and Share Wednesday

Create and Share Wednesday

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Cast Party Wednesday

Wake Up Wednesday

Whimsy Wednesday

Wow Me Wednesday at Ginger Snap Crafts

Wow Me Wednesday at Polk Dots on Parade

Fluster's Creative Muster Party

Corn Flake Pecan Crispies-Saturday Sweet

I really like the texture of cookies that are made with a combination of butter and vegetable oil.  This is one of those recipes.  It makes a cookie that is somewhat like the Pecan Sandies available at the grocery store.  Kind of like a crispy shortbread.

The  problem with these cookies is you want to eat them like popcorn.  The good thing is that the recipe makes a big batch so you can.

Having cereal as an ingredient always makes cookies seem to be a bit healthier.  Although this recipe calls for corn flakes, any similar flaked cereal could be substituted.

I adapted this recipe from one I found in a little $1.00 cookbook.  From the looks of the recipes and photos, they may have originally been published by Leisure Arts.

Corn Flake Pecan Crispies
1 c. butter or margarine, softened (I use butter)
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 c. vegetable oil
1 egg, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
4 c. corn flakes, finely crushed (there should be about 1/2c.)
1 c. finely chopped, toasted pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and the sugars until fluffy.  Beat in vegetable oil, egg and vanilla.  In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Add to creamed mixture.  Stir in corn flakes and pecans.  Drop by teaspoonsful 2-inches apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Using a fork dipped in water, press a crisscross on each cookie.  Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes until edges are light brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 7 dozen cookies.

Do you like to use cereal in your cookies?  What is your favorite cereal to use?

Linking to these great parties:

Freaking Awesome Friday
Saturday Spotlight
Weekend Bloggy Reading
Weekend Potluck
Link Party Palooza
Party Junk
Creativity Linky Party
Strut Your Stuff
I'm Lovin' It
Saturday Sharefest

Coconut Pecan Drops-Saturday Sweet

Instead of calling these Coconut Pecan Drops, I almost called them Accident Cookies, but that is not very SEO friendly.  I wanted to do that because, the cookies came about because I misread the directions for a cookie recipe I was trying.

I mixed the coconut pecan frosting in with the rest of the ingredients, but that was not what I was supposed to do.  The frosting was to just be used as an icing.  After I realized what I had done, I had two choices:  throw everything out or go ahead and bake the dough and see what happened.

I chose to bake the dough.  What I ended up with was a  nice, soft cakey cookie.  The cake mix flavor can be varied to make several different flavors.  I used yellow cake mix, but I think butter pecan flavor would be great if you can find it in your area.  Of course, German chocolate or any chocolate cake flavor would be good also.

Have you ever made a mistake with a recipe that turned out to be OK in the end?

Coconut Pecan Drops
1 box (18 oz.) cake mix with pudding in the mix, your choice of flavor
1 can coconut pecan frosting
1 c. plain or vanilla yogurt (I used Greek)
1 egg
1/2 c. toasted coconut
1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans

Place the cake mix in a large mixing bowl.  Add frosting and mix until very well combined.  Measure yogurt in a glass measuring cup.  Add egg and mix with a whisk until well blended.  Stir yogurt into cake mixture and stir until well blended.  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Cookies will remain moist so store in a container with waxed paper between the layers.  Makes about 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Linking to these great parties:
Freaking Awesome Friday
Weekend Potluck
Strut Your Stuff
Weekend Bloggy Reading
I'm Lovin' It
Link Party Palooza
Party Junk
Saturday Spotlight

Easy Glazed Walnut Halves

Glazed nuts are nice to have on hand to serve to unexpected company.  Easy Glazed Walnut Halves are made of walnuts and three common pantry ingredients.  Those ingredients and 15 minutes of my time gets me a nice treat that is really very easy to make.

Other nuts such as almonds, pecan halves and cashews can also be used.  Spiced, glazed nuts can be made by adding various spices to the recipe.  I personally like Chinese 5-spice or curry.  They both add an interesting flavor.  Of, course the more common spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg can be added, too.  I usually add 1/2 t. of a spice to start.

I also like to make these and keep them on hand to add to salads.  When I do that, I omit the vanilla.  I like these best if the nuts have been lightly toasted before making these.

Easy Glazed Walnut Halves
2 T. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. walnut halves or other nuts, lightly toasted if possible
1 t. vanilla

Melt butter and sugar together in a large skillet over medium heat watching carefully and stirring frequently.  When mixture is just about melted, (this take about 10 minutes.)  Add nuts, cooking and stirring until nuts are completely coated with sugar mixture.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and spices, if using.   Turn into a non-stick sprayed baking sheet.  Using two forks and working quickly separate nuts into individual pieces and let cool.  Store in tightly covered zip-top bag.  Makes 2 cups.
Use as a snack, in snack mixes and to add crunch and sweetness to salads.

