cast iron skillet brownies

image via Simply Food Love

I haven't tried these amazing looking brownies, nor do I have a cast iron skillet. But the photo alone makes me drool! Try these cast iron skillet brownies from Simply Food Love if you dare...and let me know how they were!

caramel apple cheesecake bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

photo & recipe via Zoom Yummy

DOUGH

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

APPLE FILLING

2 larger apples (Golden Delicious)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp granulated white sugar

CRUMB TOPPING

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour

TOPPING

3/4 cup caramel topping

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or a fork) until the mixture is kind of crumbly. First with your fingertips, then with the bottom of a cup (or a glass), press the dough evenly into a 13 × 9-inch baking pan or a cookie sheet with edges. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In the meantime, in a larger bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time (beat about 20 seconds after each addition). Next add the vanilla and mix until combined. Make sure not to over-beat the cheesecake batter as this will lead to excess air being incorporated in and may cause cracking later on. Pour the cream cheese batter over the warm crust.

Peel the apples and chop them into 3/4-inch (2 cm) chunks. Mix the apple chunks with the cinnamon and two tablespoons white sugar. Spoon the apple chunks evenly over the cream cheese mixture.

In a smaller bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar and flour for crumb topping. Cube the butter) and using a pastry blender (or a fork), create a crumbly mixture. Crumble over the cream cheese mixture.

Bake 30 minutes, or until the filling is set. Reduce the temperature to 300° F for the last 5 minutes.

Cut into bars. Drizzle with the caramel topping. YUM!

SCOTCHEROOS

SCOTCHEROOS

recipe & photo via The Girl Who Ate Everything

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup corn syrup

6 cups Rice Krispies

1 (6 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (6 oz) bag butterscotch chips

In large saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Heat to dissolve sugar and bring to boil; remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add Rice Krispies and mix until well blended. Press into buttered 9x13 inch pan. In small saucepan, melt together chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Spread combined mixture over top of Rice Krispies mixture. Cool. Cut into 36 bars.

*The only thing I would do differently, is only make half a batch. They are very rich, but very good!

PUMPKIN PATCH

Fall is right around the corner and you know what that means? Pumpkin season! And since it is too early to talk about Halloween (best...holiday...ever!), we will do the next best thing and talk about pumpkins. And desserts! Better yet, pumpkin desserts! Here are a few I am looking forward to trying. Soon!

Pumpkin Cookies w/Cream Cheese Frosting

 Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles

 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies

Images via Let's Dish (pumpkin cookies), Bake at 350 (bars), Our Best Bites (whoopie pies), Erin's Food Files (truffles)

JUST PUT IT IN A JAR

Filling jars with various lovelies seems to be all the rage this summer. Here are some super clever ideas I have seen on the blogs lately...

Putting ice cream in jars and keeping them on ice would be a really cute and time-saving idea when throwing a summer party.

If "cuteness" is the theme of your party, these little drinking jars would be perfect! They come with a hole in the lids, perfect for those ever-popular striped straws.

Have I run out of ideas for using jars you ask? Oh no! How about a gorgeous, simple flower arrangement.

Cheesecake in a jar...yes, please! Cake, cupcakes, you name it, you can pretty much serve it in a jar. Pretty cute! 

Photos via Pen'nPaperflowers, Acme Party Box Company, Tabitha Emma, and My Baking Addiction