Spicy Edamame Dip

I was initially planning on making hummus, but I had a bag of frozen edamame that I wanted to use up so I decided to do something with that instead. I found the idea for this online, but I can't remember where! I added much more hot sauce than I was expecting to and then I realize while it has healthy ingredients, Trader Joe's Sriracha is more mild than I would like it to be. With that said, I would recommend adding a tablespoon at a time until you hit the heat point that you desire.

I would say it is good, but it didn't blow me away. I did like it with carrots, but it wasn't good enough that I would make it again over trying something new. Though it is not totally fair to compare, I do much (much!) prefer the Spicy Asian White Bean Dip that I have made. I should make that one again soon! If you're an edamame (and sesame) fan, you'll probably like this one.

Spicy Edamame Dip
How I Did It:

1 cup shelled edamame
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp Tahini (I made my own)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsps water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sriracha sauce (I used Trader Joe's version)

1. Boil edamame for about 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. The mixture will be thicker than hummus. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Quick and Delightfully Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

The easiest peanut butter cookie you will ever make. While I was posting about my quick and easy flourless and butterless peanut butter cookie, I got to thinking that I could make it even more simple. Well, I did it and they are amazing. Thanks to the peanut butter, they hold up well, but are moist and chewy to the point of almost being creamy. Can a cookie be creamy? I thought I would miss the chocolate, but they are just so good as is. If I added chocolate I might dunk half in melted chocolate - I wouldn't want to disrupt the wonderful texture that they have.

Quick and Delightfully Simple Peanut Butter Cookies
How I Did It:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet.

2. Place the flaxseed meal in a bowl with three tablespoons of warm water. Stir and then let sit for 5 full minutes (to gel up).

3. Pour the flaxseed egg into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine.

4. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet 1-2 inches apart (they only spread a moderate amount). Sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for about 10 minutes or until they are just starting to brown and still look under-cooked. Remove from oven and let cool before transferring.

S'mores Muddy Buddies

I used to think I loved chocolate covered raisins way too much. That was until I made my own muddy buddies (or puppy chow if you prefer). In continuing with my tradition of always trying new variations I have gone rogue and used honey grahams cereal instead of rice Chex for these s'mores flavored muddy buddies. Summer is s'mores season and I adore s'mores. I do love the crunch of the Chex, but the flavor that honey grahams add is worth the substitute. And of course adding a bit of Nutella makes everything a whole lot better. I love peanut butter, but using Nutella instead is definitely the way to go here. These muddy buddies are amazing.

S'mores Muddy Buddies
How I Did It:

6 cups Honey Grahams
3/4 cup Nutella
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup powdered sugar


1. In a double broiler or medium heat, melt the Nutella and the chocolate chips together, stirring occasionally.

2. While the Nutella/chocolate mixture is melting, lay out a large sheet of parchment paper on a flat work surface and pour the Honey Grahams into a large bowl.

3. Once the Nutella and chocolate chips have melted and are well combined, remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the mini marshmallows.

4. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently stir to coat. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of mini marshmallows. Keep mixing until all of the cereal is coated.

5. Slowly, in 3-4 stages, pour the powdered sugar over the chocolate covered cereal and stir to coat. Keep gently mixing until it is evenly coated.

6. Carefully pour the wet muddy buddies onto the parchment paper and spread out so it can dry. Once dry, pour back into a bowl to serve or store in an airtight container for later enjoyment.

Spicy Asian White Bean Dip

This has to be one of the best bean dips I have ever had, and definitely the best I have ever made. Don't let the picture fool you, it really tastes amazing. It's not only easy, but it's really quick and there is a good chance you already have most if not all the ingredients in your kitchen, just waiting for you to throw this together. Keep in mind I enjoy some spice in my food, but this isn't that spicy. You could use more or less of the hot sauce depending on preference. Good as a bread/chip/cracker dip or as a spread...I was even dunking raw carrots in it and love the flavor combination.

Spicy Asian White Bean Dip
How I Did It:

15 oz (1 can) cannellini beans (any white beans would work), drained and rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lime juice

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Combine until smooth.

2. Serve as desired and store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Navy Bean Peanut Butter Bars

All that tempting gooey chocolate and peanut butter.

Sometimes you want a warm and gooey dessert that won't make you feel gross after though, right?

