Oreo Truffles

1 lb Oreo cookies (1 pkg)

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb milk chocolate

1/2 lb white chocolate

1. Using a food processor, grind cookies into a fine powder. With a mixer, blend cookie crumbs with cream cheese and vanilla until well blended (no traces of cream cheese)

2. Roll into small balls and place on a wax-lined cookie sheet. Refridgerate for 45 minutes.

3. Line 2 cookies sheets with wax paper. In a double-boiler melt the milk chocolate. Dip balls and coat thoroughly. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of the chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on lined cookie sheets.

4. In a seperate double boiler, melt white chocoate. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls. Let cool.

5. Store in airtight container, in refridgerator.

This recipe was on Food.com

*As you can see by the picture, I reversed the order of the chocolates. Dipping first in white and drizzling with milk chocolate. After reading a lot of comments about this recipe online, I decided to used almond bark instead of the chocolate. I found it very difficult to work with and would try the chocolate next time instead. Suggests on the recipe also said to try different extracts, or different flavors of oreos (they make peanut butter, and mint ones for sure). I think the mint would be good and may consider trying them again. The recipe also suggested that instead of dipping them, to roll them in candy sprinkles, or cocoa powder, etc.

Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

1 c. flour
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs, seperated, plus 5 egg whites, at room temperature
1 c. canned pure pumpkin puree
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 c. sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and pumpkin puree. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture until smooth
2. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 9 egg whites at medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. With the machine on, gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 c. sugar; increase the speed to high and beat until stiff but still moist, 1-2 minutes.
3. Add one-quarter of the egg white mixture to the pumpkin batter, folding with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Fold in the remaining egg white mixture in the same way. Pour the batter into a 10 inch tube pan with a removable bottom and bake until springy to the touch and a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
4. Let cook in the cake pan for 5 minutes, then invert the pan onto a narrow-neck bottle and let hang upside-down until completely cook, about 1 1/2 hours. Place the cake right side up and remove the pan. To serve, dust with confectioners' sugar.
-Serves 12

*This cake was very easy to make and has a great pumpkin flavor. Mine though fully cooked, had a rather custard-like dense texture. It might be because I couldn't get my egg whites to whip (I think they were too cold).

BONUS!!! It tastes much more unhealthy than it is! (123 calories, 2 g fat, 5 g protein per serving).

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

2 1/2 c. flour

2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 large egg, slightly beaten

2 c. (12 oz pkg) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. coarsly chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (8oz) pkg toffee baking bits, divided

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Stir together flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, mixing well. Stir in 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips and the nuts. Reserve 1 1/2 of this crumb mixture. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake 10 minutes. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over partially baked crust. Reserve 1/4 c. toffee bits. Sprinkle the remaining bits over the layer of condensed milk. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture and remaining 1/2 c. chocolate chips over the top.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 of toffee bits. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

This recipe comes from the Eagle Brand website (I was looking for a recipe to use up a can of condensed milk).

**These bars a so gooey and yummy! I have a hard time keeping my hands off them!

Death By Chocolate (Cake)

1 Devils Food chocolate cake mix
1 (4 oz.) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
2 c. chocolate chips (regular or mini)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. warm water
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and blend well. Stir chocolate chips into batter. Pour into bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.

This recipe came from my friend Meg (it's her aunt's recipe). I've nicknamed it "Death By Chocolate" because when you eat it, it's like you've died and gone to heaven. If you're a chocolate cake lover, this one is for you!