Peanut Butter Brownies

     Trader Joe's brings us an easy way to transform your favorite brownie recipe into something special.  Once your brownies have baked, keeping them on the coals, remove the lid of your dutch oven, add rows of miniature peanut butter cups, replace the lid and cook for a couple of minutes or until the peanut butter cups are soft enough to spread with a spatula.  Using a package of Trader Joe's Truffle Brownie Mix, the brownies baked in my 10 inch dutch oven for 20 minutes with 10 coals around the bottom, 15 placed around the outside of the lid and 6 spaced evenly in the center.  Fun and simple to bake, kids will love making these as much as eating them.

Peanut Butter Brownies
1 package brownie mix plus ingredients needed to make brownies
24 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Prepare brownies according to package directions.
     Pour into prepared oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until brownies are done.
     Press peanut butter cups, bottoms down, into the warm brownies, making rows that cover the entire top.
     Place lid back on oven, continue to cook for one to two minutes or until peanut butter cups soften.
     Use a spatula or knife to spread softened peanut butter cups over brownies into a gooey frosting.
     After 15 minutes, lift brownies from oven using parchment paper, allow to cool.

Pour brownie batter into parchment lined oven

Bake at 350 degrees until done then lightly press peanut
butter cups into brownies

Replace lid and cook for 2 minutes until candy has softened

Spread softened peanut butter cups with knife or spatula

A peanut butter cup in every bite

Chocolate-Topped Peanut Butter-Bacon Bars

     Just when you thought you'd seen it all, Betty Crocker brings us the ultimate dessert for bacon junkies.  Easily made from a package of peanut butter cookie mix and crisply cooked bacon, these addictive bars are the perfect balance of sweet and salty ingredients and will remind you of a warm peanut butter and bacon sandwich. 
     In my 10 inch dutch oven, the bars baked for 25 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 14 placed in a ring around the outside of the lid with 6 spaced evenly in the center.  Once the cookie batter layer is golden brown, remove the lid, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and continue baking until the chips are soft and spreadable.  I allowed them to cool in my dutch oven for 30 minutes before lifting them out with the parchment paper.  If you don't want to eat them while they're still warm and gooey, place them in the fridge until the chocolate has set before cutting into bars.  These are indescribably good and if you use maple flavored bacon they're even more flavorful and delicious.

Chocolate-Topped Bacon Peanut Butter Bars
1 17.5 oz pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tblsp maple-flavored syrup
1 egg
12 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled (about a cup)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, oil, syrup and egg until soft dough forms.
     Reserve 1/4 cup bacon for garnish.
     Stir remaining bacon and peanuts into dough.
     Press dough evenly into parchment lined dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
     Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.
     Replace lid and cook for 3-5 minutes or until chocolate has melted.
     Immediately spread softened chocolate over bars.
     Sprinkle reserved 1/4 cup bacon over chocolate.
     Cool for 30 minutes before lifting from dutch oven.
     Wait 30 minutes, or until chocolate has set, before cutting into squares.
     Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Press cookie dough into parchment lined 10 inch dutch oven

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, sprinkle with chocolate chips
and bake for several minutes more or until chocolate has melted

Spread melted chocolate then top with remaining bacon pieces

Nothing like a little protein to balance out the sugar

Cherry Bliss Brownies

     In honor of Valentine's Day and President's Day both falling on the same weekend, I felt like celebrating with a chocolate cherry dessert.  These luscious brownies from Lucky Leaf are an easy way to combine both flavors and bake up very nicely in your 12 inch dutch oven.  I would suggest having both layers mixed and ready to go before lighting your coals, that way you can assemble the brownies while they are heating.  Also, having your butter and cream cheese at room temperature will insure a creamy consistency without any lumps in the batter. 
     Keeping in mind it was 20 degrees outside when I baked these, I placed 12 coals in a ring around the bottom of the oven, 18 around the outside of the lid with 8 briquettes placed evenly the center.  I left them undisturbed and in exactly one hour the cream cheese layer was golden brown and they had baked perfectly through in the center.  Be sure to let them cool completely before lifting them out with the parchment paper or if you can't wait, cut them while they're still warm directly from your oven.
   
