Oreo Truffles

I was introduced to this recipe a couple years ago by a good friend of mine. Now I make them every year because they are super easy and a HUGE hit.

What you need....

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking

What to do...

1. Crush cookies into fine crumbs, I use my food processor but Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin, place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Then you can get creative, I like to drizzle white chocolate over them but you can also use sprinkles, cookie crumbs, whatever makes your heart skip :-)
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Christmas Cut Out Cookies

The kids had their very first snow day of the season, a little to early in the season but we have to take what is given to us. A great day to make holiday cookies.

Sour Cream Cut-Outs
1 cup of butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
5 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

In a bowl cream butter and sugar till fluffy, add in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla...add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. Cover and put in refrigerator overnight. Roll and cut. Bake at 375' for 12-15 minutes. Decorate with a glaze and sprinkles.

Enjoy!

To rid your house......

of excessive Halloween Candy! Excessive is not the word for what we have in Halloween Candy....next year we'll have to cut down on the number of houses we go to....but you know you need a good selection and who knows what people are giving out until the night of. Well this year there seemed to be alot of Peanut butter Cups and Milky Ways.....and before I managed to eat them all before the end of the week I had to find a way to get them out of our house without it being found in my mouth. So I decided to find a recipe that uses candy as a mix in and then take the baked good to Kara's cheering gym and sell it in the snack shack to those unsuspecting people who did not know my ulterior motive.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 package cake mix (Devils Food or Vanilla)

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups of your favorite mix in (such as peanut butter cups,milky way, m&m's, toffee, any chopped up candy bar)

Preheat oven to 350'

Mix cake mix, eggs, butter, brown sugar,vanilla....then add in mix in

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet

Bake for 12-14 minutes

Another idea is that you can also add the candy to a brownie mix and sweeten up your brownies a little more.

And the most important thing......GIVE THEM AWAY!

Spider Cookies

Aren't these the cutest and most yummy looking Halloween cookies....I made them today for Nathan's celebration for school. They were super easy and super yummy.

Thanks Bakerella.....www.bakerella.com

Trix or Treat Spider Cookies
1 package Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix(makes abut 12 cookies so if you need more just grab an extra package)

1 can of chocolate ready-made frosting

1 can of vanilla ready-made frosting

24-48 Trix orange and green sweetened corn puffs

Toothpicks

Re-sealable plastic bags

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients for cookies as directed on the package.
Use a small ice cream scoop to get similar sized cookies or just use a spoon and vary the amount for different size cookies.
Place cookie dough on a parchment covered baking sheet.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes about two dozen cookies.

To decorate:
Spread chocolate frosting on the top of each cookie.
Fill a re-sealable plastic bag with a couple of heaping spoonfuls of frosting and snip a tiny hole out of the bottom of one corner.
Pipe on three circles of white frosting for each cookie. Start in the middle with the smallest circle and work your way out.
Take a toothpick and beginning in the center, drag it lightly through each circle. Repeat all the way around the cookie.
Take remaining frosting and separate it into two bowls. Tint one frosting with orange icing color and the other with green.
Fill two re-sealable bags with the orange and green frosting and snip off the corner of each.
Pipe eight small legs with each color and place a matching orange or green Trix Cereal puff on the top of each pair of legs. Add one or several spiders on each cookie.

Slow Cooker Applesaue

That time of year and the apples are plentiful and of course we always pick more then we could possibly eat. So what to do with them?
Today I decided to venture and try something brand new to me...making applesauce...and with the slow cooker no less.

Now you can double and triple this recipe and it still comes out just right.

4 apples of your choice, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Throw it all into the slow cooker, give it a stir and then turn it on high for 4 hours and walk away. Now when its done if you need to mash the apples then do so but I found this unnecessary because the apples pretty much did the work themselves.

Cool and then put in the fridge. I then used my homemade applesauce to replace the vegetable oil in my muffins and brownie mixes to make them lower in fat.

Bananas coming out my ears

I always seem to have a pile of bananas that are a bit to ripe for any of us to eat....I usually make muffins but was looking for a change. So I found this recipe for Frosted Banana Bars on www.tastykitchen.com and gave it a try. Delicious!


For The Bars
½ cups Butter
2 cups Sugar
3 whole Eggs
1-½ cup Ripe Bananas, Mashed
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 pinch(es) Salt

FOR FROSTING:
½ cups Butter
8 ounces Cream Cheese (Softened)
4 cups Confectioner's Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Preparation Instructions
For the bars:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs, bananas, and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Pour into a greased 15×10×1 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

For frosting:
Cream butter (from the 2nd half of the ingredients list) and cream cheese in a mixing bowl.
Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.
Beat well.
Spread over bars.

Meatball Subs

The other day I read a blog post by Big Mama, she went on about these delicious meatballs that she makes and her whole family eats them up for days....well so I just had to try them. Lucky for us she posted her recipe....which is super simple and super simply delicious. I and with the help of Kara made these for dinner the other day. We ate them for two days and I still had enough to throw in the freezer to pull out another day when I am no in the mood or have the time to cook, which is quite often. Thank you Big Mama! http://thebigmamablog.com



Meatball Sandwiches

(I usually double this recipe because we like the leftovers and you can always turn it into spaghetti and meatballs if you get bored.)

