Cinco de Mayo Brownies:
Ingredients:  
2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon (canella)
1/4 teaspoon pequen chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt  
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.  Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.


MUD PIE: Kids can do most of the work here, with help from parents! This recipe does make you think of spring days playing in the mud puddles!
CRUST:
1 1/2 cups crumbs from plain chocolate cookies
(use a food processor or rolling pin)
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING:
6 cups or 3 pints chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup ready-made fudge topping
4 cups whipped cream
3/4 cup crushed chocolate cookies or graham crackers
Directions: Mix the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Distribute the mixture evenly around a pie pan, pressing it first against the bottom and then the sides. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and let cool. Next, spoon half of the chocolate ice cream into the shell and freeze for 30 minutes. Spread the fudge over the ice cream and freeze for another 15 minutes. Top with the remaining ice cream, the whipped cream, and crushed cookies, then freeze for at least 3 hours. Serves 8 to 10.
 Directions:
Bundles: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 2 (4 by 4-inch squares). Beat eggs and cream together to create an egg wash. Brush pastry squares with egg wash. Place 2 chocolate kisses and 1 mini candy bar in the center of each pastry square. Repeat with remaining kisses and mini-bars. Pull corners of the square up around the chocolate, brushing edges with more egg wash, if necessary, to create a secure bundle. Brush exteriors of chocolate bundles with more egg wash. Repeat with remaining bundles. Place bundles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Ganache: In a sauce pan bring the heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over top. Whisk until smooth. Puddle ganache onto a plate and place 1 bundle on top. Top with whipped cream and additional ganache, if desired. Serve bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.

OLD FASHIONED FUDGE
Ingredients:
3 C sugar
¼ t salt
½ C unsweetened cocoa
1 C milk
2 T light corn syrup
3 T butter
1 t vanilla
1 C chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Lightly butter 8x8 pan. In heavy 3qt saucepan combine sugar, salt, cocoa, milk, and corn syrup. Cook, stirring over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to 234F on candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Add butter, do not stir. Let cool to 110F. Add vanilla. With wooden spoon, beat fudge until it becomes creamy and is no longer glossy. Quickly stir in nuts. Spread in pan. Refrigerate 2 hours.