Hanshe Bars

My friend Dawn requested that I post this recipe because she just loves them and misplaced the recipe.  These are amazing and they are very rich so you only need a small piece. This is one of my favorite desserts to make because of the rave reviews.  They are sinful! I've made them for several different fund raisers and be careful, if you turn around they'll be gone.  Tip: line the pan with foil before you put the brownie mix in.  Then remove brownies from the pan to cool. I find it's easier to assemble and cut brownies outside of cake pan.  Just make sure you remove the foil!!!

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

1 container (1 lb) vanilla frosting

3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

3 cups crisp rice cereal

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)

Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Frost brownies with frosting. Sprinkle with peanuts; refrigerate while making cereal mixture.

Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread over frosted brownies. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Cheesecake Brownies

I found this recipe for Cheesecake Brownies on David Lebovitz's blog. They just looked too yummy to pass up. I guess that's one way to get me to drink milk.

One 9-inch (23cm) square pan

6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk

5 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, making sure it goes up all four sides. Use two sheets if necessary. Mist with non-stick spray or grease lightly.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees .

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in the 2/3 cup sugar, then the eggs.

4. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then the vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

5. In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese, the yolk, 5 tablespoons of sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

6. Distribute the cream cheese mixture in eight dollops across the top of the brownie mixture, then take a dull knife or spatula and swirl the cream cheese mixture with the chocolate batter.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the batter in the center of the pan feels just set.

Let cool, then lift out the foil and peel it away. Cut the brownies into squares.

Storage: These will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days. They also freeze well, too.

Oreo Cookie Brownies

What’s great about these brownies is, if you make them properly , they have an almost flakey texture. That is, they hold together and appear to be borderline cakey, but when you bite into them, they are almost truffle-like. Ofcourse it doesn't hurt that Oero cookies are a favorite of my husband.

And finally, Halloween. The orange and black Halloween themed Oreos are out now and I think broken Halloween Oreos would look really good.
8 ounces unsalted butter

8 ounces plus
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz total)

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

8 Oreo cookies, broken up

Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a 13×9 inch metal pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
Melt the butter, 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly.

Stir (do not beat) eggs, vanilla, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir 1/2 cup of flour, the baking powder, salt and espresso powder together in another bowl then add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the Oreo chunks and 4 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with remaining 2 tablespoon of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 10 minutes more, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool, then chill brownies. Lift from pan and cut into squares.

Makes about 32
Note: Recipe works well in an 8 inch square pan too. Just use half of all ingredients (1 ½ Tablespoons of beaten egg for the ½ egg).