Buncha Crunch Rice Crispy Treats

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Carrie Hoke

When we visited the WWOHP last, the Hubs picked up a treat for me from HoneyDukes as we were leaving. It was an extremely large {it took me several days to eat it} rice crispy treat with a thick layer of chocolate on top. It was definitely delicious, but oh so rich. I could only handle a little at a time.

Since then, I have been thinking a lot about that treat. So when the Hubs asked me to recreate it last week, I was totally into it, but I also wanted to put the ole BNP spin on it.

Whenever we go to the movies lately I almost always buy either a popcorn and M&M’s or my go-to, Buncha Crunch. And we have been seeing a lot of movies lately, which means Buncha Crunch is on my brain, in my mouth, and around the house. So I thought, why not combine my love for Buncha Crunch with my long lost treat from the WWOHP.

So not only did I put my beloved Buncha Crunch in the everyday, average rice crispy treat, but I also put them on top…Oh yeah, and I drizzled chocolate and peanut butter on top of that. Because.

Buncha Cruncha Treats

Recipe by Carrie

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 package {10 oz.} marshmallows
6 cups rice crispy cereal
1 cup Buncha Crunch candy, plus more for topping
chocolate drizzle
peanut butter drizzle

Instructions

Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment or grease thoroughly with baking spray to prevent sticking.
In a large saucepan, melt your butter on medium heat.
Add your marshmallows and stir until they are completely melted.
Add your rice crispy cereal, 2 cups at a time, and mix well.
Take your rice crispy mix off of the heat, and stir in your Buncha Crunch. Keep in mind that the longer you stir, the more they will melt. I mixed it as quickly as possible before pouring it in the pan.
Pour your rice crispy mix into prepared pan and using a spatula, press firmly until it is level.
Top with additional Buncha Crunch, and let cool.
To make the chocolate and/or peanut butter drizzle, you will need Candy Melts. You can pick them up at any craft store.
Melt the candy according to the package directions.
Using a disposable piping bag or ziploc bag, pour melts into the bag and snip the end.
Drizzle the rice crispy treats with the chocolate/peanut butter both vertically and horizontally.

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Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Scones

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Carrie Hoke

Sunday marked the Hubster’s 38th birthday. In years past, we have packed up the car and spent his birthday week with family at the beach, however this year we decided to stay back and relax at home. To make his birth week extra special, I came up with a theme for each day leading up to his official birthday. On Monday, the hubs got a few of his favorite king size candy bars with a handmade card that read “You are my king.” Tuesday left him following clues all around the house leading him to a few little geeky gifts. And on Wednesday, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to make him breakfast in bed…specifically, these decadent Chocolate Chocolate Chip Scones with homemade caramel sauce.

During the school year, I am always up and out the door by 6:45 and the Hubster is left to fend for himself for breakfast. So when summertime rolls around, I like to take the time every now and then to make him something extra special to make up for all the months of breakfast drive-thrus and microwavable biscuits.

If you’ve got a spare 30 minutes, then you have these rich, delectable chocolate scones. I had already planned to make them, however this recipe is so simple, that I already had everything to make them in my kitchen, so no need for a grocery trip. Bonus.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Scones

Yield: 8 scones

Recipe by Carrie

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking spice
2 tablespoons castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
10 tablespoons {1 1/4 sticks} butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips
1 large egg, beaten well for egg wash
Caramel sauce, homemade or store bought {optional}

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line baking sheet with silapat or parchment paper.
In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs and milk; set aside.
In your stand mixing bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking spice, sugar, and salt.
Using your paddle attachment, add butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture looks like the consistency of wet sand; You should only have pea-sized bits of butter.
Using a spatula, fold in the mini-chocolate chips.
On low speed, add your egg-milk mix to your dough mixture until dough just comes together.
Turn out dough onto your well-floured work surface.
Knead your dough just a few times to prevent it from sticking to the surface; do not overwork.
Flour your rolling pin and roll out your dough into a 3/4-inch round.
Using a knife, or better yet, a pizza cutter, slice your dough into 8 slices.
Brush the tops of your slices with the egg wash, making sure not to let it drip down the sides.{This can prevent the dough from rising properly.}
Sprinkle the tops of your scones with sanding sugar.
Place scones in the oven and reduce the temperature to 400 degrees.
Bake for 15-20 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes.
Drizzle with caramel sauce right before serving.
May be served warm and can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

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Chocolate Cherry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Carrie Hoke

I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day! The hubs and I decided to stay home this year, as neither one of us are particularly fond of crowds. Plus, if we really wanted to see some fireworks, then all we had to do was walk outside our front door. It’s that simple thanks to our small town life!