Okay, desserts don't usually make me feel gross regardless, but it's still nice to have healthier options. These bars are really tasty, but have no flour, refined sugar, oil/butter, or eggs! Plus, look at all that protein and fiber! They are good warm or cold. To make them vegan, just use all maple syrup.

Peanut Butter Bars 
How I Did It:

1 can Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup peanut butter 1 tbsp + 2 tsp honey
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease an 8x8" baking pan.

2. Add all ingredients (except the chocolate chips)to a food processor and process until combined and smooth.

3. Pour into a bowl and mix in chocolate chips.

4. Pour into prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges start to firm up and the center looks just set. It's better to slightly under cook than to over cook.

5. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Coconut Delight Bars

If you like coconut, you will love these coconut bars. I found them at Chocolate Covered Katie awhile back and I recently made them to the delight of my family. I don't really like the taste of agave on its own, but it works well in here. I think anything else would be too sweet and noticeable. The other good thing about using agave is that it makes these bars friendly to some people who can't handle most other sweeteners (sugar, honey, maple syrup). So easy to make and so easy to eat! If you want, after freezing them, you could dunk them in melted dark chocolate and then freeze them again. I say that because I always have chocolate on the brain, but to be honest, these really don't need it. They are perfect as is.

Coconut Delight Bars
How I Did It:

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup agave
2 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until well-combined. This will only take ten seconds or so.

2. Pour into the bottom on a loaf pan and press down evenly.

3. Cover and place in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Gluten Free Brownie Bites

Ever since I was a kid and would help my mom make brownies for the local soup kitchen, I have known I love brownies. Cake-like brownies are okay, but give me a gooey fudgy brownie and I'll...well, ask for another. Sadly, not everyone can eat brownies and for my friend who cannot eat gluten I made these brownies using almond meal. It was harder to make them super-fudgy, but they are moist, chewy, and dense and very inviting. I would say they have a subtle almond flavor and it would be very hard to eat just one.

Gluten Free Brownie Bites
How I Did It:

(makes 15 brownie bites)

1 cup almond meal
3/4 cup powdered sugar
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/16 tsp salt
1/3 cup egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
6 tsp melted butter, slightly cooled

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease a mini muffin tin and set aside.

2. Whisk together almond meal, powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt until well combined.

3. Stir in egg whites and vanilla.

4. Stir in butter in three parts. Stir a few times with each addition, and with the last addition stir until fully combined and smooth.

5. Fill mini muffin tins almost to the top with batter. Fill any empty tins under halfway with water.

6. Bake for about 10 minutes or until brownies puff up and spring back when lightly touched. Do not overcook or they will be dry. Remove from oven and let cool.

Andes Mints Muddy Buddies

Muddy buddies (or puppy chow if you'd prefer) is one of the most addicting desserts. I think part of the reason is that it feels a bit like a snack and it's easy to just pop in your mouth. You think, I'll just have a couple and then all of a sudden you have eaten the whole bowl! Also, they're delicious. Aside from the original peanut butter and chocolate muddy buddies (which are fantastic as they are), I have also made Harvest/Halloween Muddies Buddies and coconut muddy buddies. I'm not sure which are my favorite, but if you like mint and chocolate, you'll love these. I had some leftover and friends who have been over open up on the bowl to take a couple handfuls every time they walk by. I can't say that I blame them!

Andes Mints Muddy Buddies
How I Did It:

5 cups Rice Chex
2 boxes Andes Chocolate Mints
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp red sprinkles
1/2 tbsp green sprinkles

1. In a double-boiler, melt the Andes Mints and chocolate chips.

2. While the chocolate is melting, pour the Rice Chex into a large bowl and set aside. Pour the powdered sugar into a separate bowl and mix the sprinkles in.

3. Once the chocolate starts to get glossy, stir to speed up the melting. Pour immediately over the Chex and gently stir to combine. At first it might not seem like enough chocolate, but keep stirring until the Chex is fully and fairly evenly coated.

4. 1/2 cup at a time, pour the powdered sugar mixture over the gooey Chex. Stir to coat. Make sure all of the cereal is completely coated in powdered sugar. If it's warm out, you might want to lay it out flat to dry. Once dry, cover and store in an airtight container. Will last for several days before starting to get stale.

