Today’s treat pays homage to the best candy ever created – the Reese’s egg. I know Reese’s rolls out stuff for all the holidays – halloween,Christmas, valentine’s day, but the Reese’s egg stands out for some reason. Not sure why. With all the social distancing and staying home and limiting time outside the home, I bring you a recipe that brings the Reese’s eggs to you. And in a pie., with an Oreo crust. And melted chocolate on top. If you don’t have the Oreos, you can use a Graham cracker crust, or just make the peanut eggs. I was actually going to do a video for this recipe, but with all the hair salons closed, I am 3 weeks overdue for my hair appt with a while to go before my next appt. The only time i ever cut my hair was when I was 4 and it did not go well. so I will patiently wait my next appointment with Lori… Thus today is merely a blog. 😄

• Ingredients
• 40 Oreos, any flavor, finely crushed (I used double stuff)
• 8 tbs butter, melted
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 8 tbs butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, melted in 20 second increments in microwave until you can stir this smooth.

Directions – finely crush Oreos with a rolling pin or in a food processor.

Combine with melted butter. Press into a pie pan and freeze ten minutes.

Remove from freezer and top with half of melted chocolate. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, microwave peanut butter and brown sugar for 45 seconds. Blend in butter and powdered sugar. Spread over top of melted layer.

Top with remaining melted chocolate and chill.

Store covered in fridge

In an effort to make our house smell good on this chilly Good Friday, I asked my hubby what I should bake (and give to our neighbors). He opted for something pretty standard – tollhouse bars. These are a little different. Instead of butter, I used vegetable oil (I assume whatever oil you use would work). I lined the pan with tinfoil and then sprayed it with baking spray, in an effort to keep the edges from browning too much. (This works well with brownies too, to make the edges less brown). I took these put when they seemed undercooked. I think this makes for a softer treat that stays fresher longer. You could sprinkle powdered sugar on top of these immediately after you take them out of the oven. The powdered sugar melts a little into the bars. 😋 You could also frost them after they are completely cool.

• Ingredients
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking pan with tin foil and spray w baking spray. Combine oil, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips. Press evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chips on top.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

You can frost these once they are completely cool, if you’d like. Cut and store in covered container.

Today’s recipe is very simple and a snap to make. In addition, it is a healthy by version of a comfort food. Plus, it is in honor of a place that will make many of my @sunygeneseo brethren smile – Mr T’s. It was a place on Main street that was known for it’s pizza and the mozzarella sticks were dynamite! It was one of several neat little places on that street that we frequented (perhaps once or twice after a late night visit to GJ’s, the Vital or In Between). Other places included the bronze bear, the donut Shoppe and mama mia’s. I am opting for mozzarella sticks with today’s recipe. They are baked, but very good. So a comfort food, that is healthy, if you will.

• Ingredients
• Low fat mozzarella sticks
• 8 tbs Bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• Italian seasoning (optional)

Directions – preheat oven to 350. toast bread crumbs on a light setting in your toaster oven.. Or spray a pan with Pam and, cooking over low heat, toast them, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add seasoning. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl. Dip mozzarella stick in egg, then the breadcrumbs to cover. Dip stick in egg again and breadcrumbs again. Place sticks on baking sheet and Spray with Pam. Bake 7 to 10 minutes.

Serve with marinara sauce.

This is a fun treat to make. A cookie that is smooshed/smushed with a glass spray in pan, and dipped in sugar. There are several varities… This time, I opted for chocolate and made a vanilla frosting and a chocolate frosting. Peanut butter would likely be a nice option for frosting too. The first time I made these cookies, it was the height of “deflategate.” So this Buffalo Bills fan made flat footballs. My Patriots fan friends, jokingly, offered to fight me. I think I could have taken them!

I miss the simplicity of the stuff we could argue about and have fun with back then. These past few months have been frightening and I fear it will be that way the next few months. Stay safe and healthy, friends, and follow health experts advice.

