Layers of Love Brownies

These bars have kind of a funny title. I didn't make it up, but I imagine that whoever developed this recipe didn't think Brownies with White Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Chips, Caramel and Pecans was an appropriate title. It is kind of long. And with those ingredients, what's not to love? I can see how titling these bars Layers of Love just made sense. A homemade brownie studded with all those good things is hard not to love.

Start by combining the flour, salt and cocoa in a small bowl.

Whisk it together to mix it all up. Then in a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar

and cream together until smooth. Add 2 eggs, one at a time,

and beat again. Beat in the vanilla, then gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Set aside 3/4 cup of the batter. Spread the rest of the batter into a greased 8-inch pan.

Sprinkle the pecans on top of the batter,

then sprinkle the white chocolate chips next.

Pour the caramel sauce over the chips and nuts.

Now mix the remaining batter with the remaining egg until creamy. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter,

then spread the batter carefully over all the other yummy layers.

Bake for about half an hour, then cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Enjoy these with a tall glass of milk!

One year ago: Carrot Potato Gratin
Two years ago: Caramel Pear Pie
Three years ago: Wisconsin Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Find more great recipes at Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, This Week's Cravings, Mop it Up Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, On the Menu Monday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasteful Tuesday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped up Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza, Clever Chicks.

Layers of Love Brownies

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs, divided
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, cocoa and salt in small bowl, whisk together and set aside. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve 3/4 cup batter.

Spread remaining batter into greased 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle nuts and white morsels over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top.

Beat remaining egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.

Mini Pumpkin Pies (Crustless)

I love Thanksgiving for the pumpkin pie. Sure, I like the turkey and mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts, too, but it's really all about the pumpkin pie for me. So I was thrilled to find this recipe for cute little mini pies that - because they don't have a crust - are really quite healthy! (By comparison, people, by comparison.) As far as I'm concerned, this makes it ok to eat (little) pumpkin pie(s) all autumn long. Score!

Start by combining the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a batter bowl or large measuring cup, combine the pumpkin, sugar,

brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and half and half.

Whisk this mixture thoroughly then add to the dry ingredients.

(Pumpkin mixed with eggs always looks curdled. Don't worry, it's ok.) Whisk the dry and wet ingredients together until smooth then pour/scoop into lined muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in the pan,

then transfer the pies to the fridge to cool. To serve, top with whipped cream or cool whip and sprinkle with a little pumpkin pie spice. And give thanks that you can have a little pumpkin pie today!

One year ago: Winter Squash and Apple Soup
Two years ago: Fish with Boursin Cheese and Tomato
Three years ago: Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Find more great stuff at Wednesday Extravaganza, Full Plate Thursday, Recipe Box, Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Friday Finds, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2), Friday Cuisine.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup fat free half and half

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice and whisk together to combine. In a large batter bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and half and half and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour into the dry ingredients and continue to whisk together until smooth and combined.

Fill paper lined muffin cups evenly with the batter and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pan and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill. The pies will deflate a bit as they cool. Serve chilled with a dollop of whipped cream or cool whip sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice.

Serves 12.

Greek Layered Dip

I made this dip for a party this past weekend and it was a huge hit. It disappeared very quickly - and I'm not surprised! This dips starts with a layer of hummus and is followed by sun dried tomato pesto, then topped with all kinds of good stuff: cucumbers, onions, olives, feta and sun dried tomatoes.

I think artichokes would be great too, and I thought I had some in the cupboard, but I didn't. No matter, there was plenty of deliciousness here to be had.

I'm not going to include quantities here, cause it really depends on how big of a platter you are filling up - clearly, I should have used a much bigger plate since this was devoured in no time!

Start by spreading the hummus on a serving platter. You can use store bought or make your own. You don't want to spread this too thin - just for context, I used about 10 oz. for this platter. Top with a thin layer of sundried tomato pesto.

Sprinkle the cucumbers over the top,

then add the onions.