Ok…I don’t typically vent, but this has become a major pet peeve of mine.

So I took the kiddos to our local theme park last Monday for some roller coaster fun. They are old enough to walk around by themselves, so while they were riding rides, I hung out near the pool reading my latest in my long list of must-reads. At one point, I walked up to the concession stand and bought myself a bottled water and fruit cup. Ok…so here comes my pet peeve. The fruit cup was the size of Mt. Everest! No lie. It was big. HUGE. For $3.99, I had enough strawberries, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon for not just a snack, but also for my breakfast and snack the next day. Not to mention, the size of the “bite-size” fruit pieces had to be cut into 2-3 smaller pieces before I could even put them in my mouth.

Is it not possible to pay $1.99 for a snack size portion of fruit with bite size pieces? Why is it that we Americans have to have the super-size of everything? Or the need to buy the “extra-value” meal? Almost every time the Hubster and I go out to eat, I am asking for a to-go box. Sometimes I remember to eat the leftovers and sometimes I totally forget…thus wasting food aaaand money. I would rather pay a smaller price for a smaller plate. Truth.

WHEW. Alright, I am done ranting. I feel loads better. Now onto cookies.

These cookies are the perfect summer snack. They are crunchy and chewy and who doesn’t love chocolate and cherries together. I was in a total chocolate craze when I came up with the idea. And AND these cookies literally took 15 minutes to put together.

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I made sure to coarsely chop the cherries and macadamia nuts beforehand to give the cookies some crunch-a-riety.

Yeah. I totally made that word up, but I love it and I’m usin’ it.

I love the idea of tart cherries paired with chocolate.

It gives it a nice contrast from the traditional sweet velvety goodness of the chocolate cookie.

Chocolate Cherry Macadamia Nut Cookies

Yield: 2 1/2-3 dozen

Recipe by Carrie

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup tart cherries, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silapat.
In your stand mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add one egg at a time to the mixture until well combined.
Add vanilla to your butter mixture.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
Slowly add your flour mixture to your butter mixture, a little at a time until combined.
Fold in your macadamia nuts and tart cherries.
Drop tablespoon sized cookie drops onto your baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Let cookies cool on a wire rack for several minutes.

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Chocolate Cinnamon French Toast

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Carrie Hoke

When I walked into my neighborhood grocery store last week, I never thought in a million years that I would find a fresh loaf of challah bread sitting there, winking at me, beckoning me, in the bakery section. I live in a fairly small town and the nearest grocery store doesn’t carry anything out of the ordinary, so I saw this loaf of challah bread as my baking destiny. As I put it into my basket, the heavens opened up, the sun shone down on me, and I declared(loudly): I shall make Chocolate Cinnamon French Toast with this challah bread, while onlookers froze in amazement.

Ok. So that didn’t happen. For the most part anyway. Truth, I have had this idea in my head for awhile, but I swear it was fate.

Anyway, this is a super easy breakfast that you can whip up any day of the week and make you look like a rock star at the same time.

This is the fateful challah bread loaf that brought cinnamon and chocolate together forever.

I like my french toast to be thick, so I sliced my loaf into 1 inch slices.

I just love the fact that there are cinnamon flecks in my french toast.

Chocolate Cinnamon French Toast

Yield: Approximately six 1-inch slices

Recipe by Carrie

Ingredients

For the syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the egg wash:
8 eggs
splash of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
mini chocolate chips
powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, cinnamon and vanilla.
Stirring constantly, cook on medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5-7 minutes.
If your syrup begins to thicken, simply reheat on the stove or in the microwave for a few seconds.
Heat your large frying pan on medium-high heat and melt a tablespoon of butter to lightly grease your pan.
Slice your challah bread loaf about 1 inch thick, using a serrated knife.
Combine your eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla in a shallow, wide mouthed, bowl. Your bowl needs to be wide enough to dip your bread slices in.
Dip your sliced challah bread in your egg mixture and make sure both sides are covered completely.
Carefully place bread in pan and fry 2-3 minutes before flipping to the other side. If you find that your pan is too hot, then turn down your heat to medium.
Drizzle syrup on french toast and top with mini chocolate chips and powered sugar.

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