Red Velvet Cake Batter Fudge

Would this be considered complete sabotage if I made this today to take to my fitness trainer? I think so, but I think it was my own sabatoge, because I certainly HAD to taste a bite for quality control. ;)
The fact that there are still some pieces sitting in my refrigerator right now is not boding well for me. If you listen closely, you can probably  hear it calling my name. I would have taken my trainer all of it, but I knew if I did, she would create a wicked workout for me to pay me back haha! So here I sit, exerting every bit of will power  I have to NOT go get another piece. Do you think I'll make it? I hope so, but for now, you will have to excuse me while I go to the refrigerator for a piece of fudge  healthy drink of water! :)

Recipe Source: http://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/2013/11/red-velvet-cake-batter-fudge/

Ingredients:

1 box Red Velvet cake mix 

2 cups powdered sugar

10 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces or cubes

5 Tbsp milk

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Edible pearls or sprinkles for decorating

Sift together cake mix and powdered sugar in a large microwaveable bowl. Add cubed butter and milk. There is no need to stir. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Immediately remove from the microwave and stir until it is all blended and creamy. Stir in white chocolate chips making sure they completely melted into the fudge and there are no white streaks. Press fudge into a parchment lined or lightly greased 8x8 pan. Add the edible pearls or sprinkles on top, if using, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours or place into the freezer for 20-30 minutes to set it up quickly. When firm, cut into squares and serve.

Vegetable Tray with Fiesta Dip

Sometimes when things look pretty, it tricks you into thinking you want to eat  more of it. That was the case with this vegetable tray I made yesterday for my father in laws birthday party. Now if I could only figure out how to NOT make this theory work when it comes to sweets. I mean, sweets don't even have to look pretty and my brain is still tricked into thinking I want more. But thankfully the veggie tray looked and tasted great and so I got to enjoy quite a bit of it. This is such an easy and yet decorative way to serve veggies and dip.

For the vegetables:

1 head Savoy cabbage
Any vegetables you want cut up for dipping

Wash the cabbage head and cut a fairly large circle into the top with a knife. Gently remove the circle and use a melon baller to take out the insides of the cabbage head, leaving enough of a lining to support the dip you will pace inside.
Gently pull back the outer layers of the savoy cabbage.  (If they break off that's ok because you can tuck them under the head of cabbage on the tray to fill with the vegetables) Place the head of cabbage in the center of the tray and fill each "leaf" with your favorite vegetables. Make the fiesta dip and place it into the cabbage head when you are ready to serve.


For the Fiesta Dip:
4 oz cream cheese, softened 
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt  
1/8 cup light mayonnaise  
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped 
3/4 tsp lime juice 
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce) 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
2-3 Tbsp chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers 
1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion


Place the first 7 ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until smooth. Add the roasted peppers and the green onion and pulse the processor just a few times until blended they are blended in.
Place in a bowl and cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Frosted Toffee Crunch Brownies

If I'm going to be honest here, I would probably tell you that if I am ever left alone with the ingredients for this frosting, I will probably just make a huge bowl of it and sit with a spoon and work my way through it. Seriously....I want to wallow in this stuff. It's so chocolatey, gooey and rich. The Heath toffee bits, gives it a bit of a crunch, which just makes it that much better. There is really nothing else to say except: Get off your butt and bake these lol. Then ship me some, because I'm seriously afraid to have these frosting ingredients laying around my house. It could be a real danger to my pant size!

For the brownies: 
1 box Brownie mix
1 pkg Heath Toffee baking bits (sold on the baking aisle by the chocolate chips in most stores)

Make brownie batter according to pkg directions. Stir in half of the bag (6 oz) of Heath baking chips.
Bake as directed on the package. While the brownies are baking, prepare the frosting.

For the frosting:
6 Tbsp butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz Heath baking chips
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan on stovetop. Stir in Heath baking chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until melted and smooth. When brownies come out of the oven, let sit for 5 minutes then pour the frosting evenly onto the top of the brownies. Spread till smooth, if needed. Place in the refrigerator until the topping is firm enough to cut through. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Thai Chicken

Once again, I apologize for the cruddy picture. I seriously lack in the picture taking skill department. I can cook till the cows come home, but don't ask me to be able to take a good picture of my food ;)
I found this recipe on Pinterest and I knew I had to try it. Lately I seem to be on a serious Asian cooking kick. I think that's 3 nights out of 4 now that I have made Asian food. Maybe that's because I LOVE it! I think I could vary between Asian and Mexican cooking and be completely satisfied . So maybe next week I will find a new "kick" to get started on. Who knows? Anyway, I will definitely be making this one again. We loved it at our house and it was fairly simple to make.

