Cereal Smore's Bars

Cereal treats are always a

favorite of mine to make when I

am asked (or told by a family member) at

the last minute to provide a treat.

And lets be honest here...

EVERYONE loves a soft chewy

cereal treat, no matter how old you are.

These are perfect to place in your

children's lunch box, wrap up for

snacks or a bake sale.

 

Cereal Smore Bars

1 (10.5 oz) Mini Marshmallows~ reserve 1 cup

1 (12 oz) Milk Chocolate Chips

1 (8oz.) Marshmallow Cream

5 TBSP Butter

1/2 C. Corn Syrup

1 tsp. Vanilla

8 C. Golden Graham Cereal

 

In a large sauce pan melt together the

chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup,

marshmallow cream and mini marshmallows.

Stirring until smooth and chips are melted.

Take off heat, stir in vanilla.

Pour mixture over cereal, mix well

until all the cereal is coated.

Press mixture into a buttered 9x13" pan

sprinkle reserved marshmallows over top.

Let cool then cut into bars.

Now go ahead and make another

batch because these bars wont

last long. Oh So Yummy!

Lark

 

 

 

 



Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chess Pie

Your guest's will never guess what

the secret ingredient is in this

decadent Chocolate Chess Pie.

I was actually inspired to add the

secret ingredient after seeing it 

 used in a "high end" candy bar.

Let me warn you now however,

this pie is very rich. A small slice

 is the perfect size you will want to

 serve to your guest's.

 Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chess Pie

1/2 C. Butter

1 oz. Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

1 C. Brown Sugar

1/2 C. Sugar

2 Egg's

1 TBSP. Milk

1 tsp. Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/8 Ground Spicy Chili Pepper

1 (9"inch) Unbaked Pie Shell*

* Or use my Cream Cheese Pie Crust Recipe

Preheat oven to 325

In a small sauce pan melt together

the unsweetened chocolate and

butter, careful not to burn.

Then set aside.

In another bowl combine the

remaining ingredients, mix well.

Slowly pour in the melted

chocolate while whisking.

Stir until blended fully.

Pour into your unbaked

pie shell. Bake on the center

rack in your oven for 45 minutes.

Let your pie cool completely

before cutting and serving.

HAPPY BAKING!

Lark



Banana Chocolate Chip Cornmeal Scone

This recipe is a creation of the

blending of two great recipes,

Corn Bread and Scones. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cornmeal Scone

1 C. Flour

3/4 C. Yellow Cornmeal

1/2 C. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1 Ripe Banana~ mashed

1 Egg

1 C. Milk

1/4 C. Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chip

Preheat oven to 400

*also preheat your cast iron skillet

Sift together the first 6 ingredients.

In another bowl combine mashed

banana, egg, milk, oil and vanilla.

Beat until well blended.

Pour the wet ingredients into

cornmeal flour mixture. Whisk

together well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour this into your preheated

cast iron skillet, spread evenly.

Place into your oven on the

center rack. Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Let cool in skillet for 10 minutes

before you cut and serve.
You can serve this for breakfast,

brunch, or for Tea.

It can also make a very simple

dessert for a picnic.

ENJOY,

Lark
Author / Creator of Lark's Country Heart



Choc.-Full of Nuts Cookie Pie

I come from a family line of Pie Makers.

I'm not sure just who it was in the past

 generations that made their "mark" as

the first one to enjoy making pie. However I

am so glad I seemed to have been the "one"

 in my immediate family to carry on

this tradition!

 (as my Mom says: "1 out of 7 isn't bad"...lol)

This Pie is a blending of a pie crust,

cookie dough, and nuts. It is VERY RICH!

The texture is that of a cookie with a

nice crunchy layer on top that is like

that of a Chess Pie.

I am sure you will be very

happy with the outcome.

 

Choc.-Full of Nuts Cookie Pie

1 10" Unbaked Pie Crust~*my recipe HERE

2 Egg's

1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

1/2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Butter~ softened

1/2 C. Mini Semi Sweet Choc.-Chips

1/2 C. Milk Choc.-Chips

1 C. Honey Roasted Pecans ~chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs until

foamy, about 3 minutes.

