Copycat Applebee's Maple Butter Blondie

When Hubby and I met and started dating, we lived in a small town with very few restaurants.  We often traveled to a nearby town on Friday nights to eat at Applebee's.  I liked their Club Croissant and I loved their Maple Butter Blondie.  Now, I usually don't go for desserts that aren't chocolate, but this was the exception.  I loved it and I've been searching for a similar recipe for bout ten years now.  I think I've finally found one that is pretty close.  I found the recipe here. 

Copycat Applebee's Maple Butter Blondie



Serves: 4 (or 1 if your really hungry!)
Ready In: Under 60 minutes
Ingredients:

Dough

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or more if desired)
1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Maple Butter Sauce
3/4 cup maple syrup (REAL maple syrup )
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to the already sifted flour. Then sift dry ingredients again.
Add chopped nuts and mix well. Set aside.
Add brown sugar to melted butter and mix well. Then add egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Add flour mixture, a little at a time, until mixed well.
Stir in white chocolate chips. Spread out dough in a 9-inch pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick or fork to test if it is cooked in the center.
Serve warm with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce.

Maple Butter Sauce
In a pan, add real maple syrup and butter, cook over low heat until butter is melted. Next, stir in brown sugar until completely dissolved. If you desire, add walnuts.

Georgia "Crack" Crackers....One of My Favorite Holiday Recipes

Hello friends.  Hubby is still working on my computer so I apologize if I don't get to visit everyone for a few days.  BUT, I couldn't let another day go by without sharing one of my favorite holiday recipes.  I still remember the first moment I tried these little bites of heaven.  MMMM!  I was at my mom's when her neighbor Eric stopped by with a plate Christmas goodies.  He pointed out the Georgia Crackers and said they were his favorites.  I took one bite and marched right across the street and into the kitchen where his sweet wife was taking some out of the oven.  She gave me the recipe and we've been making them ever since.  I ALWAYS get asked for the recipe.  So, you ready for this?

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
1 stick margerine
1/2 - 1 cup sugar  (I use 3/4 cup)
Club crackers
chopped pecans (1/2 - 3/4 cup)

heat oven to 375 degrees.  Put crackers, in a single layer, out on a jelly roll pan.  Melt butter and margerine together in a saucepan on medium heat.  Add sugar and slowly bring to a full boil.  Boil for 1 minute.  Pour on top of crackers and sprinkle with chopped pecans.  Bake for 7-9 minutes. 

Put down some wax paper or parchment paper on the counter and if you have one, put a wire rack on top of the paper.  Take the pan out of the oven and allow to cool for about a minute.  Working quickly, transfer the crackers to the rack with a spatula.  Allow to cool completely. 

Good luck eating just one.  MMMMM! 

Okay, this is one of those posts where you have to use your imagination.  Just imagine for a moment that this is a really beautiful photo taken with my really fancy camera.  The crackers look so pretty and buttery that you can almost taste the good salty butter with the sweetness of the sugar.  Can you taste it?  .....Okay.  Good job!  Thanks for that. 

These crackers are so yummy.  I give them to my kids' teachers EVERY year along with a few other goodies.

MMMMMMMM good!  Happy baking!

P.S.  I would just like to point out that if you try this recipe and gain a few pounds over Christmas, that you cannot hold me liable.  It's almost impossible to eat just one.  It's highly addictive, hence the "crack" in the name.  So, if you make a few batches before Christmas and your Christmas outfit doesn't fit by Christmas day.......it's not my fault.  That's what Spanx are for, right?  Hee Hee! 



 

Honeybun Cake aka "Crack Cake"

So, some of you know my obsession with cinammon and sugar.  I crave cinnamon toast and cinammon rolls and this is amazing cake is my other major craving. 

I first had Honeybun Cake at my friend Brad's house.  It was his birthday and his mom invited me over to have some birthday cake.  It was his favorite and one bite of it and it was one of my favorites too.  Brad's mom gave me the recipe that same night and I have been obsessed with it ever since. 