Recipe Source: http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/sweet-sour-sticky-thai-boneless-oven-baked-chicken-wings/

For  the chicken:

3- 4 chicken breasts, cut into chunky bite size pieces

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 Tbsp conrmeal

For the sauce:

1 cup sweet Thai chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy brand)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp all natural peanut butter

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp fish sauce

2 coves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water (optional)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

Chopped cashews, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 475°F. 

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with Pam.

Add the chicken to a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over it. Mix well and set aside.

In a shallow pie dish or large bowl add the panko, cornmeal and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.

Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been coated. Spray the top of the chicken pieces with non stick cooking spray.

Bake for 12 minutes, then gently flip the chicken pieces over and spray the other side. Bake for 10-12 minutes more, then remove the chicken from the oven. Reduce the oven to 400°.

While the chicken is baking make the sauce. 

Combine the sweet Thai chili sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, peanut butter, tomato paste, apple juice, rice vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper and pepper in a medium sauce pot. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly. If the sauce does not thicken enough, then add in the cornstarch/water mixture and boil 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

Gently toss each piece of chicken in the sauce, draining the excess sauce back in to the pot. Place the chicken back on the pan and repeat until all the chicken is coated in the sauce. Place the pan of chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes.

Serve with fresh cilantro, chopped cashews and any extra sauce for dipping.

Frosted Creme De Menthe Brownies

This is a terrible picture of these brownies, that does not do them any justice at all. They were so much better than they look here. I made these quickly before work this morning and basically ran out of time to let the frosting cool before I had to cut them. This  is why the top looks cracked and "bumpy." But since these are so wonderful tasting, there was none left to take a picture of when I got home. So, unfortunately this is the only picture I have to post on here. It's actually a really good thing that these are no longer in my house, because I'm not sure I could have denied myself the pleasure of enjoying ANY that were left!

For the brownies: 
1 box Brownie mix
1 pkg Andes Creme De Menthe baking  chihps

Make brownie batter according to pkg directions. Stir in half of the bag (6 oz) of Andes Creme De Menthe chips.
Bake as directed on the package. While the brownies are baking, prepare the frosting.

For the frosting:
6 Tbsp butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz Andes Creme De Menthe baking chips
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan on stovetop. Stir in Andes baking chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until melted and smooth. When brownies come out of the oven, let sit for 5 minutes then pour the frosting evenly onto the top of the brownies. Spread till smooth, if needed. Place in the refrigerator until the topping is firm enough to cut through. Enjoy!

Sweet Fire Chicken

I really don't like to eat out much. Since I love to cook, I find myself at restaurants thinking, "I could make this at home and it would probably taste just as good." So we don't eat out that much. I guess that's what happens when you love to cook! I would prefer to spend a couple hours in the kitchen creating a fabulous meal, rather than get dressed and head out to order something that I'm not even sure if I'm going to like. I had found a recipe on Pinterest for sweet fire chicken. I LOVE the sweet fire chicken at Panda Express, so I just knew I had to try this recipe. I looked forward to it all day. I could tell by the smell of the sauce cooking, that I was going to love this. I sure did. That's 2 Asian dinners this week that we have loved. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Recipe Source: http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2014/01/sweet-fire-chicken.html

For the chicken:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
salt/ pepper to taste
2 eggs
¼ cup flour
⅔ cup corn starch
1 Tbsp oil

 Place eggs in a bowl and whisk. Place flour in another bowl, and corn starch in yet another bowl. Season the chopped chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Toss about a half a cup of  the chicken pieces at a time, in the whisked egg bowl, then remove and toss in the flour bowl, then remove and toss in the corn starch bowl. Repeat with all chicken pieces until all are coated well. Set aside  on a plate. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pan or non stick skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally.  Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until all chicken pieces are cooked through, browned, and slightly crispy. Place in a bowl or on a a  plate and set aside.

