Oreo Peanut Butter Delight

So one night Chris and I were in a Munchy Mood and all we had were Oreos. To most people that would be enough but it wasn't for us. So we decided to spice them up a little. We spread a healthy layer of PB on top (less if you are not a huge PB fan...although Chris isn't and he still loved them) and then we melted some chocolate and spooned it over the top. If you want to make them look pretty you can dip them but we were in a hurry. Then pop them in the freezer for 20 min. (we almost couldn't wait but your patience will be rewarded...they are better frozen)! ENJOY! If you try it out...let us know what you think.

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buckle
(Courtesy of Alton Brown)

For the cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
9 ounces cake flour, approximately 2 cups
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
5 1/4 ounces sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
15 ounces fresh whole blueberries, approximately 3 cups
For the topping:
3 1/2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/2 cup
1 1/2 ounces cake flour, approximately 1/3 cup
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Add the egg and beat until well incorporated, approximately 30 seconds. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until incorporated and then add 1/3 of the milk and beat until incorporated. Repeat, alternating flour and milk until everything has combined. Gently stir in the blueberries and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
For the topping: In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour and nutmeg. Add the butter and work into the dry ingredients using a fork to combine. Continue until the mixture has a crumb-like texture. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes or until golden in color. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. (I tasted it hot out of the oven and cooled slightly and it definitely tastes better cooled...the ginger is much stronger at a hotter temperature.)

Kitchen Tip #1

Kitchen Tip #1

Buy a couple of rotisserie chickens at the store. Come home, pull all the chicken from the bone and freeze it in appropriate portions for your family. Then you have chicken already cooked and seasoned for a future meal like the soup recipe below. And if you don't have time to cook a whole meal, you can serve it in tacos or just add BBQ sauce for a quick pulled chicken sandwich.

Jalopeno Cheddar Bread
Courtesy Barefoot Contessa

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions (I actually used less)
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers (I actually used less)

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mexican Chicken Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup
Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa
This soup was awesome!!

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (I actually used shredded chicken I had frozen from a rotisserie chicken)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese and Cheddar Bread (recipe below).

Three Alarm Italian Style Chili Mac

Three-Alarm Italian Style Chili Mac
Courtesy of Rachel Ray

1 pound penne pasta or cavatappi (hollow pasta spirals)
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 palmfuls
Black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup beef stock
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted crushed tomatoes (I couldn't find fire-roasted so I just added a couple dashes cayenne to the regular...or if you don't like it spicy, just leave it out all together)
Handful basil leaves, torn
2 cups shredded smoked Cheddar or scamorza ( smoked aged mozzarella)

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Preheat broiler to high.
Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over medium high heat with extra-virgin olive oil. When oil ripples or smokes, crumble beef and brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Season the meat with chili powder, salt and pepper. When meat has browned, add onions, peppers and garlic. Cook vegetables until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add stock and scrape up pan drippings. Stir in crushed tomatoes, simmer sauce 10 minutes and fold in basil. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Toss to combine and transfer to a casserole dish. Cover with cheese and brown under broiler 3 to 4 minutes.
**Served this with roasted garlic asparagus.

Awesome Slow-Cooker Roast

Awesome Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
(courtesy of allrecipes.com)

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used one can COM and one can COC)
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water (I used beef broth)
5 1/2 pounds pot roast

In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water (or broth). Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

**I seared my pot roast before putting it into the crock pot. I also added carrots, potatoes and onions. I added carrots and onions about 2 hours before eating, and potatoes 1 1/2 hours before eating. Because it is a gravy base it takes a little longer for the veggies to cook. I also added a little more broth when adding the veggies. Then about 20 min before eating...I thickened the gravy a little more by adding flour, gravy mix or cornstarch...or a little of all of them.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara (picture coming soon)

1 lb. dry spaghetti
1 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup frozen petite peas (broccoli works as well)
2 1/2 C heavy cream
1 C fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 T. fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
yields six servings

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside. In large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat bacon pieces until they begin to sizzle. (if you like your bacon on the more crispy side, like me, then cook it until done)Don't drain grease. Add peas & cream. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat slightly and boil gently for about 8 minutes. Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until blended and sauce is slightly thickened.
Mix pasta & sauce together in large serving bowl. Garnish w/ chopped parsley and black pepper to taste.
**I served this with garlic bread and green salad.

Philly Brownie Cheesecake

Philly Brownie Cheesecake
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)

1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 eggs
2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate

PREHEAT oven to 325°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; pour into prepared pan. Bake 25 min. or until top of brownie is shiny and center is almost set.

MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently pour over brownie layer in pan. (Filling will come almost to top of pan.)

BAKE 40 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen side of dessert from pan; cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

MELT chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 min. or until chocolate is firm. Cut cheesecake into 16 pieces to serve. Store any leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Carolina Pork Twirl

Carolina Pork Twirls
(Courtesy of allrecipes.com)

1 pound sliced bacon
1 (1 1/2 pound) fat-trimmed pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups mustard-based barbecue sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat a grill for medium heat. When hot, lightly oil the grate.
While the grill is heating, slice the pork tenderloin into flat strips similar to the bacon. Roll up strips of bacon inside strips of pork tenderloin and secure with moistened toothpicks. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill the rolls for about 5-7 minutes on one side, then turn over. Slather some barbecue sauce over them and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

**If you like crispier bacon, then you may want to fry the bacon a little before you wrap in the pork.

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan
(courtesy of Paula Dean)

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
6 cups shredded chicken, cooked
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream (I actually ran out of S.C. so I used cream cheese...I am sure either would be good.)
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the outer wrappers from the boxes of broccoli. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the broccoli and put into a casserole dish. Add the shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine or chicken broth. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.

Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.
**For my family, I actually used half of this recipe and it was plenty. I served with wild rice. Or you could make the whole thing and freeze half of it.

Snicker Bar Trifle

Here are a couple of new recipes we have tried. The first one I forgot to take a picture of...but it is made with snickers so how can you go wrong. For those of you who don't already know, I try at least 1 new recipe every week (sometimes 2-3 new recipes). If they make them on the blog then my family thought they were pretty good. We also cook for families on average once a week, so a lot of these recipes were also tried by others who also liked them. So I would love for you to try them too and then let me know what you think.

Snicker Bar Trifle
1 angel food cake (I used the rectangular one)
2 cups heavy whipped cream (or you can use Cool Whip)
2 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 large package of chocolate pudding
4 regular snicker bars (I actually used 5)

Whip cream until stiff (if using heavy cream). Fold in jar of caramel. Make pudding according to directions. Chop snickers bars. Put half of cake cubes in bottom of trifle bowl. Layer half of whipped cream, pudding and snickers. Repeat. Can be eaten immediately or refrigerated.

Mozzerella Chicken Roll-ups

Mozzerella Chicken Roll-ups
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese, divided (I doubled this)
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened (I doubled this)
1/4 cup finely chopped green peppers (I didn't have any green peppers so I used crushed red peppers...it was a little spicy but the kids ate it)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves (I doubled this)
1/4 tsp. garlic salt (I doubled this)
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 cup spaghetti sauce (I used Prego Garlic and Herb and I used more than a cup)

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, the Neufchatel cheese, green peppers, oregano and garlic salt until well blended. Shape into 4 logs. Place 1 log on one of the short ends of each chicken breast; press into chicken lightly. Roll up each chicken breast tightly, tucking in ends of chicken around filling to completely enclose filling.

PLACE, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon spaghetti sauce evenly over chicken; cover with foil.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170°F). Remove foil; sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake an additional 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

No-Melt Sundae Pie

No-Melt Sundae Pie
(courtesy of kraftfoods.com)

15 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups crumbs)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1/3 cup canned sweetened condensed milk

MIX cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.

POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in remaining whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Mix melted chocolate and condensed milk until well blended. Spoon over pie. Cut through chocolate mixture several times with knife for marble effect.

FREEZE 6 hours or until firm. Remove pie from freezer 15 min. before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with the reserved whipped topping.

Chocolate Rhapsody

Here are some more recipes! There is a lovely Valentine dessert (I know it is a little late for Valentines but maybe next year)! It looks a little hard but there are just a lot of steps...its not hard. I also made another dessert that was awesome...but usually if it has an Oreo crust it is pretty good in my book. I also made another Chicken dinner that my whole family liked. Chris said I should definitly make it again. I have made other stuffed chicken recipes before and this is the only one that he wanted again. Enjoy!

Chocolate Rhapsody
(courtesy of verybestbaking.com)

CAKE LAYER
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

CHOCOLATE LAYER
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

RASPBERRY MOUSSE LAYER
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed, pureed and strained
3 bars (6-oz. box) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Baking Bars, broken into pieces
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch springform pan.

FOR CAKE LAYER:
COMBINE flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in small mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk. Spread into prepared springform pan.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

FOR CHOCOLATE LAYER:
MICROWAVE morsels and 3/4 cup cream in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Cool completely.

FOR RASPBERRY MOUSSE LAYER:
COMBINE sugar, water and cornstarch in medium saucepan; stir in raspberries. Bring mixture to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Cool completely.

MICROWAVE baking bars and 1/2 cup cream in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The bars may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until bars are melted. Cool completely. Stir into raspberry mixture.

BEAT remaining cream and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold raspberry mixture into whipped cream.

TO ASSEMBLE:
REMOVE side of springform pan; dust off crumbs. Grease inside of pan; reattach side. Spread 1/2 cup chocolate mixture over cake layer; freeze for 5 minutes. Spoon raspberry mousse over chocolate; freeze for 10 minutes. Carefully spread remaining chocolate mixture over raspberry mousse. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm. Carefully remove side of springform pan. Garnish with whipped cream and raspberries.

Slow-cooker Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs with Jamaican Rice and Peas(courtesy of Food Network)


1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish

Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.
In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve half of the thighs with this meal (topped with diced avocado and cilantro and garnished with lime wedges) and reserve remaining thighs for another meal.

Jamaican Rice and Peas:
2 cups instant white rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest. Set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.

I was a little worried about this recipe because it used a lot of new ingredients I have never tried before. It actually turned out good...even my kids ate it. It was a little spicy so if you are sensitive then you should probably use a little less of the chipotle chilies.

Southwest Chicken Skillet

Southwest Chicken Skillet
(courtesy of BHG.com)


Ingredients
1 1- to 1.5-ounce envelope fajita seasoning mix (I used taco seasoning because I already had it on hand)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
Nonstick spray coating
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper, cut into squares
1 small zucchini, bias-sliced (I actually didn't use any because I didn't have any)
1/2 small onion, cut into thin wedges
2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
8 8-inch flour tortillas (optional)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions
1. For marinade, in a medium mixing bowl combine fajita mix, water, and oil. Add chicken to marinade. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, zucchini, and onion; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.

3. Drain chicken; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet. (If necessary, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil during cooking.) Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir together salsa and chili powder. Add salsa mixture, corn, and beans to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with warm tortillas and cheese, if desired. (To heat tortillas, wrap in microwave-safe paper towels; micro-cook on high power for 30 seconds). Makes 4 servings

I have had other recipes similar to this one but this was still good.

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1/2 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl or dish mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then in the seasoned flour.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine and brown the coated chicken pieces.
4. Dissolve the bouillon in the boiling water, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Garnish as desired and serve.

I served with a broccoli salad and buttered bread. You could also probably serve with rice or pasta.