Cake Pops and Cheesecake Pops

For the last few years we've seen a boom in the popularity of cupcakes. Brides and grooms all over aren't even having a wedding cake anymore, just cupcakes. Birthday cakes are often not present at the kitchen table with the family surrounding. Instead, a cupcake. As this trend is continuing to make a mark at parties and events all over the place, the latest and newest trend is putting something on a stick. Thanks to Bakerella, Cake Pops have been put on the map and are wildly popular. They've started taking over the baking/treat world.

I recently jumped onto the Cake Pop bandwagon when I was asked to make some for a baby shower. In this case it was Cheesecake Pops (seen above). The shower was for a mom of three who was expecting twins, a boy and a girl (note the pink and blue candy pearls on the pops). I was excited to try something completely different.

We'll start with what to do for Cheesecake Pops. I have to admit that these little guys were DELICIOUS but a little crazy to make. I'll explain as I go. If you want to make the cheesecake from scratch, follow the recipe here. I didn't have time to make a cheesecake so I went to the store. If you want to do what I did and skip the part of baking a cheesecake, continue reading.

I needed 25 to 30 Cheesecake Pops for the baby shower and I wasn't sure how many I could get out of a standard cheesecake from Sam's Club.

So...I tried something else:

Enter Lawler's Mini Cheesecakes. There are 63 in a box, with vanilla, turtle, and raspberry white chocolate flavors (found at Sam's Club). My idea was to take two of these mini cheesecakes at a time (same flavors) and smash them together, forming them into balls. It made the perfect size of balls for the pops.

Two things that made this easier: 1) I cut the crust off the backs because they wouldn't form into balls as well with it on (Don't worry, the crust can stand on its own two feet-just pop those pieces in your mouth and enjoy. No use wasting food!), and 2) I faced the toppings of the cheesecakes together before smashing them into balls so they rolled easier. The crunchiness ended up in the middle of the ball.

You'll want to have a plate, sheet, or tray of some kind lined with wax paper ready for the next step. After rolling the cheesecakes into balls, place them on the wax paper-lined tray and put a lollipop stick in them. I recommend using the medium sized (about 6 inches) Wilton lollipop sticks. There are about 35 in a bag. Keep in mind this is cheesecake we're working with here so it's going to melt as it gets rolled into warm hands. You'll want to place the pops in the freezer as you make each one, or you'll need to put the tray in the freezer after making about four. They start melting way too fast. Keep them all in the freezer for at least an hour so they can harden up for dipping in the chocolate.

Here is where it gets a little crazier. You'll want to have a plate or tray with wax paper ready in your freezer so you can place each individual pop right in as soon as it gets dipped and decorated. Cheesecake dipped in hot chocolate starts to melt crazy fast.

Get a microwave safe bowl ready with about three squares of while or milk chocolate almond bark at a time. You can use the melting technique used in making Oreo Truffles, or you can place the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix it up, then place it back in for another 30 seconds. Heat at 30-second increments till the chocolate is smooth. Don't overheat or it will get gross. Dip the pops in the chocolate, covering as much of the ball as you'd like, then sprinkle desired decor on the pops. You can also roll the pops in the decor. I sprinkled the pops with blue and pink candy pearls for this baby shower and they were so cute.

Place those puppies right in the freezer and let them freeze back up. Give them a few hours to freeze completely. When it comes time to serve them, keep them in the freezer till you need them. They immediately start softening up when they hit the warmer air so you'll be fine to keep them frozen till needed. After a couple hours of freezing I took the tray out of the freezer and tied a little white ribbon to each one, then put the tray back in. That added a cute little touch.

Can you see why there aren't any pictures for this? I needed someone else to take them. Except all the hands present were helping make the pops! They're a little crazy to make, but man, they're good! I received a LOT of compliments about these after that baby shower. They were used as the take-home treat and they were a hit. Definitely worth it!


Now that we got the tough one out of the way, we'll talk about the less maintenance Cake Pops (pictured above). They're used completely out of baked cake so they don't melt so fast. I made these for my sister-in-law's baby shower last week. She's having a boy so I decorated them with blue, yellow, and green candy pearls.