 For the sauce:

2 tsp garlic, chopped
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t want it really spicy)
⅔ cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbsp sweet red chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy brand)
½ tsp salt
4 Tbsp cold water + 3 tablespoons corn starch

1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ white onion, chopped
1 (15 oz) ounce cans pineapple chunks, packed in pineapple  juice, drained

In a large sauce pan, combine first 6 sauce ingredients and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. In a small bowl whisk together cold water and corn starch. When sauce comes to a boil, add corn starch mixture and continue to stir until sauce thickens. Reduce the heat. Add peppers, onions, and pineapple chunks to pan  and cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes until onions start to turn translucent. Add the chicken to the sauce and stir. Cook until chicken is reheated all the way through. Serve hot with coconut rice.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters

My hubby loves dark chocolate. And when I say dark chocolate, I mean the kind that is so dark and so bitter that it in no way resembles chocolate. So when I stumbled upon some of the dark chocolate chips that I like, that are definitely not so bitter, I decided that I would make these for him and see if he liked them. I should have known he would as he likes anything with dark chocolate. Thankfully he liked them, because if he hadn't I would, or rather my hips would, have been in trouble. I only made 5 and between the hubby, daughter and grand daughter I am thankful I do not have to worry about this temptation any longer. I didn't even taste one, but word on the street has it, they were very good!

Dark chocolate, melted
Cashews
Coarse Sea Salt

There really is no "recipe" for these. Just take any amount of your favorite dark chocolate and melt it down. Stir in any amount of cashews you would like and then scoop it up by the spoonful and place it on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sea salt and place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator until the chocolate has firmed up.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Oranges with Sea Salt

For those of you that know me, you know I do NOT like oranges! BUT I do love dark chocolate. I was trying to make a dessert with my 3 year old grand daughter, that would be somewhat healthy for her to eat after dinner. I mean seriously....Santa brought her a cotton candy maker, so I'm sure she has consumed enough sugar for the year already and it's only Jan. 9th! She loves oranges, I mean LOVES them. So why not try to combine her love of oranges with my love of chocolate? I was sure hesitant on this one because I figured I automatically would not like it, but I knew that everyone else would eat them. Well, with trepidation, I bit into one, but ONLY on the side with the chocolate haha and guess what? I loved it! But I do have a confession to make here (insert dramatic music here) I threw away the other half that was not covered in chocolate. I know, I know, that's a sin. But I already asked for forgiveness and I'm quite sure I'm ok now!

1 orange (or 3 cuties or mandarin oranges)
6 oz dark chocolate, melted
coarse sea salt

Cover a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Peel the orange and break apart the slices or segments, peeling away as much pithe (the bitter white stuff) as you can. In a bowl, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave (be careful it burns easily) and dip the orange slices into the dark chocolate. Sprinkle with sea salt and set on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator to firm up. Serve. 

Honey Sesame Chicken

This recipe really is a "winner winner chicken dinner." It tastes like you are eating Chinese take out food, but you actually made it yourself. It's really super easy and doesn't require a lot of time. Today this was a good thing, as I was gone the entire day, between work, running errands and going on a booty kicking 4 mile, almost all uphill walk! I felt so good afterward, but trust me when I say, I came home so hungry that I could have consumed this entire pan of chicken. You think I'm kidding? I seriously had to stop myself from going back for more and more and more. I didn't want my walk to have been for nothing! So my plan is to make this again soon and find a way to sneak some extra in without gaining 10 lbs!

Recipe Source:
http://therecipecritic.com/2013/09/baked-honey-sesame-chicken/

4 chicken breasts
1 cup cornstarch
3 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup vegetable or canola oil

Sauce:
¾ cup honey
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2 T cornstarch
Chopped green onions for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Heat oven to 325°. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In two separate bowls, place cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs. Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a
9 x 13 greased baking dish.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and cornstarch. Pour over the chicken and bake for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir the chicken every 10 minutes or so, to coat the chicken in the sauce. *If you need to thicken up the sauce, just stir in a tsp of cornstarch at a time and cook for a couple minutes and then check to see if it's thick enough for your liking, if not then do the same process again.
Remove chicken from the oven and sprinkle sesame seeds on the top and chopped green onions. Serve plain or over rice.

Thai Lime Coconut Rice

I have a recipe book that is about cooking  your way around the world. I absolutely LOVE the section on Thailand. I have been making this coconut rice for years, just plain. The other day I was thinking how much I love coconut and lime together and decided to try it out on this rice. I'm so thankful I did, as it was a great combination. I also added a touch more sugar than I usually do and that was a good change also. Then I saw on Pinterest about adding all these goodies to coconut rice. So guess what I did? Yep...I added goodies. Oh my goodness, I want to eat this every day of my life! I even ate a bite cold out of the refrigerator today for leftovers. That's how good this was!!

1 can coconut milk (14 oz)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 cup water
1 cup Jasmine Rice
2 1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup honey roasted, or cocktail peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup toasted, shredded coconut

1. Turn the oven on to 350. Pour the coconut out onto a cookie sheet and make sure it's in a single layer. When oven is hot, place the cookie sheet in the oven. Set the timer for4 minutes and check to see if the coconut is golden and toasted. If it isn't, then set the timer for 1-2 minutes and check it again. Repeat this process until your coconut is toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, lime juice and water. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, sugar and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. This can take from 20-40 minutes.

