Yogurt and Cherry Peach Pie

Need to use up some Greek yogurt? Make this pie. It's a fun breakfast treat for summer or a nice dessert.

This recipe is pretty versatile, too. You can make the crust from scratch or use granola from your pantry.

And the topping? Use whatever jam or preserves you have on hand.

I came across this recipe when I made Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies the last time I had half a container of yogurt waiting in the fridge.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Yogurt and Cherry Peach Pie
Inspired by this recipe from Food & Wine

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups prepared granola, crushed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup warmed cherry-peach preserves (or substitute another flavor like apricot)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet melt the butter in the oil.

Add the crushed granola and stir until coated in the butter-oil mixture and heated through. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and let cool.

Use a flat-bottom glass to press the granola evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Put pie plate in the freezer for about 10 minutes, to completely cool the crust.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour into chilled pie crust.

Bake the pie for 25 minutes. Filling will be set but a little jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Spread the warmed preserves onto of the pie.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies

When we have a large container of plain Greek yogurt sitting in the fridge, I usually put it in smoothies for my kids to use it up.

Recently I started looking around for other ways to use Greek yogurt. Thankfully, Bon Appetit has compiled a round-up of easy dessert recipes with yogurt.

I haven't made brownies from scratch in a while, so that's what I decided to try. These are dense, chocolatey and well worth the little bit of effort the recipe requires. Bonus: Your kids will tell you they love you when you present them as an after-school snack.

Need more brownie inspiration? Try our Double Peanut Butter Cup Brownies or Mo's ROLO-ver and Die Good Brownies.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies
Inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet, dark or milk chocolate chips, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Set a saucepan of water to simmer on the stove. Combine butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a medium stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and stir the butter and chocolate until melted and smooth.

Remove bowl from heat. Whisk in sugar, cocoa, vanilla and yogurt until smooth.

Add wet ingredients to the bowl of flour and fold in until incorporated. Add remaining chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of browning comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Pumpkin Brownies

It might still be 90 degrees in Charlotte, but it's Fall, that time of year when everything comes up pumpkin. For example, while reading my People magazine (guilty pleasure) the other day, I found a recipe for The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro's "Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies."

I decided to try them out — minus the chocolate sauce, because my kids don't like frosting or icing. Plus, nine eggs, one and a half cups of butter and four cups of sugar make these brownies plenty sweet. In fact, the recipe called for four and a third cups of sugar and two and two thirds cups of butter, so I trimmed a bit. I also added a generous pinch of cloves, because you can't have pumpkin spices without the cloves.

The verdict: Pumpkin brownies deserve their place next to pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread and pumpkin beer. Yum!

Happy Fall, y'all!

XOXO,
Amy

Pumpkin Brownies
Adapted from The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro's recipe in the Sept. 26 issue of People magazine

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon table salt
Generous pinch of ground cloves
9 large eggs
2 (15 ounce) cans plain pumpkin puree
4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment note: This recipe makes two 9X12 pans of brownies! The batter barely fit in the bowl of my KitchenAid blender and some of it was sloshing out. Next time I will use a hand mixer and my largest bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and next five ingredients. Set flour mixture aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and pumpkin on medium speed until combined. Beat in sugar.

With mixer running, add in the melted butter in a steady stream. Next, gradually add in the flour mixture, stopping now and then to scrape the sides of the bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Lightly grease two 9X12 baking pans and divide the batter between the two. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out clean.

Creme de Menthe Brownies

My mother-in-law is one of the best cooks I know. I'm always learning something new from her. When I told her I needed to bring a treat to my Bible study, her eyes lit up. Immediately, she knew the perfect recipe to please a crowd. "Creme de Menthe Brownies!"

She was right on the money with this one. Decadent and delicious, these tender brownies are topped with a layer of mint buttercream and crowned with rich chocolate glaze.

Next time you need a sweet treat—for the Super Bowl, perhaps?—give Creme de Menthe Brownies a try.