For Cake Pops you will need:

• 1 cake mix and ingredients for baking the cake (I used white)
  
• 1 can of desired frosting (I used vanilla)
  
• Wilton lollipop sticks, medium size (You'll use them all)
  
• One package of vanilla Almond Bark or milk chocolate Almond Bark
  
• Sprinkles and/or other decor to decorate the pops
  

The first thing you need to do is bake the kind of cake you want to use according to the box. Let it cool completely.

Next, crumble the entire cake into a large bowl. (Big thanks to my hand model, my twin sister Amber!)

Then put all of the frosting into the bowl with the cake and mix together. This works much easier if you use your hands. And doesn't that sound like so much more fun? (That's me in that picture, it looked so fun!)

After the cake is mixed, make individual balls. You can use a standard sized cookie scoop to help you with the sizing, or you can make them with your hands. They need to be a little larger than a golf ball.

Roll the mix in your hands to make the ball nice and round. You'll want to wet your hands to keep the cake from sticking to them.

Place on a tray or pan lined with wax paper and insert the sticks. Place them in the freezer for one hour before dipping them in the chocolate

The rest of it is just like the Cheesecake Pops with melting the chocolate and dipping them. However, they won't melt as fast as the Cheesecake Pops. You'll still want to put them right in the freezer or put the whole tray in after making a few of them. You'll know when they're getting too soft and need to harden up again. It only takes about 10 minutes back in the freezer to get them to where you want them to be to start dipping again.

These also work great for holiday treats. Remember Red Velvet Cake Balls for Valentine's Day? You can also use them for Christmas, with or without a stick. You'll be the most popular kid in town.

And please feel free to comment or e-mail me with any questions you have about these! Or if you have any tips to share, please do so!

Pina Colada Fruit Salad

Can you believe? It's almost August and summer is going to end before we know it! I'm loving all of this fresh fruit and the different ways to eat it. Today I bring you a fruit salad with a twist, just in time for one of your final summer parties or bbq's.

There are a TON of different fruits in this salad. So if you don't want to spend the money to get all of this or your Bountiful Basket didn't quite give you everything you need, don't worry about it. You can make this salad with as little or as much of this fruit as you'd like. It will taste great no matter what!

Pina Coloda Fruit Salad
adapted from Taste of Home

• 1 1/2 c. green grapes
• 1 1/2 c. red grapes, seedless
• 1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
• 1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, halved
• 1 c. pineapple, in chunks (or 1 - 8 oz. can of pineapple chunks)
• 1/2 c. fresh raspberries
• 10 oz. non-alcoholic pina coloda mix (If you use the frozen mix in a can you'll want to thaw it out. I like to use the stuff already in the bottle. You can find it at the end of one of the alcohol aisles at the store with the margarita mixes and such.)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. pineapple-orange juice
  
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract
• 1/8 tsp. coconut extract

Directions

1. Combine all your fruit in a large bowl. Choose a different bowl from the one you'll be serving the fruit salad in.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the pina coloda mix, sugar, juice and the extracts. Keep whisking till the sugar is nice and dissolved.
3. Pour the liquid mixture over the fruit and toss it all together. Pour the salad into the bowl you're serving it in and put it in the fridge. Let it chill to you're ready to serve it.
   

Watermelon Frosty

I can't get enough of watermelon these days! I love eating it fresh in a big bowl and tasting those sweet juices. Speaking of juice, I recently purchased a Jack LaLanne Power Juicer and it has been the best investment EVER. We don't ever get enough fruits and vegetables at our house. Thanks to our new juicer that has changed and we're juicing every fruit and veggie in sight.

Before summer flies right over our heads and fall appears, here is another tasty summer beverage that is perfect for these hot days. This Watermelon Frosty is super simple and super refreshing. And completely guilt free! Even better! I'll take two, please.

Watermelon Frosty (serves 4)
Mel's Kitchen Cafe

• 2 c. frozen watermelon cubes or chunks
• 1/2 frozen banana (Have a banana or two about to go bad? Slice them up, put them in baggies, and pop them in the freezer for frozen drinks and smoothies!)
  
