Sunday, May 24, 2009

Blueberry Muffin Crumble Cake


Here's a slight variation on your typical boxed-blueberry-muffin mix. It's unbelievably easy, and in my opinion - better than plain muffins. It can be served hot the morning of, or cold when prepared the night before.

**Shopping List:
2 boxes of Blueberry Muffin Mix - I prefer Betty Crocker
Milk
Eggs
Vegetable Oil
Flour
Cinnamon
Butter
Brown Sugar

**All muffin mixes require different ingredients.  The ingredients in my cake are the ingredients that are called for when using Betty Crocker Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix.  If using a different brand, use whatever ingredients it calls for.  You will need all of the ingredients to make TWO complete batches (boxes) of muffins.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Combine 2 pouches of muffin mix,  1.5 C. Milk, 1/2 C. Vegetable Oil, and 4 eggs in a large bowl and mix.
Gently fold in two cans of drained and rinsed blueberries.
Pour mix into a greased 9x13 inch pan.

In a small bowl combine:
3 Tbs. Flour
3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
stir together
cut in 2 Tbs. Softened Butter - I use a small fork to do this
(Topping should form into small brown sugar and cinnamon balls)

Sprinkle mixture on top of muffin batter and bake for 25-30 mins.  Topping will look golden brown, and a toothpick should come out clean when cake is finished.

Serving Suggestion:  My husband loves to spread a little bit of butter on the sides of his piece for an even more decadent flavor.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Chocolate Chewies


If you don't have the time to roll out and bake up several pans full of choclate chip cookies, here's a great alternative. These chocolate oatmeal bars are rich, chewy and hard to ruin. Just make sure you have plenty of milk on hand to wash these down. 

Shopping List
Butter
Brown Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt 
Oatmeal
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Sweetened Condensed Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In large bowl combine 1 cup butter, 2 cups brown sugar, and 2 large eggs 
Mix on medium speed until ingredients form a light brown cream
Mix in 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt.
Slowly add in 2.5 cups flour
Once dough is formed, slowly add 3 cups dried oats

Press 2/3 of dough into the bottom of a greasted 9x13 baking dish (I prefer glass) 

The dough should barely cover the bottom of the baking dish.  

In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine:
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp vanilla
Microwave ingredients on high for 2 minutes (or until mix is hot enough to melt chocolate chips)
Add 12 oz (1 standard sized bag) of chocolate chips and stir ingredients until all chocolate chips are melted

Pour chocolate onto dough and spread until dough is covered.
Take remaining dough and place pieces on top of chocolate until only a little bit of chocolate is showing:
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes, or until top is golden brown.  Cool completely before serving.  I like to put mine in the freezer for ten minutes before cutting; it makes the bars easier to serve and helps to maintain their shape.