Banana Berry Smoothie

What's better than a cold fresh fruit smoothie on a really hot day...or even on an unseasonably warm fall day? I have been playing with different variations and right now this is my favorite. It's so easy - there's really no excuse not to make it. Sometimes I put it right into a glass and sometimes I put it in a bowl and stick it in the freezer for a bit and pretend it's ice cream. Either way, it's delightful and satisfying to the point that I don't even care that I'm not eating dairy or chocolate. Yeah, I said it. If you are craving chocolate, try this banana chocolate ice cream.

Banana Berry Smoothie
How I Did It:

1 frozen banana
7 frozen strawberries
1/8 cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)

1.  Break up frozen banana into a few chunk and grind up in the food processor. Add in strawberries and blueberries.

2.  Once the fruit is all finely chopped up, add in milk of choice, vanilla, and flax seeds and process until well combined and smooth.

3. Enjoy!

Super Gooey Almost Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie

So good  it's almost crazy, and so not horrible for you it is crazy! I can't make insane healthy claims as there is sugar and of course chocolate, but they are free of flour, butter, eggs, and full of protein! I got the idea after making Chocolate Covered Katie's Cookie Dough Dip. It's amazing as a dip. I wouldn't compare it to "regular" cookie dough, but I love it for what it is. Now what makes it over the top (in my opinion) is turning it into a super-gooey cookie. And it's so easy. Just spoon some of your dip into a microwave-safe bowl and...microwave it. Really, that's it. It forms a crust and the inside becomes even more creamy and of course there is the not so small matter of melty chocolate. Oh my.

Don't be scared of the beans. If you know they are there you will probably taste them, but strangely it's not a bad thing. I prefer to use navy beans as they are less "beany" in my opinion while still giving the dip its great texture. I also like to use a bit extra vanilla as it makes it taste less healthy.

If you are in the mood for something you can pick up with your hands, try Chocolate Chip Blondies with a Secret. Same bean idea, but baked.

Super Gooey Almost Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie
How I Did It:

1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 plus 2 tbsp dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Put all of the ingredients (except the chocolate) into your food processor and pulse until well combined. You may need to open it up a couple times to scrape down the sides (should only take a couple minutes at the most).

2. Pour into a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips. If you just want it as a dip you can eat it this way or refrigerate it to let it firm up.

3. When you're ready to make a "cookie" take scoop 3 tablespoons worth into a small microwaveable bowl (like a cereal bowl) and place as is into the microwave for about 1 minute or until it levels out and forms a crusty layer on top.

4. Repeat for anyone else who wants to try and store remaining "batter" in the refrigerator for more cookies later!

Harvest Muddy Buddies

Muddy buddies, puppy chow, monkey munch...whatever you call it, you know it's good. If you don't know how good it is, then you have probably never tried it. Chocolatey and peanut buttery, it manages to be delightfully crunchy and melt in your mouth at the same time. I've made it several times, but I saw a picture on Pinterest for "Halloween Puppy Chow" and thought it would be prefect to take to a (post) Halloween party. Credit for the idea goes all to Your Cup of Cake, although I can't say I used her recipe. What a great idea to put a holiday theme on a quick and easy dessert snack. Oh, and it's really, really good...in that addicting sort of way. I welcome you to try to make it without sampling any along the way!

Harvest Muddy Buddies
How I Did It:

18 cups of Rice Chex
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Reese's Pieces
1 1/2 cups Halloween M&M's

1. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a double boiler, melt 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup peanut butter, and white chocolate. While it's melting, pour 9 cups of the Chex cereal into a large mixing bowl. Once the butters and white chocolate start to melt, stir to speed up melting, add 1 tsp vanilla and continue to stir to smooth and combine.

3. Pour white chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently mix to coat evenly.

4. Coat the bottom of a casserole dish or brownie pan with 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Pour the Chex mixture on top and gently mix to coat. Add 3/4 cup more of powdered sugar to finish coating the cereal.

5. Spread cereal out of the prepared cookie sheet to dry.

6. In a double boiler, melt 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup peanut butter, and the semi-sweet chocolate. While it's melting, pour 9 cups of the Chex cereal into a large mixing bowl. Once the butters and chocolate start to melt, stir to speed up melting, add 1 tsp vanilla and continue to stir to smooth and combine.

7. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently mix to coat evenly.

8. Coat the bottom of a casserole dish or brownie pan with 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Pour the Chex mixture on top and gently mix to coat. Add 3/4 cup more of powdered sugar to finish coating the cereal.