Sift in flour and sugars, mix.

Add Butter, mix.

Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

 Pour into unbaked pie crust,

spread evenly.

 

Bake on center rack of oven

for 1 hour. Place on cooling rack

to cool completely before serving.

This is the slice of life,

Lark

 

 

 



Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Love-Handle Bars

You will never have to worry

about what to do with the leftovers,

there wont be any!

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip
 Love-Handle Bars

~First Layer

1 Chocolate Cake Mix

1/2 C. Butter~ softened (not melted)

3 TBSP. Milk

1 Egg

~Second Layer

1 (8oz.) Cream Cheese~ softened

1/2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter

1 TBSP. Vanilla

3 Eggs

3 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

~Third Layer

2 C. Peanut Butter Chips

1 C. Chocolate Chips

1 C. Toffee Pieces 

Preheat oven to 350

Mix together ingredients for the 1st. layer.

Spread evenly into a 9x13" greased pan.

You will have to press it out into

the pan with your fingers.

Sprinkle 1 C. of the Toffee

pieces over top.

Now beat together all of the ingredients

for the 2nd layer. Carefully pour this

over the first layer and chips.

Then sprinkle the remaining

peanut butter and toffee chips

over the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let the bars cool completely

before cutting and serving.

I also drizzled some melted chocolate

over top just to jazz them up a bit.

I gave them their name due to

the fact that if eaten often you

WILL gain Love-handles!

ENJOY, Lark





Peanut Butter Love-Handle Bars

These bars are perfect for

 afternoon snack, picnic's, bake sales

or pot luck dinners.

You will never have to worry

about what to do with the leftovers,

there wont be any!

 

Peanut Butter Love-Handle Bars

~First Layer

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 C. Butter

3 TBSP. Milk

1 Egg

~Second Layer

1 (8oz.) Cream Cheese~ softened

1/2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter

1 TBSP. Vanilla

3 Eggs

3 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

~Third Layer

2 C. Peanut Butter Chips

1 C. Toffee pieces

 

Preheat oven to 350

Mix together ingredients for the 1st. layer.

Spread evenly into a 9x13" greased pan.

You will have to press it out into

the pan with your fingers.

Sprinkle 1 C. of the peanut butter

chips over top.

Now beat together all of the ingredients

for the 2nd layer. Carefully pour this

over the first layer and chips.

Then sprinkle the remaining

peanut butter and toffee chips

over the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let the bars cool completely

before cutting and serving.

I also drizzled some melted chocolate

over top just to jazz them up a bit.

I gave them their name due to

the fact that if eaten often you

WILL gain Love-handles!

ENJOY, Lark

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Pudding Cookies

If you like soft and chewy

cookies this is the recipe for you!

Also the great thing about this

recipe is that you can change the

base flavor of the dough by choosing

any flavor of pudding you like.

*(one of my favorite's in Cheesecake

pudding with dried cherries!)

So go ahead and make a couple

different batches this weekend.

 

Chocolate P.B. Chip Pudding Cookies

1 C. Butter~ softened

3/4 C. Sugar

1 C. Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1(5 oz.) Instant Pudding Mix ~any flavor

2 1/3 C. All Purpose Flour

2 C. Peanut Butter Chips

 

Preheat Oven to 350

In a mixing bowl cream together

the butter, and sugars until fluffy.

Add in eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda.

Mix in pudding mix and flour until

blended well. Final step add in the chips.

(instead of using chips, you can add nuts,

toffee or dried fruit)

Drop onto a greased baking sheet,

bake for 8-10 minutes.

Store in an air tight container.

HAPPY BAKING,

Lark

 



4 Ingredient Brownies

I have never met a Brownie

that I didn't like. They are everything

soft, chewy and divine.

The variety of add-ins you can

turn your plain into the amazing!

I had my Middle School kids make

these in class one day, thinking they

would all go crazy adding in candy

pieces, nuts or toffee.

Can you believe NOT one student

added anything thing to the batter?!

They only topped them with

some powdered sugar.

(go figure, right?)

(Sorry this isn't the best photo. However I

told the students I would photo their

finished product.)

These really are a very simple

fast treat to put together.

