Sunday Sweets week 7: Peanut butter brownie Trifle

Peanut butter brownie Trifle is something that I made with my hubby in mind...He is a Reese's guy. I mean seriously it is an obsession...for Christmas I probably buy about 20 packs of Reese's tree's because there is hardly anything he would want more...and again for each holiday that is all I get him and he loves it.

Well, I heard of more rich trifles, every other one I had done was more light and with fruit; which I love but I will say this was a winner! (and pretty easy)

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

1 brownie mix prepared and cut into bite size pieces (or feel free to buy brownie bites)
1 box of instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cup peanut butter (I like creamy but chunky would work too)
1 bag of Reese's mini or reg cut into half or fourths
1 container of cool whip or I like real whipped cream

Have your brownies cooked and cut, as well as your Reese's cut first thing so when you make your pudding and your cream you can just start layering.

Make vanilla pudding according to package directions but add your peanut butter to of course give it the PB flavor just whisk  it in when it is all mixed. Be sure it is set up before you start layering

Layer brownies and Reese's on bottom of dish, and dollop pudding and cream over top, then more brownies and Reese's with more cream.

I finished it off with a layer of whipped cream and left over Reese's chunks for pretty on top.

I did this one in more of a dollop look instead of layered so just do it however you like!!! Make it your own kind of pretty, but people will love it no matter what because however you will do it, it will taste better. REALLY!

Sunday Sweets...Brown butter banana strawberry bread.

I love banana bread...Especially my other in laws but since I don't yet have her recipe (which I was chastised for by  my brother in law) I was on the hunt for one and found this little beauty from Joy the baker. I was excited because it seemed like just a lovely more summery take on the banana breads we all love. Now, brown butter if you look at her blog she lovingly describes all the wonderful things it does for the bread....I can't say I noticed but I also am pretty sure I got impatient and didn't do it quite right. So if you are nervous or need just a little more time simply add 1/2 cup butter instead because that is probably what mine was more like and it was still lovely.  Oh lovely must be my word of the day. 

I took it to Jaren's family reunion and they were all super excited about it and liked it but it seems like the feedback was maybe not strawberry-y enough and while I wished they could have tried it fresh out of the oven (because my consensus was delicious) I can't say I disagreed with them...so maybe up it to a cup...or try different berries too. I'm going to make my next loaf with strawberries and raspberries! I know...YUM!

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

6 ounces butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

1/2 cup diced strawberries plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced, for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside. (also two smaller pans is fine too)

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts.  When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown.  Swirl the pan as the butter cooks.  When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl.  Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and yogurt or buttermilk.  Whisk in the mashed bananas.  When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients.  Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour.  Fold in the diced strawberries.  Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with thinly sliced strawberries.   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature.  This loaf also freezes well.

Sunday Sweets week six...(wow already?) Smore's Cupcakes

Sorry once again I am a little slow getting this posted...pregnancy sucks my brain out I swear!

So like I said before I went to girls camp last week or so and we decided to take dinner to our cooks who really rocked and quite frankly worked their tails off! I got the always fun task of making dessert! And I could just not decide what to make until I found what I had bought extra from my s'mores cookies! I decided to try s'mores cupcakes! They turned out really cute and actually were pretty good because how can you go wrong with a chocolate cupcake? Especially when you add toasted marshmallows and more chocolate?! 

Just make your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and add some smashed grahm crackers to the batter or if you are in a hurry like I was just do this:

1 chocolate cake mix 

1 package(not box) of graham crackers

marshmallows mini or large would work

hershey's chocolate mini's or bar's

chocolate frosting

prepare cake mix according to directions then take half the package of your graham crackers and break into batter. Mix into batter and spoon into cupcake liners until 2/3 full. 

Bake according to directions but pull out 5-7 min before they are done baking to smash your mallow's into the top of the cupcakes and return to oven just until toasted. Cool until you can add your frosting then dollop frosting on top and add a chocolate and graham cracker square to the top of each cupcake. 

Simple and cute! It was great for the camping theme. 

Sunday sweets week 5: Cakeballs

OK, So like I said in my last week late post...I had a crazy but fun week. We had stadium of fire on Saturday which was awesome, church and visiting family Sunday, and more fourth of July celebrations all day Monday including all of my packing and preparing for girls camp. (yes I procrastinated big time) I worked Tuesday left for girls camp wed, was there until Friday then worked Saturday. Phew, it makes me tired all over again just thinking about it. But with the holiday, and how very well fed I was at girls camp I decided to not make a treat this Sunday but feature a wonderful treat that my good friend Sarah brought me to work on Saturday.  And yes it was Delicious!

She graced me with her original Capn' crunch cake-ball!  YES, I said Capn' Crunch!!! That is her thing, she came up with her business Goodness Gracious Cakeballs and I will say she is so good at it because she is passionate about it. She is constantly coming up with new flavors and making classic flavors look better than ever! She'll do seasonal flavors, and decorate any kind to whatever theme you can think up! Check out her apple one's for teacher appreciation, or how cute for back to school?! 

Thanks so much Sarah for my treat this week I couldn't have picked a better one!

oops...sunday sweets was going to be holiday treats and now juts a week late! Oatmeal cookies.

Nothing particularly festive but an oatmeal cookie has to be an American classic! Easy but so delish! I loved these ones because they were fast to make and really just the kind of cookie I like...Soft, chewy, and plenty of variations available. Another reason I made these was my last few treats were citrus and I wanted chocolate but nothing too heavy.

So...I meant to post this Sunday then Monday the fourth but then I ended up having to last min rush and do some things for girls camp before work Tues, then girls camp til Friday then worked Saturday and nearly crashed so here we are! I am sorry so there will be double posts...Sorry again but give these cookies a try. They are tasty.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins or chocolate chips (or CRAISINS! YUM)

*I did chocolate chips and added closer to two cups...just eyeball it. I also skipped the nuts, they just aren't my thing in a cookie. And if you wanted a less spiced flavor just cut the cinnamon and nutmeg in half.

Preheat oven to 400
Cream together shortening brown sugar, and eggs till light and fluffy; stir in buttermilk. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture.  Stir in rolled sated, nuts and raisins. Drop from table spoon 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. cook about 8 minutes. Cool slightly, remove from pan.