Delicious Black Bean Brownies

So I was really bored today after having cleaned the whole house and done some laundry. Aubree and I have been outside almost everyday so I figured it would be nice to take a day of break and just spend the day in the lovely air conditioned house. So I went on Pinterest and decided to look for some new recipes. I came across this recipe for black bean brownies. I've seen these recipes on there all the time but I've never thought about trying it. I actually had some black beans though for once. So I thought hey what the heck. If I don't like them I know Aubree will eat them. She eats just about pretty much anything. But I really loved them! They are so yummy and they are so much healthier than regular brownies. 

Here's the recipe :)

1 can of rinsed and drained black beans

2-3 tbsp of peanut butter depending on how much you want in it

2 eggs

4 tbsp coconut oil

4 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350.

Put the black beans in a blender or food processor and blend until they are smooth. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until thoroughly mixed. Put it in a 9 inch cake pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. 

Josh even liked them and he isn't the type to try new things. I don't know if I will ever make brownies from a box again now that I know this recipe.

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Snowpocalypse of 2014

This has been some of the craziest! weather we have seen around here since I moved here in 2001! We have had snow for the last 3 days! And we have over 8 inches at our house! Our puppies love it and Aubree had a blast with her daddy and me. We tried to go sledding down our hill on a piece of cardboard but it didn't work out as it had in my head. We have a saucer but it is frozen in the kiddie pool next to our shed. We are waiting until tomorrow to build a snowman. And I am going to try to get out of our driveway to go pick up some groceries. We literally have like nothing to eat besides snacky type foods. But we made some snow cream as a super snack for Aubree today. She LOVED it. I added some chocolate chips to hers so it just wasn't plain.

Snow Cream Recipe!

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp of vanilla

Mix all of that together in a bowl and add a cup of snow at a time until it gets to your desired consistency!

I made ours a little crumby instead of creamy so Aubree wouldn't make such a mess!

I told Josh we would have to go back out and grab a container of snow to put in the freezer to make some more of it later! The snow wore her out today so she was pretty cranky towards bedtime. But her going to bed on time is a nice break for once. Daddy and me get to spend a little quality time alone :)

This is our front yard and the driveway going thru the trees! You can barely see my car and our well cover!

Snow is my favorite thing in the whole wide world! I have been singing Do You Wanna Build A Snowman to Aubree and Josh since it started! Aubree starts shushing me now hahaha

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Healthy & Delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

These are some of the best oatmeal cookies I have ever had. And I'm not a big oatmeal cookie eater. We always have them around Christmas time but I never eat them. But these I might make and start as a tradition in my home for the holidays. :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup coconut

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 cup almond meal

1/2 cup almonds finely chopped (or whatever nut you prefer)

1 cup raisins(you can do other dried fruit too)

3 bananas mashed

1/4 canola oil

1tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine rolled oats, coconut, almonds, and almond meal in a large bowl. Add in cinnamon and allspice. Add in fruit and mix until evenly distributed.

In another bowl mix the bananas, canola oil and vanilla. Pour into dry mix bowl and mix thoroughly.

Drop onto cookie sheet in tablespoons and press it down with the back of the spoon.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until they start to brown on the edges.

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No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

This so easy and tastes so yummy. You can drizzle chocolate on the top but I left it off to give it a lighter summery feel. :)

Ingredients:

3lbs fresh strawberries, sliced

2-8oz tubs of whipped topping

1 box of graham crackers

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Spread a small amount of the whipped topping onto the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Put a layer of graham crackers on top of the whipped topping. Add another layer of whipped topping and put a layer of strawberries. Repeat this 3 more times until there are 4 layers of graham crackers. The layer last on top will be strawberries.

if you want to use the chocolate chips put them in a plastic bag and melt them in the microwave at 10 second intervals. Cut the corner of the bag and drizzle over top the cake.

Refrigerate covered for at least 4 hours or until the crackers have softened completely.

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Strawberry Chocolate Triffle Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pack of chocolate cake mix

1 quart fresh strawberries

15oz strawberry glaze

2- 12oz frozen whipped topping

1 cup chocolate frosting

shaved chocolate

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Save 5 strawberries for garnishing and slice the rest of the strawberries. Cut the cake into 1-inch pieces. Place half of the cubes in a 6-qt. glass punch bowl. Top with half of the sliced strawberries and drizzle with half of the strawberry glaze. Spread with 3-1/2 cups whipped topping. Heat the chocolate frosting in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until pourable. Drizzle half of it onto the whipped topping. Repeat layers of cake,  strawberries, glaze, whipped topping and frosting. Cover with remaining whipped topping.Cover and refrigerate until serving. Garnish with shaved chocolate and reserved strawberries.

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Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe

Ingredients:

Package of premade chocolate chip cookie dough

box of brownie mix

package of regular size Reese's peanut butter cup

You can use either a 9x13 pan, a cupcake pan or a square brownie pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

If your using the 9x13 pan fill the bottom with the pan with about an inch thick of cookie dough and put the pb cups 3 x4 in the pan. Then pour the brownie mix over top.

