Sweet Potato Casserole

I would probably classify these as a dessert. Think about pumpkin pie, only wonderful! These sweet potatoes are delicious, leftovers make a great breakfast. This dish will always have a place on my holiday table. This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman. It's got to be good. The photo is kind of pathetic but this was the last morsel left after Thanksgiving Dinner! We were too hungry to get a shot of the full dish--maybe next year (probably not).

Sweet Potato Casserole
4 medium sweet potatoes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup flour
6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
Preheat oven to 375. Put potatoes on a sheet pan and bake till fork tender, 45-60 minutes. When just  cool enough to handle remove skin. Put the potatoes in a large bowl and mash slightly--these are not mashed potatoes, you want chunks. Combine the granulated sugar, milk, eggs, salt and vanilla, mix well. Gently stir mixture into potatoes. Put potatoes in a large buttered casserole dish.
In a separate bowl mix brown sugar, pecans, flour and butter. Mix together with a fork or pastry blender. Mixture should resemble a crumble.
Sprinkle mixture over potatoes. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.
We made this the day before Thanksgiving. We took it out of the fridge about an hour before cooking. It cooked about 40 minutes as it was still cool when we put it in the oven.
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Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This yummy dessert comes from America's Test Kitchen. I have quit taking cooking magazines and buying cookbooks because there are so many great recipes on line. However, I do pay for a yearly membership to America's Test Kitchen. I love this site--it has so many excellent recipes, cooking tips and product reviews. It includes recipes from Cooks County, America's Test Kitchen and Cooks Illustrated. It is my go to sight for any good recipe!
This recipe was for a 9x13 cake, a perfect family size cake. But there are just two of us now and I really don't need a 9x13 cake tempting me! I halved the recipe and it made 16 beautiful cupcakes. I ate a cupcake and then quickly shared the remainder with friends. It is a win/win.

Carrot Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon (rounded) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound carrots, peeled
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
Shred the carrots using the large holes of a box grater (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. While mixer is running add the oil in a slow steady steam. Mix about a minute longer or until mixture is light in color and well emulsified. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated. Stir in toasted pecans.
Using a large scoop put batter into a paper lined muffin cup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 tablespoons butter, softened but still cool
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar (4 1/2 ounces)
Mix together cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla using a mixer set at medium speed. Mix about 30 seconds or until well combined. Add confectioners sugar and mix unticakel fluffy--about 1 minute. Put frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Refrigerate cupcakes. This cream cheese frosting is perfect, it is my go to cream cheese frosting recipe.
If you really want a 9x13 cake just double the cupcake ingredients and bake for about 35-40 minutes. The frosting recipe will make enough for a 9x13 pan. I like cupcakes because they are just so cute, they also have more frosting per cake ratio. That is always a good thing!
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Disappearing Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do I really need another chocolate chip cookie? I think so because these are just amazing. I would feel guilty if I didn't share this treasure. I had to name them the Disappearing Chocolate Chip Cookies--they will be gone before you know it.
This is a basic chocolate chip cookie with just a few small differences.  A very small amount of cinnamon and toasting the pecans both add to the extra flavor. Melting the butter makes them super easy. How many times have you over micro'd butter? Room temperature is hard to achieve, I am speaking from experience here. You make the cookies in the pan you melted the butter in. Ingenious I say. Try this recipe, be prepared they do disappear quickly.

Disappearing Chocolate Chip Cookie
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips--I like 60% Cocoa Chips by Ghirdelli
1 cup white chocolate chips--I like to take a bar of white chocolate and cut it into chunks
1 cup toasted pecans--toast pecans on a baking sheet in a 350 oven for 7 minutes or till fragrant

In a medium saucepan melt butter. Remove from heat and add sugars. Stir until incorporated and smooth. Chill the mixture for 10 minutes.
Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla,.
Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and oatmeal. Mix well.
Add chips and coarsely chopped pecans.
Using a medium cookie scoop place cookies on a parchment lined sheet--chill for 30 minutes.
Bake at 325 for 14 minutes. Cool the cookie a few minutes then slide on a cooling rack.
Watch out these delicious cookies will disappear quickly!
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Recipe inspired by the Cooking Channel

Peanut Butter Temptations--Cookies for Santa

Sometimes the best place to look for recipes is on the back of the product package. These delicious little gems come right off the back of the Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup package. They are easy to make, the perfect treat to leave for Santa--and Santa will love them. I know!


Peanut Butter Temptations
about 40 Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Have little helpers remove wrappers from candy. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Using Pampered Chef small scoop shape dough into a ball and place in an ungreased mini muffin pan. Do not flatten. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Remove from oven. Immediately press peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Cool completely in pan. Remove, put on a plate and leave for Santa!
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Coffee Cake Muffins

Muffins are always a great way to start ones day. These muffins really do taste like Coffee Cake--only they are easier to serve/share. The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cook Book. I trust ATK and they didn't let me down. These muffins come together quickly thanks to my kitchen workhorse-- The Food Processor. I think they will become a family favorite.

