1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. milk
1/3 C. unsweetened applesauce (or margarine)
1 tsp. mint extract
1 C. mint chips (or chopped Andes Mints)
1/2 C. dark chocolate chunks
Green sugar sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well ingredients except chips and chocolate. Stir in mint chips & chocolate chunks. Spread evenly into prepared baking dish. Top with green sprinkles (if desired).
Bake for 25-28 minutes. Cool and cut.
Yield = 24 bars.

Last spring when my sister and nephews were visiting from MN, I wanted to bake a dessert geared towards the kids, but wouldn't be too expensive in case they didn't like it. Noticing how the kids love ice cream related desserts, I thought I'd test this one out on them.

1 pkg. banana flavored cake mix
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/4 C. each brown sugar, unsweetened applesauce, and juice (orange, apple, or blend)
1 tsp. strawberry-banana extract
12 strawberries, chopped (optional)
1/4 C. each chocolate chips, dried pineapple, and chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well cake mix, eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, juice, extract, and strawberry pieces til well blended. Stir in dried pineapple. Mixture will be thick.
Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Top with nuts and chocolate chips.

Bake for 24-27 minutes.
Cool, cut, and serve.
Yield = 24-36 bars

Serving suggestions: Top with vanilla frozen yogurt, light whipped topping, and caramel syrup

1 pkg. pineapple cake mix
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/3 C. brown suigar
1/4 C. each unsweetened applesauce and juice (apple or orange)
1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 C. sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 C. macadamia nuts
1/2 C. dried cherries or pineapple

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
MIx well all ingredients. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 24-28 minutes.
Cool and cut.
Yield = 24 bars.

1 pkg. cinnamon swirl cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 C. each brown sugar and unsweetened applesauce
1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1/2 C. raisins (optional)
1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all but final 2 ingredients. Stir in chips (and raisins/nuts).
Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 24-27 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar, cool, and cut.
Yield = 24 bars.

1 pkg. devils food cake mix
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. each unsweetened applesauce and cold coffee
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 C. chocolate chips or chunks
1/4 C. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well ingredients except chips. Stir in chocolate chips or chunks. Spread evenly into prepared baking dish. Top with white chocolate chips (if desired).
Bake for 24-27 minutes. Cool, dust with spiced powdered sugar, and cut.
Yield = 24 bars.

At my office, one of our bosses sent us a holiday basket with some pears in it - since I've never been able to afford pears, this recipe (hopefully) will be a delightful way to use them!

1 box spice cake mix
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. sweetened iced tea
2 pears, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. rum extract

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix well all ingredients.
Spread evenly into greased 13x9" baking dish.
Bake for 25-27 minutes, cool, dust with powdered sugar, and cut.
Yield 24-36 bars.

I love when eggnog is in season. I've created some great dessert recipes that use it, and with that distinct flavor, nothing else will do. Here's a favorite of recipe of mine that I've been waiting all year to make.

Raisin the Bar!
1 pkg. spice cake mix
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. each unsweetened applesauce and eggnog
1/2 tsp. each rum and almond extract
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/2 C. each raisin (golden or regular) and roughly chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 1 13x9" baking pan.
Mix well all ingredients, spread evenly into pan. (Mixture will be thick.)
Bake 24-27 minutes. Cool and cut. Dust with spiced powdered sugar if desired.

Spiced Powdered Sugar:
1 C. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 pinch ginger

Sift well all ingredients. Dust on bars once they have cooled.

Growing up, I always made my dad brickle brownies for a Christmas gift. Times were always a bit tight, homemade gifts made up the bulk of what was under our tree. Even though Dad is no longer in the picture (having returned to Family #2, us being Family #3), I still crave making those at the holidays. The recipe wasn't fancy, or even out of a cookbook - it came off the bag of Heath Toffee Bits. Just my luck, the first year I try to make them since Dad exited - the recipe is no longer on the bag. After searching online, I finally hit pay dirt....or toffee crumbs in my case. I just can't wait to make these....

Blonde Brickle Brownies

1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. butter or margarine
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. toffee bits

Sift to gether flour, salt, and baking powder. Cream together margarine/butter and sugars. Add eggs and extracts - mix well. Blend in dry ingredients. Spread evenly into 13x9" baking dish. Top with additional toffee, if desired. Bake at 350 for 27-30 minutes. Cool and cut.
Yield 24 large bars or 36 small bars.

As you can tell, it's that time of year again - time to bake. And there's no time to do any "proper" baking, so you'll see a lot of recipes for quickie cookeis and throw-together bars (I love any recipe where I can dump everything into a bowl and mix.). I'm listing some of my favorites - all recipes here have been taste-tested on family, friends, co-workers, etc.
This recipe was born out of frustration and lack of better planning. What my mom used to call an Iff 'N' recipe. If and she had the right ingredients - it would have been something else. My mother-in-law and I invented them, and I must share the credit because they are simply too yummy.