1 pound ground beef
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce or homemade if you’re into that sort of thing
1 package of french bread sandwich rolls
Sliced mozzarella cheese
butter

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef with the next 7 ingredients. Roll into meatballs approximately 3 inches or so in diameter and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees and then turn them and cook another five minutes.

Pour sauce into large pot on the stove. Add meatballs. Let simmer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour for extra flavor. (This totally isn’t necessary but my Me-Ma used to let her sauce simmer for about 5 hours on Sunday mornings and it makes it even more delicious.)

Place the sandwich rolls open and face up on a cookie sheet. Spread each one with plenty of butter. Broil them in the oven until they are slightly (SLIGHTLY) brown and then pull them out and cover them with as many mozzarella cheese slices as you feel are appropriate. (No one will judge you for superfluous mozzarella cheese) Place them back in the oven and broil them until the cheese is melted.

Slice the meatballs in half and place on the sandwich. You’ll use about 2 meatballs per sandwich. Pour a little bit of the sauce over the meatballs, close up your sandwich and eat until you’re slightly sick.

Yummy Chicken Legs

I found this recipe on a site that I enjoy reading(www.thepioneerwoman.com)
It was super easy ad super yummy...even the kids ate it...I told them it was sweet n' sour sauce...just a little white lie:) Here it goes...............

1 cup of Apricot Preserves
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 tsp minced Garlic
2 tsp Hot Sauce

Combine all above ingredients in sauce pan and cook on medium low until preserves are melted....then brush on chicken legs(3 lbs). Put in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes...I then broil it for a few minutes to brown and crisp up the skin.

I think this would be just as good brushing it on chicken that you were grilling as well.
Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables

I made these yummy roasted vegetables for a BBQ at our house today...nice change. It was super easy and turned out beautifully(picture is before cooking).

3 lbs of baby potatoes, I used Yukon Gold and Red and then cut them to make them all nice size chunks.
1 red pepper, chunked
half of a red onion, chunked
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of thyme
1 tablespoon of Rosemary
Salt & Pepper

Toss everything together and put in over at 450 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever!

I want to thank my dear friend MJ for sharing her recipe for the best chocolate cake I have ever had and every time I make it for someones birthday, a get together or a bake sale I think of her and it makes me smile. Thank you dear friend and I hope you don't mind me sharing your delicious recipe.

1 Cup COCOA
1 2/3 Cups SUGAR
2 Cups FLOUR
2 tsp BAKING SODA
1 tsp BAKING POWDER
2 EGGS
1/2 Cup OIL
2 tsp VANILLA
2 Cups HOT WATER

Mix dry ingrediebts, add eggs and oil...stir.. gradually add in hot water(will be very liquidy but that is OK it is suppose to be).
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. This is the most moist cake I have ever tasted and comes out the same every time

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are a huge hit with everyone in our family...even the kids! And they are super easy and quick and it makes a ton.
Mix the following ingredients together:
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
16 ounces of canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
4 cups of all purpose flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of cinnamon

then last add 1 bag of chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

An even bigger hit with my hubby is that these cookies can easily turn into whoopie pies sue to there shape and texture. So I use a simple buttercream frosting to sandwich two cookies with.
Mix....
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/2 shortening
1 teaspoon of vanilla
then add in 4 cups confectionary sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk until fluffy.

S'mores Brownies

Who says that s'mores need to be only had during the summer...here is a yummy alternative you can make anytime through out the year. You will need: 1 box brownie mix, 8 whole graham crackers, 1 cup chocolate chips,1 cup mini marshmallows. I thank my aunt for introducing me to this delicious recipe.

In 9x13 pan lay down graham crackers until bottom is covered. Make up brownie mix according to box directions. Pour brownie mix over graham crackers. Bake according to box directions, when there is 5 minutes left take out and top with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows and return to oven for remaining 5 mins. Chips will melt and marshmallows will toast up. Cool and then cut. Can you say YUM-O!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I was first introduced to this yummy recipe a few years when we were living in Central New York. When we moved back to Maine I made it for family and now every time we have a get together it is requested to bring "the dip" and I should bring the recipe printed off with me because I always get someone asking for the recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups shredded chicken
16oz cream cheese
16oz ranch dressing
1 bottle hot sauce
8oz shredded cheese

I have changed things up a little since the first time I made this to make it easier.
I usually buy a rotisserie chicken already cooked from the supermarket and shred that but you can cook a couple chicken breasts or I have even used the chicken in a can....it all gets devoured so no one really seems to care. In a 13x9 pan spray bottom then place shredded chicken first, cover with an entire bottle of hot sauce. Melt cream cheese and ranch dressing together in microwave and then pour it on top of chicken. Take shredded cheese(use whatever cheese you prefer, its all good) and cover the top. Put in oven at 350 degrees and bake about 40 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Take out and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, vegetables, sometimes even the spoons come out when all else fails.