Coffee Cake Muffins
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (3.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons chilled butter--cut into 1 inch pieces
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream--I used Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup toasted pecans
Pulse granulated sugar, 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup dark brown sugar in food processor until combined--about 5 pulses. Transfer 3/4 cup mixture into a bowl for streusel, leave remaining mixture in processor bowl. Add cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup dark brown sugar to the bowl of streusel, whisk together and set aside.
Add remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to mixture in bowl of food processor. Pulse until combined, about 5 times. Scatter butter evenly over mixture in food processor. Pulse until mixture breaks down into small pebbly pieces about 10 pulses. Add eggs and sour cream or yogurt; pulse about 8 times until mixture is well combined and thick
Heat oven to 350. Spray muffin tins with Pam. Portion a generous tablespoon of batter in the bottom of each muffin cup. Then top each muffin with 1 1/2 tablespoons of streusel and 1 teaspoon of chopped toasted pecans. Spoon remaining batter evenly into cups. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Rotate pan halfway through baking.
Let muffins cool slightly before removing from pan. When cool drizzle with Quick Glaze.
 Quick Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1-2 tablespoons cream
Mix sugar, vanilla and salt together. Gradually add cream it get the right drizzle!
Muffins a good slightly warm but they we the best after about 2 hours. Gives the streusel time to set up. This was one yummy muffin. Thanks ATK!!
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Sugared Almonds--A 'How To' Post

Sugared Nuts

See the progression of the sugared almonds. 1 cup nuts to 1/4 cup sugar. Start on medium heat, stir often--like don't leave the stove. This is not the time to multi-task. Try it and you just might end up with burnt almonds, I know! When the sugar melts the almonds brown quickly--stir continually. They are easy to burn. Pull them off the heat at the desired brownness. Pour on a large dinner plate that has been sprayed with Pam.
Cool and break up if desired. Serve on any salad--especially good on Strawberry Spinach Salad. I buy bulk sliced or slivered almonds at Sprouts or Winco. Costco also had sliced almonds. Sugared pecans also work, same measurements. You could also chop the pecans first. Whole sugared nuts are great snacks.
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Dulce de Leche Brownies made by Amber

 Beautiful Photography by the talented Amber Linderman Photography

I have mentioned before that my gals are great cooks--we live miles apart but we are always sharing menus, food ideas and new recipes. This recipe comes to us from David Lebovitz-a foodie that resides in London.
Amber made it, was amazed and promptly sent pictures out to each of us--to share the recipe and to make us slightly jealous that we weren't eating this yummy confection! I think it worked--we will all be making this before the weekend is up. One slight change--Amber opted to spread the nuts on the top of the finished brownie. That way she can please even those who aren't fond of nuts. Brilliant idea Amber.
On to the recipe:

Dulce de Leche Brownies--from Amber

8 tablespoons butter, diced

6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

1 cup Dulce de Leche

Line an 8-inch  square pan with a foil sling, spray with Pam. this will insure the brownies will not stick and will help in the removal of the brownies.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly over very low heat until the chocolate is melted. I have been know to do this step in the microwave. My microwave has a setting just for chocolate melting. I love it, I use it! Remove from heat/microwave and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla and flour. Mix in the nuts or reserve for sprinkling on top. Now have fun!
Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan. Drop one-third of the Dulce de Leche, evenly spaced, over the brownie batter, then drag a knife through to swirl it slightly. Spread the remaining brownie batter over, then drop spoonfuls of the remaining Dulce de Leche in dollops over the top of the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the Dulce de Leche slightly. Sprinkle nuts on top if desired.
Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Brownies will be done when center feels just slightly firm. Cool completely. Remove from pan, remove foil. Cut into smallish squares--they are rich. Enjoy!
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You might also like:
Packable Brownies
Ghirardelli Classic Brown Sugar Brownie
Peanut Butter Cup Blondie
White Chocolate Browned Butter Blondie
Secret Recipe Club Brownie--Danielle's Brownie

Granola Bar Cookies

Each year Hubby hikes to the top of Mt. Timpanogos. It is an 18 mile round trip hike with some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. The weather is very unpredictable--but always amazing. Hubby went last week and hiked mostly in the clouds. I wanted to make a treat to add to his lunch--something more than a cookie but tastier than a protein bar. I found the perfect cookie, it is full of oats, dried fruit, nuts and a little white chocolate for fun. It is packable and delicious. It would be a great addition to a 'care package' for the starving college student. Or just hide a few in the freezer for those afternoon cookie cravings. Trust me--they are yummy.