• Ingredients for cookies
• 1 cup butter, soft
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs chocolate extract (or vanilla)
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions – cream butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and extract. Blend in,dry ingredients. Scoop 3 tbs dough and roll into a ball. Spray the bottom of a drinking glass with Pam and dip in sugar., slightly flatten cookies. Chill a couple of hours. Preheat oven to 350. Stagger cookies on a sheet lined with nonstick baking liners. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. They will seem “undone” but they will be fine, Cool completely.

• Vanilla frosting Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1tsp vanilla
• 2 tbs milk
• Directions – cream butter and powdered sugar. Blend in vanilla and milk. You may need to add another tbs of milk to get consistency you want.

• Chocolate frosting ingredients
• 2 tbs butter, melted
• 3 tbs baking cocoa
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbs milk
• Directions – combine butter and cocoa. Blend in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. You may need to add more milk to get the right consistency.

Frost cookies and store in a covered container in the fridge.

Today’s treat I first learned about from my best friends – Helen, who made them for Christmas one year during college. They are a chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips and stuffed with peanut butter cups that are filled with Reese’s pieces. These cookies remind me of her, my group of friends from Geneseo, good times, when life was simple. We could also use some simplicity now. The co-vid 19 stuff gets more frightening every day. I pray that everyone has a hedge of protection around them and stays healthy and safe and that those who are sick are healed.❤

• Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp chocolate extract (you can use vanilla if you want)
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 bag peanut butter chips
• Oreos or peanut butter cups or other candy

Directions – cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and extract. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in chips. Scoop out 2 tbs of dough and wrap around a piece of candy or Oreo. Chill at least a couple of hours. Preheat oven to 350. Stagger on cookie sheet. Bake 16 to 18 minutes. Cool completely.

Of course, I ran out of pb cups so I had to stuff some with Oreos. M&ms color code different cookie types. I am crazy, I know!

Store in covered container.

It’s no secret that I love to bake. And recently I discovered, I might also be a bit of a stress baker. With the anxiety and uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic, I felt I needed to bake something. So I made a small batch of brownies. I knew Rob would eat one. I offered the rest to out friends and they happily obliged. If they didn’t want them, I would have frozen them (the brownies, not the friends 😄) I decided to take the brownies up a notch by frosting them with homemade reeses eggs and homemade cookies and creme frosting. I also topped them with melted chocolate.

• Brownies ingredients
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp chocolate extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions -preheat oven to 325. Spray and 8×8 pan with baking spray (I like wilton’s) . Heat oil in a microwave safe container for 15 seconds. Whisk in baking cocoa. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, powdered sugar and brown sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cocoa mixture and cocoa extract and beat for 5 minutes. Fold in dry ingredients. Add rest of cocoa mixture and beat one minute. Add chips. Pour into pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Reese’s frosting – melt 1 cup peanut butter, 4 tbs butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar in microwave safe bowl. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and a tbs of milk (you may want to add more powdered sugar or milk to get the consistency you want)

Cookies and creme frosting – combine 1/2 cup Crisco, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tbs sugar. Add a couple tbs of water to get the consistency you want. Blend in a few crushed oreos.

Store in covered container

I must admit I was surprised people were requesting a recipe for these after I posted pix on twitter, FB and Instagram. They have coconut, which is one of the ingredients I hear complaints about from time to time (“I don’t like coconut. I don’t like nuts. I don’t like chocolate. I don’t like peanut butter” etc). Anyways, I am happy to oblige and provide this recipe! I believe I found it a while back on the betty crocker or Duncan hines website

• Ingredients for crust
• 1 German chocolate cake mix
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 egg

• Ingredients for topping
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup nuts (opt)

Combine filling ingredients and set aside

Directions for crust – preheat oven to 350. Spray 8″ pan with baking spray. Combine ingredients and press into pan. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from,oven and top with filling. Bake another 20 to 25 minutes (coconut will be light golden) cool.

