Patriotic Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Patriotic Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Holidays have a way of sneaking up on a girl. July 4th, here you come!

On my list of favorite low-maintenance holidays, July 4th is up there. I eat my annual nitrate-free hot dog (once a year is just enough, really), drink a cocktail, and whip up some brownies. It’s the perfect meal!

I’ll never argue with a brownie in any form, but they’re at their best when giant chocolate chunks are nestled within. Oh, and when there’s a nice thick layer of glaze on top with sprinkles. Patriotic sprinkle bling, no less!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts

Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts

I need more donuts in my life.

Seriously, I don’t eat them that often. The thing is, they’re usually fried, and while that’s delicious, I feel kind of gross after I eat one. The donut pan is a much better option!

Plus, when I bake my own, I can customize flavors at will. Like this chocolate peanut butter version. It has the loveliest, thickest PB chocolate icing. And sprinkles! Can we all just stop for a moment and enjoy the sprinkles?

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Valentine’s Day Dipped Oreos

Valentine’s Day Dipped Oreos

Not much is more annoying than spending a ton of money on something you could have made on your own for cheap.

There’s the convenience factor, sure. Paying someone to make dessert is a lot easier than rolling up your sleeves and doing it on your own, but on Valentine’s Day, we like to pull out all the stops and make the treats ourselves. So why pay a lot of money to an expensive chocolate shop for dipped Oreos?

These are just as good as the ones you pay for, if not better. See, they’re made with Double Stuf Oreos, which have more filling. They’re also blinged out for Valentine’s Day. There’s a video tutorial below, so enjoy!

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Brownie Heart Cutouts

Brownie Heart Cutouts

This is as simple as it gets, but those are the best recipes sometimes!

A lot of people make adorable sugar cookies iced beautifully for holidays, but I prefer a brownie to a cookie. So why not do these cutouts instead? Plus, you can eat all the brownie scraps that are leftover from the heart cutouts. It’s a perfect snack!

Has anyone else thought about how ironic it is that a month dedicated to eating healthfully is followed by a month all about chocolate? But hey, I’m not complaining.

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Valentine’s Day Bark

Valentine’s Day Bark

Oh, bark. How I love you.

This is the chocolate month, the time when everyone forgets their healthy resolutions, turning straight to the chocolate lava cake. It’s only human nature. We can’t be deprived for extended periods.

So if you’re gonna do the chocolate, make bark. It’s a cheap and easy gift for a loved one, or you can eat it all yourself. I have a video tutorial below plus a step-by-step recipe, so keep reading!

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Black And White Cookie Chips Fudge

Black and White Cookie Chips Fudge

My house is quiet and dark. For several sweet hours a day, my kids are in camp while I get a chance to remember what life was like B.C. (before children) and inhale the sweet nectar of freedom.

Here’s the ultimate perk of being a teacher. For two unpaid months (yep, I inserted that word on purpose), I get a taste of what it’s like to be a stay at home mom. It’s great for these two months. I would not be able to do it year-round and maintain my sanity. Especially if there was no camp.

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Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars

These bars were baked on a terrible, awful, no good, very bad baking day.

Some days, my kitchen is humming. Bread dough rises as it should, pie crust comes together without complaining, and frosting practically pipes itself. Those are great days.

Then, there was last Sunday. I ran out of butter without realizing it, my husband couldn’t find the chocolate candy melts at the store, and my heavy cream was suspiciously gloppy, even though it was not at its sell-by date yet. As I watched one baking project tank after another, I wondered why in the heck I do this.

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Shamrock Krispy Treats

Shamrock Krispy Treats

This may come as a shock to you who know anything about me: I’m not Irish.

But you see, kids, I love holidays. Before holidays, there was darkness and cold. Holidays bring sprinkles and light. So you can bet that Irish or not, I’m getting into my St. Patrick’s baking groove.

But before I do that, I want to take a minute to remember Mr. Spock. As you know, Leonard Nimoy passed away a few days ago, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t say anything about him. Because, though you may not suspect it, I used to be kind of in love with him.

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Frosted Gingerbread Bars

Frosted Gingerbread Bars

Most of my childhood memories revolve around food. And being upset when little girls made fun of my clothes. So yeah, I’d rather think about the food.

There was a cookie shop (a Mrs. Fields-type place) in the student union of the university where my parents worked. Sometimes, we’d go visit my dad at work, and on a really good day, we’d get a big gingerbread man as a treat. Or at least, it seemed big. If I looked at the cookie as an adult, it would probably be tiny.

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Nutella Cookie Dough Truffles

Nutella Cookie Dough Truffles

Okay, I admit it. You dragged it out of me. It’s time to come clean.

The truth is, I’ve been known to hoard…truffles.

Oh, I’m so ashamed. You see, I love throwing things away. I know it sounds wasteful, but it makes me feel like I’m finally getting organized and cleaning up the constant mess that my kids throw around the house each second they’re home. I don’t save anything except the rare, unquestionably special school project.

And truffles.

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