Chocolate Wonder

I hope everybody had a wonderful and merry christmas! We had a very relaxing and quiet christmas this year, we missed our family and friends like crazy but we still had a good time just the 3 of us.  We drank lots of hot cocoa, watched lots of christmas movies and had a HUGE feast on christmas.  We have been eating leftovers ever since and will continue to eat ham for awhile longer :)

This dessert goes way back in my family and my husbands family.  It is such an easy dessert to throw together and it is always a crowd pleaser.  I normally top the dessert with chocolate shavings (but The Hubs had a hayday making all sorts of different kinds of Smore's and used up all my chocolate bar. A story for another time :) so I opted for these delicious cadbury mini jingle bells. I must say they still got the job done.

Recipe:

For the Crust:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick softened)

1 cup flour

1/4 cup Walnuts (chopped into small pieces)

For the Cream Filling:

1 (8oz) cream cheese (softened)

1 cup powder sugar

1 cup cool whip

For the Pudding Layer:

2 (4oz) boxes of Instant chocolate pudding

4 cups of cold milk

For the Topping:

1 (8oz) container of Cool Whip 

Chocolate Shavings or any sort of chocolate candy (you can use holiday assorted candies to make it festive)

Or chopped up walnuts

Soften the stick of butter in a medium bowl, then mix in the cup of flour and chopped nuts till well incorporated.  Press firmly into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at *350 for 10-13 minutes.  Let cool completely before topping.
Next, soften the cream cheese (I put mine in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds) then using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese till smooth.  Mix in the cup of powdered sugar. Fold in the cool whip.  Spoon the filling over the crust and smooth with a spatula till even. 
In a large bowl, mix together the pudding packets and milk and whisk together for 2-3 minutes then allow the pudding to set up about 5 minutes in the fridge.  Layer the pudding over the cream cheese mixture and smooth with a spatula.
Lastly, I top the pudding with the cool whip and chocolate shavings right before I serve it.  Allow the dish to set up in the refridgerator a couple of hours before serving. Enjoy!

(SIDENOTE: YOU CAN SUBSTITUE THE CHOCOLATE PUDDING FOR BANANA PUDDING AND ADD A LAYER OF FRESH BANANAS INBETWEEN THE CREAM AND PUDDING LAYERS)

 

Green Onion Cheeseball

Wow! It has been way too long!!!  We have been super busy over the past couple of months!  We took the LO to Disneyland for her first time, we went home to Utah for a couple of weeks over Halloween, then we just got back last week from a Mexican Cruise with The Hubs company!  We have had so much fun but I have definitely missed blogging and all my blogging buddies!  We just got a new computer for an early christmas gift so I can now finally update the blog!

I thought I would share one of my favorite appetizers with you guys.  It is such a cinch to make and it is always a crowd pleaser. Perfect for the upcoming Holidays :) 

Recipe:

1 (8oz) package of cream cheese (room temperature)

3 green onions

1 cup Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Sliced almonds for rolling

Allow your cream cheese to come to room temperature in a bowl (about 20-30 minutes).  Wash and dry the green onions.  Dice the whole green onion into small pieces and add to the cream cheese.  Add in the cheddar cheese and mix till well incorporated.  Form into one large (or 2 small) balls.  Place sliced almonds onto a plate and roll the ball around in the almonds till you can no longer see the cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight is preferred.  Serve with your choice of crackers.  Lasts up to 3 days in the fridge.  

Amazing Ooey Gooey Chocolate Brownie Bars

We have been having so much fun these past couple of days!  It was the LO's first Gymnastics class!  We had so much fun watching her run around all crazy and excited, wanting to try out every area of the gym!  I swear she was born to be a little gymnast!  This little girl has been doing the splits, somersaults, and dancing all over the place since she was about one, so it was about time she started a gymnastics class.

  

Also, over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to try and use up every thing in my cupboards so we have less stuff to move, so you can bet that the first thing I made was a treat!  I know hard to believe right? :)  I came across this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and it worked out perfectly.  I used up 3 things that I now won't have to move :)  And can I just say these pictures really don't do these bars justice! They were so chocolatey, and gooey, and absolutely Delicious!  The perfect treat when you get a chocolate craving.

 Recipe:

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix

3 whole eggs, divided

1 cup butter (melted), divided

8oz cream cheese (softened)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2-1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to *350.  In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/2 cup melted butter.  Batter will be thick.  Press firmly into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.

Next beat cream cheese till fluffy.  Mix in the powdered sugar, 2 eggs, cocoa powder, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Pour over the cake layer.

Place into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Center will be gooey.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  ENJOY!

