Tag: COCOA POWDER

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

I love painted furniture. I know it’s not for everyone, but our house would be filled with painted pieces if not for self-control. They fit into our little country house well.

I have painted several pieces over the years. Most of which is in our house today. One of my all-time favorites is our old entertainment center. At one time, everybody that was anybody had an entertainment center. But like everything else, their day in the sun ended.

We ended up removing the center section that held our television. Greg pulled the backing from the other two pieces and added barn wood from the farm instead. Then he connected the pieces, making one long piece, and I painted it a beautiful Annie Sloan Old White. It served as a coffee bar in the kitchen for a while but has finally found a home in the dining room as a beautiful display for all my blue and white treasures, some of which I inherited from my mom.

The furniture pieces I love the most are those I painted in neutral colors. In fact, everything I painted in other colors has either been painted over, or I no longer own them, which leads to my dilemma.

I have been trying to get my mom’s dark cherry China cabinet moved to my house for over a year. Her favorite color was blue, and I planned to paint the cabinet a beautiful blue with white or cream on the inside. This would be a great way to honor my mom with a piece she loved. But now that I have it here and am ready to work on it, I’m starting to doubt my choice.

I’m afraid it will be too much. I’ll get it painted, and it will simply be more than I want. I don’t know why I am second-guessing myself. Stay tuned for future developments. I will share pictures of the pieces I have painted and get your opinions.

One thing I am not second-guessing is these incredible peanut butter bars from www.houseofnasheats.com. I loved these and am not even a huge peanut butter lover. I recently took two trays of these bars to a church luncheon, bringing both platters home empty! That’s a good sign!

These delicious bars are called Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars, and they taste like the tasty treats I remember having at school. Back when school lunches were actually good.

This recipe makes a large 13 x 18-inch pan and bakes quickly. In fact, because the first dessert I made was not good, I started these at 11 PM, and by placing the pan in the freezer to cool, I was in bed at a decent time.

The peanut butter bars are soft, chewy, and incredibly addictive!

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Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Course Dessert
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

BARS

  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour scooped and leveled
  • 2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

FROSTING

  • 1/2 cup salted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a half-sheet baking pan (13 x 18-inch) pan with a rim, with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1 cup peanut butter in a mixer until creamy and light.
  • Add eggs and vanilla extract, then beat again, scraping the bottom and sides of bowl.
  • Add the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan with spatula.
  • Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and barely set in the center. DO NOT OVERBAKE!
  • Remove from oven. While bars are still hot, melt the remaining 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter in the microwave for 1 minute. Drizzle over the top of bars and spread into an even layer. Cool completely. (The freezer helps!)
  • Make the chocolate frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk and vanilla with an electric mixer, until smooth. Spread in an even layer over cooled bars. Cut into squares.

Homemade Brownie Mix

Before becoming a grandmother, I would have argued with the best that I was simply too young. I might have even said I did not want to be one because I would feel old. However, just like anything else, you only know once you are there.

Life as an Emmy is full of love, fun, and adventures. My grandson keeps me on my toes like nothing else, and now I wonder why it took so long! His hugs and kisses and just hearing him say my name can melt my heart like no other.


I even have a Pinterest board full of fun grandchildren holiday ideas, crafts, and recipes. I have so many fun ideas to share with him. Just maybe, the older we get, the more we realize how fast time has gone by, and grandchildren give us a second chance to slow down just a bit.


Whether you have children, grandchildren, or just have a chocolate craving every now and again, I have the perfect recipe for you! This homemade brownie mix from Crazy for Crust is rich and chocolatey and can be customized not only by the “mix-ins,” but you can make a big pan or a small pan of brownies. I have listed a few options in the recipe notes, but the possibilities are endless.

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Homemade Brownie Mix

Course Cookies, Dessert
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt until well blended.
  • Store in an airtight container until ready to make brownies.
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Brownies

Course Dessert
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • *Personal Pan Size: Loaf Pan
  • 1 cup brownie mix
  • 1/4 cup melted butter OR vegetable oil OR liquid coconut oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons water OR cold coffee
  • **10-inch Skillet Brownies from Homemade Brownie Mix (can be made in 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan)
  • 2 cups brownie mix
  • 1/2 cup melted butter OR vegetable oil OR liquid coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water OR cold coffee
  • ***Thin 9 x 13 Brownies from Homemade Brownie Mix
  • 3 cups brownie mix
  • 3/4 cup melted butter OR vegetable oil OR liquid coconut oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon water OR cold coffee
  • ***Thick 9 x 13 Brownies from Homemade Brownie Mix
  • Entire amount of brownie mix
  • 1 cup melted butter OR vegetable oil OR liquid coconut oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons water OR cold coffee