3. Serve rice with the garnishes: Toasted coconut, cilantro, peanuts and extra lime if you wish!

Grilled Skirt Steak with Jalapeno Chimichurri

Since I'm not a red meat fan, I wasn't sure of what my reaction to this recipe would be. Well, I guess as long as there is a sauce on red meat to cover the flavor of the meat, then I must be ok with it. I loved this chimichurri sauce! I literally drowned my meat in this sauce haha. I have made chimichurri sauce many times before, but I haven't ever made it with jalapenos. This will definitely be my new "go to" chimichurri" sauce reipe. So even if you are not a huge fan or red meat, give this a try. I'm sure this sauce would be good on anything.

Recipe Adapted From:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/05/ted-allens-grilled-steak-with-roasted-jalepeno.html

2 jalapenos 

2 cups cilantro 

2 cups Italian parsley 

2 cloves garlic (2 tsp minced garlic) 

Juice of 3 limes 

3Tbsp cooking sherry 

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the steak

salt/pepper to taste 

2 lbs skirt steak

Preheat the grill.
Char the jalapenos on the stovetop with a gas burner or on a grill until the outsides are charred. Place them in a paper bag or a small bowl covered with a plate or towel and allow the skins to steam and loosen. Peel, stem, and seed the chilies.

In a food processor or blender, combine the jalapeños, cilantro, parsley, garlic, lime juice, sherry, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse (or blend) until the mixture is a coarse puree. Taste and adjust for salt and blend again if needed.

Rub the steaks with olive oil and season very generously with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked to your eatin preference (medium well for our family)
Remove to a plate and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Slice the steak across the grain with the knife at a 45 degree angle. Arrange on a serving plate and spoon some chimichurri over the steak. Serve with the extra sauce.

Krispy Peanut Butter Truffles

I got this recipe from a friend many years ago. It's been a staple on my Christmas baking list since then. I love peanut butter and chocolate together and the crunchy rice krispies in this make that combination come to life even more. Unfortunately, I'm on sugar overload for this season and we still have a couple of days to go. I'm sure I will be posting healthier recipes when Christmas is past, as I will be trying to get back to my all natural, clean eating, since I feel like I need to detox right about now! This recipe is so easy to make and hardly takes any time at all. So if you need to whip up a fast candy for company, this one will work for ya, I  promise. That is IF you can stop yourself from eating them all before your company arrives! ;)

1 cube butter ( use real butter, don't use margarine)
2 3/4 cup Rice Krispy cereal
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar
Candiquik chocolate dipping bark or melted milk chocolate of any kind
Cocktail peanuts, chopped, for topping

Melt butter and mix the rest of the ingredients into it. Use a heavy duty spoon to mix this. If you use a mixer, you will crush up all your Rice Krispies. Roll the mixture into balls. Place in the refrigerator to firm up. When they are firm and cold, dip each ball into melted chocolate and place chopped peanuts onto the top of each candy. Place the candies onto waxed paper to firm up again. Store in airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge

If you read my last post, then you will know that usually fudge is not my thing. Well, the peppermint fudge I made, changed my mind and this peanut butter cup fudge most certainly changed it also. But like I always say, you can mix peanut butter with anything in my opinion and you probably have a winning dish. Everyone that tasted this during the Christmas season has loved it. Ok except for my hubby....wait it's not that he didn't love it, it's that he didn't even try it. Sweets could sit around this house for days and he would never even think to try them. How is that fair? It's NOT! I can't even be around sweets, they are like my drug of choice! But trust me when I say, that everyone that did try this, really liked it!

Recipe Source: http://centercutcook.com/peanut-butter-cup-fudge/

20 Reese's miniature peanut butter cups, chopped
2 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (make sure you sift)
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 tsp vanilla

 Line an 8 x 8 pan with saran wrap so that it will be easy to lift the fudge out of the pan.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a rolling boil, then cook for exactly 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in peanut butter and mix to combine. Add in vanilla.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of your mixer. Add in sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing between additions. After you’ve added all of the confectioners sugar, mix well! The mixture is going to be really thick, but that's how you want it!

Press the mixture into the prepared dish. Let the fudge cool slightly but not all the way. (Just enough so that the peanut butter cups will still stick to the fudge, but cool enough so they won't melt.)

Sprinkle chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups over the fudge and gently press them down.

Chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours, or until firm, then use the saran wrap as handles to lift the fudge out of the pan. Remove the saran wrap and cut into small squares.

Peppermint Fudge

I have to admit that I am not much of a fudge eater. I mean, I like it, it's ok, but I tend to like the Southern, gritty, harder type fudge, rather than the soft kind. But I think I could become a convert with this peppermint fudge. The mint added such a depth to the flavor and gave it some texture that is usually not there with plain chocolate fudge. This one will be added to my "have to make at Christmas list" from  now on. :)

Recipe Adapted From: http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2012/12/peppermint-fudge

• 1 (14 ounce) can fat free sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (you can substitute with dark chocolate)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 candy canes, crushed into bits for the topping

Line an 8 inch square pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Over a double boiler on simmer, heat the the sweetened condensed milk and butter together until the butter is melted.
Add in the semi sweet chocolate chips, stirring until melted.
Mix in the peppermint and vanilla and stir until combined.
Place the candy canes in a baggie. Gently crush with a cup, or the back of a spoon, until the candy canes are in small sized pieces.
Pour the pieces into a strainer to sift out the finely crushed peppermint dust.
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the fudge.
Place in therefrigerator to set for at least 3 hours before cutting into squares.

Peanut Butter Christmas Tree Cookies

I think everyone in their lifetime has tasted Peanut Butter Blossoms. Good old peanut butter cookies with a scrumptious Hershey kiss on the top! These cookies were a part of my childhood. My mom didn't make them often, but when she did....oh boy....I couldn't eat enough of them. This might explain why I am dieting AGAIN lol. When I saw on Pinterest that you could take this simple little cookie and decorate the Hershey kisses to look like Christmas trees, I was so excited. This was super easy, lots of fun and even my 3 year old grand daughter enjoyed helping with these. She got to put all those cute little sprinkle dots all over them. Yes, I will be sweeping up the excess off my floor until next Christmas, but it was worth it, to watch her eyes light up as we made these!

Recipe Source: http://javacupcake.com/2013/12/christmas-tree-peanut-butter-blossoms/

48 Hershey's Kisses chocolate candies
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar, for rolling the cookies in before cooking
green frosting
holiday sprinkles

Heat oven to 375°F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the foil wrap from the Hershey kisses and set aside.
Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until fluffy.
Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat this mixture into the peanut butter mixture.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
Immediately press a chocolate, gently,  into the center of each cookie. The cookie will slightly crack around the edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. You have to make sure your cookies are completely cooled before decorating the kisses. I baked mine the day before I decorated them.
Either color white icing until it's the desired shade of green or use green icing if you can find it. Fill a baggie with the icing and cut a small hole on one of the corners. Gently squeeze the baggie (you don't want to cause it to break the baggie open) and starting at the base of the Hershey kiss, pipe a line of frosting swirling around the kiss and up to the top. Immediately sprinkle with the holiday sprinkles.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

What's easier than making Christmas candy in just a few minutes in the microwave? Almost nothing. Well ok...I'm sure there are easier things, but when you are overwhelmed, busy and still want to make some Christmas candy, this is definitely the easiest recipe I can think of. If you have a spare 15 minutes, then you can definitely do this. I was visiting my mom last week, who does not have Internet service at her house and she wanted to make peanut brittle, so we made it the old fashioned way. Oh my goodness, that is so much time spent stirring and watching a candy thermometer. UGH....I came home and decided I would look into good old Pinterest to help me find a good microwave peanut brittle recipe. I'm so glad I did. This didn't take any time at all and it really turned out great!

Original Recipe Source: http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/12/microwave-peanut-brittle.html

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Karo syrup
1 Tbsp butter 1 tsp vanilla
 1 cup salted cocktail peanuts
1 tsp baking soda

Combine sugar and syrup in a microwave safe bowl. Stir.
Microwave on high for 5 minutes. (Watch for burning....some microwaves run  much hotter than others)
Add butter, vanilla and peanuts and stir to combine. 
Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds.
Remove bowl from microwave (be extremely careful, this bowl will burn you badly if you are not careful)
and quickly stir in baking soda. Immediately pour mixture onto parchment paper or a very thoroughly greased cookie sheet. Spread with a knife or non rubber spatula to desired thickness and let cool for 1 hour. Break into pieces and enjoy! Store in an airtight container or baggie.