1 box chocolate cake mix, any kind but devils food
2 eggs
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. water
1 tsp. rum extract
1 C. dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 C. chocolate chips (anything but white chocolate will do)

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all but final 2 ingredient. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake 25 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar, cool, and cut.
Yield = not enough with one batch, typically. I had to make 2!!

1 box coconut cake mix
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C. water
1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1 C. coconut, divided

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all ingredients, except 1/4 C. coconut. Spread evenly in pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, then top with remaining coconut and bake another 10 minutes.
Cool and cut.
Yield = 36 small bars or 24 medium sized bars.

1 box german chocolate cake mix
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/4 C. dark brown sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C. orange juice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 C. chocolate chunks (or 3 dark chocolate bars broken into small pieces)

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all ingredients. Spread evenly into pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and cut

1 box french vanilla or classic white cake mix
2 eggs, one yolk removed
1/4 C. milk
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. unsweetened applesauce
2 T. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. vanilla chips

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all ingredients.
Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 25-27 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Cool and cut.

1 box dark chocolate or german chocolate cake mix
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C. milk
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and almond extract
1/4 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1/2 C. mini-chocolate chips
1 C. sweetened flaked coconut (optional)
1/4 C. macadamian nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all ingredients, spread evenly into pan. Top with additional coconut and white chocolate chips, if desired.
Bake for 25 to 27 minutes.
Cool and cut.

1 box classic white cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. apple juice or cider
2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
1/2 C. sliced almonds
2 medium apples (overripe work great), finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all ingredients. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Top with additional almonds, if desired.
Bake for 25-28 minutes. (Shorter for metal pan, longer for glass or ceramic dish).
Cool and cut.

1 box classic white or french vanilla cake mix
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. apple cider or juice
2 eggs
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract (1 1/2 tsp. if using classic white cake mix)
1/4 tsp. rum extract
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1 C. fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 13x9” pan.
Mix well all but berries and chocolate. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Spread evenly in pan, top with additional berries or chocolate if desired.
Bake 23-26 minutes.
Cool completely and cut.
Yield = 36 bars
2.5 grams of fat

*for all chocolate lovers, substitute chocolate cake mix for classic white - this tastes yummy, too!

Cappuccino Bars


1 pkg. vanilla cake mix
2 eggs, minus 1 yolk
1/4 C. coffee, cold
1/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. each vanilla nut extract & almond extract
1 C. cappuccino chips
1/2 C. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 13x9” pan.
Mix well all, but final 2 ingredients. Stir in chips and 1/2 of almonds. Spread evenly in pan.
Top with remaining almonds.
Bake 24-27 minutes, cool and cut.

Caribbean Dark Chocolate Bars


1 pkg. devils food or dark chocolate cake mix
2 eggs, minus 1 yolk
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C. water
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. coconut extract
1 tsp. each almond extract, rum extract, saigon cinnamon, cinnamon
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all but final 2 ingredients. Stir in chips.
Bake for 24-27 minutes.
Cool and cut.

Apple Nut Bars

1 pkg. spice cake mix
2 eggs, minus 1 yolk
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C. apple juice
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanialla nut extract
1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/2 C. chopped walnuts, plus 1/8 C. - rough chopped
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
2 T. cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all ingredients except fruit and nuts. Stir in final ingredients.
Spread evenly into prepared baking dish, top with additional nuts.
Dust with cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 24-27 minutes.
Cool and cut.

Nothing can beat this treat in the steamy, sticky summer days. Goes great with ice cream or as a stand alone dessert. Dust with powdered sugar for a decadent look, or drizzle with a sweet simple syrup flavored with lemon.

Sweet Lemon Almond Bars

1 pkg. lemon cake mix
2 eggs - minus 1 yolk
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/3 Juice blend
1 tsp. lemon extract or 2 tsp. lemon imitation extract
1 C. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.
Mix well all but nuts. Stir in nuts.
Spread evenly into prepared baking dish.
Top with additional nuts, if desired.
Bake for 24-27 minutes.
Cool and cut.

Luscious Rum Bars

1 pkg. classic white cake mix
½ C. brown sugar
¼ C. unsweetened applesauce
¼ C. pineapple juice or pineapple juice blend
2 eggs, minus one yolk
1 1/2 tsp. rum extract
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1 C. golden raisins, coarsely chopped
½ C. pecans or walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 13x9” pan.
Mix well all but last 2 ingredients. Stir in final ingredients.
Spread evenly in pan, top with additional nuts (if desired).
Bake 23-26 minutes.
Cool completely and cut.
Yield = 36 bars
3.5 grams of fat