If  you are using the cupcake or brownie pan put about 1/2 inch thick of cookie dough and put a pb cup in each pocket. Then pour the brownie mix to the top of the cups.

Bake for 18 minutes. The 9x13 pan probably will need a few more minutes.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches

These are so easy to make and they taste so yummy. They are a great way to snazzy up those boring pretzels in kids lunches for school or for parties.

Ingredients:

Pretzels

Peanut Butter

Almond Bark( regular chocolate one)

Take peanut butter and spread it on a pretzel. Put another one on top to make a sandwich. Make as many of these as you want. Then put the almond bark in a microwaveable bowl and melt it, stirring until there are no chunks. Take the sandwiches and dip them into the chocolate. 

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How to Make Red, White, & Blue Fruit Kabobs

These fruit kabobs are such a pretty food to make for the 4th of July. You could have the kids make them to let them feel involved in the cooking process for a party. 

Ingredients:

mini star marshmallows

raspberries

blueberries

strawberries- cut in halves or quartered

wooden skewers

Take the ingredients and layer them onto each skewer. I would start each of them with at least 1 blueberry the other fruits slide of the skewers otherwise. I also wouldn't start with a marshmallow because when you slide it down the skewer it rips apart if there isnt any berry juice to help slide it along.

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Red, White, & Blue Cake Recipe

You don't have to make this cake red, white, and blue. I made it those colors for Independence Day :)

Ingredients: (need 2 separate mixes in 2 bowls)

1 cup sugar x 2

1/2 cup butter x 2

2 eggs x 2

2 tsp vanilla x 2

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour x 2

1 3/4 tsp baking powder x 2

1/2 cup milk x 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2- 9" round cake pans

In 2 medium mixing bowls, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. 

In separate bowls combine the baking powder and flour, then add to the cream mixture, and mix well.

Add the milk and stir until mixture is smooth. Add food coloring to the bowls for whatever colors you would like the cake to be.

Pour into the pans and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Ice the cake with vanilla frosting and add sprinkles for a little more festive color.

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Chocolate Cake Cookies

These are without a doubt one of the best chocolate cookies I have ever had. They are really simple to make and taste so delicious.

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Mix a medium bowl, mix the eggs and the vegetable oil. Add in the cake mix and chocolate chips.

Roll the cookie dough into balls and place about 2inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Cook for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

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How To Make Peanut Butter Balls

So Yummy! If I wasn't on a diet the whole batch would've been gone in a hot minute :)

Ingredients:

1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup Rice Krispies cereal

1 tablespoon butter

1 pkg. coconut

Mix the peanut butter and butter. Then add in the Rice Krispies and powdered sugar. Roll the mixture into balls. Make a glaze out of water and some powdered sugar. Dip the balls in the glaze and roll in the coconut.

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Coconut Pecan Cookie Recipe

OMG! Let me tell you these cookies are delicious. They are copy cats of the Harris Teeter Bakery ones. Except a heck of a lot cheaper and homemade :)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter/margarine

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups coconut

1 cup pecans

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and butter/margarine. Add the sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Beat until combines, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in the flour. Stir in, by hand, the coconut and pecans.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.

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How to Make Cheesecake Filled Strawberries

These are so delicious, I almost ate the whole batch when I made them LOL. You will definitely want to make these all the time. Especially since they are so fast and easy to make :)

Ingredients:

1lb strawberries

8oz cream cheese, softened

3-4 tsp powdered sugar, if you want a sweeter filling use 4 tsp

1tsp vanilla

graham cracker crumbs

To prepare the strawberries, cut off the tops and hollow them out with a paring knife if they aren't already hollow. Set them aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until its creamy.

Spoon the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag or a zip lock bag with one of the corners cut off.

Fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture.

Then dip the tops of the strawberries into the graham cracker crumbs.

Chill in the refridgerator before serving.

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2 minute Lemon Bar Recipe

These are so easy and quick to make and they taste delicious :)

Ingredients:

1 can lemon pie filling

1 angel food cake mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 cake pan.

Combine the angel food mix and the lemon pie filling a bowl and pour it into the cake pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges start to brown. As its cooling sprinkle powered sugar over top.

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How To Make 5 Minute Berry Cobbler

This is seriously the best tasting cobbler I have ever had in my entire life!!!

This is a really easy and quick dessert that tastes amazing. It can cook while you are eating dinner and it'll be warm for dessert time.

Ingredients:

1 can of sprite

1 box of cake mix, I used yellow cake, but you can use white or french vanilla

1 bag of mix berries

Grease a 13x9 pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the berries on the bottom of the pan evenly.

Then sprinkle the cake mix over the top of the berries. Make sure to use the whole bag.

Pour the can of sprite over the cake mix slowly. DO NOT stir the cake mix and the soda. It will not make the crust if you do.

Bake it for 45-50 minutes or until the crust starts to brown.

Don't worry if the crust still has some cake mix that wasn't touched by the sprite. It is supposed to look like that. Serve with some vanilla ice cream for an amazing dessert :)

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