9. Spread cereal out on the separate prepared cookie sheet to dry.

10. Once the cereals have dried out a bit (you are waiting for them to be less sticky), combine together and add the candies. Serve immediately or it is good for at least two weeks if kept in an air-tight container.

Chunky Apple Sauce

The first time in September or October that I go out in the middle of the day and still need my jacket always makes me a little sad. I love summer and really hate to say goodbye to those warm sunny days. If the cool days of fall have one saving grace though it is that it's apple season. Crunchy apples straight from the tree...just so refreshing and delicious! And while a plain apples are great snacks, there are so many things you can do with them...and I love them all! So yes, apple desserts are by far my (second) favorite (umm...chocolate).

I have a apple cake recipe I love, two apple crisp recipes (one much healthier than the other), and I have already made myself caramelized apples and of course apple sauce. I have been making apple sauce a couple times a season for a few years now and every year I make it slightly more chunky. This year I belive is the best yet! I left on all of the peals (lots of fiber, oh yeah!) and did mash it at all, just stirred as it breaks down a lot just from the heat and spoon mixing. The result was the very chunky apple sauce you see above. You might think the peel would make it not as good, but apple sauce is one place where I think it is better to leave the peel on. Plus, it takes only 1/4 the time to make if you don't have to peel your apples! The part that takes the longest is waiting for it to cook down. It is well worth the wait though, even if it is after 10 PM at night. I had a bowl right away - it was so tasty nice and hot. I also love it as an after lunch treat, room temperature/slightly cold....or re-heated! I can't get enough!

Chunky Apple Sauce
How I did it:

11 apples (I used mac and ginger gold), chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg

1. Throw all of your chopped apples (with the peels still on!) in a large pot on medium-high heat with one cup of water. Put the cover on and let heat up a bit.

2. Once it starts to cook, mix your apples up. Add your spices, mixing well. Add the sugar and mix some more!

3. Cover and let it cook, making sure to stir occasionally. The more aggressively you stir the more the apples will break down. Once the apples are softened and it is the consistency you desire, it is done!

4. Have a bowl warm if you wish and store anything remaining in the refrigerator.

Everyday Chocolate Ice Cream

Okay, so I admit this might not call out to you, but trust me when I say it should! It tastes just like banana chocolate ice cream, but without the diary, fat, excessive amounts of sugars, and all those preservatives and other stuff that I can't pronounce or explain. I should tell you that banana is not one of my favorite flavors, but it just tastes so good mixed with other flavors in smoothies...especially chocolate, of course. You can have this as a smoothie or ice cream and it is great either way!

So where did this come from? Over the summer I tried Starbuck's chocolate smoothie on a whim and it really exceeded my expectations. It tasted just like banana and chocolate and before I was done I had decided I must try to recreate it myself. I have made many different versions, and this is the one I like the best. It works well with just banana and chocolate powder though too. You can also make it with all unsweetened cocoa (since ripe banana is so sweet), but I like the added sweetness. If you do use all unsweetened cocoa, keep in mind it will be much more intensely chocolate.

I have no idea what gunk Starbuck's puts in their version, but I'm pretty happy with mine!

Everyday Chocolate Ice Cream
How I Did It:

(serves one)

1 1/2 frozen very ripe bananas
1 tbsp sweetened powdered baking chocolate
1 tbsp unsweetended cocoa
1 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Break up the frozen banana a bit and throw in your food processor. Process until it is just small chunks of banana and then add in all other ingredients. Blend until smooth and well combined.

2. Enjoy as is for a delicious chocolate smoothie or place in freezer for 5 - 20 minutes to turn it into chocolate banana ice cream. That's it!

Banana Almond Whoopie Pies

If you can't tell from the picture, these aren't your traditional, sugar and fat filled whoopie pies.  I saw very tasty looking banana chocolate chunk cookies over at Spoonful of Sugar Free and I knew I would have to make some version of them for my mom's belated birthday celebration. We were planning on celebrate via some sort of outdoor picnic during our mini vacation so cake of any sort wouldn't make it unfortunately. Well, once we all tried them all thoughts of "mom friendly" cake vanished!

I made a few changes to cater to my family's taste and food sensitives and they turned out great! Just sweet enough and the almond flavored center with the banana was perfect! These could easily be part of your breakfast or a great midday pick-you-up snack!  I left some without the filling and they are great like that as well. As an extra bonus the batter is quite tasty uncooked and of course perfectly safe to eat!

