Peanut Butter M&M Cookie Bars

These cookie bars are SOOOO good.  This recipe is my go-to cookie bar recipe that I use all of the time, but I switched things up this time and added Peanut Butter M&M's. 

I think this might have been the first time I have bought Peanut Butter M&M's and it definitely won't be the last. They made these cookie bars outstanding.  The cookie is soft and chewy and then when you bite into the M&M's with the crisp outer shell and creamy peanut butter filling, you will be in heaven.  These come together super fast and taste great for several days.

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Cookie Butter Bars

Orange Dreamsicle Chewy Cookie Bars

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

Peanut Butter M&M Cookie Bars

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (18.4oz.) bag Peanut Butter M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.  Stir in the Peanut Butter M&M's.  Press dough into a greased 9x13-inch cake pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Cool, cut into bars and serve.  

My Go-To Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my go-to banana cake recipe.  I have been making it for several years and I always get recipe requests for this.  Sometimes I switch up the frosting.  I've tried vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting, Nutella frosting and all are fabulous.  I've been a bit obsessed with cream cheese frosting lately.  That tang from the cream cheese just hits the spot :)

Next time you have some brown bananas lying around, you have got to try this.  The cake is dense and loaded with flavor.  Top it with whatever frosting you prefer and you might just find yourself buying bananas and letting them go brown on purpose, so you can make this sweet dessert.

You might also like:

Banana Pudding Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

Banana Bread with Crunchy Streusel Topping

Banana Cornbread with Cinnamon Creamed Honey

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
(Printable Recipe)

2 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 large egg
1/2 c. non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1 Tbl. vanilla bean paste)
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
milk, enough to reach desired consistency

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  For the cake: Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the egg and mix to combine.  Add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well.  Mix in the mashed banana.  Add the flour, salt, baking soda and stir together just until combined.  Pour into a greased 8x8-inch baking dish.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely and frost.  Store leftover cake in the refrigerator. 

For the frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla and mix until blended.  Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix until combined.  Add remaining powdered sugar and enough milk, as needed, to reach desired spreading consistency.  Beat until smooth and fluffy and spread over cooled cake.  

Base cake recipe adapted from: Butter Yum 
Frosting from: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

Andes Mint Brownies

Hi, how is everyone doing?  Life has been so crazy lately and I haven't been posting as much.  Not sure if that will change anytime soon, but I'll try to post as much as possible.   

This recipe is back from 2011 and these brownies are still a family favorite. It was long overdue to re-share them with all of you.  

If you like Andes Mints then you will LOVE these brownies.  They are a chewy brownie with a layer of mints in the middle.  I have made them so many times and they come out perfect every time.  I love biting into the soft brownie and getting a snap from the mints.  The flavor is rich and minty and very refreshing.  

You might want to plan on sharing these with friends and neighbors or you will be very tempted to eat the entire pan by yourself.  

Andes Mint Brownies

adapted from: Paula Deen

(Printable Recipe)


1 1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 c. sugar
4 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 boxes Andes Mints (individually wrapped)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13 pan.  In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and cocoa, stirring well; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Slowly beat in butter mixture. Add flour, salt and vanilla beating just until combined.  Spread half of the batter in pan.  Unwrap each mint and place, side by side, covering batter completely.  Carefully spread remaining batter over mints, sealing to edges.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Let cool in pan completely.  

Nutella No Bake Cookies

This recipe is back from 2012.  I decided it was overdue for some updated pics and since I make these all the time, I wanted to re-share them with all of you.

Here is my original post:
No Bake Cookies are one of those cookies that I could eat EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I have been eating them as long as I can remember and I still have never gotten sick of them.  The funny thing is, that I had been craving no-bakes for the past few weeks, but I never made them, because I thought - no one wants to see the same old no bake recipe.  Then, last night I found NUTELLA NO BAKE COOKIES.  For real!!!

What a fun twist on an old classic.  I crossed my fingers that I still had enough Nutella left in the jar - oh and I did, but only for a half a batch.  But hey, better than nothing.  They turned out delicious.  So creamy and chewy just how I like them.  We ate these things so fast and I only have one left.  These are super yummy.

Nutella No Bake Cookies

adapted from: Shugary Sweets

(Printable Recipe)

2 c. sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/4 c. Nutella

3 c. quick-cooking oats

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, milk and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, peanut butter and Nutella.  Last, stir in the oats and quickly drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.  Allow to harden and enjoy. 

BEST EVER White Chocolate Popcorn

I originally posted this recipe back in 2011 and it is still one of my family's favorite treats, so it was time to update the pics and share with all of you again.

The flavor of this really is amazing thanks to the type of popcorn the recipe calls for.  It's also so easy to customize for each holiday by switching out the M&M's you use.  

Check out my original post down below.  

If I would have seen this recipe on a blog, I probably would have just passed by it, but lucky for you, my boss makes it for us every year for Christmas, so I know how amazing it is.

I was making this a few days ago when Jake comes into the kitchen and says:

"Ewe, why did you use buttered popcorn?"

I said "Don't knock it until you try it."

So . . . he takes a bite . . . takes another bite . . . gets out a bowl and fills it up . . . finishes the bowl and says . . .  

"What is this stuff?  Why is it so good and why can't I stop eating it?"

So, there you have it.  This stuff is seriously AMAZING AND ADDICTING!  Neither of us have been able to stop eating it for the past three days.  I know it sounds strange, but it works.  

STOP whatever you are doing . . . Get up . . . Get dressed . . . go to the store and get some buttered popcorn, white chocolate candy melts and some M&M's and MAKE THIS RIGHT NOW. 

BEST EVER White Chocolate Popcorn

adapted from: Diana J.

(Printable Recipe)

3 bags (regular-size) Extra Butter Microwave Popcorn

1 1/2 (12 oz.) bags Wilton White Candy Melts

    or 1 Lb. White Chocolate Almond Bark

1 (11.4 oz.) bag regular M&M's or 1/2 bag mini M&M's

Pop popcorn in the microwave, DO NOT BURN IT.  Transfer to a really large bowl, making sure to get out all of the un-popped kernels so no one breaks their teeth.  Melt white candy melts according to package directions.  Pour over popped popcorn and add M&M's.  Stir until all of the popcorn is coated with chocolate.  Let set until chocolate has hardened.  When chocolate has hardened, the popcorn will be stuck together in one large ball.  So, use a spoon to break it into chunks.  Store in an air-tight container.  Serve.  

Jenn's Notes: You can find the Wilton White Candy Melts in the craft section at Walmart or at Craft Stores (Hobby Lobby or Michael's).  This popcorn is a great neighbor gift. Add to cute cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon.  If you burn the popcorn, don't think the white chocolate will hide the burnt taste, because it won't.  If you burn it, throw it out and use a different bag.