Enjoying chocolate on a Saturday

Chocolate is a BIG word at our house. And not because it is 9 letters and 3 syllables. :) The boys both consider themselves "chocolate stalkers" and while Kari enjoys it - but not on that level - I tend to fall in line with the boys. So, when Mount Vernon (town we live in) hosted the 4th Annual Chocolate Stroll yesterday, exciting times for our house! Even more so when I, for the 3rd year in a row, participated as a vendor of chocolate goods with Tastefully Simple.

I prepared 5 recipes and while all were received well, there were of course unofficial winners on the day, so I listed the recipes below in the order of popularity. As you can see, all recipes are straight from the Tastefully Simple website, a super resource for taking a product into multiple creative uses. Enjoy...and if you begin drooling while reading, it is completely acceptable.

Classy Triple Chocolate Cookies
Submitted by Ginger Griffith (FL)

Ingredients
Classy Chocolate Pound Cake Mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
Combine all ingredients, drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Optional addition - frost cookies with prepared Very Cherry Cheese Ball. Preparation is cheese ball mix and 8 oz. cream cheese.

Mocha Chip Almond Pound Cake
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef

Ingredients
Absolutely Almond Pound Cake Mix^™
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup water
8 Tbsp. (1/2 cup) Mocha Chip Frappé™ Drink Mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream cheese frosting

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients; stir to blend. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan. Bake 48-52 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Remove cake from pan; frost top and sides with cream cheese frosting. Makes 8-10 servings.

Truffle Fudge Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies 
Submitted by Katie Roose (AZ)

Ingredients
Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
2 eggs
Creamy peanut butter

40 Oreo cookies

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread peanut butter on 1 Oreo cookie, place a 2nd cookie on top, spread peanut butter on 2nd cookie, place in lined muffin tin. Repeat until a total of 20 are made. Combine first 3 ingredients; stir to blend. Pour mixture over each cookie/peanut butter "sandwich". Bake for 20 minutes until done.


Steps 1 and 2, along with finished product for Truffle Fudge Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies.

 



Banana Munch Crunch
Submitted by April Linley (OH)

Ingredients
Nana's Apple Cake Mix^®
2 eggs
3 bananas
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Walnuts
Creamy Caramel Sauce

Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients; stir to blend. Spread into a greased 9x9 baker. Top with desired amount of walnuts and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Cool then drizzle with Creamy Caramel Sauce. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping if desired. Makes about 9 servings.

Frosted No-Bake Bars
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef

Ingredients
Mom's No-Bake™ Cookie Mix
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped cashews, pecans or raisins
½ (16 oz.) container cream cheese frosting
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Prepare cookie mix as directed on package with peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips; stir in cashews, pecans or raisins. Press mixture into a waxed paper or non-stick foil lined 8 x 8 pan; freeze or chill until set. Spread frosting on cool bars; sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Chill until served. For cutting ease, pull bars out of the pan by the waxed paper or foil. Cut into small squares. Makes 10-12 servings.