Praline Crumb Caramel Cheesecake Bars

 1 pouch sugar cookie mix (17.5 oz)
1/2 cup cold butter
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup toffee bits
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup caramel topping
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Heat oven to 350.  Spray 13x9 pan with nonstick spray.  Place cookie mix in bowl.  Cut in butter using fork until mixture is crumbly.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping.  Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan.  Bake 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, 1/4 cup caramel topping, vanilla and egg with electric mixture on medium speed until smooth.  Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base.  Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping, walnuts and toffee bits.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 30 minutes.  Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.  Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup caramel topping.  Store covered in refrigerator.  

Mound Bars

 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 (10 oz) pkg semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a boil until moistened.  Press mixture into bottom of 13x9 pan.  Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  Stir together condensed milk, flaked coconut and shredded coconut in a bowl, then spread gently over crust.  Bake until slightly puffed and light brown around edges, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack to cool.  Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Spread chocolate evenly over coconut, Let cool about 1 hour, then chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.  

Watermelon Ice Cream for Dogs

1 cup pureed (and strained) watermelon
5 oz plain greek yogurt

Stir together watermelon and yogurt.  Pour into ice cube trays or popsicle molds.  Freeze for 3 hours.  This is good for humans too!

Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake

 1 pkg lemon cake mix
2 1/4 cup cold water
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry flavored gelatin mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant lemon pudding mix
1/2 cup milk
8 oz cool whip

Preheat oven to 350.  Coat a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Beat together cake mix, 1 cup water, eggs, oil and lemon zest and juice in a bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until combined.  Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake according to package directions or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   While cake is still warm bring 1 cup water to a boil in small saucepan.  Add strawberry gelatin mix; stir until dissolved.  Stir in remaining 1/4 cup cold water.  Use a toothpick to poke holes all over the cake.  Pour gelatin mixture evenly over top.  Chill until completely cool.  Stir together lemon pudding mix and milk in a bowl until slightly thickened.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread pudding mixture over chilled cake.  

Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies

1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies 
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
2 Hershy milk chocolate bars (1.55 oz each), unwrapped and finely chopped

Heat oven to 350.  Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Break up cookie dough into large bowl.  Add brown sugar and vanilla; mix well.  Stir in oats, butterscotch chips and chocolate.  Drop dough by rounded 2 tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.  Flatten each with fingers to 1/2 inch thickness.  Bake 13-18 minutes or until cookies are slightly puffed and edges are golden brown.  Cool 1 minute and remove from cookie sheet.  

Blueberry Crumb Cake with Walnut Streusel

Blueberry Crumb Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
8 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Walnut Streusel:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
8 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.  In small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.  In a large mixer, combine butter and sugar until pale yellow, add zest, egg, egg yolk and vanilla.  Beat well for an additional 3 minutes.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk until all is combined.  Fold in blueberries.  Set the batter aside.  

Make walnut streusel by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.  Using your fingers, mix it around until its crumbly and set aside.  

Fold half of the streusel mixture into the batter and stir to combine.  Pour batter into prepared pan and top with remaining streusel mixture.  Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  

Ranger Cookies

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp water
1 egg
3/4 cup rice krispies cereal
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Heat oven to 375.  In large bowl, stir all ingredients until soft dough forms.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet.  Cool completely.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

 For Cake: 
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)  **not pumpkin pie filling
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 pkg yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

For Glaze:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  Mix together pumpkin, eggs, the water, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined.  Add cake mix and baking powder; mix just until combined.  Spread batter in prepared pan.  Stir together brown sugar, flour, and melted butter in a small bowl until crumbly; sprinkle over batter in pan.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.  Cool cake on a wire rack 10 minutes.  

Glaze:

Meanwhile, stir together brown sugar, white sugar, cream, and vanilla in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook, stirring frequently, until sugars are dissolved and glaze is smooth, about 2 minutes.  Drizzle glaze evenly over warm cake.  Serve warm.

Sticky Buns with Toffee Sauce

 For Dough:
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp active dry yeast
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg
2 Tbsp sugar
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

For Topping:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp water
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped pecans

For Filling:
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For Toffee Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Dough:

Heat 2/3 cup each water and milk in small saucepan until warm (120-130 degrees).  Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Sprinkle with yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.  Whisk melted butter, egg, and white sugar into yeast mixture.  Add 3 cups flour and the salt.  Mix, adding more flour as needed, until a very soft and sticky dough forms.  Knead with mixer for 5 minutes.  Form dough into a ball; transfer to a lightly greased medium bowl, turning to coat.  Let rise, covered, in a warm place (75-80 degrees) until double in size, about an hour.

