Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I made this friday night for our company and they were delicious. Found it in my most recent country living magazine. A must try for the fall!

Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Makes 8 servings

24 jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
22 ounces ricotta cheese
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 large egg white
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 jar (26 ounces) purchased tomato sauce

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup Romano and all remaining ingredients except tomato sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread sauce in bottom of 13-by-9-inch pan. Fill each pasta shell with pumpkin-ricotta mixture. Arrange in pan. Cover pan with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil. Sprinkle shells with remaining Romano. Bake 15 minutes longer

Pumpkin Bars with cream cheese icing

Ok so this is AMAZING.........
made it friday night and we are hoping it never runs out, I will definitely be making this all fall season, forget that whole diet thing that I was thinking about starting......

Found on pinterest and copied the recipe from this blogpost:
http://bakeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-bars.html

Pumpkin Bars

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg *
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 and 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 can (15oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)


Directions:


Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & soda) and set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients, gradually. Mix well.


Spread batter in a greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.


Frosting:


1 8oz. package of cream cheese *
1/3 cup softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp milk


Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Mix on high speed until smooth creamy.

* i added nutmeg to the recipe because i think pumpkin + nutmeg belong together

* the original frosting recipe only calls for 3 oz of cream cheese. i like a good frosting to bar ratio, so i made a large batch of frosting + included it in this recipe

Crispy Popcorn Chicken

(photo from Real Simple.com)


Crispy Popcorn Chicken

Ingredients
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup canola oil
4 ears corn, shucked
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Place the flour in a second shallow bowl. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk (shaking off any excess), then in the flour (tapping off any excess).
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with ¼ teaspoon salt.
Meanwhile, add the corn to the boiling water and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with the chicken and barbecue sauce.
(By Charlyne Mattox, August 2011)

Balsamic Garlic Crusted Grilled Pork Tenderloin

This is awesome - you should definitely try it if you like meat :)

4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)
Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!

Grill preparation:

Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.

Oven preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Got the recipe from pinterest and its from here: http://kitchenconfidante.com/if-you-cant-stand-the-heat-part-ii

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Recipe adapted from Nestle’s Very Best Baking
Makes 40 brownies as adapted

1 box of your favorite brownie mix
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease 40 mini-muffin cups.


Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups (about 1 heaping teaspoon). Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet. After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not then tap the centers with the back of a teaspoon to make a hole for the peanut butter.


Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir. While brownies are still warm spoon about half a teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool completely in pan.

These are SO good, just made them a few nights ago. They are good warm and even better cooled!

Got this recipe from this fun blog: http://homeawaitsus.blogspot.com
She is also the one who I learned about Pinterest from!

Cheesy artichoke dip

So...we've been a little slow in sharing our recipes as of recent. My excuse is that in the first couple months of pregnancy, the mere thought of food can send me into a downward spiral of morning (who am I kidding--all day) sickness. So I've just opted to avoid it all together--except crackers, chocolate milk, and strawberries of course... But I'm hopefully (if I were superstitious I'd be knocking on wood right now) on the tail end of that portion of these 9 months--so Ken, here's a quick, easy and delicious recipe for an appetizer! I hope you enjoy it (and if you're at all balking at the idea of artichokes, which I know lots of people do, just try it. I'm sure it will make a believer out of you...). Oh, and sorry I don't have a photo for you.

8 oz. block of cream cheese

1 cup mayo

1 cup freshly grate parmesan cheese

1 can artichoke hearts

Cream mayo and cream cheese together. Chop artichoke hearts and add along with parmesan cheese. Mix together and spread in small/shallow oven safe dish (or 9x13 if you double it). Sprinkle a little extra parmesan on top. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with chips or crackers.

Help!

I need an appetizer dish to bring somewhere....any good ideas?

Chorizo-Tortilla Tortillas

Chorizo-Tortilla Tortillas (Spanish tortillas are known as frittatas here)

I am a big fan of egg dishes and I love chorizo, so this was something I had been meaning to try. It is a Rachel Ray recipe and both Erik and I loved it. I actually think it would be awesome for a brunch because you can serve up pretty slices like a quiche.

2 T EVOO

1/3 lb ground chorizo

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 med onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 red chili pepper (I used 1 jalapeño because that is all I had and it was great)

salt and pepper

I handful of cilantro

4 handfuls of unsalted or lightly salted tortilla chips, lightly crushed

12 large eggs, beaten (I used 8 because that is all I had and that worked well too)

1 1/2 c shredded mexican or chedder cheese

Hot sauce (Franks is great)

Preheat oven to 425

Heat EVOO in skillet over med-high heat

Add chorizo and brown (3 min)

Add tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, and s&p; cook for five min

Scatter in cilantro and chips

Add eggs and stir to combine: let the eggs settle, and then cook until set at edges

Transfer to oven and bake for 15-18 min. Top with cheese and melt under broiler.

