Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Brownies

Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Brownies

Yields 20 squares

Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar substitute blend ( I recommend Splenda**)
1/3 cup cold water
3/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter***
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil up over the edges of the pan. Lightly coat foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat; remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and the water. Whisk in egg, oil, and vanilla until combined. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and the baking powder until combined. (Batter will be thin at this point.) Place peanut butter in a small bowl; gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the batter until smooth. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup flour and the cocoa powder. Stir into the plain batter; stir in chocolate pieces. Pour chocolate batter into prepared pan.

3. Drop peanut butter batter in small mounds over chocolate batter in pan. Using a thin metal spatula, swirl batters together. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes* or until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Tip: Before preheating oven remove one of the wire racks from oven to use as a cooling rack.

**Sugar Substitutes: Choose from Splenda® Sugar Blend for Baking or Sun Crystals® Granulated Blend. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar. Decrease baking time to 15 to 18 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
*** You can also use chunky peanut butter to get that crunch we all like.
PER BROWNIE USING SUBSTITUTE SWEETENER: 13 g carb.
1g fiber
True carbs.=12g

Leprechaun Bites

Leprechaun Bites

How do you catch a Leprechaun? You use Leprechaun bites, of course.
Funny how those little Leprechauns look like your children. Or is that big one
your husband trying to sneak more bites for himself? Guess you will need to make a double batch next time. You can use different flavor and color sprinkles to change them for any holiday. The green and red mix makes great Christmas Elf Bites. Get creative with these bites....Then enjoy.

Ingredients

1 cup Butter (soft)
2/3 cup baking Splenda
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Unbleached Flour
1/3 cup Green Sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325*F.
Prepare baking sheet by covering it with a sheet of Parchment Paper.

Cream the Butter and Sugar together in a mixer...let it mix 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Mix flour then add just a bit at a time, until completely blended.
Add the sprinkles...beat until they are totally mixed in.

Sprinkle a bit of flour on the counter (or work surface). Turn the dough out onto the flour, and knead it a few times until it's smooth.

Move the dough onto the parchment covered cookie sheet.
Use a rolling pin to spread the dough flat. You want it to end up about 3/4 in. thick.
The dough is soft so do not press too hard, the dough will become one with the parchment paper, and you will have a mess. It will end up around 8 inches wide by 12 inches long. More or less

Get out your pizza cutter if you have one otherwise use a knife. Cut strips 1 inch apart... then go crosswise... 1 in apart You don't have to spread the strips.

Bake in the 325*F oven for 30 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes... then get out the pizza cutter (or knife) and cut along the lines you cut before. Now you can pull them apart, and let them cool completely.