For chocolate lovers and peanut butter lovers, this one's for you.

Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars (Betty Crocker)

Cookie Base
1 pouch Betty Crocker double chocolate chunk cookie mix (1 pound 1.5 ounces)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg
1 pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix (1 pound 1.5 ounces)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg

Topping
1 cup milk chocolate chips (6 ounces)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup coarsely chopped honey-roasted peanuts

Directions
1 Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, stir double chocolate chunk cookie mix, 1/4 cup oil, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 egg until soft dough forms. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls evenly over bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.

2 In same large bowl, stir peanut butter cookie mix, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 egg until soft dough forms.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls over chocolate dough in pan. Swirl doughs together slightly, using metal spatula; spread and press evenly in pan.

3 Bake 25 to 27 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Let stand 2 minutes.

4 In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, peanut butter and enough of the 2 to 3 tablespoons milk until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Spoon frosting over chocolate chips; lightly swirl chocolate and frosting together. Sprinkle with peanuts; press lightly into topping. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.

Orange Zucchini Bread

16 Servings Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling
Ingredients

3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the eggs and oil. Add sugar; mix well. Stir
in the lemon peel, orange peel and extracts. Add zucchini; mix well.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and baking soda; stir
into zucchini mixture just until moistened. Fold in walnuts.

Transfer to four greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Bake at
350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick
inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before
removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 4 mini
loaves.

Sue

Fig Ice cream I wanted to make but my figs were unuseable.

I did make the jam, from this recipe, what I could use.

Ingredients
2 lbs fresh figs (about 20)
one half 1/2 cup of water
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
three fourths 3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of heavy cream
one 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed, lemon juice, or more to taste

Directions
Remove the hard stem ends from the figs, then cut each fig into 8 pieces. Put the figs in a medium, nonreactive sauce pan with the water, and zest the lemon directly into the saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until the figs are tender.

Remove the lid, add the sugar and continue to cook until it reaches a jam-like consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Blend together with cream and lemon juice, chill in the fridge and then put in your ice cream maker per the manufacturer�s instructions.

I found this recipe yesterday when looking through some craft sites. Looks so refreshing, a must try.

Lemony Lemon Bread

This recipe makes two loaves and freezes well, so you can enjoy one when you make it, and enjoy the other loaf at a later date. This bread takes a bit of time to prepare, and requires at least 4 fresh lemons, but it is just as good (maybe better) the next day, so feel free to make it the day before you plan to serve it
.

~ For the Lemon Cake ~
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
8 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup grated lemon zest (from about 4 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

~ For the Lemon Syrup ~
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar

~ For the Lemon Glaze ~
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4-6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Making the Lemon Cakes (Recipe yields two 9"x5" loaves)
Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray sides and bottom of pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper and spray the paper as well.

Sift both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.

Blend the sugar, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until combined. Slowly add the melted butter, while mixing. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture, one third at a time, until all the flour is combined. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, reduce the oven temperature to 325*F and bake another 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Lemon Syrup ~
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and invert the baked and (mostly) cooled loaves onto the pan. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the loaves.

Brush the tops and sides of the loaves with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cakes cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
(The soaked, but unglazed loaves will keep well, wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and frozen, for up to 6 weeks.)

Make the Lemon Glaze ~
In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. If the mixture is too stiff, add up to another 2 tablespoons lemon juice (a little at a time) and whisk again. Pour the glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

The glazed loaves will keep for up to 3 days, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Recipe Source ~ Baked, New Frontiers in Baking

I want to try this cake--after I make Carol in CA's cider cake (which I plan to do tomorrow).

Banana Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1-1/4 c. sugar (divided into 1/4 c. and 1 c.)
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. (4 oz.) butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
1 c. mashed banana (2 bananas)
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together 1/4 c. sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/2 the mixture in a well-greased bundt pan. Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add remaining 1 c. sugar and beat 5-7 minutes til light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add banana, sour cream and vanilla. Beat at low speed just until blended. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold into butter mixture. Pour 1/2 the batter into pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the pecan mixture. Top with remaining batter. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.