Sticky Topping:

Meanwhile, generously grease a 9x13 dish.  For topping, stir together brown sugar, melted butter, white sugar, the water and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.  Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly to cover bottom.  Scatter nuts evenly over topping.  

Filling:

In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.

Assembly of Buns:

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; roll into a 15x18 inch rectangle.  Evely sprinkle filling over dough, leaving a 2 inch border on long ends.  Starting on long side, roll up dough to form a log, taking care not to roll too tightly or tearing dough.  Pinch seam to seal.  Cut log crosswise into 12 equal portions.  Arrang buns, cut sides down, over topping in pan.  Let rise, covered, in warm space (75-80 degrees) until buns have almost doubled in size, about an hour.  Preheat oven to 375.  Uncover buns and bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into centers registers 200.  If tops are browning too quickly, tent pan loosely with foil during last 10 minutes of baking.  Make toffee sauce now.  Transfer pan with rolls to a wire rack; let cool 5 minutes.  Carefully invert pan over a serving platter.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape any topping remaining in pan onto rolls.  

Toffee Sauce:

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Reduce heat to medium and boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.  Carefully stir in whipping cream.  Return to a boil.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Let cool to room temperature.  Pour over rolls.  

Serve rolls warm.  

Cherry Chip Cake

1 box confetti cake mix (or white cake mix)
Butter, Milk, Eggs that are called for on the box of cake mix
        *** decrease milk by 1/4 cup on box
1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
1/4 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup cherry chips (you can find these next to chocolate chips at the store)
Betty Crocker cherry frosting (if unable to find this frosting in any brand, see directions following)
    Frosting if you need to make your own
            2 pounds powdered sugar
            1 cup butter
            6 Tbsp milk
            2 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice (add more or less of this per your flavor preference)

Prepare cake mix as directed on package.  Don't forget to decrease the amount of milk the box calls for by 1/4 cup.  Add in cherry juice, chopped cherries and cherry chips.  Mix together.  Bake as directed on cake mix box.  After baking, allow to completely cool before frosting.

For frosting:  Combine sugar and butter in large bowl.  Mix on low until butter starts to absorb the sugar.  Add milk and cherry juice and increase the speed, whipping until light and fluffy.  

Coconut Balls

 **From my Dad's recipe collection:  "A traditional Christmas candy in the Kell family for as long as I can remember.  Mom made these every year, normally storing them in a candy tin on top of the freezer on the back deck during cold weather.  That is until the raccoons decided they liked them too."**

2 lbs powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

8 oz coconut flakes

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

2 cups chopped pecans

2 pkgs almond chocolate bark

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together, except the chocolate.  It mixes better when using a set of "God's tools (your hands)"...another nugget from my Dad....  Place the bowl of mixed ingredients in refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.  After chilling, make into small balls (quarter to half dollar size) and place back in bowl. Chill again for at least another hour.  Melt almond bark using a double boiler (or the microwave...but it burns faster this way so you have to keep a close eye on it).  Drop chilled balls into chocolate one at a time.  Place on wax paper to cool.

Kell's Kitchen Gourmet Cookies

 4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 320.  Grease cookie sheets.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in one bowl and stir together.  In another bowl, cream melted butter and both sugars until well blended.  Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until the consistency is light and creamy.  Mix in flour, baking soda and salt from the other bowl until well blended.  Add chocolate and peanut butter chips.  Mix until well combined.  Drop spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool completely.  

No Bake Chocolate Cookies (higher protein)

 1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
5 Tbsp dutch processed cocoa powder
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp oat milk
2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups high protein old fashioned rolled oats (I use Kodiak brand)
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks
Flaky salt

Chopped peanuts, if desired

In saucepan, over medium-low heat, add butter, sugar, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and oat milk.  Whisk, allowing butter to melt slowly, until there are no lumps, 1-2 minutes.  Continue to cook for about 8 minutes, whisking often.  Once the mixture is simmering, whisk constantly and cook for about 1 minute or until sugar is completely dissolved.  Reduce heat to low.  Add peanut butter and vanilla.  Whisk until smooth and combined.  Mixture should be thick and fudgy.  Remove from heat.  Add salt and oats, stirring vigorously until combined.  Mixture should be looser than cookie dough. It will set up in the freezer.  Set aside for about 5 minutes, allowing the oats to soak up some of the chocolate mixture.  Using a large spoon or cookie scoop, spoon mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Top with chocolate chips, pressing them into the surface of the cookies, and sprinkle with flaky salt (and peanuts if desired).  Transfer to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set. Once the cookies have set, remove from baking sheet and store in airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Bread

 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3-4 medium bananas)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs
1/3 cup avocado oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup tapioca flour
1 1/4 cups super fine almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp flaky salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over sides.  Lightly mist with nonstick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine banana, maple syrup, eggs, avocado oil, and vanilla.  Whisk together until well combined.  Add espresso powder, cinnamon, cocoas, tapioca flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt.  Mix until well combined and lump free.  Gently fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer.  Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp chocolate chips over the top.  Bake until a knife can be inserted into the center of the loaf and it comes out mostly clean, 45-60 minutes.  Sprinkle loaf with flaky salt.  Let cool in pan for 20 minutes then gently remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.  

