COOKIES, BARS & CANDY – Page 18 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

OREO CHEESECAKE BALLS – YUM YUM GOOD!

OREO CHEESECAKE BALLS – YUM YUM GOOD!
1 regular package Oreos
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Almond Bark
Candy Decorations

Crush Oreos in food processors
With hand mixer, mix together the Oreo crumbs and cream cheese
Roll into small balls.
Put balls into freezer for 5 minutes.
Melt Almond bark in small batches.
Coat each ball in almond bark.
Immediately decorate.
Let harden.

SALTED CHOCOLATE

SALTED CHOCOLATE
16 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
Sea Salt
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
PURE

Spray a jelly roll pan with an even coat of PURE.
Microwave chocolate in 20 second intervals until melted.
Spread chocolate out evenly.
Sprinkle sea salt across the entire layer of chocolate.
Sprinkle top with crushed walnuts.
Gently press nuts into the chocolate.
Cool in refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes until hardened.
Break up into pieces and store in cool dark dry place.

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL RAISIN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL RAISIN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
aka KITCHEN SINK COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Jumbo eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cups minced walnuts
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup golden raisins

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and espresso powder.
Cream butter and peanut butter together.
Add the sugars and cream again.
Add the vanilla and eggs and cream until smooth.
Gradually add flour mixture until well blended.
Add oatmeal until well blended.
Add nuts and combine well.
Add chocolate chips and combine again.
Add raisins and mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
Press down slightly.
Bake 12-15 minutes.

Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries

I wanted to make something special to take to my nieces house for Superbowl Sunday so thought I’d try Chocolate Covered Cherries. I found the recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine. This recipe is sooooooooooooooooo simple, but messy! Have fun making them. They are quite rich though – be forewarned!

1 cup butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 pounds confectioners sugar (about 8 cups)
3-10 ounce jars maraschino cherries(about 120 cherries), really well drained
1-2 pounds milk chocolate candy coating, chopped (I used almond bark)

Combine butter and milk until smooth.
Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar until a soft dough forms.
Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten into 2 inch circles.
Place a cherry in the center of each one.
Wrap sides around cherry until cherry is completely covered and roll into a smooth ball.
Melt chocolate until smooth and dip each ball into the chocolate.
Place on wax paper until cool and sprinkle with sprinkles.
Cool well.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE DROPS

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE DROPS

2/3 cup Hot water
10 ounces Land of Lakes cocoa mix
2 cups JIF creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 cups C&H powdered sugar, divided 2cups + 1 cup
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
2 cups crushed ginger snaps
72 Hershey Kisses (I like the cherry cordials)

Whisk together the hot water and cocoa mix until smooth.
Add peanut butter and corn syrup. Blend until smooth.
Add 2 cups powdered sugar and stir until well blended.
Stir in cookie crumbs until well blended.
Spray wax paper with PURE (these will be sticky so don’t forget this step).
Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto the wax paper.
Place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball and dredge in powdered sugar.
Press your thumb into the center and fill with a Hershey’s kiss.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BLUEBERRY BARS

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BLUEBERRY BARS

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BLUEBERRY BARS
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking flour
1 teaspoon salt + pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 JUMBO eggs
3 cups old fashion oats
1 1/2 + 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 + 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 /2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup dried blueberries
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the flour, soda, teaspoon of salt and cinnamon.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter.
Add the brown sugar and blend well.
Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each one.
Add vanilla and blend until light & fluffy.
Add flour mixture and blend until smooth.
Gently mix in oatmeal and 2/3 cup peanuts.
Set aside 2 cups of mixture.
Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 well greased baking dish.
Scatter the blueberries randomly over the top of the oatmeal mixture.
In a double boiler mix together the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and chocolate chips until melted and well blended.
Stir in vanilla, raisins and remaining peanuts.
Spread over the oatmeal layer.
Working in small amounts flatten oat oatmeal dough and top chocolate mixture.
With well greased fingers press gently on the top oatmeal dough to spread it out evenly over the chocolate layer.
Bake 30 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting.

On a personal note I would like to point out SnoWhite from Finding Joy in My Kitchen. She has 32 different and yummy oatmeal recipes for you to choose from. Head on over and check out her impressive list of oatmeal recipes. I made the oatmeal waffles this morning myself and was very surprised by them. They were really yummy!

Pina Colada Bread Pudding ala My Year on the Grill

Hello foodies! Pina Colada Bread Pudding… It just sounds rich and decadent doesn’t it!

Oh, BTW, Dave here from MY YEAR ON THE GRILL. The resident cook in training that you may recognize from OUR KRAZY KITCHEN. Today is an exciting day for me, and Tamy has agreed to let me do a guest spot on her blog in honor of my special day. You see, the suburbs of Kansas City is hip and happening in a far out way, last night, my neighborhood celebrated “Mardi Gras in the Cul de Sac”! Counting drinks, 13 menu items, to feed 10 people… Laissez les bons temps rouler indeed! I got to spend the day cooking, have fun with my friends, and my proposal to take part in the 24,24,24 FOODBUZZ challenge was accepted. I want to thank Tamy for letting me make an extra post to her readers to tell you all about an amazing CAJUN inspired dessert, perfect for your Mardi Gras party, or if the gods are in alignment, perfect for your Superbowl party featuring the New Orleans SAINTS (as I write this, the Saints are one game away from a birth in the big game)!