Cherry Bliss Brownies
Brownie layer
1 19 oz box brownie mix (9" by 13" size)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup water
Cream cheese layer
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
5 Tblsp butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tblsp flour
3/4 tsp vanilla
Topping
1 21 oz can cherry pie filling

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl prepare brownie mix according to package directions using oil, eggs and water measurements from this recipe.
     Spread batter in prepared dutch oven; set aside.
     Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy.
     Add sugar.
     Beat in additional 2 eggs, flour and vanilla.
     Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over brownie batter.
     Using a knife, gently cut through the batters to create a marble pattern.
     Spoon pie filling over top until completely covered.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
     Cool completely before lifting from dutch oven and cutting into squares.

Spoon cherry pie filling over layers of cream cheese and
brownie batters

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until
tester comes out clean

These brownies are blissfully rich and delicious

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Swirl Truffle Brownies

 
     I have been wanting to try this recipe from Trader Joe's for the longest time, it has received rave reviews and the combination of chocolate and pumpkin sounded too good to resist.  I apologise to those of you who do not live near a Trader Joe's market, you might be able to duplicate the recipe with similar boxed mixes.  The Trader Joe's brownie mix is very thick and loaded with chocolate chips so look for a brand that is similar.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, they baked for 45 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 16 around the outside of the lid with 8 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  Be sure to test them with a toothpick before removing from the coals.  The aroma of pumpkin, spices and chocolate billowing from my oven made it impossible for me to wait for them to cool.  Splurge by serving them with a big scoop of pumpkin ice cream and if you fall in love with this recipe like I did, stock up on their pumpkin bread mix because it only comes around once a year.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Swirl Truffle Brownies
1 16 oz box Trader Joe's Brownie Truffle Baking Mix
1 17.5 oz box Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup vegetable OR canola oil
1 cup water

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper if desired.
     In a large mixing bowl, prepare Brownie Truffle Baking Mix according to package directions.
     In another large mixing bowl, prepare Pumpkin Bread Mix according to package directions.
     Spread brownie batter evenly in prepared dutch oven, batter will be thick.
     Pour the pumpkin mixture over the brownie mixture.
     Using a large stiff spatula, swirl the two mixes together to make a marble effect.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Cool before lifting from dutch oven and cutting into squares.

Pour pumpkin bread batter over brownie batter then
swirl with a knife or spatula

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

Top with pumpkin ice cream for an out of this
world, flavors of fall dessert

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oreo Brownies

     Let's give three cheers for the ingenious blogger who created this mouth-watering recipe.  Call them a Turducken for brownie lovers, Oreo cookies are baked between layers of chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie batter.  I first attempted this recipe in my 12 inch dutch oven with a 30 oz. tube of refrigerated cookie dough and a family sized, 9 by 13 inch pan package of brownie mix.  Well, I baked them for almost an hour, they looked perfectly done but when I cut into them the brownie batter was almost raw in the middle. 
     Determined to make this work, I tried it again in my 10 inch oven, this time using a 16 oz. package of refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and a smaller box of brownie mix.  I used Ghirardelli's Double Chocolate Brownie Mix, not only because it is laced with chocolate chips, it uses less oil.  In my 10 inch oven I placed 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 16 in a circle around the edge of the lid and 5 spaced evenly in the center.  After 50 minutes, I finally took a peek and this time used a tester to make sure they were done enough in the middle.  It takes restraint, but you need to let them cool for a good 15 minutes before cutting into them.  It goes without saying, they are over the moon delicious. 
     If you want to make them with the larger size packages in your 12 inch oven, be sure to bake them for over an hour with enough heat in the center of the lid to cook them all the way through in the middle.  After wolfing down two of them, warm with ice cream and caramel sauce, I promptly packed up the rest and delivered them to my neighbors.  The only thing I can't resist is temptation and these are so good I couldn't keep them in the house without eating the whole batch.  Kids will love making these, they're an assemble on your picnic table kind of recipe and don't forget to pack a gallon of milk in your cooler to wash them down with.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oreo Brownies
1 16 oz. package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, at room temperature
1 box of brownie mix plus ingredients needed to make brownies.
14 Oreo cookies

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Pat cookie dough into bottom of dutch oven.
     Evenly space Oreo cookies in circles to completely cover dough, but not touching.
     Make brownie mix according to package directions.
     Carefully pour brownie batter over cookies until completely covered.
     Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees or until brownies test done in center.
     Cool completely before lifting from oven and cutting into squares or let cool for 15 minutes before serving warm from oven.

Press cookie dough into parchment lined oven

Cover with layer of Oreo cookies

Carefully pour brownie batter over cookies

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until done in center

Unquestionably, the ultimate dutch oven brownie