White Chocolate Cherry Almond Cookies

First let me start by saying that these cookies were a HUGE hit with my family. Needless to say, there were none left over!

White Chocolate Cherry Almond Cookies

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped

2 Tablespoons of liquid from cherries

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares, finely chopped
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 drops red food coloring 
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (if needed)
White nonpareils, sprinkles, and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well reserving 2 Tablespoons of cherry liquid for the batter later\.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained and chopped cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped white chocolate. Stir in the 2 Tablespoons reserved cherry liquid, almond extract, and food coloring. Mixture will be very dry and look like crumbs. Don't worry. That's normal. Using your hands, knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. The cookies do not spread much so make sure your balls are well formed. Having slightly damp hands helps here. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Do not overbake! Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. Microwave the white chocolate; melting in 30 second intervals stirring in 
 between. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in sprinkles and/or edible glitter. (I didn't add any sprinkles to the cookies, but I did add a red chocolate drizzled over them, and they were amazing!) Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 48 cookies.

Here is a picture of my dessert spread I had for my family.

Breakfast Cupcakes

I found this recipe on Martha Stewarts website. I made it the way she did, but after having these gorgeous breakfast treats, I would do one thing different. I would not use the flattened bread, and I would use a flakey biscuit. I think this would make the recipe sooooo much more worth it!

Now, for the ingredients, there really isn't a set number, it just depends on how many of these you depend on making. Plan on making 6, you need 6 of everything. 12-you need 12 of everything. Now, in my pix, you will notice 2 pieces of bacon, I LOVE bacon, so I doubled that! :-)

First, preheat your oven to 350. Then, fry your bacon...just a little bit, you don't want it too crispy when you put it in the oven... Or you will have burnt bacon.

So, take your bread (I used potato bread) and flatten it nice & flat! Then you place it in your greased cupcake pan, making sure the ends of the bread come up over the edge of the cupcake holder.

Place a piece of bacon (or 2 !) on top of the bread. Then crack open an egg on top of the bacon. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place in the over for about 20-25 minutes. Depending on your oven. Make sure the egg is completely set, you don't want a runny egg cupcake!

There ya go! Yummy breakfast! This is a good night before meal. Make them, and put them in the fridge. Pop them in the microwave, and viola! Meal! :-)

Fool Proof Caramel Sauce

 (This is 2 batches of this recipe)

 

This is virtually a fool proof homemade caramel sauce! I have tried dozens of different recipes, & all of them seemed to fail; either they were too runny or it turned into a brick. But this one will work every time!

What you will need:

1/2 Cup of Sugar

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp butter (room temp)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (warmed)

 

Combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan with high sides. Do not stir. 

 

 

 

Cook over medium-high heat to a dark caramel color, swirling the pan as it begins to brown to distribute the sugar. While the sugar and water are bubbling up, heat up the cream in the microwave just until warm.

 

 This is the color you want the mixture when you remove from heat and add the butter.

Take sugar off the heat and add your room temperature butter. Whisk the butter in, being sure it’s totally combined. 

 

 

 

Add your warmed cream and whisk vigorously

 

 

 

Mixture will bubble, (I suggest wearing oven mitts, as this can produce alot of steam) then settle down to a velvety caramel.

 

 

 

 This recipe can be doubled for larger recipes. 

For a salted caramel sauce: Add 1/8 tsp of Sea Salt.

Crescent Cheddar Bacon Chicken

I got this idea from a recipe I saw the other day. I changed a few things, and added a few things to make it fit my family's taste better. 

What you will need:

3 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts (shredded or cubed)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup of milk

2 cans of whole new potatoes

1 pkg crescent rolls

8 pieces of bacon

First you want to start by actually making your cream of chicken soup, using the 1 cup of milk. 

While you're doing this, you can bake your bacon. I find this to be easier than frying it, there is less you have to do, pop it in (at 350 F) for about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to check it, oven settings vary.

Take the crescent rolls and add some chicken & cheese. Roll them up like a burrito, pinching the edges together to keep it all inside.

Then add your potatoes (drained). You can use 1 or 2 cans, depending on how much you think your family will actually eat.

Pour your soup over top & then adding the bacon & cheese. 

Then back at 350 F for 40 minutes, or until the rolls looks crispy on top.

Finished meal! :-) 

Hope you enjoy!

Jalapeno Cheddar Au Gratin Potatoes

This is a really simple meal when you don't have much time to prepare something. What you will need:

1 pkg Johnsonville Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage (14 oz)

1 box Au Gratin Potatoes

2 1/2 Cups of water

3 tbsp cheddar cheese powder (optional)

3 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Take the sausage and cut length wise then in pieces. Put them in a frying pan & fry till they are golden brown.

Drain. Then add the rest of the ingredients (except the shredded cheese). (DO NOT USE the ingredients that the box calls for.)

Bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.

You can add veggies if you would like, just cook an extra 5-8 minutes.

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, and viola! A delicious meal!

Cheesecake Pops/Balls

So, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cheesecake. But, sometimes the basic pie is just boring, so, why not make them fun? Here is a way to do that!

Start with your favorite cheesecake recipe, (or store bought if you aren't a baker.)

Then you need to cut 2/3 of the crust off, and toss it, you don't want that much mixed in with your balls. 

