Christmas Cheesecake Topped Brownies

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 (21 1/2 oz) package brownie mix
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese; softened
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (16 oz) container prepared chocolate frosting

DIRECTIONS :

1. Preheat oven to 350?F.
2. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
3. Prepare brownie mix according to the directions on the package.
4. Spread into prepared baking pan.
5. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until fluffy.
6. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla until smooth.
7. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over brownie batter.
8. Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.
9. Allow to cool, spread with frosting and cut into bars.

BUTTERSCOTCH BLONDIES WITH CHOCOLATE CHUNKS

Ingredients : (Makes 16 blondies)

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions :

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Lightly butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, tapping out excess flour.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
3. Add brown sugar and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until mixture is bubbling.
4. Cool for about 10 minutes, until tepid.
5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in beaten egg and vanilla.
6. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt, just until combined.
7. Stir in chopped chocolate chunks.
8. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
9. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a moist crumb. Cool completely on a wire cake rack. (These blondies are also delicious warm.)

Fudge Topped Brownies

Ingredients : (makes 24 bars)

• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350: F. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, flour, unsweetened baking cocoa, baking powder, eggs, milk, and vanilla; beat well.
2. Stir in chopped walnuts.
3. Spread in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the brownie pulls away from the sides of the pan.
5. Meanwhile, melt semisweet chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Immediately spread over the hot brownies.
6. Cool.

ZEBRA BROWNIES

Ingredients : (Makes 16 brownies)

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces white baking chocolate squares

Directions :

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Heat butter and unsweetened chocolate in large saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, stirring frequently; remove from heat.
3. Whisk in sugar, eggs and vanilla.
4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto butter mixture; stir in just until blended.
5. Place white chocolate in resealable plastic storage bag.
6. Microwave on Medium 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes; knead bag until chocolate is just melted; snip one
7. corner from bag.
8. Spread half of batter in pan; gently squeeze half of white chocolate in stripes over batter.
9. Repeat with remaining batter and white chocolate.
10. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool on wire rack. (Can be made ahead. Wrap well and freeze up to 1 month.)

Cappuccino Cake Brownies

Ingredients: (About 16 bars)

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 2 teaspoons boiling water
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in water; set aside.
2. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth.
3. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs, melted chocolate and coffee mixture.
5. Combine flour and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture until blended.
6. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan.
7. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
8. Cut into squares.

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients :

• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts -- optional

Directions :

1. In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
2. Combine zucchini, sugar and oil.
3. Add to dry ingredients.
4. Mix well. Stir in walnuts and vanilla.
5. Pour into a greased 13x9" baking pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
8. In a saucepan, melt butter.
9. Stir in sugar and milk.
10. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
11. Boil and stir 1 min.
12. Remove from heat.
13. Stir in chips and marshmallows until melted.
14. Add vanilla.
15. Spread over brownies.
16. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

BROWNIE CHRISTMAS TREES

Ingredients :(Makes about 15 - 3 inch brownie trees.)

• 1 package brownie mix (approx 1 lb size box) ingredients necessary to make brownies
• 1 tub prepared white frosting green food coloring
• 1 M & M's for decorating (or something else you wish to decorate with)

Directions :

1. Grease bottom of a 15"x10"x1" or 11"x7"x1" baking pan*.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.
3. For extra rich brownies, stir 1 cup M&M's mini baking bits or chocolate chips into batter.
4. Spread batter evenly into greased pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
6. COOL COMPLETELY.
7. Use a cookie cutter to cut out into tree shapes**.
8. Add a few drops green food coloring to frosting.
9. Frost brownie trees; decorate with M&Ms--either in the mini form or in the large candy form (depending on cookie cutter size).
10. Store covered.

Butterscotch Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups self rising flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup coconut

Directions:

1. Melt butter, blend in sugar.
2. Add all other ingredients and stir to mix well.
3. Bake in greased and floured 9 x 13 pan at 325 for approximately 1 hour.

Butterscotch Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Makes 24 (3-inch) brownies

Cream Cheese Swirl:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Brownie:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 /2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Grease and flour a 18 x 12 x 1-inch jelly roll pan.
2. To prepare the cream cheese filling: In a medium-size bowl, beat the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth.
3. Add the egg and beat well.
4. Add the flour and beat until incorporated.
5. Set aside.
6. In a medium-size saucepan over low heat, melt the butterscotch chips and the butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.
7. Remove from heat and beat in the brown sugar until well blended.
8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
9. Beat the eggs one at a time into the butterscotch mixture.
10. Add the vanilla extract.
11. Add the dry ingredients, beating until well combined.
12. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
13. Drop the cream cheese mixture by teaspoonfuls over the batter.
14. Using a small knife, swirl the cream cheese mixture by teaspoonfuls over the batter.
15. Using a small knife, swirl the cream cheese into the batter, forming a decorative pattern.
16. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of pan comes out with moist crumbs attached.
17. Do not overbake.
    
