dessert

Salted Caramel {Brownie Bites}

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Every once in a while, you stumble upon something unexpected,  but totally life-changing. Often, its a new best friend, a profound novel, a moving song…

For me, it was salted caramel. And more specifically, these perfect bite-sized treats.

Everyone you share these with will thank you. And, they’ll think you’re super-fancy, ’cause everyone knows stuff like sushi, brie, that Asian hot sauce stuff, red wine, hummus and salted caramel makes you fancy. Proven fact.

Perfect for your next Holiday party, cookie swap, gift-wrapping marathon, or to eat delicately while watching Home Alone for the 1,000th time…

Dark Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bites with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Based on this recipe

Makes 4 dozen bites

Ingredients:

Brownies:

  • 2 boxes of brownie mix (I recommend the Ghiradelli dark chocolate mix – it’s my secret weapon…)
  • A piece of soft caramel for each brownie bite (I used a local confectioners homemade caramels, and cut each into fourths for a piece of caramel about the size of a dime, and 1/4″ thick. You can use any soft caramels, and adjust to taste)

Frosting:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 12-20 caramels
, depending on size
  • 2 T. heavy cream
  • 
2 c. powdered sugar
  • kosher sea salt

Directions:

Brownies:

  • Preheat oven to 325. Mix brownie batter as directed.
  • Lightly grease mini-cupcake pan, and fill cups 1/3 full with batter. Place a caramel in each, and fill the rest of the way with batter. Be sure to cover caramel.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, let cool, and gently remove from pan.

Frosting:

  • First, melt the caramel with the heavy cream. You can pop it in the microwave for 30 second increments, until the caramel is smooth. Allow it to cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
  • Whip the butter for about 30 seconds on med-high speed, until fluffy. Add in about one cup of powdered sugar, and mix until combined. Once the caramel is cool to the touch, turn the mixer on medium speed and then drizzle the caramel into the frosting, reserving just a little to top the brownies. Beat until fluffy.
  • Add the other cup of powdered sugar and the salt, a 1/4 to a 1/2 t. at a time, mixing and then tasting after each addition to make sure you don’t add too much. A little goes a long way!
  • Use a pastry bag, or a baggie with the tip cut off, to pipe a little of the frosting in a swirl on top of each cooled brownie. Top with a hint of a drizzle of the reserved caramel, chocolate shavings, and another little dash of sea salt.
  • Enjoy!

{Biscoff} Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

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There is just something about Thanksgiving.

The family, the history, the stories, the shopping, the parade, the naps…

<;– My mom's amazing dry-erase art from my family's visit last weekend! If you couldn't tell, that's me,the husband and a plate of cookies…

Oh yeah, and the FOOD!

This year, go beyond the pumpkin pie and turkey… not too far (let’s face it, grandpa won’t dig tofu or quinoa), but far enough to make people think you’re fancy.

It’s nice when people think you’re fancy. Particularly when it takes very little actual effort. Kind of like these cookies.

Most people have tasted those lovely, sweet, slightly spicy little cookies that are handed out on Delta flights – Biscoff. What you may not know is that you not only can find the cookies at your local grocery store, but you can also find Biscoff spread.

This creamy concoction tastes like pulverized cookies mixed with peanut butter – Totally dreamy, and full of possibilities. Put it on your oatmeal, toast, yogurt, apple slices or pancakes. OR, you could make these fluffy perfect-for-Thanksgiving little cookies.

From cookie, to spread, and back to cookie again. You’re just completing the circle of life.

Biscoff Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

From this recipe – yet another great Pinterest find!

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/3 cup Biscoff Spread (or Trader Joe’s Cookie Spread)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • Optional Add-ins: Chocolate chips, pecans, dried cranberries…

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars. Beat until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and Biscoff spread and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Stir in the oats.

5. Form the cookie dough into rounded tablespoons and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden and just firm around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then remove with a spatula onto a cooling rack.

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

{Decadent} S’More Trifle

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If you have to feed a crowd, this is your dessert. If you need to make something easy, this is your dessert. If you want to make people smile when you walk in the room lugging this bowl with you, this is your dessert. If you love the feeling of marshmallow fluff between your fingers, this is your dessert.

Actually, you really don’t have any excuses. Just save yourself the trouble, and make this now. Trust me… your smiling friends will thank you.

How can you not drool over this picture?:

Gooey S’More Trifle

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages of brownie mix (I use Ghiradelli – it’s the BEST)
  • 1 packet of instant chocolate pudding
  • 1 large tub of light whipped topping, thawed (see – this dessert is practically a health food!)
  • 1/2 box of graham crackers, crushed
  • 2 large containers of marshmallow fluff
  • 2 Hershey’s candy bars
  • 1 cup of mini marshmallows

Directions:

  • Bake brownies as directed. Let cool, set aside.
  • Make pudding using 1/2 milk required, let set. Once firm, mix entire tub of whipped topping, set aside.
  • Break cooled brownies into chunks, use as the first trifle layer in the bottom of the bowl. Follow with a layer of marshmallow fluff, then crushed graham crackers, then pudding mixture,. Repeat until bowl is full. (Hint: It might be easier to spread fluff if you scoop it into a piping bag, or baggie with hole cut at the tip. Remember – it doesn’t have to be pretty!)
  • Top bowl with broken-up candy bars, and mini-marshmallows.
  • Get a really big spoon, and enjoy!

This could also be perfect for the “kid’s table” at Thanksgiving…. come on, admit it. Everyone knows we’ll never “graduate”. But, with awesome kid food like this, who wants to ? ;)