Sunning itself before being consumed during the birthday picnic

Banana Almond Whoopie Pies
How I Did it:

Cookies:
(makes one dozen single layer cookies)
2 cups oats
2 very ripe bananas
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/8 cup raisins

Filling:
1 cup almond butter
2 tbs almond milk
1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Grind oats in a food processor until they become flour-like. Set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher. Mix in vanilla and salt.

4. Add in oat flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix until well combined. Stir in water.

5. Add in dates and raisins and mix to distribute evenly.

6. Place heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. It won't change size/shape too much so depending on your preference you can make them flatter or more fluffy as you are putting them on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes - they will turn light brown and you will be able to pluck them right off the sheet. Let fully cool.

7. While your cookies are cooling, make the filling. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and beat well. Cover and place in the refrigerator (to firm up) until cookies are completely cool.

8. Once the cookies are fully cooled, try to pair up by size so each are matched with a cookie whose bottom is similar in size. Generously spread the filling on the flat bottom one of the matched cookies, allowing it to pile up more in the middle. Take it's partner and slightly press down to secure it on top. Repeat for the rest of the cookies. Store in a container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for best test before eating.

Funfetti Rice Crispy Treats

Do you feel like you're at a kid's birthday party? I did make this for a party...a party with all adults. We are never too old to have fun desserts! I needed something I could make in a hurry and the first thing that came to mind were rice crispy treats. I've seen pictures of cake batter or Funfetti rice crispy treats on Pinterest, so I thought I'd throw in some cake mix and sprinkles to jazz them up a bit. Definitely made them more fun and while you could taste the cake batter, I think I will add even more next time!

Funfetti Rice Crispy Treats
How I did it:

4 tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 10 oz bag mini marshmallows
3/4 cup Funfetti cake mix
6 cups rice crispy cereal (Rice Krispies or generic)
heaping 1/2 cup of sprinkles

1. Coat a 9x13" baking pan with oil and set aside.

2. Melt butter in a medium/large saucepan.

3. Pour in marshmallows and stir until completely melted and combined.

4. As soon as the marshmallows are all melted, stir in the cake mix.

5. Stir in cereal and mix until evenly coated and then add in a little over 1/4 cup of the sprinkles.

6. Spread evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining sprinkles (ha-ha) and press down to flatten/even out. Wait 30 minutes and then cut into bars.

Coconut Blondies

Don't worry, this isn't turning into a "Blonde Brownie" blog. After making the cookie butter blondies someone was asking me what a "bondie" is exactly. I went into a long explanation of a blonde brownie before he stopped me and said, "So, basically a brownie without the chocolate?" Right. Yes. I guess I could have just said that. I also like to think of it as a great (chewy and delightful) vehicle to test out flavors.

After coming back from a weekend of camping I needed a quick dessert to bring to a BBQ (like, very quick). So I whipped up these bad boys while my hair was drying. No, seriously. So simple...and absolutely delicious! Butterscotch, milk chocolate and coconut...such a great (and very tempting) combination.

Coconut Blondies
How I did it:

(makes 16 bars)

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup of milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1. Place butter in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. If the butter isn't completely melted, give it a little stir. Set aside to cool-down a bit.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using canola oil, grease a 8 inch square baking pan and set aside.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.

4. Pour melted butter into a larger bowl and mix with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

5. Stir in flour mixture 1/3 at a time. Add in coconut and milk and butterscotch chips.

6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the top starts to look golden brown. The top should be set, but the inside should be still very moist (not completely cooked). If you over-bake them they will be dry and more cake-like and not nearly as addicting.

7. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Spring Chocolate Bark

How can you make candy taste better you ask? Mix it with other candy of course!

My shattered eggs ready to be smashed into chocolate

I love having a bit of chocolate after dinner, but as much as I love to bake, I don't tend to bake just for myself. Partially because it seems silly to go through all that work just for me, and partially because I know I won't be able to finish whatever I make before it starts to decline in flavor and texture. The perfect alternative is solid chocolate candy and often that is what I use to settle my cravings. The post-Easter candy sales this year got me thinking. If I combine a bunch of different candies together I would create something that not only tasted fantastic (hopefully), but also would last as long as I needed it to.