Next come the olives,

then the feta and sundried tomatoes.

Doesn't this look amazing???

It tastes amazing too. Serve with pita chips.

Find more great ideas at Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Meatless Monday, This Week's Cravings, My Meatless Mondays, Mop it up Monday, Mix it up Monday, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, On the Menu Monday, Healthy Moms' Meatless Monday, French Cuisine Friday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasteful Tuesdays, Tuesday Talent Show, Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wednesday, Whole Food Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza.

Greek Layered Dip

Hummus (either store bought or homemade)
Sundried Tomato Pesto
Cucumber, diced small
Red Onion, diced small
Black Olives, sliced
Feta Cheese
Sundried Tomatoes

Spread the hummus on a serving platter. Top with sundried tomato pesto, then cucumber, red onion, black olives, feta and sundried tomatoes. Serve with pita chips.


Recipe Source: Inspired by Annie's Eats

Pumpkin Waffles

I know that everyone seems to be in a pumpkin craze this time of year. Certainly, I've already contributed with donuts and bars. And these scrumptious waffles probably won't be the last of it for this fall!

Pumpkin lends such wonderful flavor to recipes - and it's good for you, too! These waffles are so tasty that you won't even need syrup. I know that sounds like sacrilege - and I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't done it myself. But it's true!

Make your autumn mornings great with these delicious waffles!

In a large measuring cup, combine the milk, egg, oil and pumpkin

and whisk well until smooth. Then add the cloves, cinnamon,

brown sugar,

flour,

baking powder and salt and whisk just until combined. Pour the batter onto a preheated waffle iron

and cook for 4-5 minutes or until steam no longer escapes from the iron. (Of course, each appliance is different so follow the instructions for your waffle maker.)

A little spiced whipped cream (or cool whip!) makes a delightful topping for these delicious waffles.

One year ago: Cranapana Bread
Two years ago: Garlic-Herb Orzo Pilaf
Three years ago: Blueberry Pecan Cake

Get more inspiration at Full Plate Thursday, Swanky Stuff, Recipe Box, Thursday's Treasures, Tastetastic Thursday, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Friday Finds, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2), Ingredient Spotlight.

Pumpkin Waffles

1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cloves


Combine milk, pumpkin, oil and egg in a large measuring cup and whisk well. Add the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves and stir just until moist.

Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat. Spoon batter onto hot waffle iron and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat procedure with remaining batter. Makes 4 round waffles.

Recipe Source: Cooking Light

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

Not too long ago, I made chicken marsala for the first time, and loved it! It's not difficult to make, and it's not too time consuming, but I was sure there would be a way to adapt this to the crockpot. So I did!

This chicken marsala has the same flavor as the original, but because you're not dredging it in flour and frying it, it doesn't have the same "crispy" feel. What I especially loved about this version, though, is that it was on the table FIVE minutes after the chicken was cooked through! FIVE MINUTES! (I was serving leftover side dishes, namely roasted brussels sprouts, so your time may vary, but still - five minutes!)

A few minutes spent in the morning or afternoon will get you a freaky fast delicious dinner.

Start by brushing the bottom of your crock pot insert with the olive oil. Place the minced garlic on the bottom of the crock, then add the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the mushrooms.

Pour the wine over the chicken,

then cook on low for 4-6 hours until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and mushrooms to a plate

and transfer the juices and wine to a small saucepan. In a small measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the chicken broth, whisking well until no lumps remain. Heat the liquids in the sauce pan over medium heat til it begins to simmer, then slowly add the chicken broth.

Continue to whisk the sauce until it thickens, 2-3 minutes.

Place the chicken on a serving platter or on individual plates and cover with the sauce.

In order to soak up the delicious sauce, you could make rice pilaf or mashed potatoes as accompaniments!

One year ago: Cranapana Bread
Two years ago: Pumpkin Cake Roll
Three years ago: Double Corn and Potato Chowder

Find more great ideas at Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasteful Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show.

