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Twix Magic Bars

Twix Magic Bars

Take a deep breath, because you’re in for a shock. Are you ready? Here goes.

I did not try a Twix bar until I was in my late twenties. No joke. Not even a bite. And though there’s usually a reason for travesties like that, I have no real reason to offer. My parents never bought them, I always wanted other candy, and it just never occurred to me to actually eat a Twix bar.

So you can imagine my grief at all the wasted years when I finally tried one. It was such a surprise. Not to shame Rolos, but why hadn’t I tried this caramel (and cookie-infused) candy? Why? Why?!

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Ice Cream Shop Blondies

Ice Cream Shop Blondies

Back when I was a suffering grad school student, I had one saving grace. Right at the edge of my campus there was an independent ice cream store adorably named Cone E. Island. I got into the habit of stopping there before my grueling night classes and getting something creamy and sugary.

Their signature treat wasn’t ice cream, though. It was a giant blondie called a Fantasy Bar. While it came in many flavors, the original was the best. I could always count on that bar to deliver with its giant chunks of caramel, chocolate and white chocolate.

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M & M Birthday Cake Magic Bars

M & M Birthday Cake Magic Bars

I just realized something quite shocking. My blog’s been around for all of two weeks and I haven’t posted anything with sprinkles yet! Must fix this problem immediately.

Sprinkles are really magic. I realized a few months back that if I put sprinkles on anything, my kids will eat it. While I’m tempted to test that theory on broccoli, that’s sort of gross. But my son, who pretends to hate chocolate, decided to eat these bars just because of the sprinkles.

See? Magic.

Which is appropriate, considering these are magic bars. The traditional magic bar has a graham cracker crust and then layers of goodness, like chocolate chips and nuts, ending off with a layer of condensed milk. While I don’t always like to mess with success, I’ve found that magic bars can be created in any flavor, anytime, which is why you will probably see a lot of them on this site.

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Tangy Key Lime Bars

Tangy Key Lime Bars

I know, I know. Key lime is a summer thing, right? But I’m a summer girl stuck in the tail end of the winter from hell. I need to do something to ease the pain.

And since it’s my week to bake green stuff (yay, St. Paddy’s Day!), I figured it sorta kinda works. Lime zest is very green.

These bars are special. I adapted this recipe from Becky Bakes and it’s one of my favorites. Instead of working like a traditional lemon bar, these have a consistency like a brownie, but with citrus. Super brilliant. All I did was substitute key limes for the lemon, so I can take credit for very little here. And I am forever indebted to Becky’s genius.

Anyway, onward. These bars come out very sticky and delicious, dripping with a tangy and sweet glaze. They’re impossible to resist.

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Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Trifle

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Trifle

Have you noticed that I like to put brownie in almost everything? Sorry, kids, but an addiction is an addiction. And I don’t want to get help.

Many years ago when I was a sparkly newlywed, someone went off the registry and got us a trifle dish. At first, I was confused. What on earth was this vase-bowl hybrid thingy? But years of experience and some research cleared up my fog. And I learned that trifles are actually quite nice.

More traditional trifles have whipped cream and berries inside of them, but if you’re getting to know me, then you realize that I can’t go without chocolate. Preferably with peanut butter.

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Girl Scout Cookie Mini-Cheesecakes

Girl Scout Cookie Mini-Cheesecakes

‘Tis the season. You know, that in-between time when spring isn’t here yet and we are so incredibly sick of winter and we need something to get us through?

Enter the Girl Scouts. I don’t know much about the organization, having never taken the pledge myself. But I do know this: any outfit that sells boxes of cookie magic while I’m busy scraping ice off the windshield is the best.

Most people are all about Thin Mints, and a slightly smaller contingent salivates for Samoas. But an even tinier group of us proclaim our undying devotion to the most underrated of all Girl Scout cookies: Tagalongs, a.k.a. Peanut Butter Patties.

Though I favor Tagalongs above all, I am an equal-opportunity dessert enthusiast. Why discriminate against the other flavors? So I decided to make these mini-cheesecakes based on the three most chocolaty Girl Scout cookie flavors.

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Squash Cheesecake Brownie Bars

Squash Cheesecake Brownie Bars

If I had my way, everything would have brownie in it. Brownies are just…yeah. The best.

So when I entered a cooking contest (and won, brag brag brag) recently and the required ingredient was squash, I had to find out if I could work a brownie in there somewhere.

Result? This li’l guy.

Okay, I admit it sounds a bit unorthodox at first. Squash with chocolate?

But from the gods that brought us pumpkin and chocolate, this idea was born. If I could enjoy pumpkin bread with chocolate chips (yes yes yes), then couldn’t I make squash kinda taste like pumpkin and then go crazy?

And then, if that worked, could we get some cheesecake in there? Because the only thing better than a brownie is a cheesecake with brownies. Ask Ben and Jerry if you don’t believe me.

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Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Since this is my inaugural post, I’m going to start this relationship the way I want to continue it: honestly.

And to be downright truthful, I have to admit that when it comes to dessert, I have absolutely the highest threshold imaginable for sugar tolerance. When everyone else is saying things like, “Wow, that’s so rich. I can’t eat more than one bite,” I’m halfway through my second helping, feeling like I just don’t get it.

When is anything ever too decadent? Perhaps that explains my tendency to put a lot of EVERYTHING into my baking.

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