 

4-Ingredient Brownie's

1 (18 1/2 oz.) Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

1 Egg

1/3 C. Oil

1/4 C. Water

* Any toppings you want to add*

 

Preheat oven to 350

Whisk all ingredients together

until well blended. Pour into a

greased 9x13" Pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until

center is cooked through.

Let cool completely before cutting.

Life is better with brownies!

Lark

 



Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs

These are EGG-cellent!

 

If your like me, you LOVE those darn

Reese's Peanut Butter Egg's!

I have NO idea why they are so

much better in "egg" form, but they are.

And I am ADDICTED to them!

That is why I HAD to come up with

my own recipe for them.

 

Homemade Peanut Butter Egg's

1 C. Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 C. Butter~ softened

2 C. Powdered Sugar

1 1/2 C. Graham Cracker Crumbs

Chocolate for dipping

 

In a mixing bowl combine the

peanut butter, butter until smooth.

Add in both the powdered sugar

and cracker crumbs, mix until incorporated.

Using a large metal spoon, form

dough  into an egg shape.

 

Place on a wax paper lined pan.

Place in the freezer to set up for

at least 30 minutes.

*At this point you might want to start

melting your chocolate for dipping.

Take each egg and dip into the

melted chocolate. Place on a

lightly sprayed wire rack.

Drizzle extra chocolate over

the top of each egg.

Store in an air tight container.

HAPPY EASTER!

Lark

 

 



Chewy Homemade Brownies

If I had to choose a dessert
that would for sure make me smile,
it would have to be a chewy brownie!
It doesn't even matter if is has frosting....
As long as it is soft and chewy!

I have been making this same brownie
recipe for years. It is a family approved,
"tried and true" recipe. They are so
soft & chewy you don't even need to
frost them. (however no harm in it either;)

Chewy Homemade Brownies
1 C. Butter ~ softened
2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Cocoa Powder
4 Lg. Egg's
1 1/2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla Or cold coffee
*1/2 C. Chopped Nuts~ Optional

Preheat oven to 350
Cream together the sugar and butter for 3 minutes.
Add in the vanilla and eggs one at a time while beating.
 Sift together cocoa, salt and flour add to
wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. If you are adding
in nuts, fold them into the batter at this point.
Also I have stirred in extra's like chocolate chips,
 toffee pieces, candy pieces they all work !
Pout batter into a greased 9x13" pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Make sure center is cooked through.
Cool on wire rack before cutting.
**Tip~ when cutting brownies I like to use a
plastic knife. I  know that sounds funny, but I
assure you the brownie wont stick to the knife
tearing each piece.
Happy Baking,
Lark




Fudgy Brownie Toffee Pie

This is one of those dessert's you

will want to make (2) of....

One for the family and one for you! ;)

Fudgy Brownie Toffee Pie

1 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Butter~softened

2 Eggs

1/2 C. Flour

1/3 C. Cocoa Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Chocolate extract

1/2 C. Toffee pieces

Preheat oven to 350

In a mixing bowl beat together the

sugar and butter. Add in eggs one at a time.

Mix together well, adding in all other

ingredients. Pour into a well greased

9" pie pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

As soon as it comes out of the oven

sprinkle with any topping you desire.

*Chocolate chips, toffee, powdered sugar.

Serve warm.

Lip Smackin' Good!

Lark



Homemade Oreo Cream Cheese Tarts

These are so easy to make and yet

they look as if they took hours to make.

With the use of a Devil's Food Cake Mix

these will be ready to serve in an hour.

Homemade Oreo Cream Cheese Tarts

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 C. Oil

2 Eggs

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz. Cream Cheese~ softened

1(3.5 oz) Cheese Cake Instant Pudding

1 tsp.Vanilla

2 C. Powdered Sugar

Milk

Preheat oven to 350

Start by mixing the cake mix, oil and eggs

together in a mixing bowl until well blended.

Roll dough into 2 inch balls, press into

a Whoopie Pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Let cookies cool in pan for a minute

before removing.

While cookies are baking, you can make

your filling. In a mixing bowl beat together the

cream cheese, and powdered sugar until

smooth. Add in the pudding mix, and vanilla.