So, here it is....welcome to my obsession.  Before you make this cake, I have one warning.  Apparently these few simple ingredients, when combined, make crack.  Granted, I know nothing about crack, or drugs of any kind, but this cake is so addictive, it must be crack.  One taste and you will not be able to stop eating until you are full as a tick and sick to boot.  Just sayin.  Also, it is absolutely imperative that you have a freakin' huge, mondo, enormous glass of milk beside you at all times while consuming this cake.  Okay, that concludes the warning portion of this post.  Here we go.

HONEYBUN CAKE


1 box yellow cake mix (I use Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden)
2/3 c. oil
4 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
Chopped nuts (I leave out the nuts)

Mix together cake mix, oil, eggs, sour cream and granulated sugar; pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts; swirl into batter. Bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.



ICING:

1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. milk

Mix together icing ingredients and pour over cake while still HOT. Serves 8 to 10.

Let's just pretend for a moment, shall we?  Let's pretend that this cake "looks" as it good as it tastes.  Let's pretend my oven wasn't sitting crooked and baked everything evenly and not all wopper-jawed (yes, that's a word).  And, as long as we're pretending, let's pretend I am a size 8 with no gray hair.  Okay?  Now, go eat and don't worry because your cake will look better than mine - unless your oven is crooked too. 

I am linking up to: 

 

Easiest Mock Peach Cobbler EVER!

As I said yesterday, I am on a little diet kick at my house.  I gained three pounds last week between having company and visiting my in-laws.  I made this dessert to take to my mom's on 4th of July.  It's EASY and it's delicious.  My mom has been making this for YEARS and it never disappoints!

Let's get one thing out on the table before we even start.  I don't roll out dough.  I know, it's the best wasy to make pie, cobbler, etc.  but it just doesn't happen at my house.  I'm a little lazy.  There, I said it.  Moving on....

Ready for this?

3 Ingredients:

Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix
Butter, 1 stick, not margerine!!
1 large can of cut peaches in HEAVY syrup

Dump about half the cake mix in a 9 x 13.  Arrange the peaches on top of the cake mix evenly and pour the syrup on top.  Pour the rest of the cake mix on top.  Cut up butter into pats and place on top of the cake mix. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  A few additional pats of butter may be used for any dry spots.  Wanna see what it looks like all golden brown and pretty?  Yeah, me too.  Sadly, I'm a dork and forgot to take a picture.  Sorry!

There you go.  Super easy, buttery wonderfulness (I know it's not a word, but this yummy dish deserves a new word).  My Hubby loves it with vanilla ice cream on top. 

Cresent Cinnamon Rolls

Have you ever had a craving for cinnamon rolls?  Ya know that craving that you just can't get rid of?  Cinnamon and sugar and icing - three of my favorite things all in one.  I crave chocolate like most of the women in the universe, but cinnamon and sugar are right up there with chocolate for me. 

So, last week Hubby and I were sitting on the couch watching TV and I just couldn't contain my craving any longer.  After battling it for days, I finally gave in.  I'd just make some canned cinnamon rolls really quick and eat a few and saved the rest for the kids for breakfast.  But, alas, we didn't have any canned cinnamon rolls.  But, I had cresent rolls.  Oh yeah, baby! 

I rolled out the canned dough and spread a little softened butter and sprinkled a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar.  I rolled up the cresents and sprinkled a little more cinnamon and sugar.  Then I baked them according to the directions (I think it was 375 degrees for 12 minutes or so).

Top with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla mixed together for the icing.  Sometimes I add a little softened cream cheese to the mixture.  SO YUMMY! 

They are so fabulous and buttery and delicious....so I ate a  lot of them, four to be exact.  I shared with Hubby.  I didn't save any for the kids  - they were asleep - ya snooze, ya lose, right?  I am such a bad mom.  I guess that's why I gained 3 pounds last week.  Oh well.  More of me to love.  Maybe that's why my Hubby calls my backside cinnamon buns!  I know, TMI!

I'm linking up to Tasty Tuesday @ Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed With Grace.