I didn't really have a plan when I started other than to have a flavored milk chocolate base with lots of different Easter candies crumbles on top. I ended up with two base layers...one with a mix of milk chocolates, caramel, peanut butter, and a bit of marshmallow and the other thinner layer just milk and semi-sweet chocolate melted together. Those flavors combined with the "toppings" make this one bark that really has a lot of flavor. It's perfect for an after-dinner chocolate craving!

Spring Chocolate Bark

How I Did It:

12 ounces solid milk chocolate 

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

6 ounces peanut butter filled chocolate squares (not peanut butter cups)

6 ounces caramel filled chocolate squares

4 chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies 

3.5 ounces white chocolate mini-malted milk eggs
3 ounces coconut M&M's

8 bite-sized peanut butter cups
3 ounces Mini Cadbury Eggs (not the creme eggs)

2.5 ounces Reese's Pieces eggs

1. Take out your smallest jelly roll sheet (baking sheet with a small edge) and set aside. If you don't have a baking sheet with a lip/edge, you can use a casserole dish (you will just end up with a thicker bark).

2. Break the malted eggs, M&M's, peanut butter cups, mini Cadbury eggs, and Reese's Pieces up into halves and quarters. I used a knife to cut up the peanut butter cups and malted eggs and the rest I put into a zip-lock bag and hit with a pestle. Don't go to crazy -  you want large pieces, not crumbs and it looks better if you leave a few whole. Dumb all of the pieces into a bowl and mix up and set aside.

3. Melt 8.5 ounces of milk chocolate (in any form) in a double boiler. If you using chunks of chocolate, be sure to break up first. As soon as it starts to melt a bit add peanut butter and caramel filled chocolate squares along with the chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies. Stir until just smooth and pour on the baking sheet, spreading out evenly. Put the double boiler back on the heat and melt rest of the milk chocolate and the semi-sweet chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth and  pour directly over the first chocolate mixture. Smooth out as evenly as you can.

4. Take the candy pieces and generously sprinkle over the melted chocolate layers. Try to be as even as possible and when through gently press down on the candies.

5. Place in the fridge to set. Once harden, cut into pieces. Don't worry about being even, they look better if they are different sizes that aren't perfect rectangles. Store in the fridge.

Spring S'mores Bars

Whenever I am making a dessert for a family gathering it is always something of an ordeal. Okay, I am being dramatic, but I prefer making treats that everyone (or most normal people) would enjoy and between my dad and sister that automatically rules out: caramel, peanut butter, coconut, mint, and nuts. Yes, all of the most popular chocolate dessert additions. Way to ruin my baking fun guys! Luckily they both do like chocolate or we would have a situation.

For Easter I told my great aunt that I would make a fun Eastery dessert. Immediately I thought of my s'mores bars and subbing in the pastel marshmallows instead of the plain whites ones. It is so quick and easy to whip up, but it is really one of my favorites desserts I have made. The chocolate is so creamy and is a perfect fit with the graham crackers and especially the marshmallows. Every time I make it I am wowed by how great such a simple dessert can taste!

As it turns out colored mini marshmallows are much harder to find than I expected. I won't tell you how many stores I went to, but finally I found them at Target. What I didn't realize was multi-colored marshmallows are actually fruit flavored. Boo. After a taste test and a dunking in melted chocolate test I found that only the green and the pink would be usable so I picked them out and combined them with some plain white minis. Any suggestions for lemon and orange flavored marshmallows?

I know the amounts seem crazy, but I wanted to make a larger quantity. You could easily cut the recipe in half and instead use a 9" square pan instead - that's what I usually do and it turns out just as well (a bit thinner though).

Spring S'mores Bars

How I did it:

1 cup heavy cream (heavy whipping cream works well)
2 bags (about 24 oz) milk chocolate chips
7 cups mini-marshmallows (I used 2 white and 5 green/pink)
13 oz fudge covered graham crackers (not to be confused with chocolate graham crackers)

1. Cover a 9x13 baking dish with aluminum foil and set aside.

2. Pour the cream into a pot and heat just until bubbles start to form and then remove from heat. {Important: Do not walk away from the cream - it boils over very quickly and then you will not only lose all your cream, but have quite a stinky mess on your stove!} Remove from heat and pour in the chocolate chips and stir until fully incorporated and smooth. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes so it doesn't harden.

3. Add marshmallows - stir until well coated. Gently stir in the graham crackers until also well combined.

4. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly, pressing down lightly. Refrigerate until set. Cut and serve!