Linking to these great parties:
Cast Party Wednesday
Show and Share Wednesday
Wow Me Wednesday
Two Girls and a Party
What's Cookin' Wednesday
Linking Up with Lil'Luna
Whimsy Wednesday
What's in Your Kitchen Wednesday
Wicked Good Wednesday
Work It Wednesday
Create and Share


 

Pecan Delight-Good Old Fashioned Recipe Blog Swap

Today is the day for the Good Old Fashioned Recipe Blog Swap.  I was paired up with Tammy from Yours and Mine ARE Ours.  Tammy's blog is filled with delicious recipes, reviews and lots of good stuff.  Take it away, Tammy.

Hi, I’m Tammy and I blog over at Yours And Mine ARE Ours.  I’m so excited to be a part of this Good Old Fashioned Recipe Blog Swap that was put together by Julie from White Lights On Wednesday, Kelly from Miss Information and Rachel from I Love My Disorganized Life.  I’m even more excited to have been paired up with Grandma Loy!  I’m a huge fan of her blog!

When you visit my blog you will find mostly recipes with a little bit of homemade household cleaners and DIY thrown in.   My family is a blended family with six children who range in age from 25 to 10.  We also have two grandchildren ages 5 and 11 months.  This recipe I’m sharing with you today is one of our kids favorites!  It was shared with me by my children's step-mother.  I know you probably think that’s odd but we try very hard to get along and live like a family as much as possible.  Does that mean we always get along??  Well.. simply… NO!  However, we do our best. Because, after all we share in the life of the most important little and big people ever!  Our children and grandchildren.

This is a great recipe if you need to make something in a hurry, and it can be easily doubled for a large group as well.  I hope you all and Grandma Loy love it as much as our children do!
  
Pecan Delight
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Crushed Pecans
8 oz. cream cheese
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
Small Container of Whipped Topping
2 small packages of instant pudding – I used chocolate however you could use almost any kind you want
2 1/2 cups milk

Blend flour, butter and 1/2 cup of the crushed pecans with a pastry cutter.  Press evenly into bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Let cool completely. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 cup of cool whip, well and spread evenly over crust. Mix pudding and milk well and spread over cream cheese layer. Cover with remaining cool whip and sprinkle with crushed pecans.
 

Grandma Loy thank you so much for allowing me to share with you and your readers!

Isn't that a delicious looking dessert?  Tammy, it was just great having you here today.

I'll be sharing Taste of the Tropics Fruit Pudding Cake on Tammy's blog, so be sure to stop by and check it out.  If you want to see all the recipes from all 30 bloggers, click on over and visit one of the hosts. Rachel at I Love My Disorganized Life, Julie at White Lights on Wednesday, or  Kelly at Miss Information.

 

 

Texas Pecan Brownie Fingers-Guest Post

I am posting this with somewhat of a "red face."  Kristen over a Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker was gracious enough to allow me to do a guest post on her blog.  I sent her a recipe for Texas Pecan Brownie Fingers which she posted on February 13.  I totally forgot to put up a post here letting people know about it.  

Kristen wrote some very sweet things about Grandma Loy's Kitchen, and I thank her very much for that.  If you want to try a scrumptious brownie recipe, hop on over and pick this one up.  While you're there, stick around and check out Kristen's blog.  She has great recipes and is hosting a month of chocolate with other guest bloggers.

I will be back tomorrow for Improv Cooking Challenge which Kristen just happen to host.  See you then.

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats-Better than Pumpkin Pie Squares

We continue with week seven of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Brenda at Meal Planning Magic.  This is the beginning of the second half so we are on the downhill slide right on to the end.

I am continuing to post recipes made with Holiday Cookie Mix.  Today’s recipe is what my family calls “Better than Pumpkin Pie” squares.  I have said before that I am not really into making pies so this has become our traditional Thanksgiving dessert.  It has a crust, the pumpkin filling and a wonderful brown sugar/pecan topping  and serves 12 to 15 so “fits the bill” well, I think.  This can also be cut into bars and served as part of a  cookie platter.

For those who might want to try this recipe, but don’t want to bother making the cookie mix, I am including directions to make the bottom crust without the mix.

The original recipe came from Homemade Cookies by Farm Journal published in 1971.  My copy of this cookbook is just about coming apart.  It is interesting that the pumpkin filling is the same one that has been on the back of the Libby Pumpkin can forever.  That is my favorite pumpkin filling recipe.  I am not sure who got what from whom.

For the topping, I combine the brown sugar and pecans, cut the butter in small pieces and mix it all together with clean hands.  I sprinkle it over the top of the filling and give myself permission to lick my fingers.

