Fudgy Bon-Bons

This recipe won the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1994 and was featured in the Tampa Tribune when I was growing up. My mom tried them and has had them in her cookie arsenal ever since.  They're different from a lot of other cookies, and are rich enough that you'll want to make sure you've got a glass of milk close-by!

1 (12oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)
1 (14oz) can sweetened, condensed milk
2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
60 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
2oz almond bark or white chocolate
1 tsp canola oil

Unwrap Kisses and set aside.

Heat chocolate chips and butter in microwave-safe dish for about 1 minute.  Stir until smooth.

Add sweetened condensed milk and mix well.

Add vanilla and flour to chocolate mixture.  Combine until dough forms.

Spoon 1 TBSP of dough into a ball with your hands, then press a Hershey Kiss into the center.  Shape dough around Kiss by rolling it back into a ball.

Place 1" apart on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes.  Cookies will appear shiny (and uncooked), but will harden as they cool.  Do not overbake!

Allow to cool.

Combine almond bark and oil together and warm in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds or so.  Drizzle over bon-bons (I use a fork to flick the chocolate back and forth).

Comments from the cook:  Trust me... It's so hard to take these out of the oven after 6-8 minutes! They don't look ready, but they are!  The shiny-ness goes away after they are cooled, and the results are fabulous.  Overcooking makes them dry and crusty.  Trust me on that one :)

These are best when served same-day, in my opinion.  But, if they have a chance to cool completely, just use my mom's advice. Heat one in the microwave for 7 seconds - just long enough for the Hershey Kiss to melt inside - and they're magical again.  She's made different variations, and my (very) favorite is the kind she makes with Coconut Cream Hershey Kisses (available seasonally).  She follows the same steps, and sprinkles a bit of coconut on the top of the finished cookies.  Yum!

Hope you like them...

Originally the Pillsbury Bake-Off winner from 1994.  A version of the original recipe can be found here.

M&M Pudding Cookies

I'm always on the hunt for a super-soft cookie recipe.  When I found this one online over a year ago, I was hooked!  This recipe has become a staple around here, and M&M's turn these from awesome cookies to over-the-top-good cookies!

2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) butter
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 bag plain M&M's (or half bag chocolate chips)

Sift baking soda, flour, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Combine butter, sugars, and pudding mix.   Beat until fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth.

Add dry ingredients.

Stir in M&M's.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°.

Comments from the cook:  I haven't made these when they didn't turn out wonderfully.  I prefer to soften the butter JUST slightly (10 seconds in the microwave), so that it is still chilled and somewhat solid.  I've made this recipe with regular instant pudding, and have also tried it with fat free/sugar free.  Both were excellent.


For best results, I bake these cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  I love parchment paper and how evenly/beautifully it browns the bottom of cookies!  Like others I've mentioned before, I like to think that these cookies are best when the dough has been refrigerated overnight.


Originally found here.  Most text taken from her awesome site.

Butterfinger Pie

I found this recipe on Pinterest recently.  As I've mentioned before, I am powerless to resist a Butterfinger recipe.  And, as it turns out, I'm basically powerless to resist the finished product too!

8 fun-size Butterfinger bars, chopped
1 (8oz) bar cream cheese, softened
12 oz whipped topping (3/4 of a large container)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 graham cracker crust

Whip cream cheese with mixer until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth.  Mix in whipped topping.

Add all but about 1/4 c Butterfingers and whip just until combined.

Pour into graham cracker crust.  Top with remaining Butterfinger pieces, and allow to chill for 3-4 hours before serving.


Comments from the cook:  It may be more appropriate to call this Butterfinger no-bake cheesecake.  This quick and easy recipe is delicious, and would be great to take to a party or get-together.  It's best when served very cold, and I'm excited to make it for my Butterfinger-lovin' younger brother when I see him later this month!    


As you can tell from the pictures, I made my own graham cracker crust instead of using a pre-made one.  I used about 1 1/2 pkgs of graham crackers (crushed in a freezer bag with my rolling pin), about 3 1/2 TBSP of melted butter, and a couple of teaspoons of sugar and mixed them together.  I pressed the mixture into my pie dish, then allowed it to chill and set up in the fridge while I made the filling.  It turned out a little bit crumbly, and was even a little thicker than it needed to be (no complaints here, of course), but worked perfectly for what we needed.  A store-bought crust is easier, but nothing beats a homemade crust, in my opinion :)

Originally found on Pinterest, which linked back to this blog (note to self: visit again for more recipes!).

