We Made Room For Dessert 27 - Easy Peanut Butter Pie

In honor of the upcoming Valentine's Day, I thought I would post a sweet treat that is easy to make for your loved one(s). I made this in the last week and could not believe how simple it is.  I am positive it will be a household favorite.  There are only a few ingredients, and they are mostly store bought so this does not take very long at all. Simple and delicious, plus it's a time honored classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate. Yum!

Easy Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:
1 ready made graham cracker crust (I used chocolate)
1 tub of whipped topping
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8oz brick of cream cheese, softened (I left mine on the counter overnight)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbs heavy cream

Directions:
Whip together cream cheese and peanut butter with a hand mixer.  Fold in powdered sugar and then beat on low for a couple minutes. Fold in whipped topping and beat on low for a couple more minutes. Pour mixture into pie crust.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Microwave chocolate chips and heavy cream, stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted and you get a smooth consistency.  Pour over top of pie and refrigerate at least one more hour.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 23 - Hot Fudge Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Talk about decadent!  When we DO make room for dessert, we don't joke around.  I came across the recipe for hot fudge stuffed cookies on Pinterest (find original pin HERE).  I made them for our New Year's eve party and they were a hit! The original recipe calls for making your own cookie dough.  But I decided to adapt the recipe and make it my own by using store bought chocolate chip cookie dough.  You also use store bought hot fudge.  You get 12 cookies that are an luscious dessert that will satisfy your chocolate craving for sure!

Hot Fudge Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 12.8 oz jar hot fudge (I use Hershey's, use your fav)
• 16.5 oz refrigerated cookie dough roll (I use Nestle Toll House)

Directions:
Spoon 12 teaspoons of hot fudge on to wax paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350.
Place silicone mat (or parchment paper) on cookie sheet (you'll need 2 cookie sheets total, place 6 cookies on each).
Slice cookie dough in to 12 slices.  Break each slice in half and roll in to flat disk in your hand.  Place a hot fudge drop on one disk, and cover with another disk.  Roll until you have a complete ball.  Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining hot fudge and dough.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Cookies will not be 100% done but that's ok.  Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Movie cookies to cooling rack and allow to cool for another 20 minutes before eating.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 21 - Brownie Pie

We are making room for dessert this week!  Every now and then my sweet tooth flairs up and I just need a treat.  For the past month or so on Facebook I have seen several people post about brownie pie.  It's so easy to make!  Plus it's super affordable, I got the brownie mix BOGO (my cost for this box was $1), the graham crust was only 85 cents at my local Aldi, and I got the whipped topping at Aldi for 89 cents.  Factor in the small amount of egg and oil used, and I spent under $3 to make the whole pie.  Some recipes call for having a homemade brownie batter, but I used a box mix and I think that saved even more time.  It's very rich but so yummy.  And you can easily add to it with things like pecans, walnuts, etc.  And you can change up the topping by making your own flavored whipped cream.  Or even better, make it a S'mores Brownie pie by topping it with marshmallows (when it's done baking), and broiling for a minute OR by just topping with marshmallow fluff after baking.

Brownie Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 premade graham cracker crust
• 1 box brownie mix (plus an egg, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 water to make batter)
• whipped topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Begin by making brownie batter (in my case, following package instructions).  Pour batter into pie shell.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Let cool 30-60 minutes.  Top with whipped topping.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 19 - Birthday Cake

What's a birthday without cake?  I have made a couple of birthday cakes previously, but this year for a couple of friends birthday's I made my first layer cake.  I used a recipe for a chocolate cake with mayonnaise instead of oil.  It did come out so much more moist than my previous cakes!  As a short cut I used store bought frosting, but you can make your own if you so desire.  I might the next time, as the store bought kind was way too sweet for me.  Either way, this cake is easy, moist, and delicious!

Birthday Cake 

Ingredients:

• 1 box devil's food cake mix (I used Duncan Hines brand)
• 2 tubs vanilla frosting (I used Pillsubry, which came with sprinkles)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup mayo (I used Hellmann's as it's the only kind of mayo I use)
• 1 cup water
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Grease 2 8 inch cake pans
Mix together all ingredients except frosting on low speed for a minute, then on high for 3 minutes.  Equally divide cake batter between the 2 pans.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.  Let cake cool for an hour.
Frost cake, creating a layer of frosting in between the two cake layers, then frost the whole outside.  Decorate with sprinkles.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 17 - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I didn't know whether I should classify this bread as a dessert, a breakfast item, or just a bread, but since I have a category dedicated to dessert, and I often eat this bread for dessert, we made room for dessert this week!  I came across this recipe about 10 years ago and fell in love with it.  Peanut butter, bananas, and chocolate?  Yum!  A quick bread, this doesn't require kneading or anything special.  Just mix and bake.  Done!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour (all purpose)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tbs veg oil
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, I use creamy)
• 3 bananas, lightly mashed
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease loaf pan.
Sift together in to a mixing bowl flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together sugars, egg, milk, oil, bananas, peanut butter, and vanilla. Make a well in the flour mixture.  Pour banana mixture into the well.  Fold batter together until flour is completely incorporated into wet ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour in to greased loaf pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 16 - Gluten Free Magic Bars

We made room for dessert this week!  And a gluten free one at that.  I have previously made magic bars and posted them on this blog (see my post for them HERE).  They are a yummy snack or dessert.  But in perusing Pinterest I found a way to make them gluten free.  Visit the original recipe HERE.  I put my own little spin on them.  They are super simple to make.  Gluten free people and regular people alike will love them.

