These brownies made me very happy. I always have brownie mix on hand. If we are being honest here, sometimes I make the brownie mix just to have SEVEAL spoonfuls of the brownie batter before it even makes it in the oven. Oh, I know what some of you are thinking…”ewwww, thats nasty, there are raw eggs in there.” What I say to that is , PAH-LEEEEZE, I have been eating raw batters in all forms(brownie,cookie,pancake,cake etc.) since I was a small child and I am still alive. Heck, when I was really little I would sneak raw hamburger meat, dip it in the softened butter my Mom kept on the counter (another gasp from the peanut gallery) and EAT IT. The thought of that makes my stomach completely queazy, but the point being, I AM STILL ALIVE.
Geeze, I went off on a tangent there, I’m sorry…
Anyhoooo, yes, this is the perfect way to doctor up a brownie mix with literally ZERO effort with  MAXIUM result.

Plop the peanut butter over brownie batter and swirl with a knife.

The Hungry Housewife

I am sure if you are a food blogger, you have a pretty spoiled significant other.

One night my husband opened up the “Baking Cabinet” and was just staring into it.
He was just waiting for me to notice.
I said, “What are you doing, do you want me to make you something?
With out hesitation or without even taking a breath he said,
“Brownies……. Brownies with walnuts, chocolate chips and marshmallows.”
He said it so fast like he had been plotting.
So the next morning I made him his requested brownies.
Brownies with chocolate chips, toasted walnuts and marshmallows. Pretty simple.

I took them to work and I have never seen people go so crazy over a brownie. Like I put crack in them. You know, Kinda like McDonalds does with their fries.
They look like normal brownies, but they were anything but.
I mixed the marshmallows into the batter and once baked they melted right in, you can’t even see them in the cooked brownie.
The marshmallows made the brownies sooooooooo deliciously chewy and amazing. And the added chocolate chips and toasted walnuts just put them over the top.
I used a box mix, cause I am lazy like that these days. And to be honest, I love boxed brownie mix.
So if you want people to thing you are a Brownie God, go ahead and make these!

Man, I totally forgot it was World Nutella Day.
Pretty sure it should be a religious holiday.
Since I forgot, I obviously didn’t  make anything.

I will share the Nutella Recipes on my site for you…

by far, this unassuming drink is the most popular thing on my blog,
NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE

Nutella Peanut Butter Potato Chip Panini

Nutella Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

Nutella Peanut Butter Brownies (horrible photo from 2008,one of the 1st things I ever posted)

And if you follow me on instagram or Facebook, you will know I even take photos of Nutella Jars.

“Nutella is located on the top shelf because it is closer to God.”

Ok, so these might uber creative. But I think my creative juices have been zapped for the week.
If you follow me on Facebook, you know what I mean.

These Pillsbury Brownie Minis are the best invention since toilet paper.
You have the option of making 6 brownie minis or 12 brownies. umm, hello..that is my cup of tea!
That way I can eat just 6 instead of 12!
The second best part..all you need is water.
And they are tasty little things.

No recipe needed for these cute little flowers.
Just cook 6 or 12 Pillsbury Brownie Minis according to the package directions.
Swirl the Pillsbury Easy Frost No Fuss frosting in Vanilla Dream over the top of the cooled brownie.
With the Pillsbury Easy Frost Frosting in Decedent Chocolate Fudge, place a small amount in the cented of the frosted brownie mini.
Sprinkle with some coarse sugar.

Oh yeah, I said it, Cherry.Chocolate.Brownie.Cheesecake! Evil, isn’t it?
You see that brownie layer with the chocolate chips?
See the cherry filling INSIDE the cheesecake?
See the creamy cheesecake filling?
Feel free to wipe the drool from the corners of your mouth.
I’ll wait right here while you go make this…hurry along now.
Your back? Delicious, yes?
The lovely folks over at Lucky Leaf sent me some pie fillings and recipes to review. One of them being cherry, my favorite ready made pie filling of all times.  I had never used nor heard of Lucky Leaf before they contacted me. Their pie fillings don’t have High Fructose Corn Syrup( oh wait, isn’t it called corn sugar now???) in them which is a huge plus. They are truly delicious.
I know we are all going to be baking up a storm this holiday season, so don’t forget to pick up some Lucky Leaf next time you go to the store. And visit their website…lots of yummy recipes!!!

CHERRY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CHEESECAKE
Lucky Leaf
Printable recipe

1 8 oz brownie mix or 1 2/3 cup of brownie mix
4 eggs, divided
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
3 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 21-ounce can Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry Pie Filling
Frozen whipped topping, thawed for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9- inch sprinform pan with cooking spray: set aside.  In a medium bowl, stir together brownie mix, one egg and oil  until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread batter in prepared pan.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until brownie is set. (It will not be completely done at this point.)  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until well combined and smooth.  Add in the remaining eggs on low speed and set the mixture aside.  Carefully spoon 1/2 can )1 cup) of pie filling into center of brownie, leaving a 2- inch brownie border along side if pan.  Carefully, pour cream cheese mixture over surface.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is set, but jiggles when the pan is lightly tapped.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.  Top cheesecake with remaining cherry pie filling. Garnish with optional whipped topping.

* note* When I made the recipe I doubled the brownie mixture for the bottom of the pan.

GIVEAWAY WINNER
I know the giveaway was supposed to be done at 9 PM. Sorry..life calls and I will be away from my computer at 9.

Congrats Lady Nann!
Please email me with your mailing info!!!!

BITE SIZE REESE’S CUP BROWNIES

1 1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
6 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 Tbsp(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
20 Miniature Reece’s cups unwrapped and chopped, plus extra for topping if you wish

1.Preheat oven to 325 and adjust rack to middle position.
2.Grease mini muffin tins.
3.Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl and set aside.
4.Melt chocolate and butter over double boiler and stir occasionally until smooth.
5.Gradually whisk in sugar to chocolate and butter mixture.
6.Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each one until thoroughly combined. align=
7.Whisk in vanilla
8. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth.
9.Fold in Reece’s pieces

Spoon mixture into mini muffin tins by the heaping tablespoon full and top with extra chopped up Reece’s pieces if you wish.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Let rest in pan for about 5 minutes before cooling on wire rack.
Makes about 50

So last night I posted about the “Joys of Nutella“. Well after finding a recipe that look worth making, I just knew I had to get rid of that jar of Nutella before I ate it all!

And the winner is…drum roll please…………

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.
Melt the butter over low heat; when melted remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, and mix well.
Mix the peanut butter and chocolate spread in a small microwave-proof bowl, and heat in the microwave until it reaches a runny consistency. Stir the mixture into the batter; then pour it into the baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

The mixing of the dry ingredients.

And the end result of these super easy to make brownies is out of this world.

I really wasn’t able to taste much of the Nutella or the peanut butter which is somewhat disappointing since the Nutella has such a distinct flavor. But non the less, these were probably the most moist brownies I have made to date. The edges are nice and chewy, and the middles are tender and extremely moist! They did make a bit of a mess when I cut them because they are so tender. But the taste is still dark, rich and fudgy! These are a must bake!

Recipe courtesy Bethany Burchick from Pittsburgh, PA