I originally posted about these yummy Vanilla Cream Rice Krispies Treats last spring (2011).

Find out how to make them HERE.

Here’s a yummy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe. It’s no bake and easy to prepare.

Warning: Unlike some of my sweet recipes, this is NOT low fat. I cut my bars into small squares. This is my attempt at portion control.

I have been wanting to try this recipe for some time. It is from AllRecipes.com. Recently, I noticed Peanut Butter Bars are popular and can be found all over the internet (on blogs and Pinterest.) My blogger buddy, Janae of Keeping Cents, made some last week and posted about it on her Facebook page. This got me motivated to finally make this sweet recipe.

I am glad I did. They are like homemade Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. I love Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. The difference is the homemade version is not as sweet which I think is a good thing.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

(from AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

For peanut butter filling:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs – I used the ones from a box. You could make your own from graham crackers but you need to make sure they are finely crushed.
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup butter, melted

For chocolate topping:

• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter and melted butter using a hand mixer until well blended. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan lined with parchment or wax-paper.

Melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter stirring until smooth. Spread melted chocolate mixture over the peanut butter filling mixture.

Refrigerate for at least one hour. I refrigerated for 1.5 hours and it was fine. Cut into squares.

Store in refrigerator.

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NOTES

• Some make this in a 9×9 pan. I prefer the bars thin so I make it in a 9×13 pan.
• I cut the bars into small squares (a little more than 1 inch square) so they are like Mini Reeces Peanut Butter Cups.
• I store them in the freezer.

Do you like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter?

Happy Cooking!

(This is linked to Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange and The Frugal Girls.)

I have a sweet chocolate dessert to share. I must warn you it’s another low fat recipe. It reminds me of our Low Fat Chocolate Mini Muffins which is a family favorite and regularly made. I thought it was time to add some variety. So, I turned my attention to cake – a simple to make Chocolate Sheet Cake.

I love cake. Most kinds – chocolate or white or yellow or banana – you get the point. It’s hard for me to say no when someone offers me a piece. A few years ago I found a recipe in a magazine for a low fat version of a chocolate sheet cake. I clipped the recipe and believe it’s from a Taste of Home Magazine.

It’s easy to make and tastes great. Add frosting and sprinkles and we’re all happy.

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Low Fat Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in applesauce.

In a separate bowl, combine together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the water. Lastly, fold in chocolate chips.

Spray a 13×9 pan. I use Pam’s Baking Spray. Pour cake batter into pan.

Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

I topped the sheet cake with a cream cheese – whipped cream frosting.

Frosting Recipe

• 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1  tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tub (8oz) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed

Beat cream cheese and sugar in bowl. When it’s smooth, mix in vanilla extract. Fold in whipped topping.

Lastly, we topped the frosting with rainbow sprinkles. LOVE rainbow sprinkles!

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NOTES

• I store the cake in the refrigerator. I do take the cake out to sit for a while before serving so it’s not cold and hard when you eat it.
• I didn’t use all of the frosting. In fact, I used half of what the above recipe made. We prefer a cake with little frosting. Next time, I’ll half the recipe.
• I have no idea what is the fat or calorie count of this dessert. I know it’s lower than regular cakes because it uses little butter. It also uses applesauce which is a common low fat substitute for oil or butter in baking.

So, what’s your favorite chocolate cake recipe or low fat dessert recipe?

Happy Cooking!

(This is linked to Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange and The Frugal Girls.)

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Here’s a no-bake Gronola Bites recipe I recently made to satisfy my sweet tooth. This is easy to make, delicious and has chocolate and peanut butter.

I love Quaker Chewy Granola bars – specifically the Chocolate Chip ones. I prefer chewy versus crunchy granola bars. I was set on finding a way to replace the Quaker Chewy Granola bars with something homemade.

This No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bites Recipe comes close. The big difference is the taste of peanut butter. But, I don’t mind because I love peanut butter.

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No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bites

(The recipe is adapted from one found on MarthaStewart.com.)

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup crispy rice cereal
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine and mix together the honey and peanut butter. In a separate bowl, mix together the oats, crispy rice cereal and mini chocolate chips.

Pour the dry ingredients into the honey-peanut butter mixture. Stir until combined.

Using a cookie scoop that is about 1 tablespoon in size, scoop out mixture.

Place onto foil or parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator. You will notice the scooped granola bites are loose (and can fall apart easily). There’s a difference between the scoops you see on the cookie sheet above and the ones in finale picture at the top of this post.

You’ll need to form the scooped granola bites into a tighter ball by squishing (<- is that a word?) it together and rolling into a smaller ball shape. Tip: I kept my hands slightly wet with water to prevent the mixture from sticking to my hands. Place again in refrigerator for another 30 minutes.

This made about 21 granola bites.

I keep and store my granola bites in the refrigerator.

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NOTES

• You could try forming the balls without a cookie scoop but you may want to place the granola mixture in the refrigerator first for 30 minutes. The mixture is sticky and can fall apart easily. This is why I used the scoop and then after setting in the refrigerator I formed/squeezed the granola bites into smaller balls to make them more tight (less loose).
• You could substitute mini chocolate chips for dried fruit to make this more healthy. Me – I’m sticking with the chocolate.

Have you made any good homemade granola bars or bites? Please share.

(This is linked to Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange and The Frugal Girls.)

I recently found a muffin recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook as I was skimming through it and the words “French” “Puffs” and “FAST” got my attention. Some call it French Breakfast Puffs. Others call it Donut Muffins.

As my kiddos were enjoying these French Breakfast Puffs for the first time, they asked me what to call them. I told them “French Breakfast Puffs.“ They gave me a blank stare. Too fancy of a name? I then asked “What do you want to call them?” Their response – “Breakfast Muffins!”

So, in our house…we shall call them Breakfast Muffins.

Breakfast Muffins (aka French Breakfast Puffs) Recipe

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• nutmeg (I omitted this but original recipe includes it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, (nutmeg) and salt in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix egg, milk and butter. Pour this mixture into the dry flour mixture. Mix until combined. Note: The batter will be lumpy and thick.

Coat mini muffin pans with a nonstick cooking spray. I like to use Pam Baking Spray. Fill each cup in a mini muffin pan about 2/3 full. Tip: I use a small cookie scoop (about 2 tsp in size).

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

Muffin Topping: Combine together 1/4 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.  Melt 3 tablespoon butter in another small bowl.

Dip baked muffin tops (or the whole muffin, whatever kind of coverage you’d like)  in melted butter and then dip in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Makes 24 – 28 mini muffins.

Have you ever made French Breakfast Puffs?!

(This is linked to Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange and The Frugal Girls.)