Dessert Recipes :)

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

½ cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups zucchini (shredded)
½ cup chopped walnuts (I left out)

Chocolate Frosting-
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking dish. (I lined with parchment)
In a large bowl mix together oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until well blended. In another bowl combine the flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. A little at a time stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. The batter will be dry and crumbly, don't worry. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.

To make the frosting- In a small saucepan over low heat melt together the cocoa powder and butter. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl blend confectioner’s sugar, milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in the margarine/cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies, allow to set up (I placed mine in the fridge for a couple hours) then cut into squares. The longer these brownies sit, the thicker the frosting will become.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars
these are amazingly good!!!

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 cups plain granola
1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter chips
Process
Line two 9×5 loaf pans or one 11×7 inch baking pan (see tip #4 above if you want to use 9×13) with foil or parchment. Lightly butter or spray the foil. Set aside.
Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the granola and rice cereal into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pans and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the chocolate and peanut butter chips onto the top of the granola and gently press them down with the spatula.
Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until mostly cooled and set; lift out of the pan and cut into bars.

Tanya Robinson