Scotcharoos

 1 cup honey
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp avocado oil
6 cups crisp rice cereal
12 oz butterscotch baking chips
8 oz dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt, for topping

Line 9x13 dish with parchment paper.  In saucepan, heat honey and bring to a boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and avocado oil until smooth.  Pour the peanut butter mixture into a large bowl and add the rice cereal.  Stir until very well combined.  Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and press into in an even layer.  Set aside to cool completely.  In microwave safe bowl, combine butterscotch and dark chocolate chips.  Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each one, until mixture is completely melted and smooth.  It will likely take 2 minutes or less.  Pour the chocolate butterscotch mixture over the cereal in pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with flaky salt and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.  After it is completely cooled, cut into squares.

Pop Tart Cookie Bars

 4 cups super fine almond flour
1 1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
2/3 cup strawberry preserves
1 cup powdered sugar (if using sugar substitute, do 1/2 substitute and 1/2 real)
2 Tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.  In a large bowl, add almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, and baking soda.  Whisk to combine until there are no lumps.  Add melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and egg.  Stir until well combine and a dough forms.  Transfer half of the dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer.  Next, spread strawberry preserves onto base and spread into an even layer.  Take two sheets of parchment paper about 10x10 each.  Place first sheet on counter and place remaining dough in center.  Top with second piece of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 9x9 square.  The parchment paper/rolling pin is necessary as dough will likely be very sticky and difficult to shape.  Gently slide the rolled dough with the bottom sheet of parchment paper off the counter and carefully flip on top of the jam.  Gently press down on the edges until most of the jam is covered.  Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for at least an hour.  Once cooled, transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling.  In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla.  You may have to adjust amount of almond milk to get to a spreadable consistency.  Once bars are completely cooled, add frosting, spreading with a spatula and top with sprinkles.  Place in fridge and allow frosting to harden, at least 15 minutes. 

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

 Crust:

9 oz oreo cookies
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling:

16 oz plain cream cheese, at room temperature,
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
3 Tbsp a.p. flour
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line bottom and sides of 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides.  In a food processor, blend cookies until finely ground, add butter, and pulse until moistened.  Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan and gently press into bottom.  Bake until fragrant and slightly firm, 12-14 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth.  Add sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt.  Process until combined.  Set aside.  Pour remaining pumpkin mixture into prepared pan.  Drop dollops of chocolate mixture onto pumpkin mixture, swirl.  Bake until cheesecake is set but jiggles slightly when gently shake, about 40-50 minutes.  Cool in pan.  Cover; chill until firm, at least 2 hours.  Using overhang, transfer cake to work surface.  With a knife dipped in water, cut into 16 squares.  Store in airtight container in refrigerator.  These can also be frozen and set out to come to room temperature before serving.  

Peanut Butter Blondies

 1 cup creamy peanut butter (can sub with almond butter or cashew butter)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp avocado oil
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9x9 dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In large bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, and avocado oil and stir until smooth.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until well combined.  Fold in white chocolate chips and coconut.  Pour into prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer.  Sprinkle with chopped pecan pieces.  Bake until cooked through and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes.  

Mexican Cheesecake

 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 (8 oz) cans crescent rolls
6 tsp butter, softened
4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cream cheese, eggs, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla.  Roll out 1 can of crescent rolls and places on bottom of greased 13x9 baking dish.  Pour mixture on top of crescent rolls.  Roll out other can of crescent rolls and place on top of mixture.  If seams come apart, pinch together.  Mix 1/2 cup of sugar and 4 tsp cinnamon in different bowl.  Spread softened butter on top of crescent rolls.  Sprinkle sugar mix on top of butter.  Place in oven for 35-45 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Texture is more like a moist regular cake than a cheesecake.

Almond Streusel Cherry Cheesecake Bars

 Cookie Base and Topping:
1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/4 cup cold butter
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Filling:
20 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs 
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Heat oven to 350.  Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray.  Place cookie mix in large bowl.  Cut in butter and 4 oz cream cheese, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture for topping.  Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan.  Bake 12 minutes.  Meanwhile in large bowl, beat 20 oz cream cheese, sugar, flour, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked cookie base.  Spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with reserved topping and almonds.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 30 minutes.  Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.  Store covered in refrigerator.