Better than Pumpkin Pie Squares
adapted from Homemade Cookies, Farm Journal, 1971
2 1/2 c. Holiday Cookie Mix
1/2 c. quick oats
OR
1 c. flour
1/2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. butter or regular margarine

1 (1 lb.) can pumpkin (2 c.)
1 (13 1/2 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 T. butter

Combine cookie mix and quick oats and press into a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.  OR Combine flour, oats and brown sugar.  Stir to mix well.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Press in a foil-lined 9x13-inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes.  While crust is baking combine in a large mixing bowl the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt and spices.  Beat with a whisk until well blended.  Pour mixture into hot crust and return to oven to bake 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine pecans and brown sugar.  Slice butter into small pieces and mix with pecans/sugar until well blended.  Sprinkle the topping over the partially baked filling mixture and return to oven to bake 20 minutes more or until filling is set.  (A toothpick inserted into filling will come out clean.)  Cool in pan on a rack and cut into large squares to serve as a dessert or into bars to serve as part of a cookie platter.  Makes 12 to 15 dessert servings or 24 to 32 bar cookies.

To recap the recipes posted so far:
Glazed Cinnamon Toffee Bars-Basic Holiday Cookie Mix is here
Buttermilk Rum Bars
Krispie Nut Bars
Chocolate Cottage Bars-This is a Saturday Sweets post that uses the mix
Tropical Dreams
Tart and Tasty Lemon Bars
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

Check out the links below for great recipes from other bloggers.  There is still time to join us, and you can find all the information on Brenda's 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats post.

Topsy Turvey Apple Cake

I love the fall when I can make all kinds of recipes with fresh, just-picked apples.  The stacks of different varieties of apples beckon me when I am at the grocery store.

This recipe is called a cake, but it is unlike a conventional cake.  It is really sliced, caramelized apple and nuts held together with a little dough.  I adapted this from a free recipe card picked up at a local grocery store many years ago.  Hubby liked this one so much the first time I made it, he had three servings in one evening.

The amount of apples needed will depend on their size.  You need enough  apple slices to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with a single layer.  I usually use about 4 apples.  I slice the apples into the baking dish until I have what I need, then put the slices in a bowl to mix with the sugar and cinnamon.  If I have any peeled apple leftover, I just eat it.

 Topsy Turvey Apple Cake
4-6 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 1/4 c. sugar, divided
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts

Slice enough apples to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish in a single layer.  Transfer apples to a bowl and mix with 1/2 c. sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix well to cover apples with sugar.  Wipe out the baking dish and grease it.  Return apple slices to baking dish, spreading them into a single layer.  Measure flour and 3/4 c. sugar into a small mixing bowl.  Add baking powder and mix well.  Measure vegetable oil in a glass 1-cup measuring cup.  Add eggs and beat until well mixed.  Pour into flour mixture and blend well.  Add nuts and stir until blended.  The mixture will be somewhat stiff.  Dollop spoonfuls of the dough onto the apples.  Carefully spread the dough out with a metal spatula or a knife until it covers the apples as much as possible.  Bake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Cut into squares.  Place on dessert plates with apple side up.  Makes about 12 to 15 servings.  Although this is good at room temperature, it is better warm.  I warm individual servings about 30 seconds in the microwave.  I love it topped with a scoop of ice cream and a swirl of caramel sauce.  Hubby likes to top it with a slice of cheddar cheese when it is warmed.

Linking to these great parties:
Weekend Potluck
I'm Lovin' It
Seasonal Inspiration
Strut Your Stuff
Weekend Bloggy Reading
Saturday Nite Special
Crazy Sweet Tuesday

Ingredient Spotlight-Praline Oatmeal Shortbread Squares

Today the Ingredient Spotlight over at Eat at Home is Oats.  What a versatile food this is.  From breakfast to lunch, to dinner, to dessert, oatmeal can be an ingredient in so many things.

I am sharing a very decadent bar cookie that includes oatmeal.   I give fair warning that eating these will put you on a sugar high before you know what has happened.  These are a tasty addition to any Christmas cookie tray.  Cut them small and eat them sparingly.

I created these from a couple of recipes I originally found in Farm Journal’s “Homemade Cookies” cookbook.

Praline Oatmeal Shortbread Squares
1 1/2 c. sifted flour
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
2/3 c. quick oats
1 c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
3/4 to 1 c. chopped toasted pecans

Combine flour, 2/3 c. brown sugar and oats in a large mixing bowl.  With a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub butter into dry mixture until well blended and crumbly.  Pat mixture into a foil-lined 10x15-inch jelly roll pan.  Bake in a 300-degree oven about 35 to 40 minutes or until just set and golden.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Combine 1 c. brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan.  Stirring constantly  bring to a full rolling boil.  Boil 1 1/2 minutes.  remove from heat.  Stir in the pecans.  Pour and spread over top of the baked layer.  Return to oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove pan to wire rack to cool.  Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares while cookies are still slightly warm.  Makes 4 doz.