Beat until smooth. This will be thick,

you then add in enough milk to make it

smooth enough to pipe into each tart shell.

For the chocolate drizzle, I just take some

chocolate chips and melt them down .

Drizzle over top and you're all set!

A Chocolate lovers dream,

Lark

Secret Ingredient Brownies

If you dont tell 'em, they will never know!
At least as far as these brownies go.
Give them a try I promise you that everyone
will love the fudgy chewiness of them,
and go back for more! ;)

*adapted from Basilmomma.com recipe*

Black Bean Brownies

• 3/4 C.  Black Beans
• 1/2 C. Oil or Applesauce
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 C.  Cocoa powder
• 3/4 C. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Chocolate Extract
• 1 tsp. Vanilla 
• 1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips~divided
• 1/3 C. Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt (unless you are using canned)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan.

In a blender, puree the beans with the oil. Add the eggs, cocoa, sugar, extract, and vanilla. Melt half the chocolate chips and add to the blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the blender and pulse until just incorporated. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface looks somewhat matte around the edges and still a bit shiny in the middle, about 20 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and removing from the pan. 

Dust with powdered sugar and serve

Enjoy!
Lark

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

These are just one of the cookies I 

came up with while I worked

as a Baker for a few years.

Super easy and very popular!

You can bake them so they are either

soft or crisp, whatever your in the

mood for.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

1 C. Butter~ softened

3/4 C. Brown Sugar~packed

1 C. Sugar

2 Egg's

1 TBSP. Vanilla

3 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 C. Macadamia Nuts~ chopped

1 (12oz.) White Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350

Cream together the butter and sugars.

Add in eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda.

Mix until smooth. 

Add in flour, chips and nuts.

Blend well, roll into 2 inch balls

place on a parchment lined sheet

pan. Slightly flatten each ball with 

your palm. Bake for 9-12 minutes.

Happy Baking,

Lark

Skookie's (Cookies baked in a Skillet)

For Christmas I bought 3 Mini

cast iron skillet's. I have wanted them for 

awhile now....so I counted them as a gift! (lol)

I am so happy with my buy!

I have made individual sized 

stratta's, brownies,and snookies.

(Really you can make anything in them.)

Chocolate Chip Snookie Dough

1 C. Butter~softened

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Sugar

2 Egg's

1 TBSP. Vanilla Extract

3 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1(12oz.) Mini Chocolate Chip's

Preheat oven to 350

Start by creaming the butter and sugars

together for 2 minutes. Add in the eggs one 

at a time, while beating slowly.

Next add in the vanilla, soda and salt.

Mix again until smooth.

Pour in flour and choc.-chips.

Blend well.

*depending on the size of your skillet,

(you can use any size) roll dough into a

ball and then press flat out to the edge.

Baking time will also depend on the

size of skillet. My 5" size took 14 minutes to bake.

This  recipe made (15) 5 inch Snookies.

It's Snookie time!

Lark

Christmas Fondue Party

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

I can not believe how fast this

month and Holiday Season has come.

However busy I am, I can honestly say

I wouldn't change a thing.

For me staying busy for the holiday's

means I am in the kitchen busy making 

up treats for orders, friends and family.

One way I like to share with close

friends each year, is by hosting a

FONDUE PARTY!

I like to make up a pot of creamy Chocolate

with a hint of cinnamon.

You can dip whatever you want in it.

For my family our favorites are

marshmallows, strawberries, Angel food cake,

and banana's.  Some times we add in

some apples and oranges.

*If you don't have a fondue pot,

you can also heat this up on the stove top

or even in your slow cooker.

CHOCOLATE FONDUE

1 (12 oz.) Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 (12 oz.) Milk Chocolate Chips

2 C. Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon* Optional

1 tsp. Vanilla 

Add all ingredients together

and heat on low, stirring until

the chocolate is melted.

Serve warm with your choice of

fruits, cakes or candies.

I love hosting the fondue party each year,

it is very simple to put together and everyone

of all ages enjoy it. It takes no time

at all to clean up either!  ;)

Merry Christmas!

And thank you for taking me into your homes

each time you prepare one of my recipes.

Lark