• 1/2 c. water, plus a little extra if needed
• juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
• 1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey, for sweetening

Put all the ingredients in your blender or food processor and mix together till combined. This is where that extra water may come in. Add a little bit of water if the mixture needs to be loosened up. But be careful not to add too much water or you'll lose that yummy flavor.

Serve immediately and in frosted glasses, if desired!

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This week at our house we tried another delicious dinner that came straight from the crockpot. Summers are tough because it's so hot and I really don't feel like cooking and heating the house up. That's why I love my crockpot so much. I can throw dinner in that magical contraption and it is ready in hours, and all without heating up the house. Talk about a win-win situation!

Summer is a time for bbq's and pulled pork sandwiches. And I've never found a really good pulled pork recipe until I came across this lovely. The pork gets to cook in Root Beer. I know, right? I love that! Cafe Rio pork cooks in Coke and this recipe cooks in Root Beer. At this rate they'll be cooking stuff in Mountain Dew. For now I'll stick with what is safe, but I'm sure someone out there is cooking stuff in Mountain Dew.

The key to cooking pork is low and slow. You don't want to rush it. You'll want to allow the pork to cook on low for hours so it will be nice and moist.

Root Beer Pulled Pork
Recipe Girl

• 1 - 2 lb. pork roast
• 1 envelope dried onion soup mix
• salt and pepper
• 1 can root beer
• 2 c. barbecue sauce (You'll be dividing it for the recipe.)
  
• buns

Directions

I was in a MAJOR frazzle moment when I was putting this together the other day so I didn't take a single picture. But don't you worry, this recipe is a breeze.

1. Place the thawed pork roast on a work space and sprinkle with the dried soup mix. Pat it on there all over the roast. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and place in the crockpot.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the can of root beer and half a cup of barbecue sauce. Pour it over the roast.
3. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low heat for 6 1/2 to 7 hours. Remove the roast from the crockpot and shred it with two forks. Then remove all but about a cup of the juice.
4. Put the shredded pork in the crockpot with the cup of juice, then add the remaining 1 1/2 c. of barbecue sauce. Stir it into the meat and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes to get the meat heated up. You can use this time to prepare the buns. Enjoy your Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwich!
   

S'more Bars

When it rains it s'mores! (That was bad.) Seriously though, I am loving the idea of making anything into a s'more. First there were S'more Cookies, which are a big hit at every party I've brought them to. And now I bring you S'more Bars. These are de-vine.

I recently brought these to a party on my husband's side of the family and they were de-voured. I guess because everyone thought they were de-licious. (Ok, I'm done with the "de".) Every other person at the party was asking about these lovelies and what they are. They knew they were eating a s'more, but it had a taste that was on a much grander s'more scale. It's that dough, I tell you. It's probably the best dough I've ever eaten right off the beater.

These have made the cut for one of my all-time favorite desserts. They're THAT good! You will not be disappointed, I can promise you that.

NOTE: I made these S'more Bars in a larger pan, a 2.2 quart glass pan-the one that looks like a mini 9x13-so I ended up one and a halfing the recipe. For example, instead of 1/2 c. butter I used 1/2 c. plus 1/4 c. butter. The second measurements in bold are the extra measurements you will use if you ever decide to one and a half the recipe.

S'more Bars
Lovin' from the Oven

• 1/2 c. butter, room temperature (plus 1/4 c.)
  
• 1/4 c. brown sugar (plus 1/8 c.)
  
• 1/2 c. sugar (plus 1/4 c.)
  
• 1 large egg (plus 1 egg)
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (plus 1/2 tsp.)
  
• 1 1/3 c. flour (plus 1/2 c. and...whatever half of 1/3 c. is!)
  
• 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs (It ends up being about 4 crackers pulsed in a food processor or chopper.) - (plus 2 crackers)
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder (plus 1/2 tsp.)
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt (plus 1/8 tsp.)
  
