Monday Munchies-Mud Brownies

Do you have the monday munchies yet?  I hope you do after you read the recipe I'm about to share with you today!  It's an old standby and I've lost count of the times I've whipped up this dessert when I was just in the mood for something chocolate..needed a quick go-to dessert for a church function..or when it had been too long since I'd last made it!  I call it "Mud Brownies"..sort of a take off of the old recipe Mississippi Mud Cake that my dad used to make alot when I was growing up (he did alot of baking..my mom sticked to meals mostly but baked when she was able to get me and my dad out of the kitchen long enough!).  Anyways..I "converted" this recipe since I'm such a HUGE fan of brownies (who isn't?) and I personally think its way better than the original made with a cake-base! 

Mud Brownies

Brownie:
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

3/4 cups butter or margarine (1 1/2-sticks)
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extraxt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13x9 pan with baking spray (like Pam).  Microwave the chocolate squares and butter in a microwaveable safe bowl, stirring occassionally as to not burn the chocolate, for about 2 minutes.  In a bowl, mix the sugar and chocolate mixture, then add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the flour and nuts (if using) until all is combined.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, checking often for doneness using a toothpick (when it comes out clean..its done!). 

As soon as you remove the brownies from the oven, spread an 8 oz. jar of marshmellow cream over the brownies.  Let cool completely.

Topping:
1 stick melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup evaporated milk (can use regular milk also)
1 box (or about 2 cups) powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa

Sift the sugar and cocoa.  Mix with melted butter.  Add the rest of ingredients and mix until smooth.  Spread over the cooled brownies.

Monday Munchies

Good morning everyone!!  Hope yall had a nice weekend!  Thought I'd share with you a recipe I sort of "invented" last week and it turned out divine!!!  Its really a no-brainer type recipe..nothing complicated and GREAT for the summer months!  I was out shopping at my local Kroger's..looking to purchase some vanilla wafers for the banana pudding I was going to make for my step-daughter's arrival Memorial Day Weekend and found *gasp*, lemon wafers!!  I couldn't believe my eyes!  Had never seen them before and made a mental note to self..make some sort of lemonish pudding using those in the near future!  So last week I was in the mood for something lemon-y (I LOVE lemon stuff, btw) and created this..I call it "lemon cheesecake pudding"..YUMO! 

1 (8 oz) carton Cool Whip
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar (approximately)
1 large box cook and serve lemon pudding, prepared according to package directions and cooled
1 box lemon wafers

In a bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.  Fold in 3/4 of the cool whip until all is combined.  In a trifle bowl, or any large bowl, layer lemon wafers, cooled lemon pudding, and cream cheese/cool whip mixture.  I made 2 layers total.  Top with remaining reserved cool whip and top with crushed lemon wafers.  Store in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Monday Munchies!

I thought for today's 'Monday Munchies' column I'd address the curiosity of some of my readers to a post I made last week.  I had to laugh when I would read  "cracker....salad??" but I can't blame them..the first time I heard of it I think I probably had the same reaction!  This is a Paula Deen recipe btw and when I heard about it and then read the recipe..I thought ok..this is something Damon would like but I definately wouldn't!!  Since I have such a dislike of tomatoes and mayo I knew it wouldn't exactly be "up my alley"..but after making it for him for the first time (and taking it to many a church potlucks) it soon became an instant hit with alot of people I know!  Now I have tried a tiny bite of it before..and the only way I know to describe it to anyone who's never tried it..is to say it tastes like something "old fashioned"..like something your grandmother would have made.  So if your a lover of things old fashioned (or want to try something new!)..give it a try and let me know how you like it!!

Cracker Salad

1-2 sleeves of crushed saltine crackers
2-3 green onions, chopped
1-2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2-3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
mayo (not sure how much I use but be prepared..it does take quite a bit)
pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together, chill, and serve!  Its that simple folks..but as you see the quantities I've put down aren't very specific..you can make it to your liking basically.  If you like alot of tomatoes, use more.  Same with everything else. 

Monday Munchies!

Welcome to the first installment of "Monday Munchies"!  Cute title, huh?  I thought monday would be a great day to post some of my favorite recipes..maybe something I've tried new, or an old favorite!  Great start to the week, don't you think?  Anyways, on saturday night I made a rhubarb pie..with rhubarb I picked right from our garden..nothing beats something you've grown yourself!  Here is a picture of one of the rhubarb plants we now have (we currently have 3)..we are working on getting more so we have PLENTY to go around!

I had never made a rhubarb "anything" without strawberries added..so I was a bit hesistant making this with rhubarb standing alone.  But...the recipe came from one of many amish cookbooks I own..and my motto is you can't ever find a bad amish recipe!  Damon is a big fan of rhubarb and the first time I ever made a strawberry rhubarb cobbler for us when we were newly married..I don't think he'd even heard of having strawberries with rhubarb..can you imagine?!  Anyways..here is the finished product..add your own ooh's and ahh's here..hehe....

The end result was very tasty I might add!  Though I did miss the strawberries a bit..this recipe is definately a keeper and one I'd make again!  Also I might add..I combined 2 recipes to sort of make it "my own" (do you ever do that?)..I took the filling from one and the topping from another!  Enjoy and hope this satisfies your monday munchies!  ;-)

Rhubarb Crumb Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups diced rhubarb
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crumbs:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, cut up

Mix rhubarb with sugar and flour, beat eggs and add to mixture along with the vanilla.  Pour into a 9 inch pie shell.  Mix all ingredients for crumb topping except butter in another bowl.  Using fork, cut in the butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over top of the rhubarb mixture.  Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then at 300 for 30 minutes or until desired browness.