Butterfinger Blondies

This is another one of the recipes I found on Pinterest. We had a friend from Utah stay with us one night last week, and thought it would be fun to try these out when he arrived. They were excellent!
1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 c coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 16 “Fun Size” bars)
Butterfinger pieces for topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars together. Add the vanilla and eggs until mixed.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to mixture.

Stir in chopped Butterfinger pieces.

Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Spread dough in pan, and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Top with frozen yogurt and additional candy pieces.

Comments from the cook: The original recipe (found here) calls for a buttercream frosting on top, but my general preference is that frosting live on top of CAKE. :) So we topped these blondies with frozen yogurt and extra candy pieces, and they were delicious.

The texture of the Butterfinger candy softens and disappears in the bars during baking, so adding them on top brings back the texture you expect from a Butterfinger dessert...a step I wouldn't recommend skipping.

I undercooked these just a bit, and they fell after baking. If cooked for the full 25 minutes, they will be quite a bit thicker.

Originally found on Pinterest, and posted here (some text taken from site).

Kid's Candy Cookies

I recently found this recipe in the May issue of The Food Network Magazine. I DIED when I saw them, and had to try my hand at making them. I made a few changes to the list of ingredients, and love how they turned out!

2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP vanilla
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 c plain M&M'S
3 oz mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee pieces
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar in mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase to high speed and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the salt, vanilla, whole egg and egg yolk to the mixer; beat until thoroughly combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Mix in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, toffee pieces, peanut butter chips, and M&M's.
Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown and the centers are no longer wet, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Comments from the cook: These were a major home-run at our house, and will find their way to many BBQs and parties from now on...where they can be enjoyed but SHARED! A whole batch is too big for 2 of us :)
Originally found here (most of text taken from site), adapted to our tastes and on-hand ingredients.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

2 (1 lb) cartons fresh strawberries
1 bag Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips
3 squares almond bark (or about 2/3 white chocolate chips)
1 tsp canola oil

Wash strawberries and allow them to dry completely before dipping. (I let mine dry on a kitchen towel overnight.)

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.

Use a double boiler to melt chocolate chips, adding about 1/2 tsp canola oil to bowl of chips before melting.

(Don't have a double boiler? No sweat. You can melt the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. In order to avoid burning/overcooking the chocolate, you'll want to melt for 30 seconds, take out and stir, melt another 30 seconds, stir, etc...until they've melted completely.)

Dip strawberries in first chocolate flavor and place on wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate until first layer has hardened.

Dip strawberries in second flavor if desired (chocolate may need to be reheated for a few seconds if it has thickened) and place back on cookie sheet.

Use a fork to "flick" chocolate across tops of strawberries.

Best when served chilled.

Comments from the cook: Another recipe that hardly needs an explanation! My dear friend Mary Ann made these for my outrageously-embarrassing bridal shower a few years ago (ok, five) and told me that the secret to these is in the little bit of oil (isn't it always?). She's a fantastic cook, so I always do what she tells me. :)

Shared by Mary Ann Hawes, my old roommate and friend.

Easter Bunny Cakes

1 white cake mix (prepared as directed)
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 tub store-bought frosting, flavor of your choice (vanilla for us)
food coloring
assorted candies

Prepare cake mix as directed for (2) 9-inch pans. Allow to cool.

Cover the back of a large cookie sheet or a large piece of cardboard with aluminum foil. Place one of the cooled cakes in center of sheet. This will be the bunny's head.

The other cake will be used as the bunny's ears and bowtie. Use the following diagram as a cutting guide for your cakes. Then assemble.


Frost with vanilla frosting. Edges of cake will be more difficult to frost, so use frosting generously in these areas. Warning...this step can be messy! (If you're looking for an easier solution, use a fluffier frosting. A whipped one would be perfect for the job...)

After fully frosted, press coconut flakes into frosting. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and a couple of drops of water to bowl of coconut and stir until evenly colored.

Embellish with jelly beans, licorice, and other candies. Cake shown above is coated in Oreo crumbs.