• 3 king sized or regular sized Hershey bars (Depending on how thick you want the chocolate to be. I used king size, of course. More chocolate? Yes, please.) - (plus 2 candy bars)
  
• 1 - 7 oz. jar (or around there) marshmallow cream/fluff (This will be plenty of marshmallow for one and a halfing the recipe!)
  

Directions

Begin by greasing an 8-inch pan (or whatever size you're using) and preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar in your stand mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix on low speed till combined.

Do you see how deliciously fabulous this dough looks? This is the part where you dig in for a taste. It is SO good!!

Divide the dough in half, spreading half of it on the bottom of your pan and leaving the rest in the fridge for later use.

This is my favorite step!
Place the chocolate bars on the dough. You may need to break the pieces up to get them to fit on the pan. (See the pieces on the far right going the opposite direction? They're the ones I broke up.)

Spread the marshmallow cream or fluff over the chocolate.

Then place the remaining dough in a single layer on top of the marshmallow.
This was a little tricky, so I took out a piece of parchment paper and shaped the dough into what I thought would fit right on top of the marshmallow. I turned it upside down and placed the dough on, peeling the parchment paper off the dough. Or you can carefully pick up the dough from the parchment paper and set it on.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (I bake it for 30 in my oven) or until the top is lightly brown. Make sure they cool COMPLETELY before you cut into them. They can be a total mess if you don't let them cool. A delicious mess, but a mess. I recommend baking them the night before you need them so you can be sure they're completely cool.

No Bake Peanut Butter Corn Flake Cookies

 

I was at my mom's house this weekend when she was searching through her recipe card drawer in search of a specific recipe. She looked through the dessert section (where it was supposed to be but had zero luck finding it) reading off all sorts of yummy sounding titles as she went. After hearing two or three of the recipe names I started taking notes on a few I had to try and share.

My childhood memories alarm went off when she read the name of this cookie. This was like the golden version of a no bake cookie. It was one of those desserts that wasn't seen often, and when Mom made them it was a big deal. The sweetness of the corn syrup combined with the creamy peanut butter and crunchy Corn Flakes makes for a pretty sensational and heavenly little treat. It was like nothing I'd ever had as a kid. And even now just thinking about these babies makes my heart do a little dance.

It would be wrong to not share this recipe with all of you! So here it is in all its glory. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. light corn syrup
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 6 c. Corn Flakes cereal

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat sugar and syrup till the sugar dissolves. Be careful not to boil it. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter.
2. Put the Corn Flakes in a large bowl and pour the sugary syrupy mixture over them. Gently mix everything together until coated, being careful not to smash up the Corn Flakes.
3. Drop by bite the spoonful onto wax paper. Or make them whatever size your heart desires. Let them cool and set up for a few minutes. To store, cover in an air tight container and leave at room temperature or the refrigerator so they don't melt. That would be tragic.

Linking up here:

{Copycat Recipe} Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa Salad

All over the Web these days you can find different recipes for Cafe Rio's Pork Barbacoa Salad. Today I've compiled my favorite recipes for each salad topper from this awesome dish. There really are a lot of good recipes out there for this salad so it was hard to narrow it down. Here are my faves!

Keep in mind you will want to use a slotted spoon for serving the beans and tongs for serving the pork. Both have a lot of liquid that they're stewing and getting all yummy in, but you won't want all that liquid on your salad.

Sweet Barbacoa Pork
Barbara Bakes: Adventures in the Kitchen

• 2 lb. boneless pork roast
• 1 can of Coke (make sure it's not diet)
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• dash of garlic powder
• 1/4 c. water

Directions

1. Mix together the coke, brown sugar, garlic powder, and water. Put the thawed roast in a ziploc bag and pour the prepared marinade over it. Put it in the fridge and allow it to marinate over night.
2. Pour the meat and marinade into a crockpot and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Then drain the liquid and shred the meat with two forks.
3. Put the pork back in the crockpot and pour the Barbacoa Enchilada Sauce over it. Cook on low for 2 hours to let those flavors get into the meat.