I have been in love with all things Cajun, and the food of New Orleans for a very long time. This year, my wife and I vacationed in New Orleans, and we took full advantage of an amazing business there…

THE NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING is the best bargain in town. For three hours, you learn the history of the city, you get fed lunch and you learn to cook a complete three course Cajun/Creole meal. We were in town for 5 days, and we took three classes, each day learning different menus. Every one’s favorite was bread pudding.

At the school, we were given a basic bread pudding recipe. We were also given some suggestions about what you could add to make it your own…

Here’s what I did.

First, assemble your ingredients…

This took just a bit of advance planning. Stale bread works best for bread pudding. the more moisture in the bread, the less it is able to absorb the liquid ingredients. The more the bread absorbs the liquid, the more custard like your pudding will be. So, 4 days ago, I baked a loaf of french bread, just so I could leave it out to get stale. You can read about my bread baking experience by clicking HERE.

The ingredients you need are…

1 loaf stale french bread, shredded (6-8 cups)
4 cups buttermilk
2 cups sugar
1 stick (8 TBS) butter
4 eggs
2 TSP vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup whole pecans
1 cup white chocolate chips

Combine all the ingredients in a greased 9X12 casserole dish. Mixture should be very moist, but not soupy.

Bake at 350 degree oven for @1 hour 15 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve warm with whiskey sauce.

WHISKEY SAUCE

(can be made “virgin” by leaving out the whiskey)

Ingredients:

8 TBS butter (one stick
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup bourbon

Cream butter and sugar over medium heat til all the butter is absorbed. Remove from heat and blend in egg yolk. Add bourbon to your taste, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Pour this over the bread pudding and serve everything warm.

If you should be lucky enough to have any leftovers, pop a slice into the microwave for about 30 seconds and it is even better the next day!

We also served a Cream Cheese King Cake for the party, but that’s a story for another posting.

The cake was just as good as it sounds. Sweet, filled with custard and different textures, from the crusty bread on the top, the soft custard bread inside and the crunchy pecans, with hints of pineapple, coconut and white chocolate in every bite. And the whiskey sauce doesn’t hurt either!

So, thanks Tamy for letting me hangout with your friends today. Start planning your Superbowl party or Mardi Gras event today. This Pudding Cake will be welcome at either!

BTW, if you would like to learn more about the NO School of Cooking, you can read my blog post about the school by clicking HERE.

Come take a look at my site today. I will have plenty to post about all the different foods… Everything that worked great (and maybe a couple that I need to revisit later). And see you all Thursday over at OUR KRAZY KITCHEN!

Dave here from MY YEAR ON THE GRILL. ..

Raisin Drops

Save Room for Dessert Wednesday, hosted by Joy and What Did You Bake Today? Friday, hosted by Kristen are great ways to find new recipes for baking and desserts. Head on over to tHe KrAzY KiTcHeN to play along.

RAISIN DROPS

1 1/2 (3/4 cup) stick butter, softened
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon PURE maple syrup
1 teaspoon grate orange rind
2 cups golden raisins
1/4 cup rum
1/4 cup favorite jam (I used my Blackberry Pineapple Jam – yummy)
3 JUMBO eggs
1/4 cup orange juice with pulp

Preheat oven 350 degrees.Whisk rum, orange juice and jam together until well blended.
Pour over raisins and let sit an hour or so.
Cream butter, sugar and maple syrup together until well blended.
Add eggs and blend until creamy and smooth.
Sift together the flours, spices and orange rind.
Gradually add flour mixture to the cream mixture until well blended.
Pour off any remaining liquid from raisins into the cream mixture and blend well.
Fold in raisins mixture until well distributed.
Drop by spoonfuls onto Silpat covered cookie sheets.
Bake 14 minutes.
Cool 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

♥♥ ♥♥

What do you do with those forgotten overripe Bananas?

You head on over to the crazy kitchen for Save Room for Dessert Wednesday and What Did You Bake Today? Friday to check out their recipes and play along.

Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. Vintage Recipe Thursday is hosted by Joy of desserts. Tuesdays at the Table is normally hosted by Andrea over at My Chihauhau Bites but Andrea is taking a break while she has her baby and is being hosted by Cole for a while.

Here is my entry:
BANANA BREAD/CAKE
This recipes makes either 2 loaves of moist yummy banana bread or 1 9×13 cake. Top it off with PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING for a super yummy dessert!

