Cocoa Pancakes

Sometimes you have One Of Those Weeks. When the pantry is a little... light. But it's summer, so who really wants to tote three kids to the grocery store? Nevermind you're going through some Stuff, and only wanna be eating sweets + carbs. Obviously the only recourse to all that is searching Pinterest for sweet pancakes for dinner.

Who doesn't love a good breakfast for dinner? And breakfast can be tweaked and skewed to be just a HAIR away from dessert, which I FULLY ENDORSE. (Although perhaps I should refrain from using the h-word when talking about food. Ick. Sorry guys) So this recipe. I doubled, and subbed some stuff out for things I had on hand. It turned out really well, I may have eaten... too many.

2 c. flour
6 tbl. baking cocoa
2 tbl. baking powder
4 tbl. sugar (or maybe 3 if you're skiddish on the sugar)
1 tea. salt

2 eggs
2 tea. vanilla extract
2 c. milk
4 tbl. coconut oil

Sift together the dry ingredients, then blend in the wet ones. I usually do all except the coconut oil because the cold milk may make the coconut oil solidify and be clumpy. Bleh. Once it's all smoothed in, then do the coconut oil, and it works much better. Scoop onto a skillet in 1/4 c. portions, it's not a thick mix, and wait for it to bubble in the middle before flipping. Top with butter & powdered sugar. Maybe some berry syrup? It could make for some very delicious concoctions! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

A while ago, when I was going through a particularly rough time, a good friend brought over these amazing muffins. They were so good that I haven't posted the recipe because I've been waiting to put an equally amazing picture to accompany it. Things have been too busy to take such a picture, but that doesn't mean I should continue to keep all this goodness to myself. Enjoy!

1 (15 oz) can Pumpkin (or about 2 cups)
1 box spice cake mix
1-2 c. chocolate chips

Mix those three ingredients together, pour into cupcake tins, and bake at 350 for 20-25 mins.

Butterfinger Cake

I am making my little brother's favorite dessert today, and realized I do not have it on here! I have to haul out my recipe box and get the hardcopy! (astonishing!) So here is the gooey, chocolately, Butterfinger-y favorite dessert of my favorite brother. Do enjoy it.

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 tub Cool Whip
8 Butterfinger bars

Place the candy in the freezer and bake the cake according to the instructions on the box. When the cake comes out, let it cool a bit and in a small bowl combine the condensed milk and caramel. Lightly stab the cake and pour the milk mixture on top. Refrigerate for at least an hour, while the milk and caramel absorb into the cake. In a large bag, place the cool candy and smash it to a crumble. Cover the cake with Cool Whip, sprinkling crumbled candy on top. Put back in the fridge for 45 minutes.

His Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

On random nights, The Husband gets a serious hankering for chocolate chip cookies. Most of the time I just google "chocolate chip cookie recipe" and use whatever comes up. I don't have time to catalog and bother with cookie recipes- I can never tell a difference anyway. Well, after making this particular batch, The Husband exclaimed that I must bookmark this recipe ASAP. So I am. They were pretty yummy. They tasted a little vanilla-y to me, but The Husband loved it. So here you go.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I usually half this) 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned

I thought it was odd to dissolve the baking soda, but it worked just fine! I also didn't have all the chocolate chips I needed- being last minute on the cookies, I only used 1 c. mini chips and it worked just fine. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Oreo n' Brownie Bars

One of my family's favorites. It's a little rich for me, but I still end up making it all the time.

Source: abountifulkitchen.com via craftyashley on Pinterest

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips, semi sweet
1 package of Oreo cookies
1 package of brownie mix (to be prepared as directed on the box)  Ghiradelli works well.
dulce de leche or caramel topping- I skip this, makes it runny.

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper- or just grease the thing.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
Press the cookie dough evenly into the pan.
Now place the Oreo's on top of the cookie dough.
Spread or drizzle the dulce de leche or caramel topping on top of the oreos. (again, skip this)
Prepare brownie batter as directed. Pour/spread brownie batter on top and smooth it around with a spatula.
Bake for  about 50 minutes. Bars are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out with a bit of a moist crumb attached. Remove from oven and let cool completely, about 2 hours.  

Cut into squares and serve. 

Rolo Cookies

Made these today, Rolos and I are pretty close. A friend since I was little, for sure. In cookie form, they are also magical. Lately the recipes I've been trying have been found on Pinterest. So I'll link it from there, but also transcribe them, too. I don't trust weblinks long term. And I will be needing to have them to reference. (and my own little notes)

Source: sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com via craftyashley on Pinterest

1 pkg. Rolo's (the large bag)
1 box Devils Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil

Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie.)

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen- seriously three dozen. No joke.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. If you like to get fancy-pantsy. 

Never Fail Fudge

2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 stick butter or margarine
3/4 c. evaporated milk
1 (7 1/2 oz.) jar Marshmallow Fluff
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. package semisweet-chocolate pieces
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan; set aside. In large saucepan combine first 5 ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended. Heat to a full-rolling boil being careful not to mistake escaping air bubbles for boiling. Boil slowly, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from
heat, stir in vanilla and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Add nuts. Turn into greased pan and cool. Makes 2 1/2 pounds.

Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

1 bag marshmallows
6 c. Rice Krispies
1 stick butter
1 bag chocolate chips
(or equivalent trick or treat candy- see notes)

Grease a 9"x12" pan. Melt 1/2 butter in microwave. Add marshmallows and melt until smooth. Mix well with Rice Krispies and put in greased pan. Melt other 1/2 stick of butter. Add chips and melt until smooth. Pour over Rice Krispies. Refrigerate until cool.

Note: We had no trick or treaters, which left us with large amounts of candy. So I'm melting down the "fun size" Hersheys and Mr. Goodbars instead of using the chocolate chips.

Chocolate Cheesecake Milkshake

4 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat is fine)
2 cups milk
6 scoops chocolate ice cream

Place the cream cheese and 1 cup milk in a blender, and blend until smooth. Place the remaining milk and ice cream in the blender, and continue to blend until smooth. Serve cold.

Cake Mix Cookies

1/3 c. cooking oil
2 eggs
1 box devil's food cake mix


Combine and scoop into small balls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.

Tip: Use aluminum foil on your cookie sheets so you don't have to wash them. Saves so much time!

Heavenly Chocolate Squares

Bonus- dessert!

30 Chocolate graham crackers
2 (8 0z.) softened cream cheese
3 c. milk
3 pkg. Instant chocolate pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped topping, thawed

Arrange 15 graham squares on the bottom of a greased 13x9 pan. Beat cream cheese in bowl with mixer until smooth. Gradually add 1 c. milk. Add remaining milk and pudding mix. Beat on low speed for 2 mins. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread half the pudding mix over graham squares. Add remaining grahams on top, then adding the last layer of pudding mix. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve- you can add more whipped topping to garnish.

Makes 18 servings