Hello, my name is Rebekah and I am a chocoholic. Like many women and even men, I LOVE chocolate. In fact, with baby #3, chocolate was my only craving. With my other 2 pregnancies I didn't crave sweets at all but things like steamed broccoli (I know, it's weird), French fries, and soft pretzels.
Since having Miss A, a little over 6 months, I still crave chocolate and I'm starting to wonder if I use it as some kind of coping mechanism. As Kramer (from Seinfeld) puts it,
I "will always return to my dark master, the cocoa bean."Anyway, I have said all this to share some new semi-homemade brownie recipes that I came up with (yes, we had company - we hosted a College/Career's activity on Saturday).
Cream Cheese Brownies
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 box chocolate fudge brownie mix (the family size box)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons half-n-half, divided
Directions
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat 1 tablespoon half-n-half; add chocolate chips, stirring until chips are melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, canola oil, butter, eggs, and chocolate mixture just until dry ingredients are moist (don't over mix, there should be some lumps). Place 2/3 of brownie mixture in a greased 9x13 Pyrex pan, set the remaining 1/3 aside.
- In a small bowl, whip cream cheese and 3 tablespoons half-n-half together; add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls onto brownie mix in pan, then spread out over the top. Pour remaining 1/3 of brownie mix over cream cheese and, using a butter knife, "swirl" the two together to create a marbleized effect.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Peanut Butter Caramel Brownies
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 box chocolate fudge brownie mix (the family size box)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon half-n-half, divided
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a small microwave safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup of half-n-half in the microwave for 1 minute. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, without stirring until amber brown. Slowly whisk in the warm cream until smooth and let cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, corn syrup, salt and 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth. Let cool until thickened at room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- In the microwave safe bowl, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon half-n-half; add chocolate chips, stirring until chips are melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, canola oil, butter, eggs, and chocolate mixture just until dry ingredients are moist (don't over mix, there should be some lumps). Place 2/3 of brownie mixture in a greased 9x13 Pyrex pan, set the remaining 1/3 aside.
- Drop peanut butter mixture by spoonfuls onto brownie mix in pan, then spread out over the top. Pour remaining 1/3 of brownie mix over peanut mixture and, using a butter knife, "swirl" the two together to create a marbleized effect.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Double Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies
- 1 box chocolate fudge brownie mix (the family size box)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup coffee
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, canola oil, butter, eggs, and coffee just until dry ingredients are moist (don't over mix, there should be some lumps). Place 1/2 of brownie mixture in a greased 9x13 Pyrex pan, set the remaining 1/3 aside.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips and then marshmallows over the top. Pour remaining 1/3 of brownie mix over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