Then you mix the cheesecake all together. Refrigerate for an hour or so. This is to help the balls keep their shape.

I use a cookie baller (basically a mini ice cream scoop) to make these, that way all of them are roughly the same size. With this batch, I did not roll them into balls, i left the the shape that the scoop made them. I was shooting for a "melted snowball" look. Place them on wax paper.

Then freeze them for about 20-30 minutes, otherwise, the stick won't say in!

Melt your chocolate, using the package directions (adding vegetable oil if it is too thick to work with.)

Place your sprinkles in little glass bowls (or you could use cupcake liners.) You will need quick access once you dip these in the chocolate.

Place a stick in the balls, and dip it in the chocolate...decorate IMMEDIATELY. (frozen cheesecake, hot chocolate? it hardens quick!)

Thats it! You have made amazing bite size cheesecakes!

Christmas Oreo's

This is a simple & fun way to spruce up Oreo's for the Holidays!

First you need to melt you chocolate (white or milk) in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Make sure you use a container deep enough to submerge the entire Oreo. 

Sometimes chocolate can melt a little funny, so if you need to, add 1 tsp of vegetable oil and stir to make it more liquid. Do this as much as necessary.

Then you need to dip a popsicle stick in the chocolate.

Then put the stick about halfway thru the oreo.

Then submerge the Oreo in the chocolate, do this in one quick movement, don't let it stay in the chocolate.

Do a few Oreo's at a time, laying them on Wax Paper on a flat service to cool off. Decorate with sprinkles as you go, so the chocolate doesn't harden.

If you want to use colored chocolate to lace the tops of these, heat the chocolate in a mini glass bowl (I found mine at the Dollar Tree, they work wonders!)

Take a plastic baggie and place it in a small cup. This makes it easier to pour the chocolate in the bag.

Then cut a TINY hole in one of the corners of the baggie. Then, stripe away!!!

This is how you make Christmas Oreo's!! :-)

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

 

Cookies:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural-type because it doesn't melt well)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

Filling:
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

Cinnamon-sugar:

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Use an electric mixer to beat the sugars, butter and 1/4 cup of the peanut butter until light and smooth. Add vanilla and egg, beating one at a time to combine. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. (If you are using a hand mixer, STOP, use your hands, as your mixer motor will die because the mixture is way too thick.)

To make the filling, cream together the powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter until smooth.

To assemble the cookies, spoon a heaping tablespoon of chocolate cookie dough onto wax paper. Flatten into a circle with your hands. Scoop about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter filling and place in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter filling, pinching ends together to seal. 

Sprinkle with some of the cinnamon-sugar.

Flatten the cookies a bit with the bottom of a glass. (These cookies are not very pleasing on the eyes, BUT, they are absolutely to die for!)

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed and crackly. Do not over bake. Let cool on wire rack.

18 cookies

Salted Caramel Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies

Cookies:

1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Caramel:
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar and egg. Add vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Refrigerate for 1 hour, up to overnight. (DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!)

Scoop level tablespoons of dough (you can get a cookie press @ Walmart, works wonders) and roll into balls.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Hold the cookie steady with one hand and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. (I like a pretty big indentation because  the caramel is the best part.) Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re barely golden on the sides. Remove from oven and immediately re-poke your thumbprints if they’ve faded. (They can be a little hot, so I used a baby spoon to do this, worked wonderfully.) Let them cool. 

Making the Caramel-- Don't be intimidated by making your own caramel, I have tried dozens of different recipes and failed miserably, but this one is magic. (Not to mention, the store bought caramel just isn't the same)

Combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan with high sides. Do not stir. Cook over medium-high heat to a dark caramel color, swirling the pan as it begins to brown to distribute the sugar. While the sugar and water are bubbling up, heat up the cream in the microwave just until warm.

Take sugar off the heat and add your room temperature butter. Whisk the butter in, being sure it’s totally combined. Add your warmed cream and whisk vigorously. Mixture will bubble, (I suggest wearing oven mitts, as this can produce alot of steam) then settle down to a velvety caramel.

By now your cookies should be cooled. Spoon as much warm caramel as you can into the indentations of your cookies and top with sea salt.

You may have a some caramel left over.

Makes 24 cookies

Cheddar Chicken Potato Soup

I made this meal in the crock pot today, and it turned out AMAZING!!! I have fallen in love with using my crock pot to make crazy easy meals for my family. For this meal, I used: 

2 Cans Campbell's Chunky Potato Soup

1 Soup Can of Milk

1 Can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Sauce

4 oz of Velveeta, Queso Blanco

4 oz of Velveeta, Original

8 Strips of Bacon

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (Thawed and Cut into pieces)

I just threw all this in the crock pot in the morning, set it on low for 6-8 hours. 

It turned out amazing. The chicken was so tender. I serve mine over rice, but you can use noodles as well. This will feed quite a few people, I would say at least a family of 4. I also had plenty of left overs.

I hope you like it as much as my family did!!!

Getting Stated!

I am new to this blogging scene! I wanted a place to put all of my yummy recipes that I try. I love to bake and make mini cupcakes, that's my passion; but I have a new found love in cooking as well. I like trying new things, (especially in a crockpot,) and seeing how good they are! If they are a success, I will post a picture, and the recipe here for all to enjoy!