Halloween Marsh-Monsters

INGREDIENTS

8	thick pretzel rods
8	large marshmallows
	Candy corn, miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits, string licorice, Bugles® corn snacks, gummy peach rings, fruit snacks, candy sprinkles, as desired
1	container (1 lb) vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
	Assorted food colors

DIRECTIONS

1.	Gently push 1 pretzel into 1 flat side of each marshmallow; set aside. Plan and assemble decorations for each marshmallow.
2.	In 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave 1/2 cup frosting uncovered on High 10 to 20 seconds or until smooth and melted when stirred. Add 1 to 2 drops food color as desired--green for witches or Frankenstein, red for devils, yellow for pumpkins or cats.
3.	Dip and decorate 1 marshmallow at a time. Hold pretzel, and dip marshmallow into frosting to coat all sides. Immediately add decorations to create features--candy corn for noses, baking bits for eyes, string licorice for whiskers. To make witch’s hat, push corn snack through center of peach ring. For devil’s or witch’s cape, use fruit snack cut in half crosswise at an angle; attach at base of marshmallow while frosting is soft. Set pretzels in drinking glass to dry before storing. Store in airtight container.

SOURCE:http://www.pillsbury.com

Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Base
1/2	cup margarine or butter
1	oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1	cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1	cup sugar
1	teaspoon baking powder
1	teaspoon vanilla
2	eggs
3/4	cup chopped nuts
Filling
1	(8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened, reserving 2 oz. for frosting
1/4	cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2	cup sugar
2	tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/2	teaspoon vanilla
1	egg
1/4	cup chopped nuts
1	(6-oz.) pkg. (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
2	cups miniature marshmallows
Frosting
1/4	cup margarine or butter
1/4	cup milk
1	oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut up
	Reserved cream cheese
3	cups powdered sugar
1	teaspoon vanilla

* Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9-inch pan. In large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup margarine and 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in 1 cup flour and all remaining base ingredients; mix well. Spread in greased and floured pan. In small bowl, combine 6 oz. of the cream cheese, 1/4 cup margarine, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg; beat 1 minute at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Stir in 1/4 cup nuts. Spread over chocolate mixture; sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven; bake an additional 2 minutes. While marshmallows are baking, in large saucepan, combine 1/4 cup margarine, milk, 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate and reserved 2 oz. cream cheese. Cook over low heat, stirring until well blended. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Immediately pour frosting over puffed marshmallows and lightly swirl with knife to marble. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator. While marshmallows are baking, in large saucepan, combine 1/4 cup .

SORCE: http://www.pillsbury.com

Chocolate Cherry Bars

BARS

1pkg. Pillsbury Plus Food Cake Mix

21-oz. can cherry fruit pie filling

1 teaspoon almont extract

2 eggs,beaten

FROSTING

1 cup sugar

5 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup milk

6-oz. pkg. (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

*heat oven to 350 F. Grease flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan

Or 13x9-inch pan. In a large bowl, combine all bar ingredients;

stir until well mixed. Pour into prepared pan.Bake at 350 F in jelly

roll pan for 20-30mins. or in 13x9-inch pan for 25-30 mins or until

toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

In a small saucepan,combine sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil;

Boil 1 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until smooth.

Pour over warm bars.Cool. Cut into bars; garnish as desired. 36 bars.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

This is not only the ultimate banana bread but also the perfect vehicle for overripe bananas. It is based on a recipe that my mom used to make when my brother and I were growing up. I thought that chocolate chips were needed in an otherwise perfect cake. This cake freezes beautifully, so eat one now and freeze one to enjoy later.

Yield: 8 servings

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (625 ml)
2 tsp baking soda (10 ml)
1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
1 cup canola oil (250 ml)
2 cups granulated sugar (500 ml)
4 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large) (500 ml)
1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (325 ml)
3/4 cup toasted walnuts (optional) 175 (ml)

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)

Two 9- by 5-inch (2 L) metal loaf pans, lined with parchment or waxed paper, greased

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating just until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

Spread batter in prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on racks.

Tip: You can easily freeze overripe bananas, skin and all. Just be sure to thaw them before mashing.

Source: 125 best Chocolate Chip Recipes by Julie Hasson

COOKING SWEET TREATS AT HOME

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How CHOCOLATES Made

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TIPS in BAKING CAKES

*To cool a cake quickly for frosting, pop it into the freezer while you make the frosting. By the time frosting is ready, the cake will be cool and ready to slip out of the pan.

*To keep holes and tunnels out of your cake, run a knife through the batter after you have finished mixing it. This removes air holes.

*To keep loaf cakes fresher longer, cut slices from the middle rather than from the end. When you're finished slicing, firmly push the two leftover sections together to reform a loaf. This way, you eliminate leaving an exposed, quick-to-dry-out "end" slice.

*To decorate a cake directly on its serving plate, slip strips of wax paper under the edge of the cake, allowing them to hang over the rim of the plate. Frost cake, then, with a quick motion, pull out the paper. This leaves the serving plate nice and clean without a trace of frosting.

*To prevent a freshly-baked cake from sticking to the serving platter, dust the platter with confectioners' sugar.

*When flouring a cake pan, take into consideration the flavor of the cake. If you plan to serve the cake dusted with powdered sugar, a white ring on the side of a chocolate cake takes away from the appeal. For light cakes, use white flour to flour your pans. When making a dark cake, use powdered cocoa. The cocoa works in the same manner as the flour with regard to release and it doesn't leave a white ring around the edge or on top of the cake.

*To prevent cake filling from soaking into the cake, sprinkle layers lightly with confectioners' sugar before spreading filling.

*Cake will be less like to stick to the pan if you put it on a wet towel to cool as soon as you take it from the oven.

*To prevent a freshly-baked cake from sticking to the serving platter, dust the platter with confectioners' sugar.

SOURCE: http://www.cdkitchen.com/