Browned Butter & Candied Bacon Cereal Bars

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Browned Butter & Candied Bacon Cereal Bars

Mostly this recipe intrigued me. I saw it and wondered how bacon would taste in a cereal bar; would it be bacony? or salty? Honestly, they are neither. Imagine a cereal bar, but a little nuttier tasting, a little more caramel flavored, less sugary. The bacon adds a bit of warmth and sweetness to the bar without it being too sugary. The bacon is candied so it isn't salty like bacon typically is.

The original can be found at:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/community/blogs/viewblog/andiblog/2010/7/19/twin-cities-bacon-takedown


Ingredients:


1 lb bacon
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (no substitutions)
1 1/2 bags (10 oz each) marshmallows
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
6 cups rice Chex® cereal
6 cups corn Chex® cereal

Directions:


1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place bacon on pan in single layer. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Turn bacon over, sprinkle with remaining brown sugar. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp and sugar is melted. Allow bacon to cool, and then chop finely. if you didnt bake your bacon long enough it may be a little sticky, and that's ok, just be sure that it is chopped well. it may take some time. 


2. In large saucepan melt butter on medium heat, stirring frequently until it turns golden brown and begins to smell nutty. if you are prone to burning your butter rather than browning it- which is very easy to do- just add the marshmallows while the butter is melted. As the marshmallows melt, the butter is likely to brown some on its own anyway. 


3. Add in marshmallows, stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, salt and finely chopped candied bacon until well mixed. Gently stir in cereal, until well coated.


4. Pour Mixture into 13x9-inch glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Wet your hands slightly with water or butter and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Cool completely. Cut into Squares.


Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip S'more Cookie Bars

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Chocolate Chip S'more Cookie Bars

Chocolate chips are a classic. S'mores are a classic. Combine the two, and you have created a masterpiece that satisfies that craving for home baked goodness. Admittedly, I cheated a little and used a packaged cookie mix. I know, I know, they are not that good and all that. But, I wanted to bake and I'm all about convenience. So, essentially you're going to layer cookie dough, then s'more ingredients, then cookie dough.

Ingredients:
1 Package premade chocolate chip cookie dough (either the break and bake, or a pouch mix, whatever you prefer- Or feel free to use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe)
15 large marshmellows
10 graham crackers
5 hershey's chocolate bars- optional. I omitted these because I was trying to curb the sweetness because I was making this for someone without much of a sweet tooth. however.. I think they would be WAY better with this ingredient. If you're on the fence about using it, I say use the chocolate! You can never have too much for my taste.

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Mix your prepackaged dough according to the directions, or make your recipe. If you are using premade dough, you dont need to do anything.
3. when you have your dough, take half (enough for 12-15 cookies) and line the bottom of your lined baking dish with it. it will be thin and difficult to spread. Remember that cookies inflate when baked so the layer won't be as thin in the final product as it is when it's still dough.
4. layer the graham crackers on top of the dough, do not break them unless you need to do so to make them fit.
5. using a microwave safe dish, put your marshmallows in the microwave for about 45 seconds or until they have puffed up and are able to be stirred into a cream. (you could probably use marshmallow creme for this as well, but I have not tried it)
6. spread the melted marshmallows onto the graham cracker layer.
7. layer the chocolate bars on top of the marshmallows.
8. layer another layer graham crackers on top of the chocolate.
9. finally, spread the remaining chocolate chip cookie dough over the top of the grahams. This makes for a very thick looking bar, but they bake down a bit.
10. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and soft set.
11. allow to cool completely, and then cut.

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Caramel Mocha Bread

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Double Chocolate Caramel Mocha Bread

Original Recipe: http://www.shugarysweets.com/2012/06/triple-chocolate-caramel-butterscotch.html

This bread is rich, indulgent, and decadent. The best part is, its also easy! I love butterscotch as much as the next person, but the deep dark chocolate flavor of the bread is so reminiscent of a mocha- which I LOVE- that I  went the coffee route because coffee and chocolate are the loves of my life. 

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup boiling water - I microwaved the water for a few minutes for the same effect
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
Milk chocolate morsels/ semi sweet/ dark chocolate/white - enough to cover the top of the loaf (about 1 cup depending on how packed you like it)

 1 Duncan Hines frosting creations frosting starter + one packet mocha flavoring (for duncan hines frosting) + one packet caramel flavoring (for duncan hines frosting)

Directions: 
1. In mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs. Beat in vanilla, greek yogurt and water. Slowly add flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Mix completely. stir in 1 cup milk chocolate morsels.

2.Grease the loaf pan, or if you prefer, you can make cupcakes with this as well. I did 3 mini loaves. Pour batter into pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 60-65 minutes. If you're doing this in cupcakes or something other than a single loaf pan be sure to check the bread after about 45 minutes, less for cupcakes. poking the center of the bread (or cupcakes) with a tooth pick will tell you when they are done. The tooth pick should come out clean. 

3.Allow to cool in loaf pan about 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool COMPLETELY.

4. Mix flavor packets into frosting starter, and spread over loaves or cupcakes. Press the remaining chocolate chips (of whatever flavor you decided- I did milk chocolate) onto the frosting. Store in air tight container. 

Enjoy!