I currently work at a local sports grill – The Bungalow – in Shirlington, Va., and I have worked every Sunday during football season. Given that, my shift on those days last from 9.30am – 8pm.
It’s so busy on those days waiting on customers, we don’t really get a chance to eat anything. So I decided at the start of the season to bring in sweet treats that can be nibbled on during the day. Over the course of the season, everything I baked – from Toll House cookies to cake and brownies from scratch – have been a huge hit with all the servers, bartenders and managers working those Sundays.
As football season draws to a close, I thought I would share the top 3 favorite recipes that are Bungalow approved. These are all Cooking Light recipes, and are not only delicious but easy to make! They include Frosted Pumpkin Cake, Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Fudge and Peanut Butter Cup Blondies. The recipes and the links to the actual pages on the Cooking Light site are as follows:
Ingredients
Cake:
10 1/10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
Cooking spray
Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture; beat well after each addition. Add pumpkin; mix well. Fold in flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. To prepare the frosting, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.
Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Fudge
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk, divided
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/4 cup salted, dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Preparation
1. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with wax paper. Place 9 tablespoons milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Add chocolate chips, cocoa, and coffee. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute or until melted. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread into prepared pan.
2. Combine the remaining milk, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute or until melted. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread evenly over chocolate layer, and sprinkle with peanuts. Cover and chill 2 hours. Cut into 25 squares.
5 3/5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
4 (0.75-ounce) peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Combine peanut butter and next 4 ingredients (through eggs), stirring well. Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Scrape the batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray, and arrange the peanut butter cups over batter. Bake at 350° for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
I’ve so enjoyed baking these treats for my coworkers that I love being around every day. They are a fun group and definitely keep things interesting! To me, there’s nothing I would rather do on a Saturday night then bake new and delicious recipes for them. Also, it was always really nice that when regulars or other patrons would ask “what are you eating” and I would tell them and why I brought them in and to a person they all said “how cool and nice of you.” I think my coworkers might go into withdrawal when I’m not bringing in treats on Sunday’s anymore. Might just have to surprise them once in a while as I find new recipes to try out and bring them in to get their opinions.
Enjoy,
Kristine