Barbacoa Enchilada Sauce
Barbara Bakes: Adventures in the Kitchen

• 1 c. Coke
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 1 c. red enchilada sauce
• 1/2 c. brown sugar

Blend everything together in a food processor or blender.


Cilantro Lime Rice
Favorite Family Recipes

• 1 c. uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 1 Tbsp.
  
• 1 can (15 oz.) chicken broth
• 1 c. water
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

In a saucepan combine rice, butter or margarine, garlic, 1 tsp. lime juice, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine 1 Tbsp. lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over the hot rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


Black Beans
Favorite Family Recipes

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. tomato juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.


Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
Favorite Family Recipes

• 1 packet Traditional Hidden Valley Ranch Mix (NOT Buttermilk)
• 1 c. mayo
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos, diced (remove the husk as well)
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 clove of garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno (or slices from a jar)

Mix all ingredients together in a blender.


Tortillas (ingredients for 20)
Spark Recipes

• 5 c. flour
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 1/2-3/4 c. water

Combine all the dry ingredients then cut the shortening into that mixture. Add water and slowly mix until smooth. Roll into balls (about the size of Clementine oranges) and roll flat as thin as possible with a rolling pin. Put on a griddle set at 425 degrees. Each side only takes a few minutes to cook.

Other Ingredients for Your Salads (optional)

• grated Mexican blend cheese (or your favorite)
• tortilla chip strips (or crunched up regular tortilla chips)
• guacamole
• salsa
• sour cream
  

Citrus Water Punch {aka Lemon Water}

There is something magical about this drink. It has the power to bring about the same response in every first-time partaker. Those who try it for the first time get that same surprised look on their face {expecting water but getting a refreshing sweet drink} then immediately ask what it is and how to make it. Never fails.

The fact that there are hardly any ingredients in this drink is magic in and of itself. I've seen this drink served at wedding receptions, family parties, baby showers, etc. And I love how it randomly keeps showing up. I still love that surprise first sip when I think I'm going for a glass of regular water. Mmmm.

Thanks to Mel's Kitchen Cafe for the picture! I'm not sure where this recipe originated, but I got it from my mom. And whoever came up with it is a genius. I hope it will work its magic on you and those you introduce it to!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. citric acid (If this has you confused and nervous, no worries. You can find it at most pharmacies and health food stores. Easy!)
• 5 quarts of water
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. pure lemon extract
• 3 sliced lemons (optional)
• 3 sliced limes (optional)
• crushed ice

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, stir water, sugar, citric acid, and lemon extract together. Add sliced fruit and ice. If you have leftovers, make sure you remove the lemons and limes before refrigerating. They will end up making the drink too acidic if left in.

{Recipe Addiction Blog} Oatmeal Pancakes and a Giveaway

Jessica over at Recipe Addiction has a couple of goodies today.

First, a recipe for delicious oatmeal pancakes. Yum!

And second, a fun giveaway for a super cute apron and a grill pan. I have never used a grill pan before but I've always wanted one!

Head over to her blog to enter the giveaway, and snag a few recipes while you're there! I hope you're enjoying your Tuesday!

{Food Ideas} For Your Harry Potter Party

This weekend history is going to be made. Yes, that's right. Unless you've been living under a rock you know that the Harry Potter movies are coming to an end. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is coming to theaters July 15, marking the end of the Harry Potter movie series. Do I have my tickets yet, you ask? You betcha. My twin sister bought them for our group of Potter fans almost a month ago and we've been anxiously awaiting the big day.

To celebrate the event my totally awesome twin threw a Harry Potter party at her house. It was so cool and fun! We had all types of fun treats from the series and enjoyed some trivia as well. But first we all were sorted into houses for the tournament. I was put in Ravenclaw for my smarty brains and creativity. Or so I was told! Not sure if I believe it. And yes, my team totally won the trivia game. We missed one question. I'm still kicking myself for that one.

So you want to have a Potter party of your own? Great! Here are a few ideas to get that treat table at the party started. Have fun!

First of all, it wouldn't be a Harry Potter party without the proper attire:

Amber (the twin) went with the Gryffindor t-shirt and I decided to show my true colors with a "Muggle" t-shirt. No use hiding my identity!

