Rocky Road Fudge Brownie Muffins

recipe from Cookie Madness Blog

I came across these and Love Rocky Road!! These are a definate HIT!

Rocky Road Fudge Brownie Muffins

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 scant teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
2/3 cup mini marshmallows


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray top of a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray and line cups with paper liners.

Place butter in a 2 cup glass measuring cup; microwave on high for one minute or until butter melts. Add cocoa to melted butter and stir well. Set aside and let cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Add butter/cocoa mixture and stir until well mixed. Add flour, stirring just until blended’ stir in 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spoon the muffin batter into cups, dividing evenly among all 12 (halfway full).

Stir together remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips, toasted pecans and mini marshmallows. Set aside.

Bake muffins for 18 minutes. Pull pan from oven and sprinkle with marshmallow mixture. Return to oven and bake for 2 minutes more for a total bake time of 20 minutes. Let cool in muffin tins for about 10 minutes, then carefully loosen muffins from tins and let cool completely before serving.


Makes 12

Curried Chickpea Bruschetta

from Hostess with the Mostess

Curried Chickpea Bruschetta

4 slices of wheat or white bread
8-10 tbsp chhole (curried chickpeas) - recipe below
4 tbsp fresh firm tomatoes - chopped finely
2-3 tbsp shredded cheese (parmesan or mozarella)
salt & pepper - to taste
fresh or dried basil - to taste (optional)
some finely chopped cilantro

Curried Chickpeas (Chana Masala)

2 cans boiled chickpeas
1/2 onion - chopped finely
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp tamarind sauce mixed with 1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp yogurt (optional)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala or chhole masala
salt & lemon juice - to taste
water - if needed
3 tbsp oil


Directions:

Drain the chickpeas from the can and wash them well. Heat a saucepan, add the oil, and sauté the onions till they become soft. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomato puree.

Next, mix the tamarind paste in the yogurt and blend well. Add this to the tomato puree. Add all the spices and the drained chickpeas, then cover and let it cook for 10-15 mins, until the chickpeas are thoroughly cooked and become soft. Check for taste, adjust salt, lemon juice and spices, and then remove from heat and keep aside to cool a little.

You can cook the chickpeas ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for upto 24 hours.

Garnish your Chana Masala with some onion rings and chopped coriander, and you can serve it hot with Breads or Rice.



Making the Bruschetta

Take each slice of bread; remove the edges and cut into desired shapes if you want. Toast the bread slices in a regular toaster or in an oven for 5-7 mins at 300 deg F, till they are lightly browned and crispy.

Mix the chopped tomatoes with salt, pepper, cilantro/basil, and toss to coat well. Set aside for 5 mins to let the flavors blend.

Take the curried chickpeas; put 2 tbsp each of this mixture onto the toasted bread (you can spread a little butter if you want). Top with a spoonful of tomato mixture, then sprinkle some shredded cheese on the top. Microwave each slice for 2 mins to let the cheese melt, or you can reheat the entire batch in an oven on a cookie sheet.

Your delicious Curried Chickpea Bruschetta is ready to be served!

Cocktail Sausages

recipe from Hostess with the Mostess

Cocktail Sausages

Ingredients:

2 ¼ lbs (75 in number) cocktail sausages
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425º F.

Separate the sausages if they are linked and arrange them in a large, shallow roasting pan.

Whisk together the honey, oil, and soy sauce and pour over the sausages, then use your hands to move everything around in the pan so that all the sausages are slicked.

Roast for 25-30 minutes; give them a shuffle about halfway through cooking if you happen to be near the oven.

Sweet Little Sweet Potato Pies

recipe from Good Things Catered blog

Sweet Little Sweet Potato Pies

Ingredients:

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c. walnuts
1 1/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp 1% milk
4 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c mashed sweet potato (one small, roasted)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch allspice
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. heavy cream


Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare small tart pans.
-In bowl of food processor, add oatmeal and walnuts.
-Process until fine in texture.
-Place into medium bowl, add next seven ingredients and stir to combine well.
-Divide mixture among pans and press to coat bottom of each evenly.
-Place tart pans onto baking sheet and place into oven to bake for 15 minutes, until beginning to smell toasting, not browned.
-Remove from oven and set aside.
-In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine.
-Pour sweet potato mixture into tart pans, filling to 1/8 inch of top of crust.
-Place tarts, on baking sheet, back into oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until filling is cooked through and slightly puffed.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely.
-Top with dollop of whipped cream and fresh grated nutmeg, is desired, and serve.

Pimpkin Pie Custard Tarts

recipe from Dunkin Cooking blog

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
4 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 - 15oz. can - pumpkin puree
1 - 12oz. can - evaporated milk
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 c. sugar
2 Molasses Cookies Crumbs
12 Graham Cracker Tart Shells


In a large saucepan combine the gelatin, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk then let stand for 5 minutes to soften gelatin. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture bubbles: cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat then gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into eggs; return all egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for another 2 minutes. (Do not boil) Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Place 1 ½ tsp. of the cookie crumbs into the bottom of each tart shell then fill the shells with the custard. Place into the fridge to chill for 6 – 24 hours.