Store in covered container.

Treat #1 for Marty and McGee today- chocolate chip whoopie. My twist – fat ricotta cheese as an addition in place of one stick of butter. I Also went with a chocolate fluff filling instead of the traditional vanilla.

• Whoopie pie ingredients
• 1 stick of butter, soft
• 1 cup ricotta cheese ( i used fat free, but you can use whatever kind you want)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions – combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add ricotta cheese. Mix in egg and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Blend in chips. Roll 2 tbs dough into balls and chill at least a couple of hours. Preheat oven to 350. Stagger dough on a cookie sheet lined with nonstick baking liners. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. (Lightly golden on top). Cool on pan 10 minutes, remove and cool completely.

• Chocolate fluff filling ingredients
• 1 cup fluff
• 1 stick butter
• 1 – 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbs baking cocoa
• 1-2 tbs heavy cream or milk
• 1 tsp vanila

Directions – cream butter and fluff. Blend in 1 cup powdered sugar and baking cocoa. Stir in 1 tbs milk or heavy cream and vanilla. You may need to add more,powdered sugar to get the consistency you want. Spread between two cookies.

Store in covered container.

I have to be honest. This treat is the result of an original treat that was not up to my standards. I was going for red velvet bars topped with an Oreo truffle layer and topped with melted milk chocolate. The truffle layer and melted chocolate looked like a messy disaster. So I audibled. I crumbled up the red velvet bars in one bowl, added some homemade frosting and made red velvet truffles. I put the Oreo truffle layer in another bowl and added some homemade frosting. I stuffed a new Oreo truffle inside a red velvet one and topped each with melted chocolate, and voila! (Note – you may need a little more frosting to make sure truffles hold their shape)

• Red velvet truffle ingredients
• 1 red velvet cake mix
• 3.9 oz instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 8 tbs vegetable oil

Directions – preheat oven to 325. Spray a 9x 13 pan with baking spray. Combine all ingredients in a bowl amd spread in pan.(dough is thick). Bake 15 minutes (toothpick inserted in mixdle of cake comes out with a few crumbs). Cool completely. Crumble cake in a bowl and add 1/2 cup canned or homemade vanilla frosting

• Oreo truffles ingredients
• 40 Oreos, finely ground in food processor
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 cup canned or homemade frosting

Directions for Oreo truffles – combine and roll 1 tbs of mixture into balls.

Assembly – take 2 tbs of red velvet truffle mixture (or more, if necessary) and form around each Oreo truffle. Top with melted chocolate. Store in covered container.

I love variety in my baking… I am always willing to try different versions of brownies, chocolate chip cookies.. This goes for cutout cookies as well. Today, they are cookies n cream cutouts for Valentine’s Day. Basically a sugar cookie with a little cream cheese to make it even softer and flavored with a cookies n creme extract i found online (I also have chocolate, lemon, orange and almond in my collection). These cookies are a chance to use my heart cookie cutters

• Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 tbs cream cheese or Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cookies n cream extract
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour (scooped from a flour container into a measuring cuo)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5-10 Oreos, finely crushed in a food processor (the more oreos you use, the darker the cookie)

Directions – cream butter and sugar. Add cream cheese or Greek yogurt. Blend in extract and egg. Add 2 and a half cups flour and salt. Add a little more flour if you think the dough is too soft. Fold in Oreos. Cover and chill. Take dough out and leave it covered on countertop about 2 hours before you want to bake (easier to roll and cut). Preheat oven to 350. Roll and cut (I prefer my cutouts thicker and softer). Stagger on cookie sheets lined with non stick liners.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.

• Frosting ingredients
• 1 stick of butter softened
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Milk

Directions – cream butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Blend in milk a tbs at a time until you get the consistency you want. You can also add more powdered sugar to make it sweeter (which likely means more milk). Add food coloring if desired. Frost cookies.

Store in covered container.