Turkey Roll Wraps

So I am titling this recipe Turkey Roll Ups cause that is normally the meat that I use in these. However, I had some leftover rotisserie chicken and it worked perfect in these wraps!  These made for such a simple and light lunch. This recipe is very versatile too. You could use ham, turkey, or chicken, or if you are a vegetarian, then you could just use some of your favorite veggies. You can also switch up the cream cheese flavors and seasonings too. 

Really the skies are the limit with these little roll up wraps! 

Recipe:

2 Burrito sized Flour Tortillas

4 Tbsp. Cream Cheese (I just use original but you could use any flavor)

1-1/2 cup Shredded Chicken (or you can just use turkey or ham lunch meat)

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (sliced in half lengthwise)

Couple pieces of Iceberg Lettuce

Seasonings such as Salt, Pepper, & Garlic Salt

Take the tortillas and spread 2 Tbsp. of the cream cheese evenly over the tortilla.  I lightly sprinkled some seasonings over the top to give it a kick of flavor. Next, layer the meat then tomatoes, then lettuce. 

Next, you are going to carefully roll up the tortilla as tight as you can.  Carefully cut each wrap into 5 different pieces.  If needed, place a toothpick right down the center to hold it in place. (just make sure to remove ALL toothpicks before eating)

Frosted Banana Bars

Many of you have probably had or even tried bars similar to these ones, but you know what, well, you can never have to many banana bars or be reminded of making them again. Cause lets be honest, we all have those brown bananas sitting on our counter tops just screaming at us to make these delicious bars or even this delicious bread.

Recipe:

For the Bars:

1/2 cup butter (softened)

2 cups Sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 cup mashed banana (about 3 ripe bananas)

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp. baking soda

Pinch of salt

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8oz) pkg. of cream cheese

1/2 cup butter (1 stick softened)

4 cups Powdered Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda and stir into the creamed mixture just until blended.  Now take a greased (I like to use Bakers Joy for this dish) 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch jelly roll pan and lightly sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on to the bottom of the greased pan. Now pour the batter onto the pan and Bake @ *350 for 18-22 minutes. 

For the Frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over the cooled bars and serve.  Makes about 3 dozen bars.

(Recipe Source: The Sister's Cafe)

Carrot Cupcakes

Oh how I love Carrot Cake. I don't really have much more to 

say about it than I just love it with my whole heart!

I love it just plain too, no raisins or pineapple or nuts.

(well maybe a few nuts sprinkled on top)

Recipe:

For the cake:

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp all-spice

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups carrots (shredded)

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 oz) Cream cheese

1 stick butter (8 Tbsp)

1 pound powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Cream together the sugar, eggs, and oil. Sift together the flour, salt, b. powder, b. soda, and spices and mix into the sugar mixture and stir till batter is slightly lumpy. Do not over mix. Fold in the shredded carrots. Heat oven to *350. Pour into lined cupcake tins and bake for 16-18 minutes checking with a toothpick to make sure they are done. (if you are baking a cake, for a 9x13 bake for 40-45 minutes. For 2 round cake pans bake for 30-35 minutes.) 

For the frosting, soften the butter and cream cheese and cream together till smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. In a pastry bag (or sturdy plastic baggie) pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Top off cupcakes with either chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or some carrot shavings.

(Recipe Source: My Dear Mother)

Toffee Dip

Ok I'll just say it... I am a huge Bachelor Fan!  I know, I know, its full of really cheesy dates and tons of crazy, dumb, drama but I just can't help it.  I Love It!  Anyways, one of my good friends brought this dip to one of our Bachelor parties last year and I fell in love! Since were on the road, currently in a hotel, I will just be dreaming of this amazing dip (I made this last monday for the bachelor cause I knew we would be moving, kinda turning it into a finale tradition!). This dip is so creamy and delicious and then surprises you with lovely bits of toffee!  It's so good.  Well, for all of you bachelor fans out there, this is a great dip for the occasion. I highly suggest you make this and tune in tonight @ 7:00 to hopefully see him choose Emily... or Chantelle. (I like them both actually) Also, Happy Birthday to my amazing little sister Eliza and amazing friend Norma! Miss you and hope you have the best day ever!

Recipe:
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 (8oz) cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup Heath Toffee Bits

Soften cream cheese in microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Then with a mixer beat till smooth. Mix in brown sugar and vanilla and beat till a silky smooth texture about 2 minutes. Stir in toffee bits. Serve with sliced apples or any fruit of choice. Also great with graham crackers. Hope you enjoy! 

(Recipe Source: My Friend Sharee O.) 

Casserole Italiano

(Its hard to tell from this picture, but this dish is so yummy!)

We love this casserole in our house. It's total comfort food and its such an easy dish to throw together for those days that you don't have much time.

