Monday is here, and I am ready to cheer you up with some Nutella! After such a great weekend, I need a little pick me up. We had gorgeous weather. There was double header flag football games, a football team picnic, seeds and plants were put in the garden, and lots of basketball was played (my 8 year got a basketball hoop for his birthday). So today definitely calls for Nutella
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We had a very busy weekend around here! My parents came to visit for a few days, so we have been busy with them. My 7 year old is going to be 8 very soon, so there was lots of birthday celebration going on as well. My brother and SIL came up for the day to help celebrate. My 7 year old had a flag football game last night, and another one tonight. So given all the busy going on, I am all about easy right now!
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Posted in Desserts
Tagged 4 ingredients brownies, chocolate, easy brownies, muffin tin brownies, Nutella, nutella brownies
Today we are leaving for Japan! I can’t wait to share pictures and tell you about the trip. In my absence, I have some wonderful friends who are going to take over for me. The first guest post is Roxana from Roxana’s Home Baking. Roxana does amazing things with desserts and breads, I am always in awe of her talent. Just look at these Homemade Rolo Bars, Steakhouse Bread, and Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
Hello Dinners, Dishes and Desserts readers. I’m Roxana, the wanna be baker and photographer behind Roxana’s Home Baking. My blog is focus on baking everything from scratch. I’m a self-taught baker, learning more with every cup of flour I use. Most of the recipes found on my blog rely on simple techniques everyone can master with a little bit of patience. I also have a big sweet tooth, easily noticeable through the hundreds on desserts recipes I’ve shared. I have a slight addiction to chocolate; I could put some in soup if it’s up to me.
Homemade chocolate goodies is the best medicine.
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Posted in Desserts
Tagged bars, chocolate, Desserts, magic bars, Nutella, roxanas home baking
On Friday I shared with you my Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcakes that are part of a competition with Nestle. When they asked me to create something for them, I actually created two chocolate treats. This is the other recipe I tested. I was really happy when caramel was selected as the ingredient for this months #chocolateparty, because then I had a reason to share them with you right away!
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Posted in Desserts
Tagged brownies, caramel, chocolate, chocolateparty, fudgy brownies, salted caramel, salted caramel brownies
Holidays are all about family, friends, and tradition. Today, Beate from Galactopdx is hosting this #SundaySupper “Home for the Holidays” event. We are all sharing recipes and traditions from our families.
In my family we have a tradition of making fudge every Christmas Eve. We don’t make it any other day of the year, just the 24th. It has to be one of my all time favorite holiday treats. You can often find me sneaking pieces Christmas morning while we are opening presents. This is the recipe we have been making in my family forever. I believe it was originally from the back of the marshmallow fluff jar, but I am not completely sure. You can easily add nuts if that is your thing, but I am a purist and like it without.
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, and enjoy your time with family and friends. I am taking a couple days off from the blog, but will be back with lots of appetizer ideas for your New Years parties.
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Posted in Desserts
Tagged candy, chocolate, chocolate fudge, Christmas, cookie exchange, desserts, fudge, holidays, marshmallow fluff, no bake
Puppy Chow, Muddy Buddies…whatever you call it, it is a classic Holiday treat. It is easy to make and the flavors are a classic. Just melt , mix, shake, and dump. You could easily have the kids work on this one for you, or at least help. And there is a decent chance you have all of the ingredients in the house already.
You know I can’t get enough peanut butter and chocolate, so it should come as no surprise to you that I have adapted this classic to have MORE! I always loved the pieces that got stuck together because they had so much peanut butter and chocolate between them. Well, now I make my own, and figured all the pieces should be like that 
There are all sorts of different recipes out there for different version of this; candy cane, or lemon, or white chocolate etc. But I like a classic. If you have peanut allergies in your house Sun Butter would work great in this. Or maybe some Biscoff spread if you want to go crazy.
Go check out my version, and get the recipe at Culinary.Net
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Posted in Desserts
Tagged cereal mix, chex, chex cereal, chocolate, corn chex, muddy buddies, peanut butter, peanut free puppy chow, puppy chow
You all know that I am a huge fan of chocolate and peanut butter, so this recipe should come as no surprise. These have become a staple at my house during the holidays. My dad was never a fan of peanut butter, so we didn’t really have many peanut butter treats growing up. Peanut Blossoms were pretty much the extent. But then I grew up, and now I control what was in the house, and peanut butter it is!
Years ago before I had my son, I did a cookie exchange with some women I worked with. We did it for a few years, each year was a little different. Some times we actually baked together, some years we just met for dinner and handed out our cookies. Every year we walked away with a great selection, and had a great time. My friend Beth, was always in charge of the Buckeye’s. One year, after I had moved away, she knew I liked them so much, she even sent me some! But this year, I am making my own, using her recipe.
