Recipe: Easy 7 Layer Cookie Bars

From Denny: The kids can help you make these easy cookie bars! Great for the weekend; make ahead, freeze, then pull out when you need them. Nothing could be easier!

Some folks call these “hello dollies.” For a change, substitute peanut butter chips and peanuts for the butterscotch chips and pecans. - Meridith Ford Goldman


Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: Makes 40 bars


Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

1 (12-ounce) package milk chocolate chips

1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch chips

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Spray sides of 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Pour butter into pan. Sprinkle crumbs evenly on butter, then pat them down to even out. Sprinkle semisweet, milk chocolate and butterscotch chips evenly over crumbs. Sprinkle with coconut, then nuts. Pour milk over layers. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until mixture bubbles and browns on top. Let cool on a rack; cut into squares.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 263 calories (percent of calories from fat, 46), 3 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 19 milligrams cholesterol, 70 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Chicken Vegetable Casserole with Shells Pasta

From Denny: This is an easy weekend casserole the whole family and friends who drop by unexpectedly can enjoy!

From: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The contributors: La Tarsha Mills-McKie of College Park and her mother, Blanche Mills of East Point, Georgia.

Hands on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 6


Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or 4 thighs)

1 quart chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 cup frozen peas

8 ounces medium shells

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions:

Place chicken in a pot and cover with broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pot and cool slightly, then cut into small cubes. Set aside 1 cup broth.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sear, without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Then stir the mushrooms and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook 3 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in peas and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the shells in the remaining broth or in a fresh pot of salted, boiling water. When the pasta is cooked, drain. Combine cooked pasta with chicken, condensed soup, vegetables and reserved cup of broth; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased 2-quart casserole or 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 411 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 36 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 12 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 53 milligrams cholesterol, 1,050 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie

What’s the tantalizing secret to this cream pie? A chocolate layer is spread over the pie shell like a hidden secret under piles of banana slices and fluffy coconut filling. This is a fast filling for the convenience oriented so this pie comes together quickly, chilling for about four hours.

Tomorrow: Romantic Chocolate Fondue for Two


Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie


Yield: 8 servings

From: Kraft Foods


Ingredients:


2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 Tablespoon milk

1 Tablespoon butter

1 baked pastry shell (9-inch), cooled

2 bananas, sliced

1 ½ cups cold milk

1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling

1 ½ cups coconut

1 ½ cups thawed whipped topping

Coconut, toasted


Directions: Microwave chocolate, milk and butter in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread evenly in pastry shell. Arrange banana slices over chocolate.

Pour cold milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ cups coconut. Spoon over banana slices. Spread whipped topping over pie. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.

Tomorrow: Romantic Chocolate Fondue for Two

Recipe: How To Make Chocolate Apples

How To Make Chocolate Apples - Now here's something we all should have thought of and didn't: Chocolate covered apples for Halloween or any time! So glad I ran across this wonderful recipe on HubPages.

Will set about converting the English measures to American. For those of you who already know how, enjoy this simple piece of chocolate heaven!

Update: here are the conversions

150 grams of dark chocolate = 5 1/4 oz. (oh, heck! just use 6 scant ounces!)

100 grams milk chocolate = 3 1/2 oz. (4 oz. sounds good to me!)

20 grams butter = 1 1/4 Tablespoons

Now that wasn't so bad now was it? To our British friends, thanks!

Recipe: Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake


Yield: One 9x13 cake

From: Brenda Caruso, Port Allen, Louisiana


This is one of those really easy cakes that do not require a lot of technical ability or knowledge, perfect for a beginner to get their feet wet in the world of baking and easy enough to do with children. And it’s chocolate!

It breaks all the baking world’s rules: no need to properly cream the sugar and butter and no waiting to ice a cake after it is cooled down from the oven. This crazy cake gets iced while hot!


Ingredients for Cake:


2 sticks butter

4 Tablespoons cocoa

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

2 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda


Ingredients for Frosting:


1 stick butter

6 Tablespoons buttermilk

4 Tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 box confectioners’ sugar

1 cup chopped toasted pecans


Directions for Cake: Bring 2 sticks butter, cocoa and water to boil.

Put sugar in large bowl. Pour the hot cocoa mixture over the sugar. Mix in flour, eggs, buttermilk and baking soda.Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan.

Bake at 350° F. for about 30 minutes. When cake is done, test with a toothpick and it comes out clean; remove from the oven.

Directions to make Frosting: Melt 1 stick butter and mix with 6 Tablespoons buttermilk, 4 Tablespoons cocoa, vanilla, confectioners’ sugar and pecans to make frosting.

Ice the cake while still hot.

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana

Recipe: Dennys MINI Louisiana Lyon Oven Pancake

Dennys MINI Louisiana Lyon Oven Pancake - Easy, yummy, quick meal for two! Try drizzling chocolate sauce in place of the lemon on this one! Easy to make as a small dessert rather than a meal when you add chocolate. 200 calories BC (before chocolate).

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana

Recipe - Chocolate Bread Pudding

Dennys Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding and Sauces

This recipe is not so rich, full of calories or excess sugar so you can savor the chocolate! Easy to mix up by hand. Great for holiday menus or the novice cook. Serves about 8 - 10.

This is my own version developed 9 November 2008.

Less rich version with a lot less sugar, exploding with enough chocolate flavor to drown in it!