Gluten Free Magic Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups rice Chex cereal, crushed (I used a store brand, not the name brand cereal and they tasted identical)
1/2 stick butter, melted
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup coconut

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt butter in bottom of a 13x9 baking dish (I made them for 4th of July so I put them in a disposable foil pan). Add crushed cereal and evenly mix with butter and spread over the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle on chocolate chips, then peanut butter chips, then coconut.  Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over whole pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 12 - Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

During Christmas season 2012 I posted a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that my sister in law made for the family (you can find that post here).  In searching for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe, I made some adjustments to the original, plus added some peanut butter chips, and presto, here is the recipe!!!

Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 sticks butter, softened - unsalted butter!
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 bag chocolate chips (I used Hershey's milk chocolate)
• 1/2 bag peanut butter chips (I used Reese's)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat together butter, eggs, and both sugars.  Stir in salt and vanilla extract.  Sprinkle baking soda on top.  Add 1/4 cup flour first and mix well.  Add 1 cup flour and mix well. Stir in final cup of flour.  Gently fold in chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.  Spoon teaspoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool on a cooling rack.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 10 - Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

As I am sure you know by now, I am a big fan of the show The Chew.  Previously I have brought you a recipe from one of the hosts, Clinton Kelly, for delicious chicken.  Today I want to bring you a recipe from another host, Carla Hall (former Top Chef contestant).  And this recipe is for dessert!  They are a delicious, sweet, chocolaty treat.
You can find the original recipe at:  Carla Hall's Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
4 tbs butter
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Microwave butter and cocoa powder in a bowl together for 45 seconds.  Whisk until smooth and then set aside.
Whisk together egg, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until mixture is well-blended.  Gradually add this mixture to the cocoa mixture until completely integrated.
Whisk flour and baking powder together.  Stir in chocolate mixture until fully incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until dough is firm.
Place powder sugar in a shallow pan.  Form dough in to small balls and roll in powdered sugar.  Place balls on baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes.  Allow to cool for 1 minute then transfer to wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 8 - Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

I believe I've mentioned my obsession with Pinterest before, and this recipe I'm giving you today comes directly from a Pin I found on Pinterest.  It is super decadent, not an everyday treat, but one that once you try, you'll want again and again.  Peanut butter and chocolate are an amazing combination, and I'm more than likely to pick that as my dessert of choice.
You can find the original post here Inside BruCrew Life.

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Dough

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

1 cup Hershey's baking melts

For the Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup peanut butter

For the topping

1/4 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and cream again. Sift together the baking soda and flour. Slowly add to the butter mixture until incorporated. Stir in the peanut butter chips and baking melts by hand. Press half the dough into the bottom of an 8" pan. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and peanut butter and beat until smooth. Pour on top of the cookie dough.
3. Press small pieces of cookie dough onto the top of the cream cheese layer. Continue until all the dough has been used and the cheesecake has been covered. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. Cut into 16 bars.
4. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and 1/2 teaspoon shortening. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir until melted and smooth. Spoon into a plastic bag that has one corner cut off. Drizzle over bars. Repeat with chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated. Makes 16 bars.

***The only change I made was with the topping, I combined both the peanut butter and chocolate chips with the shortening for the drizzle, and then sprinkled some peanut butter chips on to finish.

Enojy!!!

Cookie Dough

Base of Bars

Cream Cheese Filling

Middle of Bars

Third Layer

Baked Bars

Topping

Finished Product!

We Made Room For Dessert 7 - Magic Bars

I know why this dessert that I'm about to give you the recipe for is titled "magic" bars... Because they are absolutely delicious and will satisfy your sweet craving!  While the title of this blog is No Room For Dessert, I do occasionally post dessert recipes, and this snack bar is precisely the reason why.  The great thing about these bars is that you could add, substitute, or remove ingredients to suit them to your taste.  I am going to give you the recipe for what I made, and then give you some suggestions for what you could add/substitute.

Magic Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2cups graham cracker crumbs (or about 6 graham crackers crushed up)
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut -this ingredient makes these bars but if you don't like coconut leave it out-
• 1 cup chocolate chips (you can use milk, semi-sweer, dark, etc - or sub in something else)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (this can also be left out - or use vanilla chips)

***suggestions (a cup or so)

peanut butter chips

butterscotch chips

peanuts, walnuts - whatever your fav nut is

1 10oz jar maraschino cherries
dried cherries/cranberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9x13 pan.
Mix melted butter with graham cracker crumbs and press into bottom of greased pan.  Next pour sweetened condensed milk over graham cracker crumbs, spreading into an even layer.  Sprinkle on your coconut, then your chocolate and white chocolate chips, pressing them down slightly.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Cool, then cut into bars.
Enjoy!

Chocolate Zabaglione - We Made Room For Dessert 1

While the title of this blog is No Room For Dessert, occasionally we do make room for something sweet.  I do like sweets, especially in moderation.  But I am more of a cook then a pastry/dessert maker, hence the name of the blog.  A friend recently made dinner for us, and served fresh berries with zabaglione for dessert.  I liked the sauce so much that I decided to make it myself, but add a chocolate twist.  Here is the recipe!

Chocolate Zabaglione

1/2 cup chocolate chips (use your favorite kind... I used milk chocolate - dark chocolate would be delish)
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 egg yolks (yolks only, save the whites for breakfast the next day)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup champagne or sweet dessert wine
pinch of salt
1 lb of your favorite berries (I used raspberries, but any kind will work)

Add cream and chips to a small saucepan and heat over low, stirring, until chocolate is melted.  Keep warm over very low heat or a warmer.
Whisk yolks, sugar, salt, and champagne in a large glass bowl until well blended.  Put bowl on a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water.  Whisk yolk mixture over heat for about 4 minutes, until the mixture is thick and creamy.  Remove from heat. 
Fold chocolate mixture in to yolk mixture. 
Divide berries between 6 dishes.  Pour warm zabaglione over berries and serve.
Enjoy!!!