Common Cuisine |

from the kitchen of Gracie Hinton

• 2 ½ C sifted flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
• ½ C sort shortening
• 1 ¼ C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 28oz can pumpkin
• 1 C chopped walnuts
• 2 pkgs (12 oz ea) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 ½ C quick cooking oats
• butterscotch morsels (optional)
• Heath Bar crumbs (optional)

Cream shortening. Add sugar and eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin and mix well. Stir in all dry ingredients, then oats. Gradually stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by Tablespoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle butterscotch morsels and Heath Bar crumbs on top.

from the kitchen of Wendy Patranella

• 1 pkg yellow cake mix
• 1 C chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 C butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 C (1 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Beat a medium speed with electric mixer 1-2 minutes. Press half of mixture into bottom of ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven.

Sprinkle with chocolate morsels and drizzle with condensed milk. Sprinkle with remaining cake mixture.

Return to oven for 30 minutes. Let cool, and cut into bars. Makes 24 bars.

When you can’t build a campfire, perhaps this is enough to satisfy the craving for this childhood treat.

• 1 pkg brownie mix plus ingredients listed on box.
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 graham crackers, broken into small pieces
• 1 ½ C mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare brownie mix as directed for 13″ x 9″ pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

In medium bowl, gently mix chocolate chips, graham cracker bits, and marshmallows. Evenly spread over top of hot brownies. Bake 15 minutes more.

Cool completely (if possible) before cutting into bars. Makes about 2 dozen servings of childhood happiness.

• 1 (7-ounce) package caramels
• ¼ C evaporated milk
• ¾ C chopped pecans, divided
• 1 9-inch chocolate crumb pie crust
• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ C sour cream
• 1 ¼ C milk
• 1 (3.9-oz) pkg chocolate instant pudding mix
• ½ C fudge topping

Place caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring continually, until smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in ½ C chopped pecans. Pour into pie crust.

Combine cream cheese, sour cream and milk in a blender. Process until smooth. Add pudding mix; process for about 30 seconds longer.

Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly. Chill, loosely covered, until set, about 15 minutes.

Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining pecans. Chill, loosely covered, until serving time.

Makes 12 servings.

And why the name, you ask? Well try to keep a batch around for more than a few minutes, and you will understand! I am posting this recipe this week in honor of my birthday. This is my favorite, favorite. Thanks to my friend Beth Edgerton for making this for me every time I came home during my first year of college.

• ½ C butterscotch pieces
• ¼ C (½ stick) buttermilk
• 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1/3 C firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 C mini marshmallows
• 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ¼ C chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease and flour bottom and sides of 9 inch square baking dish.

In 3 qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butterscotch pieces and butter, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

Add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla and egg, mixing well.

Fold in marshmallows, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Spread in greased pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Center will still be jiggly but firms upon cooling.

I actually cheated a little on this and used a box brownie mix for the chocolate layer. Made it in a 9 x 13 pan, and cut it into 48 very rich little squares. It was plenty good; but I have a feeling it would be more like fudge if you followed the given recipe.

Chocolate Layer:

• 1 C (2 Sticks) Butter
• 4 (1 oz) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 2 C sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 C flour

Peanut Butter Layer:

• 1 C creamy peanut butter
• ½ C (1 stick) butter, melted
• 3 C powdered sugar
• 1/3 C milk

Drizzle Layer:

• 1/3 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vegetable shortening

Heat oven to 350.

Melt 1 C butter and baking chocolate in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set aside.

Combine sugar and eggs in large mixer bowl; beat until thick and lemon-colored. Add flour and melted chocolate mixture; beat until well mixed. Pour into 15″ x 10″ x 1″ jelly-roll pan.

Bake 24 to 28 minutes until brownie is set. Cool completely.

Combine peanut butter and ½ cup butter in medium mixer bowl and beat, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add powdered sugar and milk; reduce speed to low. Beat until well mixed. Spread over cooled brownie layer. Cover; refrigerate until firm.

Melt drizzle ingredients in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Drizzle mixture over peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Cut into bars. Store refrigerated.

Makes 60 small, very rich bars.