Lynn’s Black Hills Brownies

My Sister-in-Laws sister, Lynn, brought these to a family gathering. It took a lot of prodding to get the recipe out of her. Do your first batch with double frosting the way Lynn always does.

Here at Gurley’s, we love the chewey, crusty, soft-ish combo. The best is when they are just out of the oven with a bit of vanilla ice cream and maybe a smidge of hot fudge. Mmmmmmmmm… Yummy!

Ingredients

  • Base:
  • 6 (1-oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup butter
  • 8 large marshmallows
  • 1 tbsp. corn syrup
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • ¼ cup Gurley’s Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
  • Frosting:
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 6 tbsp. butter
  • 6 tbsp. milk
  • 1 cup Gurley’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease and flour a 15” x 10” x 1” pan.
  3. In a large, heavy saucepan melt chocolate, butter, marshmallows and corn syrup. Remove from heat.
  4. Stir in sugar until well mixed.
  5. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
  6. Stir in salt and vanilla.
  7. Blend in flour then fold in nuts.
  8. Spread in prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
  9. Frost when cool with:
  10. In a saucepan add 1 1/3 cups sugar, 6 tbsp. butter and 6 tbsp. milk and boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 1 cup Gurley’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Stir until melted. Spread on cooled brownies.

CHERRY MASH BARS

Taste better than the candy bar and is quick and easy to clean up

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk or half-n-half
  • 1 cup mini-marshmallows
  • 1 cup Gurley’s Sweet Cherry Chips
  • 1 cups Semi-Sweet or Milk Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup Gurley’s Spanish Peanuts (not Raw) , coarsely chopped

Instructions

  1. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, butter, salt and milk. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  2. Turn off heat and stir in marshmallows and cherry chips.
  3. Spread in 8 or 9-inch square pan lined with wax paper.
  4. In the same saucepan combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter over low heat until melted.
  5. Stir in peanuts and spread evenly over cherry layer.
  6. Let cool and cut into squares.

Chippy Dippy Bars (7-Layer Bars)

The simplest no mess recipe for bars everyone will love. Nothing to clean up except your measuring cups!

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup Gurley’s Flake Coconut
  • 1 ½ cups Gurley’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • ½ cup Butterscotch Chips
  • ½ cup Gurley’s Chopped Walnuts
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Pour butter into a 9” x 13” pan and tilt to each side so butter covers bottom.
  3. Place ingredients by layer in order shown. Do not stir.
  4. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until lightly browned.
  5. Let cool and cut into bars.

Apricot Almond Bars (Nebraska State Fair Winner)

State fair winning recipe also makes for a super coffee cake on weekend mornings.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) pound cake mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  • 3/4 cup Gurley’s flake coconut
  • 3/4 cup Gurley’s sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 2 eggs, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until well blended.
  3. Fold in dried apricots.
  4. Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; set aside.
  5. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, preserves and remaining vanilla.
  6. Add remaining eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
  7. Gently spread over cake batter. Sprinkle with coconut and almonds.
  8. Bake at for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Cool and cut into bars.
  10. Refrigerate leftovers.

Banana Bars

These bars are a delicious treat. Not possible to eat just one with a cup of milk or coffee.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 3 overripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1-2oz. pkg. Gurley’s chopped walnuts
  • Frosting:
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 8oz. cream cheese
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Cream butter and sugar together in a medium sized bowl.
  3. Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla.
  4. Combine flour, baking soda and salt then add to creamed mixture and mix well.
  5. Fold in chopped walnuts
  6. Pour into greased 15 x 10 x1 baking pan.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool then frost.
  9. Frosting:
  10. ½ cup butter, softened
  11. 8oz. cream cheese
  12. 4 cups powdered sugar
  13. 2 tsp. vanilla
  14. Cream butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
  15. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat well.
  16. Spread over bars

Mixed Nut Bars

Simple to make and an outstanding bar to share.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. butter, cold
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 can Gurley’s Deluxe Mixed Nuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and salt.
  3. Cut in 1/2 of the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Press into greased 9 x 13″ pan.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes.
  6. While baking, melt butterscotch chips and remaining butter. Stir until smooth.
  7. Remove from heat and stir in corn syrup.
  8. Sprinkle nuts evenly over baked crust and top with butterscotch mixture.
  9. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
  10. Cool on rack before cutting into bars.

Easy Peanut Clusters

Delicious, insanely quick & easy.These peanut clusters are guaranteed to delight.

Store at room temperature.

Ingredients

  • 1 – 20oz. package Gurley’s Vanilla Almond Bark, broken up
  • 1 – 12oz. package Gurley’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 4 oz. German sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 – 8oz. packages Gurley’s skin-on peanuts

Instructions

  1. In a 3-quart slow cooker, add bark, chips and chocolate.
  2. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to low and cook for another hour stirring every 15 minutes.
  4. Fold in peanuts.
  5. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
  6. Let cool.

Candied Walnuts

These candied walnuts are quite a treat.

Can be snacked upon on its own – or they make a great ice cream sundae topping.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 cups Gurley’s Walnuts

Instructions

  1. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, nutmeg and water.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Attach candy thermometer.
  4. Stir mixture until it boils.
  5. Continue cooking until mixture reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees).
  6. Remove from heat.
  7. Stir in walnuts until syrup coats nuts and become sugary.
  8. Spread on wax paper to cool.
  9. Break apart to serve.
  10. Excellent as a snack and salad topper.

Chocolate Coconut Balls

These dark chocolate coconut balls look like cute truffles.

You can coat or garnish with ingredients of your choice of sprinkles, coconut, or Gurley’s chopped nuts.

Ingredients

  • 1-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups Gurley’s flake coconut
  • 1 cup Gurley’s sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 cups Gurley’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons shortening

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, coconut, almonds and milk.
  2. Shape into 1-in. balls.
  3. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
  4. In a microwave, melt semisweet chips and shortening on high for about 1 minute; stir.
  5. Microwave additional 15 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
  6. Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off.
  7. Garnish with Gurley’s coconut.
  8. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set.
  9. Store in an airtight container.

Cinnamon Roasted Pecans

These are so easy to make and are excellent alone or chopped up and sprinkled on top of apple cobbler, ice cream and salads.

Ingredients

  • 3 5oz. bags Gurley’s Pecan Halves
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250° F.
  2. Lightly spray or grease a large baking sheet.
  3. In medium bowl, lightly beat egg white until frothy.
  4. Stir in vanilla. Add pecans and stir well.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine sugars, salt and cinnamon.
  6. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture over pecans and gently fold until evenly coated.
  7. Spread coated pecans onto baking sheet to an even layer.
  8. Place sheet in oven for one hour shaking every 20 minutes.
  9. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.