You'll also want to download the awesome Harry Potter font to label the treats on your table. You can do that here.

Treat #1: Licorice Wands

I made these delicious little wands and they were a big hit! All you need is:

• your favorite kind of licorice
• some almond bark
• a vase or something to display them
• sprinkles, for show
  
  Heat about 3 squares of chocolate in a 2-cup glass measuring cup for 30 seconds, then stir. (I ended up using 3 oz of white and 3 oz of milk chocolate to make 40 wands.) Place the chocolate back in the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again. If the chocolate hasn't melted quite yet put it in for another 10 seconds. When the chocolate is creamy, dip the licorice in about a third of the way (or how far you want to dip it) and place on wax paper. Sprinkle with different sprinkles if you'd like. The chocolate takes about an hour to cool completely. I wrapped a gold ribbon around each vase. The bottoms are filled with chocolate chips to make it easier to grab the licorice.

Treat #2: Cauldron Cakes

In this case my super cool twin made chocolate cupcakes and put a little lightning bolt on the top. If you want to take it a step or two further from cupcakes and make the real thing, you can find a recipe for Cauldron Cakes here.

Treat #3: Butterbeer

Our version of Butterbeer consisted of cream soda with a little bit of vanilla ice cream. Everybody loved it! It was so yummy. Of course there are other versions of Butterbeer that don't have ice cream in it, like the one found here.

Treat #4: Pumpkin Juice

If you're looking for another Harry Potter drink option, Pumpkin Juice is mentioned multiple times throughout the books and movies. You can find a recipe for it here.

Treat #5: Acid Pops

Roll sour suckers in Pop Rocks candy and you've got Acid Pops! (Idea found here.)

Treat #6: Chocolate Frogs

If I had thought to find a frog mold soon enough I would have made these for the party. Don't make the same mistake I did and order one here!
Fill the mold up with your favorite melted chocolate and allow to cool completely.

Treat #7: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans

We can't forget about these popular beans! Delicious yet dangerous, these beans can become a game in and of itself at your party. You can buy these at any grocery store.

Peanut Butter Brownies

By now you understand my love for chocolate. There are no words to describe it. I don't even care how I eat it. I just love it so much!!!!

Ok I'm done spazzing out. But you get the picture. I've loved chocolate pretty much my entire life. Cakes, cookies, brownies, candy bars...love it all.

And then came along peanut butter brownies. Chocolate and peanut butter: one of the greatest combinations ever created. Good grief, I love these brownies. They're actually more blondie than chocolatey brownie, so if you like that kind of thing you're reading the right blog post. This one's for you!

This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients (for about 32 brownies)

• 2 sticks (1/2 lb) of butter, softened
• 1 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 c. semisweet or milk chocolate chips (depending on your own preference)
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Ingredients for Ganache

• 1 1/2 c. semisweet or milk chocolate chips (whatever you're using in the brownies you'll want for the ganache)
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

Directions (I got so excited to get these beauties baked I forgot to take pictures. I'm so sorry!! They're that good.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13 pan to grease. Then line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In your stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the peanut butter and let that mix in as well. Beat in the whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the flour until just combined.
3. Mix in with a spoon the first 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips. Then spread the batter in the pan and smooth out. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs on it. Allow the brownies to cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
   
4. Next you're going to make the ganache. Take the rest of the chocolate chips and put them in a heat proof bowl.
   
5. Bring the cream to a boil in a medium sauce pan. After it starts boiling pour it over the chocolate chips in the bowl. Let it stand for one minute.
   
6. Gently whisk in the butter till it is incorporated. Mix it until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour the prepared ganache over the cooled brownies and let stand for 15 minutes until set.
   

{Copycat Recipe} Chili's Skillet Queso

We had such an amazing weekend! I love the Fourth of July and the great feeling I get every year on that day. I especially feel grateful that we get to spend it with family every year. This year Tyson's youngest brother and oldest sister came from out of town, so naturally we partied for days straight. It was full of fun, lots of food, and even more laughs. We loved every minute of it! And I hope you enjoyed your weekend as well!