Instructions

  • *For Personal Pan Size: Line a 4 x 8-inch or 5 x 9-inch loaf pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brownie mix, melted butter (or oil), egg, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add up to 1/4 cup "mix-in" ingredients, if desired, and stir. Spread into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out, 1-inch from edge with only a few crumbs. Cool before slicing.
  • **For 10-inch Skillet Brownies from Homemade Brownie Mix: Spray a 10-inch cast iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the brownie mix, melted butter (or oil), egg, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add up to 1/2 cup "mix-in" ingredients, if desired, and stir. Spread into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out, 1-inch from edge with only a few crumbs. Cool before slicing.
  • ***For Thin 9 x 13 Brownies from Homemade Brownie Mix: Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the brownie mix, melted butter (or oil), egg, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add up to 1 cup "mix-in" ingredients, if desired, and stir. In a large bowl, whisk the brownie mix, melted butter (or oil), egg, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add up to 1 cup "mix-in" ingredients, if desired, and stir.
  • ****Thick 9 x 13 Brownies from Homemade Brownie Mix: Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the brownie mix, melted butter (or oil), egg, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add up to 1 cup "mix-in" ingredients, if desired, and stir. Spread in bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out, 1-inch from edge, with only a few crumbs. Cool before slicing.

Notes

  
Options: 
 
*Frost brownies with any flavor frosting desired. (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Salted Caramel or Coconut are good options)
 
*Warm thick sauce for 15-20 seconds in microwave and pour over the top of uncooked brownies.  Swirl with a butter knife.  (Peanut Butter, Nutella, Marshmallow Fluff, Caramel, Salted Caramel, Mixture of Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Fluff)
 
*Mix-in suggestions:  Crushed Oreos, nuts, candy, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, marshmallows.  
 
*Thin 9 x 13 brownies are perfect for ice cream sandwiches!   If you plan to do this I suggest that you line the pan with foil, then spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray for baking.  Slice cooled brownies down the middle.  Spread softened ice cream of your choice over one side of the brownies.  Cover with the other half of brownies.  Cover and freeze until firm.  Remove from freezer and cut into serving size pieces. 
 
 
 

Red Velvet Fat Bombs (Keto)

The sweet memories of my kids growing up are more prevalent than ever now that they are grown and gone. Since they have moved out, I find myself going through and trying to cleanout. I do not want to be a hoarder, but I will admit that I have saved too many childhood drawings, art projects, clothes, and this may gross you out, but teeth! Yes, I have a pile of baby teeth, and I do not even know to which of my children they belong.

Red Velvet cake is one of Wesley’s favorite desserts. When he was a boy, he called them Roosevelt cakes, and now it makes me smile every time that comes to mind.

I set out to make Red Velvet Fat Bombs this week. I start just about every batch of fat bombs with cream cheese and butter. After that, I begin adding ingredients until I come up with a flavor I like.

For the red velvet fat bombs, I knew I would need cocoa. I also wanted to try the birthday cake flavored  Jordan’s Skinny Syrup that I recently ordered from Amazon. I ordered the syrup for a chaffle recipe. However, chaffles are a post for another day, but oh what a post it will be. I am completely addicted to them!

This recipe made 28 fat bombs, and they are delicious! These fat bombs would be a wonderful Valentine’s Day dessert!

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Red Velvet Fat Bombs (Keto)

Course Keto
Servings 28
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces full fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 stick Kerrygold unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Swerve confectioners
  • 5 tablespoons Jordan's Skinny Syrups Icre Cream Collection: Birthday Cake
  • splash vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2+ tablespoons red food coloring optional

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with wax paper, set aside.
  • Beat cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer, until smooth.
  • Add Swerve confectioners, birthday cake syrup, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder, and blend until all of the ingredients have been mixed in well.
  • Add enough red food coloring to achieve the color you desire. (Red food coloring can be omited completely.) Mix well.
  • Scoop using a medium sized ice cream scoop onto the lined pan. Freeze until firm.
  • When firm, remove from paper into a small resealable container. Store in freezer.
  • Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Nutrition:  Net Carbs: 1g; Fat: 6g; Protein: 1g; Calories:57