Comments from the cook: This is one of my favorite Easter traditions - something my mom started many years ago. I usually make a coconut bunny (my fave!) and a plain version (for Brian). I try to have a (BIG) group of people over to help eat them...though I'd rather do all of the work myself. :)

If you wanted to get all fancy-shmancy, you could make the cake from scratch, try different flavors, or even use that fluffy white frosting recipe. That would REALLY take this up a notch...and you would probably want to avoid having anyone over to help you eat it. :)

Check out a few other bunnies here. And if the whole project seems a bit too daunting, do what we did in 2007...and just make cupcakes!

Tradition started by Mom Sleight.

Homemade Toffee Popcorn

1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup
popcorn kernels, unpopped

Pop about 3/4 cup popcorn using air popper (or microwavable is fine too!).

Combine sugar, butter, and Karo in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until soft ball stage.

Pour over popcorn and stir immediately until all popcorn is evenly coated.

Comments from the cook: More of my Kryptonite! My mom made this for us on Sunday nights when we were kids, and we gobbled it up. It's excellent when served warm, and is even really good the next day (if it lasts that long!). Original recipe is twice this much, and makes 2 large bowls full.

Originally shared by my mom, the popcorn queen.

Homemade Reese's

1 pkg graham crackers (approx. 12 full crackers)
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 c butter, melted
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 tsp canola oil

Crush crackers into a very fine powder. (Using a food chopper or blender is all but required to get the right consistency.)

Stir in melted butter and peanut butter.

Add in powdered sugar.

Still until mixed well. Press into bottom of an 9"x13" pan.

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave. Add a tsp of oil to the chocolate, so that it will be a bit softer when it hardens.

Refrigerate until cool. Remove from fridge about half an hour before cutting, to allow chocolate on top to soften a bit. If cut too soon, chocolate will crack!

Comments from the cook: I added a bit of oil to the chocolate this year (in hopes of avoiding the cracking), and it helped a lot! However, it does make the finished product a little bit melty when you pick it up. But, these are to-die-for. Little kids love them, and a whole pan is a LOT.

My mom and I used to roll these into balls and dip them in chocolate, but eventually started putting them in a pan. Much easier, and a lot less mess. Yum!

A Sleight family Christmas tradition, adapted over time

Goofballs

1 package Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup margarine
1 bag large marshmallows (50-60)
Rice Krispies cereal (generic ok)
bamboo skewer
wax paper

Freeze marshmallows in 9"x 13" pan before creating caramel mixture.

Combine caramels, sweetened condensed milk, and margarine together in double boiler. (Add a little water to thin out, as mixture gets very thick...)

Take marshmallows out of freezer a few at a time. Poke with skewer.

Roll through caramel mixture, coating each marshmallow.

Roll into Rice Krispies.

Allow to set up on wax paper and refrigerate.

Makes 50-60.


Comments from the cook: We like these the best when they're chilled. Kids love them, and adults can't seem to stop eating them either! They can, however, make the roof of your mouth a little sore. Perhaps you'd liken it to the Cap'N Crunch effect :)

Originally shared by Vickie Luker, Mathias family friend

Oreo Balls

1 package Oreo cookies, crushed (white stuff removed)
1 8 oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
5-6 squares white almond bark
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

Remove white filling from Oreos with knife. Blend cookies in mini-chopper or blender until fine. Combine with cream cheese in KitchenAid or with hand mixer.

Roll into walnut size balls and place on cookie sheet covered in wax paper.

Chill for 15 min in refrigerator.

Melt white almond bark in microwave or in double boiler. Melt chocolate chips also. Roll balls through chocolate of choice, and place on wax paper. Drizzle with opposite-colored chocolate.

Allow to harden. Best when served chilled! Makes approx. 2 dozen.

Comments from the cook: These are a true crowd-pleaser! They are quite rich, so keep a glass of milk closeby.

While the recipe calls for almond bark and chocolate chips, the chocolate shown in the picture above is Ghirardelli dipping chocolate. A gift from my MIL. It is AMAZING. I've tried the recipe with chocolate chips and almond bark, and the results are not quite as pretty, but still taste fantastic.

originally shared by: Kathy Kiester, Pioneer 4th Ward