Monthly Archives: November 2019

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars have been a family favorite for several years.  Using a cookie mix, this is a fast and easy recipe to bake up.

I do prefer a cookie or bar cookie made from scratch.  However, this is the recipe that the family requests that I make for family and holiday dinners.  If you are a fan of peanut butter and chocolate, I think you will love these bars.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

  • Difficulty: easy
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1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 (12 oz) package Nestle Toll House semi-sweet mini morsels

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil with a 1/2 inch overlap.  Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water, and egg until a soft dough forms.  Press into the prepared pan.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Cool 10 minutes.

In a small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring several times.  Spread evenly over the cooled peanut butter base.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.  Remove from pan, cut and serve.  For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.  Makes approximately 36 bars.  

Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks.  Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving with lots of good food.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

A pineapple upside down cake is a vintage cake recipe.  The cake gets its upside-down name because the cake pan is first covered with melted brown sugar and butter.  It is then lined with canned pineapple slices and maraschino cherries before the batter gets poured on.  All of which makes for a delicious glazed topping.  After baking, the cake gets inverted to reveal pineapple and cherries on top.

While it may seem like a spring or summer dessert, this is one of my favorite cakes to enjoy year round.  This recipe is especially easy because it uses a Jiffy Cake Mix for a 1 layer yellow cake.  Jiffy cake mixes are usually available in the baking aisle of your favorite grocery store.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

2 (8 oz) cans Dole Pineapple Slices in 100% Pineapple juice, juice reserved
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
8-10 maraschino cherries
1 (9 ounce) Jiffy Yellow Cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice

Spray an 8-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Drain the pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice for the cake batter.  Set the pineapple slices and reserved juice aside.

Stir together the melted butter and light brown sugar in the cake pan.  Place pineapple slices on top of  sugar mixture.  Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice and in the center of the pan.  Set aside.

Using a hand mixer, mix the cake mix, egg and reserved pineapple juice together to combine.  Beat 2-3 minutes on medium speed until well combined.

Pour the cake batter evenly over the pineapples and cherries.  Bake at 350 degrees F. 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes.  Loosen edges and turn out onto serving platter.  Serve warm or cool.  Store covered in the refrigerator.  

I have on occasion baked the cake in my cast iron skillet.  The cake pan may be easier to bake in due to weight of the cast iron skillet.

Notes:
1.  You may not need all of the pineapple slices.
2.  A standard sized cake mix (15.25 oz) is too large for this recipe.
3.  Adapted from Allrecipes.

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