Granola Bar Cookies or 11,752 Thousand Feet Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (3.5 ounces)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dried fruit, I like a berries and cherries mix, chopped
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1 cup white chocolate chips
In the bowl of a mixer add butter and sugars, beat for 3-4 minutes till light, add eggs one at a time beating well after each one, add vanilla. Combine salt, spices, baking powder, baking soda, flour and oats. Add dry ingredients to mixer bowl and stir gently. Add dried fruit, nuts and white chocolate chips. Stir gently.
Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan at 350 for 9-10 minutes till just golden. Cool on pan for several minutes then remove to a cooling rack.
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Recipe from Cooking Classy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Nutella Swirl

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Nutella Swirl

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 Crisco

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 tablespoon water

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream butter and Crisco till smooth, add sugars, vanilla and eggs beating after each addition. Add water.

Mix together flour, salt and baking soda. Add  to creamed mixture, stir gently. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Using a small Pampered Chef Scoop put a level scoop of cookie dough in each cup of a sprayed mini muffin tin.  Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes till top appears light brown. Cool in tin and remove when just cool. Frost with Nutella Swirl!

Nutella Butter Cream Swirl
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) softened  butter

1/2 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (I used 1%)
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Mix butter and Nutella add vanilla and milk, add powdered sugar. Whip and pipe onto cookie bites.

Frosting recipe comes from Tracy's Culinary Adventure

Sometimes you just want a winner. I know these cookie bites are delicious and get rave reviews wherever I take them. I like them because I always have everything in the house to make them. They come together in a jiffy, they are portion controlled and it is easy to change them up a bit.

Last time I made them for a 'garden party' for adults--so I went with an Almond Butter Cream Swirl. This batch was for kids so I went with my grandson, Gregory's favorite flavor--that would be Nutella!

The Nutella Butter Cream was silky smooth and was a dream to pipe. I used a disposable pastry bag fitted with a very large star tip. They are fancy and delicious. Perfect for summer gatherings.

Kids will love them but adults will make sure they get a couple!

Coconut Oil Granola

I purchased a tub of Coconut Oil at Costco and have enjoyed finding recipes that include it. So far I have been very happy with this new find! I Googled, 'granola using coconut oil', several recipes appeared. Google is great. I read over many recipes and this was what I came up with. I love making granola--I have several recipes on my blog--all delicious I might add. Here is another granola recipe to add to the group! It is yummy.

Coconut Oil Granola
4 cups oats
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut curls
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix oats, nuts coconut, salt, cinnamon and cardamom in a large bowl. In a small saucepan melt coconut oil, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir. Pour on a sheet pan and bake at 325 for about 25 minutes. Stir often. Cook granola until desired crispness. Granola will continue to get crisp as it cools. Be careful--it is easy to overcook! Enjoy with yogurt, fruit or milk.I just had some of this granola sprinkled on a bowl of vanilla ice cream--it is delicious, I know!
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Olive Oil Granola

I have tried many granola recipes--you will find several on my blog--all delicious. But I had not tried granola that contained olive oil so of course I had to. Now I have another granola recipe that I love. This granola has plenty of sweetness: honey, pure maple syrup and brown sugar. It is flavored with cinnamon and cardamom, nuts and dried fruit round out the list of ingredients.
This granola stayed in chunks (maybe because of the egg white?) which I like--it is much easier to snack on. You also add the dried fruit before you cook it so the fruit is stuck to the yummy chunks of goodness. I liked it and will certainly make it again. I found it while looking at quilt blogs. It was a fun surprise in the middle of beautiful quilts!

Olive Oil Granola
4 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 cups nuts/seeds (I used raw cashews and slivered almonds)
3/4 cup dried fruit (I used King Arthur Flour's Fruit Cake Blend--best dried fruit on the planet)
1 egg white
Mix all ingredients except egg white in a large bowl stir until all the sweetness is incorporated. Whisk egg white and add to mixture, stir. Pour mixture on a sheet pan that is covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 325 for about 45-50 minutes, stir every 15 minutes. It will firm as it cools.
Serve on plain Greek Yogurt with fresh berries. It also makes a yummy snack.
 Thank you Crazy Mom Quilts for this fun recipe. She also has some amazing quilts to drool over.

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Hello Dolly Cookies

When any of the Harris girls find a new recipe they are quick to share the good news. Jill made these cookies, sent me an e-mail and said they were her new favorite cookie. Amber made them and raved about them. She even told Candise that it just might be worth being sick one day to experience these cookies (Candise has just discovered that gluten containing foods make her quite ill).