Creme de Menthe Brownies
From my mother-in-law Cheryl

Brownie Layer:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 (16 ounce) can Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, beaten

Mint Buttercream:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2-3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring (optional)

Chocolate Glaze:
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Brownie Layer: Cream together 1/2 cup butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Add flour, chocolate syrup, vanilla, and eggs and beat until thoroughly combined. Pour into greased baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Allow brownies to cool.

Mint Buttercream: Whisk together powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring. If buttercream is a bit stiff, add up to an additional 1 tablespoon milk, until the buttercream is fluffy. (I used a total of 2 1/2 tablespoons of milk.) Frost cooled brownie layer with mint buttercream.

Chocolate Glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter, stirring very often. Gently pour glaze over the mint buttercream and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to carefully spread the glaze to the edges. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Double Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Rich, chocolaty brownies studded with mini peanut butter cups and swirled with thick ribbons of peanut butter.

Need I go on? How about a testimonial?

As the husband devoured one of these decadent treats, he stopped drooling long enough to mutter reverently, "This is how every brownie should be made."

And I rest my case. Now it's time for you to make Double Peanut Butter Cup Brownies. It is how every brownie should be made after all.

P.S. Thanks to Mo for the original recipe for these brownies. Click here to check out her version, loaded with ROLO candies and a caramel swirl. They really are ROLO-ver and die good.

Double Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Adapted from Mo's ROLO-ver and Die Good Brownies

2 sticks butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mini peanut butter cups* (or quartered bite-sized peanut butter cups)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add cocoa and stir until well blended. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in peanut butter cups.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Heat peanut butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds until it's more liquid and pour-able. Drizzle peanut butter evenly over batter and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter. Bake for about 35 minutes, until brownies pull away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

*I used mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's. If you've never seen them before, they're about the size of a pencil eraser and ridiculously addictive. Be warned that if you don't use them in this brownie recipe, you'll eat them by the handful until the whole container is gone. Not that I know this from experience... Anyway, if you don't have mini peanut butter cups, just use quartered bite-sized peanut butter cups or very roughly chopped regular-sized peanut butter cups.

Brownie Pudding Cake

"What do you want for dessert?" I asked the husband.

"Well, I like cookies. And pie. And cake." I could see the wheels turning. "I want something with pudding in it." He finally proclaimed.

So I made the man something with pudding in it.

Brownie Pudding Cake
Adapted from Home Cookin'

1 boxed brownie mix and the ingredients called for on the box
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk
Heath Bar bits for topping, optional

Bake brownies according to package directions in an 8" square pan. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.

Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip together cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Gently fold in about 2/3 of the Cool Whip. Spread on top of the cooled brownie layer.

Whisk together pudding and milk for 2 minutes, until it's thickened. Spread on top of the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Sprinkle with Heath Bar bits. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*I used Heath Bar bits to add pizzazz to the top of my Brownie Pudding Cake because I happened to have some in my cupboard. I'm sure that crushed Oreos, mini chocolate chips, chocolate shavings or any number of other toppings would be just as good.

Snickers Brownies with Salted Chocolate Ganache

The husband and I didn't hand out quite as much Halloween candy as we anticipated this year. Instead of eating mini Snickers for lunch everyday, I was inspired by the ROLO-ver and Die Good Brownies that Maureen made last Halloween. I would bake my Snickers into brownies! And then I would eat those brownies for lunch instead of candy bars. You see, brownies have eggs in them (protein), so they're a perfectly acceptable meal.

A few notes about this recipe:

1.) THESE BROWNIES ARE CRAZY GOOD. And ridiculously decadent. You might want to cut them into small pieces. This will make you feel less guilty when you eat two.

2.) Don't be afraid to add the salt to the ganache. When I first read the recipe, I was dubious about this particular ingredient. So I tested it out: I made the ganache without the salt, then I tasted it. It was good, but I thought it was missing a little pizzazz. Then I stirred in the salt and tried it again. My taste buds went bonkers. The salt made the chocolate taste more chocolate-y! Try it yourself if you don't believe me.

3.) To make slicing these brownies easier, run a knife under hot water and wipe it off with a towel before making each cut. The warm knife will slice through the chocolate better.

