Peanut Butter Brownies

Here's an easy way to make a box mix of brownies extra delicious! This recipe is adapted from Pillsbury. I had the bigger box of brownie mix so increased everything for a 9x13 size.

Your favorite brownie mix (for 9x13 brownies)
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
4 T butter

Prepare brownie batter. Mix peanut butter and honey together. Grease 9x13 pan. Pour half of batter in pan. Using 1/2 cup of pb mixture, drop teaspoonfuls evenly over the brownie batter. Spread remaining batter in pan. Bake according to box directions (I baked mine for about 30 minutes at 350). Let cool completely. Spread remaining peanut butter mixture over cooled brownies. Melt chocolate chips and butter together in microwave. Mix and spread over peanut butter. Let cool completely. Delish!

Barbeque Apricot Chicken

This recipe was in my email one day and I needed an idea for dinner and happened to have all the ingredients. Well, I used 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken, and reduced my cooktime to 40 minutes. I suggest doubling the apricot jam to 2/3 cup. I found it to be quite tasty. This is an easy alternative to bbq chicken. I served the chicken with brown rice and roasted broccoli.

Roasted Broccoli

Last week I made this Ina recipe for roasted broccoli. I didn't have a lemon or basil, and I omitted the pine nuts, but it was delicious anyway! This is definitely going to be my new way of making broccoli. Broccoli is probably my least favorite vegetable. Back in elementary school, emboldened by a news report that President Bush (HW) hated broccoli too, and with the encouragement of my mom, I recorded myself singing "Decorate your tree with broccoli" and sent it with a letter about our mutual distaste for the green veg to the then President. I received a nice (form) letter and signed picture in return. I wonder if anyone actually listened to that recording. I actually enjoyed broccoli this way. Try it!

Fry Bread Recipe

Here's a better recipe for Fry Bread if you're going to make Navajo Tacos, which I've been making a lot lately.

1 cup flour
1/4 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients. Pour milk over dry ingredients and stir with fork until clumps. Flour hands and mix (don't knead) into a ball. Separate dought into 4 pieces. Flour hands and shape into discs (thin). Cook 3-4 minutes per side in 350 oil .

This is easy and good, though not close to authentic, and much better than the original recipe I posted.

Baby Shower Treats

Recently some friends (thank you Christi, Taryn, & Tessa) threw a fabulous baby shower for me with dessert on the menu: fresh fruit, a chocolate fountain, and plenty of treats. It was so fun and the food was amazing so I had to post some of the recipes here. These darling cupcakes had the most delicious frosting. Here is the recipe they used for the cupcakes and frosting. This will be your new favorite buttercream!

Taryn used a Giada recipe to make these light and airy meringues. She left out the espresso powder--they were perfect with the mini chocolate chips! For another great meringue dessert, click here.

I love raspberry and chocolate together so these Chocolate Raspberry Bars were the perfect treat! It's another recipe from Giada.

These darling onesie-shaped sugar cookies frosted with royal icing were the shower favors. Too cute! Here are instructions from Martha Stewart. Taryn's trick for icing the cookies is to put the royal icing in squeeze bottles. Make your edge, then fill and spread. It works so well!While I'm drooling over desserts, here's a recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cookies my friend Erin sent to me. Thank you Erin! These are delicious and different. They taste like mini strawberry scones. For added sweetness I topped them with a powdered sugar glaze. Erin also had the great idea of topping them with whipped cream. Yum! A fun summer dessert.