18. Allow to cool to room temperature, or overnight, before cutting and serving.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Brownies

Ingredients : (About 24 bars)

• 3/4 c. flour
• 3/4 c. oats
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. pumpkin
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts
• 1 c. butterscotch chips

Directions :

1. In mixing bowl combine first 5 ingredients.
2. In another bowl blend egg, butter, vanilla, sugar and pumpkin.
3. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients.
4. Stir in nuts and butterscotch chips.
5. Spread into 8 by 8 inch greased pan.
6. Bake at dg350 25-30 minutes.

Best-Ever Fudge Brownies

Ingredients : (About two dozen brownies)

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 2/3 cup cooking oil
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and nuts.
2. Set aside.
3. Combine the oil, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Add to the dry ingredients.
5. Do not overmix.
6. Spread in a 13 x 9 inch pan.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients :

• 1 pkg (19 - 21 oz.) brownie mix (for 13x9" pan)
• 1 cup each cold milk, creamy peanut butter
• 1 pkg (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Instant Pudding
• 1/2 cup each confectioners' sugar, dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip topping, do not thaw
• 3 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate

Directions :

1. Prepare and bake brownies in 13x9" pan as directed on pkg; cool.
2. Meanwhile, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 minutes.
3. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well.
4. Refrigerate until brownies are completely cooled.
5. Spread pudding mixture over brownies.
6. Microwave Cool Whip and chocolate on High 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds.
7. Spread over pudding; sprinkle with nuts.
8. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Decadent Low-Fat Brownies

Ingredients :

• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• Whites from 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons sliced natural almonds

Directions :

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8" x 8" pan with cooking spray.
2. Mix cocoa, flour and baking powder on a sheet of waxed paper.
3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk sugars, oil, egg, egg whites, espresso and vanilla until blended.
4. Add cocoa mixture and mix well.
5. Pour into pan; sprinkle with almonds.
6. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before cutting in squares.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients :

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions :

1. Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored.
2. Beat in sugar until well blended.
3. Stir in oil, chocolate and vanilla.
4. Blend well.
5. Sift and add dry ingredients.
6. Mix well.
7. Stir in nuts.
8. Spread in buttered 13-by-9-by-2- inch pan.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
10. Cool and frost.

Cheesecake Topped Brownies

Ingredients :

• 1 (21.5 ounce) package brownie mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting

Directions :

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to the directions on the package.
3. Spread into prepared baking pan.
4. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until fluffy.
5. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla until smooth.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over brownie batter.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.
8. Allow to cool, spread with frosting, and cut into bars.
9. Store covered , or freeze in a single layer for up to 2 week

Toffee Pecan Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients : (Makes approximately 4 dozen brownies)

• 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 C. butter or margarine
• Cream Cheese Filling (below)
• 2 C. sugar
• 2 tea. vanilla extract or flavoring
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 C. flour
• 1/2 tea. salt
• 1/2 C. chopped pecans
• 1/2 C. English toffee bits (Skor, etc.)

Directions :

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch. pan with vegetable hortening.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in 2-qt. saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Cool 5 min.
4. Meanwhile, make Cream Cheese Filling, set aside.
5. Beat chocolate mixture, sugar, vanilla extract or flavoring and eggs in lrg.
6. bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 min., scraping bowl occasionally.
7. Beat in flour and salt on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally.
8. Beat on medium speed for 1 min.
9. Spread half the batter (about 2 1/2 C.) in pan.
10. Spread filling over batter.
11. Carefully spread remaining batter over filling.
12. Gently swirl through batters with knife for marbled effect.
13. Sprinkle with pecans and toffee bits.
14. Bake for 45 to 50 min. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.
15. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
16. For brownies, cut into 8 rows x 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients :

• 16 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 2 tea. vanilla extract or flavoring
• 1 egg
• 1/2 C. chopped pecans
• 1/2 C. English toffee bits (Skor, etc.)

Directions :

1. Beat all ingredients except pecans and toffee bits in med. bowl with
2. electric mixer on med. until smooth.
3. Stir in pecans and toffee bits.

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

Ingredients :

• 1 package (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 cup evaporated milk, divided
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 35 (10 oz. pkg.) caramels, unwrapped
• 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine cake mix and nuts in large bowl.
2. Stir in 2/3 cup evaporated milk and butter (batter will be thick).
3. Spread half of batter into an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Heat caramels and remaining evaporated milk in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted.
6. Sprinkle chocolate chips over partially cooked batter and drizzle caramel mixture over all.
7. Drop remaining batter by heaping teaspoons over caramel mixture.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set.
9. Cool in pan on wire rack.
10. Cut into 24 squares.

Chocolate Espresso Brownies

• 1 and one third cup flour
• One quarter tsp. baking powder
• One half tsp. baking soda
• One quarter tsp. salt
• Three quarters cup sugar
• One half cup butter
• One third cup light corn syrup
• One half cup espresso coffee or other strong brewed coffee
• 16 oz. semisweet chocolate squares
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and espresso in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate squares and continue heating over low heat until chocolate melts be careful not to scorch.
3. Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture and mix with a hand mixer.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix again.
5. Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan and cook at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into squares to serve.

The Skinny: Use egg and sugar substitute and low fat chocolate or even carob to cut some fat and calories.