It seems that whenever I go to Chili's no matter who I'm with there's always someone who orders the Skillet Queso. It would almost be wrong if this yummy appetizer didn't make it to the table. I don't even like the thought of that. Chili's without Skillet Queso? {shudder} I don't think so.

Luckily I can make this at home whenever I feel the need for its creamy goodness. With only two ingredients it is a definite winner at our house all around! Serve this at a party, at dinner, or for a a munchy night. No matter where it shows up it will be a favorite! PS Thanks to the Chili's website for the picture!

This recipe comes to us from copykat.com.

Ingredients (12 - 16 servings)

• 1 block Kraft Velveeta cheese (2 lb)
  
• 2 cans Hormel no bean chili

Directions

You have two options:

1) Throw everything in a crockpot and let it heat for 3 hours until everything is melted.
2) Throw everything in a blender, mix it together, then put it in the crockpot to heat. Making it this way will make the texture of the Chili's Skillet Queso.

Serve with tortilla chips.

{Weekend Foodie Review} Veggie Straws

Who'd a thunk that spinach and tomatoes could taste just like a crispy french fry or potato chip? Now that's my kind of snack!
That's exactly what you'll find in
Veggie Straws.

At 130 calories per serving (Did I mention a serving size is 38 pieces?) you can have a wonderfully awesome tasting snack and not feel guilty. These little crisps are full of potato, spinach, and tomato flavors and my family LOVES them. Especially my 15-month-old, Brycen. They're just the right texture for little ones and you don't have to feel bad for giving it to them. When eating these crisps they're getting

• all natural ingredients
• zero trans fat
• zero preservatives
• a kosher snack
• and an unbelievably great taste! They're even cholesterol free.
  

We love Veggie Straws! Run to your local CostCo or Sam's Club and grab a bag! You won't be able to stop eating them.

Mom’s Orange Jell-O Salad

Happy July! Wow, June went fast. I’m excited for the 4th of July festivities coming up here in Idaho Falls! We’ve got quite the firework show here.

This is one of those recipes that happens to show up at every other eating event in my family. We love it! My older brother especially loves it. The funny thing about this salad is that the name doesn’t necessarily mean it’s MY mom’s orange jell-o salad. It’s pretty much every mom in Idaho’s jell-o salad. And probably Utah. I want to hear from you if this is a popular thing where you are now or when you were growing up! Of course when I was growing up I believed that anything my mom made was her original recipe. Sure did love Mom’s cookin’!

For those who haven’t heard of this jell-o salad, this is the deal: It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s kid-friendly, and it’s delicious. You can also make this same salad with strawberries, raspberries, or any other kind of jell-o and matching fruit you can find. All I can say is that this salad will be present at every other bbq in my family this summer.

Here’s all you’ll need for this salad when making it for a small group (Can you tell where I went shopping?):

• 1 small package of orange jell-o gelatin
• 1 can mandarin oranges
• 1 small container of cottage cheese
• 1 8 oz. whipped topping

If you’re making this for a larger group buy the large containers of all these products to make a larger salad. You’ll have to get two cans of oranges unless you can find a big can somewhere.

Directions (You’ll want to make this in a separate bowl from what you’re serving it in.)

Begin by putting all the cottage cheese in a medium-sized bowl.

 

Next, pour the orange jell-o into the bowl and mix it with the cottage cheese.

 

It’s time to add the can of oranges. You’ll want to take out the juice so it doesn’t make the salad into a soup. (Notice I’m pouring the juice into a cup? There’s got to be someone else out there who drinks the mandarin orange juice that doesn’t get used! My husband thinks I’m crazy.)

Throw in the oranges once the juice is gone.

 

Finally, put all the whipped topping in the bowl and FOLD it into the rest of the mixture. If you stir this together it will turn into soup. (Not that orange soup would be bad!)

After everything is combined put the salad into the bowl you plan on serving it in. And that’s it! Fast, easy, and great with a burger and chips at a bbq.