Keep in mind the bar will taste best the first day or two. After that they still taste great, but the graham crackers will start to soften. {Read: I'd still eat them, but would not serve them}

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

There's something about baking with a theme that is fun, and holiday themed desserts have a very short lifespan (okay, fine...except Christmas). Since Easter is next weekend I wanted to take advantage and make small Easter themed treats that I could bring over my friend's house. There were only going to be 4 or 5 of us, so I didn't want to make a bunch of cupcakes or cookies that I would run the risk of being sent home with. I mean, I love leftover sweets, but there are only so many a girl can eat in a day...even me.

Candy is great b/c you can make it any quantity you desire and it generally lasts longer than other desserts. I made 14 small eggs, but you could easily make more (or less, but they keep for awhile in the fridge and once you taste them you will wish you had made more). They are like peanut butter cups, but much better.

I like to mix chocolates together - I think it creates a deeper flavor, but you could just use all semi-sweet or milk chocolate. Keep in mind the better the quality of chocolate the better your candies will taste. For the decoration I just used "snowflake" decor sprinkles that I already had and picked out all of the spring colors and just used those. There are lots of other fun options though...pastel sprinkles, sugar, mini nonpareils, small candies etc. You could even melt and dye some white chocolate and drizzle it on top!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

How I did it

2 1/2 tablespoons butter - softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/8 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup coconut flakes
1/8 cup 60% cacao chips
1/4 cup semi-sweet chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
pastel colored sprinkles or decorative candies


1. In a small to medium sized bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together until lightened and creamy. Slowly add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Once well combined stir in coconut flakes.


2. Place the peanut butter mixture on a surface lightly covered with powered sugar. Work in more powdered sugar as needed to be able to work with the mixture. Form into about 14 egg shaped balls and place on a cookie sheet in the freezer.


3. After about 30 minutes, with the peanut butter eggs still in the freezer, prepare a second cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper and set next to the stove. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Make sure the water is not boiling too heavily and you do not get any water or steam into your chocolate. Once melted and creamy take one egg out the freezer at a time and dunk and full coat in the chocolate. Remove with a fork and gently set on the parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle with your desired decorative candy topping. Repeat for all eggs and return to freezer to harden (about 30 minutes). Store in a container in the fridge and take out only when serving.

White Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Strawberries

Cheesecake and fruit. These were the first two things my friend listed when I mentioned my plan to make him something for his birthday. Immediately I thought of those cheesecake stuffed strawberries that have been all over Pinterest. Yes, of course they look good, but not overly exciting. Not enough cheesecake filling! So, I decided to take strawberries, split them in half, pile on the cheesecake filling, cover them back up and then dunk them in white chocolate. If it were for myself I would have done milk chocolate, but I know he is a fan of white chocolate and I thought it would look nicer anyway. I didn't want to make the filling too sweet since I was also dunking in white chocolate, but you could easily add more powdered sugar as you go along if you find it is not sweet enough for you.

Not wanting to overwhelm him I only made 8, but you could change the ratios to make more or less. They were a bit messy, but he said they were really tasty. The cheesecake filling alone would make a great fruit dip! Okay, I confess...I dunked a strawberry or two in the leftover filling and I was not disappointed.

White Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Strawberries

How I did it

8 strawberries
5 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 bag good quality white chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)
1/2 tablespoon canola oil (or shortening)

1. Wash, dry, and de-stem the strawberries. Set aside.

2. Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy.

3. Cut one strawberry at a time down the middle, lengthwise, and clean out any of the white in the middle. Scoop the cheesecake filling onto the freshly cut strawberry half and then lightly press the other half on top. Some filling should be sticking out of the sides and the top. This is good. Place on a tray and repeat for the other strawberries. When complete (it won't take long!) place your tray of cheesecake strawberries in the fridge to let the filling harden up a bit.

4. Pour about 1/2 a bag of white chocolate chips and a small amount of canola oil (you could also use shortening, but I prefer oil)  into a double boiler to melt. Do not let any water mix in or you will ruin your chocolate. You don't necessarily need a full 6 ounces/half bag, but you do want to make sure you have extra in there so there is plenty of white chocolate depth for dipping your your strawberry sandwiches will come apart! Take the strawberries out of the fridge one at a time and  holding at the top (larger) end dunk into the chocolate. Place on a tray and repeat for the rest of the strawberries. When done place the tray in the fridge. Once the white chocolate has hardened you can serve or put in an container to store in the fridge.