BREAD/CAKE
8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well*
3 large overripe bananas
2 JUMBO eggs
1 cup butter, softened
1/8-1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon PURE maple syrup
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour

Poor the rum over the raisins several hours before making the bread/cake.
In a sauce pan melt 1 stick of the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon until well incorporated. Add the raisins and nuts and blend well. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl cream together the other stick of butter, sugar and eggs until well blended.
Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into the cream mixture and blend well. It will have a thick cookie like consistency.
Add the cooled banana mixture and blend until a smooth consistency.
Pour into 2 prepared large bread pans or a 9×13 pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes until tester comes out clean.
Top with PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

*optional

PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice

In a bowl of electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and reserved pineapple juice. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.

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Grandma’s old fashioned Brownies ~ Vintage Recipe Thursday

Vintage Recipe Thursday is hosted by Joy of desserts
Don’t forget to visit Joy of desserts for the Ice Cream Round-Up on July 31st.

GRANDMA’S OLD FASHIONED BROWNIES

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
2 JUMBO eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
6 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees .
Butter an 8×8 baking pan, heavily dust the inside of the pan with cocoa and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
Whisk the flour, cinnamon and salt together.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the chopped chocolate and sift the cocoa and espresso powder over it. Continue to cook, constantly stirring, until the butter is melted and the cocoa and espresso powder are well blended. Remove from the heat and cool several minutes.
Whisk eggs into the saucepan one at a time. Next, stir in the sugar and vanilla. Don’t beat anything too vigorously or you’ll add air bubbles to your batter. Followed with the dry ingredients and nuts. Scrape the batter into the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, at which point the brownies will still be gooey but done to the toiuch on top. Let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes.
Turn the brownies out onto a rack and then invert onto a cutting board.
Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Frost with chocolate butter cream if you like or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

♥ ♥

Pineapple Cider Brine Pork Chops w/ Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce, Broccoli Green Bean Almond Saute & StrawBlackberry topping for Magazine Monday

Magazine Mondays is hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice. All 3 of these recipes are loosely based on recipes from magazines, but the main ingredients have been changed to protect my family. No seriously, the main ingredients were changed to make my family happy as the original recipes had ingredients that my family just won’t eat! Also Healthy Helpings is debuting over at ThE KraZy KitcHen tomorrow. Stop by and join in.

When I do ‘recipe experiment’ night I try to do EVERY part of the meal as a new recipe. Some times I get lucky and they ALL are worth sharing. I’m a ‘no measure’ cook, well at least a no exact measure cook so when I invent a new recipe, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. But, today worked!

PINEAPPLE CIDER BRINE PORK CHOPS

1 1/2 cup water
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 thick pork chops

In a large sauce pan whisk together water, cider vinegar, sea salt and brown sugar together until salt and sugar are dissolved.
Bring to a boil.
Add seasonings and blend well.
Slow simmer 10 minutes.
Cool.
Immerse pork chops and soak 12-24 hours. I used my 8 cup pampered chef batter bowl so the chops had plenty of room to ‘swim’.
Drain chops.
Grill or broil 5-6 minutes on each side.
Heat enough Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce to cover the chops.
Brush each side of chops with BBQ sauce for the last few minutes.

ROOT BEER PINEAPPLE BBQ SAUCE

12 ounce MUG root beer
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Frank’s hot sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Melt butter in a large saucepan.
Add onions and garlic, Saute’ until tender.
Add other ingredients, except cornstarch, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Remove 1 cup of sauce and whisk cornstarch into it.
Return mixture to the sauce pan and simmer 15 minutes.
Cool 15 minutes.
Refrigerate,
Makes 4 cups.

BROCCOLI GREEN BEAN ALMOND SAUTE’

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/3 pound green beans, trimmed
1 broccoli crown, chopped small
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Heat olive oil in large skillet.
Add vegetables and saute’ until tender.
Add soy sauce and white balsamic vinegar.
Sprinkle with sea salt and white pepper.
Add almonds, blend well and heat through.
This dish is good hot OR cold!

STRAWBLACKBERRY SHORTCAKE TOPPING

1 pint blackberries, washed and sliced in thirds
1/2 pint strawberries, washed and chopped small
1/4 cup brown sugar

Toss Together and marinate several hours.
Serve over shortcake.

♥ ♥

RaspStrawberry Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 JUMBO or 3 small eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp almond extract
1 box raspberries
1 box strawberries
1 tablespoon orange zest
sugar

Wash berries and drain well.
Slice into small pieces and sprinkle with sugar.
Toss with orange zest.
Chill while preparing pound cake.
Cream sugar, butter and shortening.
Add eggs and salt. Cream well.
Add remaining ingredients.
Pour into prepared loaf pan.
Put into cold oven.
Set temperature to 325 degrees.
Bake 1 hour or until knife comes out clean
Cool 15 minutes and remove from pan.
Cool completely before serving.
Top with berry mixture and a scoop of ice cream.
Enjoy.

Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Favorite Ingredient Friday is hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy

Vintage Recipe Thursday is hosted by Joy of desserts
Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday
Tuesdays at the Table is normally hosted by Andrea over at My Chihauhau Bites but Andrea is taking a break while she has her baby and is being hosted by Cole for a while.

♥

Category: COOKIES, BARS & CANDY