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight
Cast Party Wednesday
Wow Me Wednesday-Gingersnap Crafts
Wow Me Wednesday-Polka Dots on Parade
What I Whipped Up Wednesday
Show and Share Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

Ingredient Spotlight-German White Chocolate Chip Bars

The theme today over at Eat at Home’s Ingredient Spotlight is cake mixes.   I often make my own cake mix, but do keep commercial cake mixes on hand, especially flavors that are not easily duplicated at home.  German chocolate is one of those flavors.  It is true that German chocolate cakes can be made at home, but they must be made from scratch.

Recently I experimented with making bar cookies with cake mix.  I used a German chocolate cake mix and added chopped pecans, coconut and white chocolate chips which resulted in a brownie-like cookie with the flavor of a German chocolate cake.  Other flavors of chips can be used if desired.  Since I used only 1/2  cup, this is a chance to use up any small amounts of chips that may be left from other recipes.

These cookies are best kept in a sealed plastic bag to keep them soft.

German White Chocolate Chip Bars
1 German Chocolate Cake Mix (18 oz.)
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. salad oil
1 egg
1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Place cake mix in a large mixing bowl.  Combine water, salad oil and egg.  Beat together well.  Pour liquid mixture into the cake mix and mix until well blended.  Stir in pecans, coconut and white chocolate chips, mixing well.  Pour into a foil-lined 9x13-in. baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.  Makes about 36 bars.  Store in a zip-top plastic bag to keep soft.

Linking to: Ingredient Spotlight
Cast Party Wednesday
Wow Me Wednesday-Ginger Snap Crafts
Wow Me Wednesday-Polksdots on Parade
What I Whipped Up Wednesday
Show and Share Wednesday
Whatever Goes Wednesday 
Work It Wednesday

Secret Recipe Club-Maple Pecan Brown Sugar Cake

My assignment for Secret Recipe Club this month was the blog, A Dusting of Sugar.   What a great find this was for this Great Big Sweet Tooth Dessert Lovin’ grandma.  The blog is filled with wonderful dessert and baking recipes from Rebecca, a college student who does most of her cooking in a dorm kitchen.  She is getting a bit better kitchen to cook in this year, I understand.

Looking through the blog, I found recipe after recipe that I wanted to try, but when I came across the post for Brown Sugar Cake I knew that was what I was going to make.  I also totally agree with sentiments she expresses in the post about eating sweets.  Just a couple of the other recipes that I want to try are Milk Muffins and Nutella Nanaimo Bars.

With fall coming, I have had the flavor of maple on my mind so decided that I would add maple flavor to the recipe and also some chopped, toasted pecans.

The cake is topped by a penuche type frosting to which I also added a bit of maple flavor.  This made the frosting taste similar to what is on bakery maple bars.  The cake is a sturdy cake which I actually cut into small enough  pieces to serve as a bar cookie.  No matter if you cut it into larger pieces to serve as cake or smaller ones to serve like bar cookies, it is  a delicious dessert well worth making.  Thanks for sharing a great recipe, Rebecca.

Maple Pecan Brown Sugar Cake
based on a recipe found at A Dusting of Sugar

1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
1/2 c. shortening
2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs at room temperature
1 t. maple flavoring
1 T. vanilla extract
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 c. milk
1 c. chopped toasted pecans

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, shortening, and brown sugar and beat until light and creamy.  Add eggs and mix until well blended.  Blend in maple flavoring and vanilla extract.  Combine flour and baking powder and stir well.  Add flour to creamed mixture and mix until well blended.  Add milk, mixing until batter is smooth.  Stir in pecans.  Pour batter into a well-greased 10x15-inch jelly roll pan.  The batter will fill pan very full.  Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when touched with a finger.  Let cool to room temperature.

Maple Frosting
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar, tightly packed
1/4 c. milk
1/2 t. maple flavoring
2 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar

Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan on the stove.  Add brown sugar, bring to a boil and boil over low heat for 2 minutes.  Add milk, cook and stir until mixture boils.  Remove from heat.  Stir in maple flavoring.  Add powdered sugar and mix in well.  Pour frosting over cake spread out quickly and evenly over the top.  Frosting will set up quickly.  Cool and cut as desired.  Makes 60 or more bar cookies or 15 servings as a cake.

 If you would like to join in the fun, just click on over to The Secret Recipe Club information page to find out all the details.