Spicy Cashew Chicken

Well hello blog. It's been awhile. Life got so busy, as it does for many of us when the holidays begin. On top of being busy, our household had a long run of stomach flu and nasty head colds. Needless to say, we were not quite in the state of health to enjoy good food. So that's why the blog suffered for quite some time. Today is honestly the first day that I can say I feel almost ok. I am probably getting a sinus infection and don't care for the headache that is ensuing because of it, but at this point I am getting used to feeling "not so great". Anyway, I didn't prepare a whole bunch of yummy meals through all this, but I did  take time one night to make this yummy cashew chicken. Oh it's so good and I cannot wait to make it again and this time, NOBODY will be sick when I make it! ;)

Recipe Source: http://mommachelleblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/cashew-chicken-with-kick.html

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp cooking sherry
2 Tbsp soy sauce

 1/4 cup olive oil
 1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 green onions, sliced

 2 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 cup cashews
Toasted sesame seeds
 
SAUCE:
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp white vinegar

Combine 1 Tbsp soy sauce and the cooking sherry in a medium bowl. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place the chicken pieces in the soy/sherry mixture. Let the chicken marinade in the mixture while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. Set aside. Slice the green onions, and measure out the red pepper flakes and minced garlic. 

Drain the chicken in a strainer to drain off some of the excess marinade.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add chicken and red pepper flakes. Cook for just a minute and then add the garlic. Cook chicken until it's cooked through. Drain any excess oil.  Add cashews. Add the soy/sherry sauce mixture. Stir the chicken to cover everything in sauce. Sauce should thicken quite a bit. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and add sliced green onions.

Serve.

Almond Cinnamon Toffee

I hate having insomnia! The reason might not be why you think. Sure I walk around at work all day like a zombie ready to fall over, but that's actually not the reason I hate insomnia so much. The reason is that when I wake up too early in the morning, or the middle of the night, the ONLY thing there is to do is make something yummy in the kitchen. Sure, I could watch I love Lucy re-runs or some other show on TV, but really....doesn't cooking or baking sound like a lot more fun? I think so! The problem is that my insomnia is going to  lead to extra lbs on my already too fat thighs and belly. So off I go to work now sleepy and fat lol!

http://www.sugarhero.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6005053
1 cup (2 cubes) butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup almonds
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Line a baking sheet with Parchment paper and set aside. Use a food processor to coarsely chop half the almonds. Set aside. Use the food processor to finely chop the other half of the almonds. Set those aside also.

 2.Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Once it is melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the sugar. Once the sugar is mixed in, add the water and corn syrup and stir until well-mixed together.

3. Place the pan back on the heat and insert a candy thermometer. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the candy reaches 290 degrees. 

4. Once the candy reaches 290 degrees, remove it from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon and all the coarsely chopped nuts, and immediately pour the candy onto the prepared baking sheet. Tilt the sheet several times to spread the candy in a thin layer. Allow the toffee to sit at room temperature until it is completely cool.

5. Place the chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds to avoid burning it.

6. Spoon half of the melted chocolate on top of the toffee, and spread it in a thin, even layer over the top. Sprinkle half of the finely chopped nuts on the wet chocolate. Place the toffee in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes (or the freezer for 5-10 min) to firm up the chocolate. 

7. Remove the toffee from the refrigerator (or freezer) and lift it from the parchment paper. Flip the toffee over so that the chocolate side is now resting on the parchment paper. Spoon the remaining melted chocolate over the top of the toffee and spread it evenly. (If necessary, re-warm the chocolate briefly so that it is spreadable). Sprinkle the remaining finely chopped nuts on the chocolate.Refrigerate (or freeze) the toffee again for just a few minutes to set the chocolate. 

9. Once set, break the candy into small pieces with your hands. Store the toffee in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Ginger Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Do you sometimes want to make an entire batch of cookie dough, just to eat the dough? Or is it just me? Admit it, you like cookie dough too. I think almost everyone does. As I was making these cookies, I was finding it so hard to stay out of the dough. It was so yummy! My solution? Pop a piece of peppermint gum in your mouth and then you won't want to ruin that wonderful peppermint breath, by continually eating cookie dough. It worked for me.  Well ok...AFTER I had gotten into the dough, but trust me, if I hadn't have had gum, I'm fairly sure there would have been no dough left to make into cookies!
Thankfully there was some left and I could take this picture and type up the recipe for you. This one is easy, and truly tastes like Fall. 

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup (or 1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 bag Hershey's cinnamon chips (these are usually found in the Fall season only. I find mine at Wal Mart)
sugar for rolling the cookies

Heat oven to 350°

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Using your mixer, cream together the butter and the brown sugar. . Add in the egg and molasses. Beat until mixed well.