With so many good reviews I had to make them. Yes, they are delicious. They are a cookie form of the ever favorite 7 Layer Bar, Magic Cookie Bar or as we called them Hello Dollies. They are full of yummy ingredients and they contain no eggs so the dough is fair game--and it is yummy. Enjoy! These cookies are inspired by a recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Hello Dolly Cookies

1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

½ cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups coconut

1 ½ cups chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts or pecans coarsely chopped

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In bowl of mixer beat butter and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add cracker mixture, mix well. Stir in nuts, coconut and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes. Cookies will set up as they cool.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Whenever I need a no fail recipe I go to joyofbaking.com. This site is a great resource for all things baking, She has recipes, videos of many of the recipes, an awesome substitution chart. Top 100 recipes of the year. It is worth spending some time there.
I had pinned a Chocolate Banana Bread. The chocolate is not overwhelming--it let's the banana peek thru. It is an easy recipe, certainly a beginner could tackle this recipe.


Chocolate Banana Bread
1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped--take the time to toast them they are so much crisper
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (Dutch Processed or Regular) I used Dutch Processed
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white, dark or milk chocolate chips
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe bananas, about 1 pound, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees..The recipe said to use a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Mine happened to be a bit smaller so I also made a dozen mini muffins. I use Bakers Joy and my muffins and bread popped right out.

Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool and chop.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a medium sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. With rubber scrapper lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Batter will be thick and chunky. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. Using a mini Pampered Chef Scoop place 12 level scoops of batter in prepared pan. Scrape remainder of batter in loaf pan. Mini Muffins bake for just  13 minutes--trust me on that one. The bread will take 45-55 minutes. Start checking at 45. Bread is done when pick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and cool then remove from pan. Bread is yummy warm or it also keeps well in a freezer bag. Enjoy

Pistachio, White Chocolate, Cherry Cookies SRC

SRC is a wonderful place to meet new bloggers. You are assigned a blog each month--you then have the fun of 'stalking' said blog. I love to spend time at my new friends home. This month I was assigned the blog Food Baby Life. It is written by the delightful Susan from Australia. She has two darling boys. Susan has been a member of the Tuesdays With Dorie and Baking with Julia so I was familiar with many of the delicious recipes on her blog.  I could have easily remade World Peace Cookies and been happy. But Susan has many recipes on her blog that beg baking!
I found myself in the cookie section of her blog--surprise, surprise! Cookies are my weakness (actually one of many). I found myself returning often to a Christmas Cookie--now I know it's not Christmas but we have had so much snow lately it feels like it!  I chose her Pistachio, White Chocolate, Cherry Cookies. These were a party in my mouth! So many flavors and textures; sweet white chocolate, tart dried cherries and the crunch of pistachios. These cookies do have red and green in them but I will be making them year round. Thanks Susan for a new addition to my cookie list!
I made the cookies as per Susan's recipe. I did use dried cherry's instead of dried cranberries--that is what I had. I also got to change my scale to grams and had to research Celsius/Fahrenheit conversions. It was all part of the fun!

Pistachio, White Chocolate, Cherry Cookies 
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
120 g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup roasted, salted pistachios, chopped
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.  Carefully mix in the dry ingredients then fold  in the oats, pistachios, cherries, and white chocolate.

Roll the dough into balls and place on baking sheet.  Flatten the top of each cookie with your fingers, then bake approximately 10 minutes or until slightly golden on top.  Allow to cool 4 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

The Ultimate Brownies

This delicious brownie recipe came from a friend of a friend of a friend. She claims it came from a bakery. But it matters not where it came from the important thing is that now I have it!
 This is one amazing brownie, I served it at Mom's 85th birthday party and it was an instant hit. It makes plenty so it is the perfect party food.

The Ultimate Brownies
1 C. butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
Melt butter and chocolate together in a small pan.

Then add:

2 cups sugar

4 eggs beating well after each addition

1 tablespoon vanilla

Gently add:
2 C. flour
2 T. baking powder
1 C. lightly chopped pecans

Spread into greased pan. The pan is a Wilton 11x15x2 inch pan. It can be purchased at Wal-Mart for about $12.00. The deep pan is important because it is a tall brownie.

Cream Cheese layer:

Mix together
1 C. sugar
12 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 C. butter—very soft
4 T. flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Spread on top of chocolate layer.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached. Brownies should also begin to pull away from the pan.
Spread 3/4 package mini marshmallows on top of brownies and put back in the
oven until puffed and just beginning to brown.
Icing:
Melt together in a pan.
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate

Mix in with a hand mixer:
2 tsp. vanilla
4 oz softened cream cheese
7 cups powdered sugar

Mix until smooth.  Drop on warm brownies and using an offset spatula gently spread the frosting. It will mix with the marshmallow to make beautiful swirls. I used about 2/3 of the frosting. I don’t mind having some frosting in the fridge for a quick dessert.
Plan ahead--this desert is best made the day before you serve it. Store in the refrigerator. Well chilled it cuts beautifully.