She is from Ohio, and a big Ohio State fan. I am not. So I chose to completely cover mine in chocolate, and change the name. Being from Wisconsin, making “Buckeyes” just seems wrong. I am not sure of the origin of the recipe, it is just what she has been making for years, and has been passed on to me. A few of these are going to my son’s teachers as part of their gifts this year. I am sure they will be appreciated.
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There are certain flavors that I associate with the Christmas season; anything mint or peppermint, eggnog, and toffee, to name a few. Toffee is one of my favorite things. I have made it a few times before, and maybe someday I will take pictures and share it with you. But in the mean time, you will have to live with toffee baked goods, like these and Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Today I am joining some other bloggers in the 1st Annual Blogging Buddies Virtual Cookie Exchange. This is a fun group of ladies, and we are all doing a cookie exchange today. Since we can’t do it in person, we are sharing it virtually with you! Check out what everyone brought!
I made these bars years ago as part of a cookie exchange, but kind of forgot about them. A friend reminded me of them this year, so I got out the recipe and went to work. My 7 year old and husband loved these. Usually, my husband can stay away from desserts and has amazing will power, but not these. I brought these to a cookie exchange I did on Sunday night. Both my guys said that when I went around the table to pick out cookies at the exchange, I should just pick my own cookies each time.
Trust me, this will be perfect for your holiday tray. Santa might even leave you a few extra presents if you have these out for him Plus they are super easy to throw together. Minimal ingredients, quick baking time, and dump candy on top. Can’t get much better than that.
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Posted in Desserts
Tagged bars, chocolate, Christmas, cookie exchange, desserts, heath bars, heath toffee chips, holiday, shortbread, toffee
December is here. Christmas is right around the corner. You know what that means right? Cookies, and treats all month long! Ok, maybe there will be one or two that aren’t Christmas related, but the rest of the month will be getting you ready for the big day.
Today, I am helping out my good friend Roxana from, Roxana’s Home Baking with her 25 recipes to Christmas! I am super excited to be a part of this great group she has going. Plus she has great giveaways going on with it too, so don’t miss it!
I made an over the top, kicked up version of my favorite Christmas cookie. Trust me, these are worth breaking your diet for. Go tell Roxana Hi, and check out these cookies!
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Tis’ the season for chocolate! And boy are you in for a treat today. We have lots of chocolate to talk about, and lots of chocolate for you to win!
But first, let’s get serious. West Africa is the source of 70% of the world’s chocolate, the Ivory Coast alone produces 40%. The beans that are harvested in West Africa are then mixed into almost every mass produced brand of chocolate. But here is where it gets serious. In West Africa, the Ivory Cost in particular, child trafficking is very common. Kids and families go to the Ivory Coast in search of jobs, but then the children are separated from their families, and trafficked to cocoa farmers. Some of the farmer’s pay the children a small sum to work on the farm, others pay them nothing. The children are forced to work long hours, perform dangerous tasks, and are given minimal food and shelter.
This is where Equal Exchange is stepping up and making a difference. All of their chocolate is sourced from small scale farmer co-ops in the Dominican Republic, Panama, Ecuador and Peru. The farmers all own their land, and control their business. All of the chocolate from Equal Exchange is organic. They partner with farmers using sustainable farming methods, without pesticides or fertilizers. The chocolate is made without corn syrup or other additives, so you can feel better about putting it in your body. You can learn more about the fair trade of chocolate and what Equal Exchange is doing on their website.
You can play a game on Equal Exchange’s Facebook page to win some of their new candy bars, as well as learn more about chocolate. They currently have 3 new candy bars. One filled with peanut butter (my personal favorite), a crispy one filled with crisped rice and quinoa, and a dark chocolate fruit and nut bar. All were delicious, and I love the idea of quinoa in candy! I was also given mini’s that were just milk chocolate – super silky and smooth. They are going to be great for trick or treaters!
Want to win some of your own chocolate, just in time for Halloween? Well Equal Exchange is giving one lucky winner a 24 pack of candy bars!
Open to residents of the US Only. I will notify the winner via email, and they will have 48 hours to respond, or I will pick a new winner.
**I was sent 6 Equal Exchange Candy Bars, and a box of mini chocolate candies. The giveaway is sponsored by Equal Exchange. All opinions are 100% my own.
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Posted in Admin
Tagged candy review, chocolate, chocolate giveaway, equal exchange chocolate, fair trade chocolate, giveaway