Add in the dry ingredients and combine until mixed well together. (Don't overmix)

Pour in the bag of cinnamon chips and mix only until the chips are spread throughout the dough well.

Roll the dough into balls the size of a small golf ball. and then roll each ball in sugar.  Place the dough balls onto the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12--14 minutes. (I baked mine the full 14 minutes because the hubby likes his cookies on the firm side.) If you like them chewier, take them out at 12 minutes. Let them sit for about 5 minutes on the hot cookie sheet and then remove them to cookie racks to cool completely.

Lime Chicken Pesto Burritos with Spicy Slaw

Today was the first day in quite sometime that I have actually had a little bit of extra time to put some thought into dinner. It seems like lately, I feel like a  hamster on a wheel, going around and around endlessly for days. So today was a good day to try out something new. It felt so good to be feeling creative again and to be enjoying cooking. It's hard to enjoy cooking when life gets too busy and you don't have time to get super creative! The "cheesy" tortillas were scrumptious and all the flavors went together very well. I hope to have time to make these again very soon.

*Below is a picture of what the "cheesy" tortillas looked like before I filled them and rolled them

Recipes Adapted From:
 http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/gourmet-your-tacos-in-3-minutes-works-for-any-tacos/
http://joelens.blogspot.com/2010/05/cilantro-lime-chicken-tacos.html



Cilantro Lime Chicken with Pesto Sauce:
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
salt/pepper to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup cilantro chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp toasted, sliced almonds
3 Tbsp fresh garlic chopped
1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chicken broth


1 large tomato, chopped, for garnish
4 green onions, chopped, for garnish

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and place chicken in the skillet. Cook the chicken until it is cooked through. Toss with the cilanto pesto (recipe below) and serve in a cheesy tortilla (recipe below) with spicy slaw (recipe below), diced tomatoes and green onions. Roll up burrito style or fold and serve as a taco.


Spicy Slaw:
1 1/2 cups cabbage, chopped finely
2 tsp juice from a jar of pepperoncini
4 Tbsp pepperoncini peppers, chopped
juice from 1/2 of a fresh lime
2 small hot chilis, chopped *use less if you don't care for spicy food*
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a medium/large bowl. Stir to mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cheesy Tortillas:
4 med/large flour tortillas
slices of mozzarella cheese *or your favorite cheese*

Lay slices of mozzarella or your favorite cheese on half of a flour tortilla. Fold it closed over the cheese. In a large skillet, cook on both sides over medium heat until the cheese in the center is melted. When all the cheese is melted, open the tortilla (be careful it's hot) and place the open tortilla, cheesy side down into the skillet. Cook for just a few seconds to a minute (depending on how high you have your heat) until the cheese is golden brown. Use the tortillas to wrap your favorite burrito or taco.

Shrimp, Avocado and Mango Salad

Let me first apologize for this picture. I actually forgot to take a picture of our dinner before we started eating. So unfortunately you are seeing a half eaten shrimp salad haha! Obviously I couldn't wait to tear into this bad boy. Oh my goodness, this is the most light and refreshing salad I have had in a long time. If my mango had been a tad been riper, it would have been even better than it already was. The perfect combination of tart from the lime, hot from the chili, sweet from the mango and savory from the shrimp, make a perfect marriage of flavors! On top of that, this is a no cook recipe. So you can't use the excuse that you don't know how to cook. Do you know how to slice up things with a knife? Do you know how to squeeze a lime? If you answered yes to those, then I'm afraid you are out of excuses. Go chop and squeeze and make this salad so you can see for yourself how great it is!

Recipe Source:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mango-avocado-shrimp-salad-10000001713106/

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice 
2 Tbsp olive oil  
1 Tbsp sugar  
2 large ripe mangoes  
2 medium firm-ripe avocados 
2/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
2/3 cup chopped cilantro  
1 Tbsp chopped fresh hot red or green chile  
1 pound  peeled cooked shrimp, tails removed

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
In a large bowl, dice the mangoes and avocados into cubes. Add green onion, cilantro, chile, and shrimp.
Pour the lime mixture over the top and mix gently. Serve cold.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is finally in the air! I love the smell of pumpkin goodies baking. I really think it's my favorite seasonal baking product. Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin muffins, you name it...I LOVE it! I have to be honest though, that I have  never put pumpkin and chocolate together. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the combination. I actually liked it. You could make these with or without the chocolate chips.Either way....just make them!