Crockpot Chicken Marsala

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup marsala wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. cornstarch

Pour the olive oil into the bottom of the crockpot insert and brush to distribute the oil. Place the garlic in the crock, then top with chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add the mushrooms. Pour the wine in to cover the chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

When chicken is cooked through, remove the meat and mushrooms to a plate. Pour the wine mixture from the crock into a small saucepan and bring to a simmmer over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and chicken broth and add it to the simmering wine, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.

Pour sauce over chicken and mushrooms to serve. Serves 2.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables. I have a couple different favorite ways to make them, with maple and bacon, and with garlic butter, but if you can even believe it, I had never roasted them until now.

So when I was assigned to Brittany and Julie's blog for Secret Recipe Club this month, it was the motivation I needed to try roasting brussels sprouts.

It's so easy! And they're so delicious. Brittany and Julie recommend olive oil and salt, and I followed their recommendation. But to literally spice it up a little I added maple syrup and cayenne at the end. Forget sauteing! I think this is my new favorite way to prepare, and eat, brussels sprouts!

And it couldn't be easier. Start by trimming the ends of the brussels sprouts and picking off any wilted outer leaves. Then cut the sprouts in quarters. Place them in a large bowl, then drizzle with olive oil

and sprinkle with salt.

Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet

and roast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. While they're roasting, combine the syrup

and cayenne

then drizzle it over the sprouts after the 20 minutes are up.

Stir up the sprouts so they're all coated with the yummy spicy syrup, then return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 2 minutes.

Vegetables never tasted so good!

I loved this roasting method so much that I was inspired to make this delicious main dish: pesto pasta with roasted brussels sprouts and sausage!

One year ago: Cranapana Bread
Two years ago: Pumpkin Cake Roll
Three years ago: Double Corn and Potato Chowder

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne

1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Place sprouts in a medium bowl, and drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt. Stir well to coat all the sprouts. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400 until browned in spots and tender, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine syrup and pepper. Drizzle over sprouts, stir to coat, and roast an additional 1-2 minutes. Serves 4.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I love making and eating soup, especially now that the weather is more predictably chilly (ugh) every day... after Mel posted this recipe a few weeks ago, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I changed up a few things and it was as good as Mel promised.

A creamy, hearty soup base is chock full of yummy and healthy veggies, chicken and soft gnocchi. What's not to love? I can't wait for lunch tomorrow, and this will be one of many times I make this soup this winter, especially since I stocked up on gnocchi!

Start by heating the oil over medium heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots

and thyme,

and cook and stir for several minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and the mushrooms

and cook for an additional two minutes. Now cover the vegetables with the flour

and stir well to coat all the veggies. Add the chicken broth

and cook and stir until slightly thickened. You can increase the heat to medium high, then add the half and half

and the milk. Keep stirring and cooking until the mixture comes to a boil, then cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the soup thickens up a bit. Add the gnocchi

and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken,

spinach,

and salt and pepper and cook for just a minute or so until the spinach wilts and the chicken is warmed through. Eat soup and keep warm!

One year ago: Double Berry Banana Muffins
Two years ago: Pumpkin Cake
Three years ago: Peach Pound Cake

Find more great ideas at Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped up Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Swanky Stuff, Pennywise Platter, Recipe Box, Thursday's Treasures, Tastetastic Thursday, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2).

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms (about 1/2 of an 8 oz. pkg.)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup flour
2 cups fat free half-and-half
2 cups milk
3 cups chicken broth
1 - 17.6 ounce package gnocchi
3 cups cooked and diced chicken
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. salt

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot; add the chopped onion, carrots and thyme. Cook until the onion is translucent and carrots are slightly tender, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, for another 2 minutes. Cover the vegetables with the flour and stir well to coat all the vegetables.

Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to medium high. Stir constantly until the mixture starts to thicken, then slowly add the half-and-half and then the milk. Stir while bringing the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes.

Add the gnocchi and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the chicken, spinach, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted and chicken is warmed through.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe