Are you craving something gooey, something chocolaty and creamy? This is the dessert for you. It reminds me of my first year of college when my roommates and I made this dessert before a girls-choice dance. In retrospect I think I liked the dessert more than my date.


Mud Pie
*Ashli D.

Brownie Layer:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten well
1-1/2 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla

White Layer:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 pkg cream cheese

1 pkg (6 oz) chocolate instant pudding
make according to box

1 tub cool whip
or 2 cups whipped cream, whipped and sweetened

Nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brownie layer: Mix butter, cocoa, and sugar together. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Spread brownie layer in 9X13 pan and bake for 25 minutes.

White layer: Cream together powdered sugar and cream cheese.

When brownie is cool top with white mixture, then layer the pudding on top and finish off with whipping cream and nuts if desired. Refrigerate. Printable recipe

I made some cookies last week. They are giant. They are crunchy and chocolaty. They are chewy and delicious. I've made these for a few years now because my kids love them. I found the recipe here. I always double my cookie recipes (especially this one) because each cookie takes 1/4 cup of dough.

Giant Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Betty Crocker's Best of Baking

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening (don't judge me)
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
14 tsp salt
1 pkg (12 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (6 ounces) almond brickle chips

Heat oven to 350. Mix brown sugar, butter, shortening, honey and egg i large bowl. Stir in lour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir i chocolate chips and brickle chips.

Drop doug by level 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 t0 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown (centers will be soft.) Cool 3 to 4 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Printable recipe
Six cookies per sheet.
The cookies are packaged cute on a plate but much cuter in a cellophane bag with a ribbon.
But look how stinking cute they are packaged in CD envelopes. My daughter took these to share with her friends at a school activity.

My family has a favorite cake. We love this cake more than any other cake in the world. I got this recipe from my friend Suzy while we lived in Dallas. We loved it so much we can finish a pan off in one weekend. We have made it for friends and neighbors and taken it to church functions etc. I get requests for this recipe constantly. I know there are a lot of recipes out there for Texas Sheet Cake but take it from a Texas family: This is the best Texas Sheet Cake you will ever sink your teeth in.

Texas Sheet Cake
By Suzy S.

2 cubes butter
1 cup water
4 Tbsp. cocoa
Mix together and boil

In a separate bowl mix:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
Stir hot mixture into bowl two.
Pour in jellyroll pan and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Cook 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting:

1 cube butter
4 Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Combine on stove until butter is melted. Mix with 1/2 bag powdered sugar until smooth. Pour on warm cake. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Printable recipe

As I look outside and see the wind blowing and the colors changing on the trees, I can only think of one thing...peanut butter cookies. There is something comforting in a warm peanut butter cookie and a glass of milk. I came across this recipe and decided to try it. I was so pleased how they turned out. A crisp outside and a moist, chewy inside. I made them on the big side (1/4 cup) and decided that it would taste better with chocolate (what doesn't?) I hope you enjoy!

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
*adapted from allrecipes.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl, blend sugars, using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add butter, and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix until just mixed.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. With a fork gently press cookies in a crisscrossed pattern. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until slightly brown along the edges. If you are adding melted chocolate, place a chunk of Hershey's chocolate on top of hot cookie. Spread once chocolate looks glossy. Enjoy! Printable recipe