Snickers Brownies with Salted Chocolate Ganache
Adapted from The Chew

For the brownies:
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 fun-sized Snickers bars, chopped finely (This is 1 cup of chopped Snickers.)*

For the ganache:
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Melt together butter and semisweet chocolate. You can melt this together in the microwave (microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted) or over a double boiler. (I used the microwave because I'm lazy, and it was easy.) Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.

In a large bowl stir together eggs, vanilla, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar. Very slowly stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Stir into the cooled chocolate mixture. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped Snickers. Pour remaining batter on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the brownies just begin to pull away from the sides of the baking dish. Do not overbake.

Meanwhile, make the ganache. Melt the chocolate (again, you can use the microwave or a double boiler) and stir in the heavy cream. Stir in the salt.

Pour the ganache over the baked brownies. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting.

*I'm sure this recipe would be equally delicious with your favorite candy bar. Milky Way? Heath Bar? Mmm...

Guest Post: ROLO-ver and Die Good Brownies

Get ready for the good stuff today, folks. I asked my dear friend, Maureen (a.k.a. "Mo" to those of us to know her and, inevitably, love her) to write a post for you today featuring one of her glorious baked goods. As anticipated, the recipe she's sharing today is clutch. So, now I'll turn things over to Mo, literary genius, nurturer of souls, hostess with the mostess, and forever friend.

Last week the Homemaker Extraordinaire asked me if I would guest post here for you at HDHH. I feel so honored to be able to share one of my new favorite recipes.

I don’t know about you all, but I’ve been on a pumpkin kick since Labor Day (the unofficial beginning of all things fall, for me at least). Needless to say, my family and friends have grown weary of my pumpkin goodies, even though I’m sure I never will. So currently, I have a freezer filled with pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin gingersnaps, and more. If you love pumpkin I don’t have to explain myself to you, however, I had to mix it up for their sake. And, luckily for me, just in time, Halloween candy had to be purchased. In typical Maureen fashion, I had to be sure to have enough for every little Batman who came to our door. And, again, typical Maureen, I overbought—by a lot. So, this recipe comes in handy. I think this is a delicious, and not pumpkin, alternative.

When I stumbled across this recipe it was the first time I’d seen brownies made all in one saucepan. I was intrigued. And then sublimely pleased. They are worth the extra effort over boxed brownies, plus you get to use up any leftover candy.

ROLO-ver and Die Good Brownies

(adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com)

Yield: 24 brownies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped Rolo candy
1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping (If you use caramel sauce, microwave it for approximately 30 seconds to make the sauce more pourable).

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Place butter in medium saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; stir until well blended. Add flour, baking powder and salt; stir until combined. Stir in chopped Rolo candy. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Drizzle caramel evenly over the brownies. Using a toothpick, swirl caramel into brownies. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool brownies completely in pan on a wire rack. Once cool, cut into squares and serve.

First, I found that measuring all of my ingredients and laying them out on the counter before I started cooking was important. Since you have to keep stirring the warm saucepan of sugar and butter, it makes stopping to measure difficult.

I made this recipe once where I chopped the candy pretty small, and it made for a slightly less satisfying find inside the brownie. So this time I only really chopped them in quarters so the Rolo candy packs a bigger punch in each bite.

Next, I melted the butter on the stovetop, then with a wooden spoon stirred in the sugar and vanilla.

I cracked each egg and beat it in, until completely incorporated. After that, add cocoa powder. Incorporating this takes more time than I expected, but be patient.

Then, stir in flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the candy.

Pour into prepared glass pan. Drizzle caramel syrup onto batter. Then, with a toothpick swirl the caramel.

Wait. Inhale. Wait. Drool.

When completely cool, cut into pieces.

Eat one. Then sneak back and have another. After three you will probably roll over and die!

Adaptation: I’m pretty convinced brownies and candy are natural friends. Therefore I have used other candy bars and think you can do it, too. Try Milky Ways, Snickers, Peanut Butter Cups. And if you want, substitute peanut butter for caramel. (Microwave 1/3 cup for about 30 sec so it’s more pourable).