Recipe:
1 lb. Sausage (We like things a bit spicy in our house so we use hot sausage but you can use any flavor)
1 small onion (diced)
2-3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 cans tomato soup
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 cup water
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup cheese (shredded, we use what ever kind of cheese we have on hand usually cheddar or mozzerella)
Pinch of salt & pepper
Bread Crumbs for topping

Cook the meat in a large skillet on med. heat till no longer pink. Drain Fat.  Saute the onion and garlic for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the meat back to the skillet with the onions and garlic and turn the heat to low.  Stir in the soup, seasonings, and water and stir till well combined.  Now add in the cream cheese and stir till melted.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the shredded cheese and pour into a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with bread crumb and little shredded cheese. Bake @ *350 for 25-30 minutes. Serve with a green salad or veggie of choice.
*If your not sausage fans, you can sub out the sausage for hamburger meat or add no meat at all. Totally your preference. All of the above are good.

Classic BLT with a Little Twist

BLT's really are just a classic quick and easy, throw together sandwich. All you really need is 2 yummy pieces of bread, (I prefer Rye Bread) one firm ripe tomato, some lettuce, and a couple pieces of bacon. Well this sandwich is just that, but I added cream cheese and a little twist to the tomato. Find out below....

Recipe:
4 slices Rye Bread
1 Tomato (Sliced and make sure tomato is firm and ripe. If not the tomato will turn out mushy)
6 Slices of Bacon
Couple pieces of Leaf Lettuce
1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
4 Tbsp. Cream Cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt

Start off by cooking bacon on medium heat in skillet. While the bacon is cooking, slice the tomato and season both sides with a pinch of salt. Next, mix together the bread crumbs and italian seasoning. You are then going to dip both sides of the tomato in the bread crumb mixture, making sure both sides are coated very well!. After the bacon is done cooking, place it on a paper towel to clean off any excess oil. Clean the pan and return to stove. Heat olive oil in skillet and then place slices of tomato in pan and cook on both sides, about 2 minutes each. When done, lay flat on a paper towel to dry. Meanwhile, toast your bread, then spread 2 Tbsp. cream cheese between the 2 slices. Layer lettuce, tomato, and bacon on to your toast and ENJOY!!!!

Philly Steak & Cheese

This is a quick, easy, 5 ingredient, throw together meal great for lunch or dinner! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Recipe:
1 lb. Groud Beef (You can also substitute this for ground turkey for a healthier meal)
1 Bell Pepper (Diced)
1/2 Onion (Diced)
1 (8oz) package cream cheese (also you can use 1/3 the fat cream cheese for a healthier meal)
1 tsp. Garlic Salt
4 Kaiser or Sub rolls

Brown the ground beef till no longer pink (about 7-10 minutes on med. heat). While the meat is cooking season with the garlic salt. Set aside on a paper towel to absorb any extra juices from the meat. Next, in the same pan you cooked the meat in, saute the bell pepper and onion for about 2-3 minutes.  Then add the meat back in with the bell peppers and onions. Now cut the cream cheese into cubes and throw into the meat mixture, stirring till the cream cheese is melted. Serve on a Kaiser Roll or a wheat sub roll with a side of fruit salad or fresh veggies.

Chicken Rolls

So I probably have already said this about a bunch of other recipes, but really this is one of my favorite meals for dinner. They are super tasty and with only 5 ingredients they are really quick and easy to make. You can put many different types of veggies in them such as, mushrooms, green peppers, and broccoli but our family likes them best with just green onions. They pair really well with the cream cheese and chicken we think.

Recipe:
2-3 Chicken Breasts (diced)
1 package Refridgerated Crescent Rolls (I prefer Pillsbury)
2 Green Onions (diced)
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 Package Stuffing
4 Tbsp. Butter (melted)

Preheat oven to *375. Season chicken breasts and bake for 30 min or until completely cooked. (If you are in a hurry you can also use a rotisserie chicken from the store) Meanwhile, dice green onions and place into a bowl. Soften cream cheese (about 10-15 sec in microwave) then mix together with the green onions and diced chicken. Next, roll out the crescent rolls into 8 squares. Place about 1/4 cup chicken filling into the center of each roll, then fold corners up pinching together making sure all the sides are sealed together. Then, brush all the sides of the rolls with melted butter and roll into the stuffing crumbs. (I like to crunch up the stuffing before rolling so that the pieces are a bit smaller. Just do this by placing the stuffing in a bag and pounding with a rolling pin or a can from your pantry) Bake for 18-20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Serve with a green salad or veggie.

*To make this meal a little healthier, buy the lower fat crescent rolls, lower fat cream cheese and don't brush in butter before rolling in bread crumbs.