Enjoy

Party Potatoes

If you have been to my house much, you've probably had these. They are fantastic and a favorite of many. My mom made a bunch for us when she was here, so I thought I should share the recipe. very easy and verrryyy good :)
Party Potatoes

Prepare 12 servings of instant mashed potatoes according to directions
Add to mixture:
1 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
1 C (or 8 oz) sour cream
1 1/2 tsp onion salt (which I can never find, so I do half garlic salt and half onion powder) if you find it somewhere tell me!

Blend until well mixed. Put into a greased large casserole dish. Top with small chunks of margarine and sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate if not baking right away.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly. (can be less time if it's not coming out of the refrig.)

Sweet & Sour Meatball Sliders

I made this recipe from my trusty Family Circle magazine last night.  It was SO good.  Josh gave it a 9 out of 10, and I definitely agree with the rating.  (Josh told me that we should include a husband rating system on this blog so that all of our readers' husbands will know that the recipes aren't "dainty little women" food.)  It was VERY filling, we only ate about half of it and couldn't eat anymore. 



Sorry that my pictures are never very appetizing.  I don't usually finish dinner until it's after dark and our kitchen has some nasty fluorescent lighting. 



Ingredients:

1/2    green bell pepper, cored and finely chopped

1  tablespoon  onion flakes

1  can (15 ounces)  tomato sauce

3/4  teaspoon  garlic salt

1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

2  pounds  ground pork

2    large eggs

1/2  cup  corn flake crumbs

1  tablespoon  olive oil

1    medium onion, sliced

1/4  cup  sugar

1/4  cup  cider vinegar

1  package  soft dinner rolls (12 per package)

Directions:
1. Coat a small nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat.
2. Add green pepper to skillet; cook 4 minutes. Stir in onion flakes, 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic salt and the pepper. Remove from heat. 
3. Place pork in a large bowl.  Stir in eggs, corn flake crumbs and green pepper mixture until evenly blended.  Shape into 12 meatballs, a generous 1/3 cup for each. 
4. Heat oil in a large, lidded nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 7 minutes, stirring. Add remaining tomato sauce, remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, the sugar and vinegar. Add meatballs to skillet and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 17 to 20 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway.  ( I actually cooked them about 15 minutes on each side.  They weren't done after 10 on each side, and undercooked pork really freaks me out.)
5. Spoon 1 meatball and some onion sauce onto a roll. Repeat with all meatballs, most of the sauce and the rolls.

ICE CREAM!

Anyone who knows me knows that this is my biggest w-e-a-k-n-e-s-s. So, that's what Jonah and I decided to make for Valentine's Day. I have an ice cream maker attachment to my kitchen aid (which I LoVE). But this recipe would work great with whatever ice cream making apparatus you may have. MMMmmm.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

2 1/2 cups half-and-half

8 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups whipping cream

4 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups crushed oreo (or other mix in)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat half-and-half until very hot but not boiling, stirring often. Remove from heat; set aside.

Place egg yolks and sugar in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and wire whip to mixer. Turn to speed 2, and mix about 30 seconds, or until well blended and slightly thickened. Continuing on speed 2, very gradually add half-and-half; mix until blended. Return half-and-half mixture to medium saucepan; cook over medium heat until small bubbles form around edge and mixture is steamy, stirring constantly. Do not boil. Transfer half-and-half mixture into large bowl; stir in whipping cream, vanilla, and salt. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 8 hours.

Assemble and engage freeze bowl, dasher, and drive assembly [separate instructions]. Turn to Stir (speed 1). Using a container with a spout, pour mixture into freeze bowl. Continue on Stir (speed 1) for 15 to 20 minutes or until desired consistency. Add 1 1/2 cup crushed cookies during last minute of stirring. Immediately transfer ice cream into serving dishes, or freeze in airtight container.

J loved helping (I felt so bad he couldn't have any). Here's hoping he outgrows this dairy allergy!

The Marlboro Man Sandwich

This is a recipe from Pioneer Woman or PW has bubar lovingly refers to her:) I have been extremely into beef lately so this really hit the spot for me. E really loved it too. I put the leftovers in a tortilla and that was really good too. Sidenote...I did not use the huge amounts of butter that she did ....I was very minimal and it was still delicious, but I will let you decide for yourself.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large (or 2 Small) Onions
• 2 sticks Butter (lots And Lots Of Butter)
• 2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Cube Steak (tenderized Round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
• Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or Similar Seasoned Salt)
• ½ cups (approximately) Worcestershire Sauce
• Tabasco Sauce, To Taste
• 4 whole French/deli Rolls (earthgrains Are Best!)

Preparation Instructions

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.

Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.

To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika

Tried this PW recipe earlier in the week and we both loved it. And it made for some great left over lunches too!

Ingredients
■3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■1 Tablespoon Butter
■2 pounds Stew Meat
■1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
■3 cloves Garlic, Minced
■1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can
■4 cups Beef Stock (or 4 Cups Water + 4 Beef Bouillon Cubes)
■2 cups Water (additional, If Needed)
■1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
■2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
■½ teaspoons Paprika
■½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
■Freshly Ground Black Pepper
■1-½ teaspoon Sugar
■4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
■4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
■Minced Parsley (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.

Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

*UPDATE: The liquid should cook down to a thicker state. If it gets too thick/reduces too much, add additional water as needed.

Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Caution: This is NOT a healthy recipe. 

I made this yesterday for a little football get-together at my parents house.  I found this recipe online a few months ago and have been wanting to try it, but I haven't had anything to make it for yet.  It tastes just like a jalepeno popper and was really easy to whip together.  It was really good, perfect for a football party!  I served it with tortilla chips, Wheat Thins, and carrot sticks. 

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained

1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapeño peppers, drained

½ cup shredded Mexican style cheese

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, green chiles, jalapeños, and shredded cheeses.  Mix thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until smooth and evenly combined.  Spread the mixture into a baking dish (approximately 9 x 9-inches).  

In a second bowl, combine the Panko and Parmesan and stir with a fork until combined.   Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is golden.  Serve warm with baguette slices, vegetables, crackers, or tortilla chips. 

(This is actually very mild despite the jalepenos.  If you wanted to make it spicier you could use jarred or fresh jalepenos instead of canned.  I usually like spicy food, but I liked this mild version since jalepeno poppers are usually very mild.) 

*Sorry I don't have a pic.  My hands were pretty full!

Chicken with Lemon and Green Olives

If you love olives like we do you need to try this. This is a recipe from my Rachael Ray mag and E and I loved it. I made it over a month ago but remembered that I wanted to share it with you. I served it with Indian Naan bread (instead of making couscous) and that was great to sop up all of the juices with. (Just note that if you do use the bread instead of the couscous to go with the chicken you can eliminate all of step one)

• 4 Servings
• 
• Prep 10 min
• 
• Cook 20 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons couscous
• Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tomatoes—cored, seeded and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, quartered lengthwise

Swap in leftover chicken broth for the water to cook the couscous.

Use your fingers to swipe away and remove tomato seeds.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil. Stir in the couscous, lemon peel and 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley just before serving.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan and cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes; turn and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. (You may need to add another tablespoon of olive oil between batches.) Add the onion and garlic to the pan, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.

3. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the tomatoes, olives, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes; stir in the remaining 1/2 cup parsley. Serve with the couscous.

Mexican Meal

Ok - so here's what I made the other night. Simple but delicious!! :)

Ingredients
1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce (or just any enchilada sauce)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (6"), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Directions
Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
Stir 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.
Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam side up in 11 x 8" shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining picante sauce mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 min. or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion.

I always tweak this and make more or less depending on what I have and I always add extra cheese :)


And also made this from PW
YUM!

Ingredients
1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
¼ cups Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
¼ teaspoons Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
½ whole Lime Juice

Preparation Instructions
Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Mayo

I've been trying to incorporate more fish into our lives--it's healthier and it's just some nice variety. Don't be fooled, this recipe really doesn't fall into the healthy category, but it is good and super easy (seriously, like 15 minutes easy). And you don't always get that with fish. Obviously, fresh grilled fish is usually best. But when you live in a landlocked state. In January. This might be your next best option. (thanks Paula Deen!)

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilanto

• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground thyme
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets (I used frozen)
• 4 Kaiser buns, split, buttered and toasted
• Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows
• Store-bought mango salsa ( found a peach mango one...but I'm sure there are amazing homemade ones out there!)

Directions

In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.

Pour melted butter into another shallow dish. Dip fish fillets in melted butter and coat with seasoning mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with mango salsa, and cover with top half of bun.

Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Party Pretzels

These taste alot like a Take 5 bar, and who doesn't love that?  The original recipe calls for butterscotch chips, but I like peanut butter better.  It also calls for toffee bits and walnuts, but that's not my style either.  So, I played with it a little bit and this is what I came up with.  Everyone always loves them!

Ingredients:

                1 package (10 oz) pretzel rods

                1 package (14 oz) caramels

                1 tablespoon evaporated milk

                1 bag mini chocolate chips

                1 bag reese’s peanut butter chips

Directions:

                With a sharp knife, cut pretzel rods in half, set aside.  In a large saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk.  In a large shallow bowl, combine chocolate and peanut butter chips.  Pour caramel mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring cup.  Dip the cut end of each pretzel piece two-thirds of the way into the caramel mixture (reheat in microwave if mixture becomes too thick for dipping). Allow excess caramel to drip off, then roll pretzels in the chip mixture.  Place on waxed paper until set.  Store in an airtight container. 

*Let the caramel cool a little bit before dipping and rolling.  If it is too hot it will melt the chocolate chips, but if it’s too cold it will be hard to dip.  You’ll have to play with it a little bit to see what works. 

Fudgy Peppermint Cups

Well I found this recipe in country living, but instead of making brownie batter homemade, I used regular brownie mix batter and instead of melting chocolate I used chocolate frosting that I had...But they were really good! :)

1 box of Brownie batter
4 ounce(s) Peppermint Patties, chopped 1/4 cup(s)
semisweet chocolate chips, melted (or frosting out of a can :))
5 3/4-inch-long candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine Basic Brownie Batter and Peppermint Patties. Pour into a buttered and floured 12-cup muffin pan.
Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 25 to 28 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Remove from pan; ice tops with chocolate and sprinkle with candy canes.