Makes 18 muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 can ( 1 lb) solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

Heat oven to 375°
Lightly grease and flour loaf pans. In a medium bowl, sift flour together with salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until well blended. Add the eggs and mix again until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin. At low speed, beat in the flour mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix again.
Place paper liners into the muffin tins. Pour the batter into each muffin cup until it's 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bean and Corn Salad

I wish all side dishes came together as quickly as this one. I guess if you bought a bag of pre-mixed salad at the store, it might be quicker, but I guarantee you, it wouldn't taste as good. This was so quick and easy to prepare. It's healthy, yummy and would be a perfect summertime accompaniment to a family BBQ. I know, I know, it's not summer. Well....put this on your "to do" list so you will be ready when summer comes around again. I myself will fix this in Fall, Winter and Spring also! :)

Recipe Adapted From: http://mom-machine.com/my-favorite-summer-side/

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shelled edamame
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped (I used the kind in the jar)
1 cup corn, cooked and cut off the cob (you can substitute frozen that has been thawed)
1 avocado
3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
Salt/Pepper to taste

Mix everything together in a very large bowl. Stir lightly as to not "break up" the avocado and other veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold. (Make sure not to skip the lime juice, this is what prevents the avocado from turning brown)

Baked Zucchini Fries with Fiesta Dip

I sure wish I would have decided to try this recipe in the summer season when zucchini's were taking over my entire backyard. But leave it to me, to decide to try this, when I have to pay my local grocer for something I can grow myself. Yes, zucchini season is over for me! Well, at least now I know of a great way to use up some of the zucchini I grow next season. Here is the funny part...when zucchini is in season, it's too stinking hot to turn on the oven to cook this, so what is a girl to do? I guess  the answer is crank up the air conditioning in the summer and just make this anyway! Yes it's that good. It's just a new way to prepare zucchini, since I think I have actually tried every other way possible. The dip was so good with it also. In fact, I wanted to just get a spoon and eat the dip, I refrained. But barely!

Recipe Sources:
http://www.funandfoodcafe.com/fried-zucchini/
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fiesta-dip-10000001731425/

For the Fiesta Dip:
4 oz cream cheese, softened 
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt  
1/8 cup light mayonnaise  
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped 
3/4 tsp lime juice 
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce) 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
2-3 Tbsp chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers 
1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion


Place the first 7 ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until smooth. Add the roasted peppers and the green onion and pulse the processor just a few times until blended they are blended in.
Place in a bowl and cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.


For the Zucchini:
3 zucchini
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 packet Shake & Bake Coating Mix
1 egg

Heat oven to 450º
Trim the ends off the zucchini, then cut crosswise in half, then cut each piece into 1/4-inch sticks.
 In the shake and bake bag, add the shake and bake mix and the Parmesan cheese. Shake to combine. 
Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the zucchini slices to the egg and toss to coat the slices thoroughly.
Place 1/4 of the zucchini in shaker bag; close bag and shake to evenly coat. Spread onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining zucchini.
Bake for 12 to 15 min. or until golden brown, rotating the baking tray halfway through the cooking time.
Remove the baked fries from the oven, and serve them with the fiesta dip. 

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Pina Colada Dipping Sauce

I have to confess something. Are you ready? Here goes: I could have eaten the entire tray of these things! Did I you ask? No...but trust me I did eat far too many. I really could have just taken a spoon and eaten the whole bowl of dip. Did I you ask? Well...let's just say that there was none left to throw away lol. You figure that one out on your own ;)
I'm not kidding when I tell you that these sweet potato fries dipped in this sauce, seriously tasted like a donut. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!
When my hubby first tasted them and said "these taste just like a donut" I kind of figured he was being sarcastic. But then I tasted it for myself and I was thinking "wow...he's not kidding." So next time you have a craving for a donut for dinner, try these out!

Recipe Source for the Sweet Potatoes: http://www.healthierhabits.org/post/54238353102/so-this-is-how-you-make-them-crispy-super-crispy

For the Sweet Potatoes: 

2 large sweet potatoes
Cornstarch
Olive Oil

Heat oven to 425°
Cut your sweet potatoes into french fry sticks. Try to get all the pieces approximately the same size as they will cook more evenly this way.
Place the cut sweet potatoes into a bowl of water. Soak them for 30-45 minutes.

Drain the water.
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with cornstarch. Use enough to have a light coating of cornstarch on all of the fries. 
Place the soaked fries on a cookie sheet that either has Parchment paper lining or has been well sprayed with Pam.
Drizzle the fries with olive oil.
Bake at 425° for 30- 45 minutes or until they are as crispy as you like them. Serve them plain or dip them in the following dipping sauce.

For the Dipping Sauce: 
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped finely
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coconut cream

Mix all ingredients together until blended well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.