Valentine's Day Goodies

Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to make (and eat) some sweet goodies. I made my boo his favorite chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with cream cheese icing, and my first attempt at red velvet cheesecake-filled cake balls. Little did I know he wasn't too crazy about red velvet...more for me! :D

Red Velvet Cheesecake-filled Cake Balls

Ingredients:

8-ounce cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 box red velvet cake mix

1 can store-bought cream cheese icing

Package almond bark/white chocolate for melting

Combine the powdered sugar and cream cheese and using a 1/4 tsp spoon, scoop small dollops onto wax paper. Put in the freezer for several hours or overnight.

Prepare the red velvet cake as directed on the box, but use milk instead of water (makes it more moist). Bake in 13 by 9 pan as directed and let cool completely. Once cool, crumble into a large bowl and mix with about 1/2 to 2/3 can of cream cheese icing. (The same way to make cake balls previously described). Remove cream cheese balls from freezer, they should now be easier to work with. Mold red velvet cake mixture around each cream cheese ball to form your cake balls. When finished with all the cake balls, place back into freezer until chilled (they are easier to dip into melted chocolate when chilled).

Melt almond bark/white chocolate in microwave or in a double broiler. Dip balls into the melt and place on wax paper, or make cake pops by using candy sticks for dipping. Add some sprinkles or decorate however you like.



So these aren't the prettiest cake balls in the world (I was having some trouble with the melted white chocolate) but they sure are tasty!



Margarita Cupcakes for MLK Day

One of the joys of being a state employee is getting off for MLK day. My cousin (who is a teacher and also had off) and I hit up the mall for our happy Monday free of work. Afterwards, we watched home videos from our childhood my mom let me borrow and made these yummy creations, washing them down with homemade frozen margaritas. The best part is that these cupcakes only have 160 calories a piece! :D

Ingredients:

Pretzel Mixture:

1 1/2 c crushed pretzels

1/4 c  melted butter
2 tbsp sugar

Cupcakes:

1 box whitre cake mix
3/4 c margarita mix
1/3 c vegetable oil
1/4 c milk

2 tsp grated lime peel

4 egg whites
Topping:

1 1/2 c frozen (thawed) whipped topping

2 6 oz containers fat free Key lime pie yogurt

2 tsp grated lime peel

1/3 c coarsely crushed pretzels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix pretzel mixture ingredients until blended and spoon about 1 tablespoon mixture into each of 24 cupcake liners.

In large bowl, mix cupcake ingredients with an electric mixed and fill each of the 24 cupcake liners about 2/3 full on top of the pretzel mixture.

Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Mix yogert, whipped topping and 2 tsp lime peel and frost each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle with coarsely crushed pretzels. Store in the refrigerator.

Of course we had to do something with the rest of the margarita mix :D

Mini Sweet Potato Pies with Brown Sugar Pecan Topping

Tis the season for holiday parties! I was asked to make some mini sweet potato pies for our annual training conference dinner at work. Mini pies??? Just like regular pies....only cuter. I got the mini pie shells in the frozen foods section at Harris Teeter, the only place I know of that has them. Our department head comes from a sweet potato family farm, so home grown Johnston County sweet potatoes made these sweet treats. The pecans are optional, but make it so much better!

Sweet Potato Pies with Brown Sugar Pecan Topping

Ingredients for pie:

1 frozen pie crust or about 12 mini pie crusts

1 big or 2 medium sized sweet potatoes

2 eggs

1/3 c brown sugar

3 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

3/4 c heavy cream

For pecan topping:

1 to 1 1/2 c chopped pecans

1/2 c brown sugar

3 tbsp butter

Boil sweet potatoes until tender then peel and cream with a mixer. Add remaining ingredients for pie and pour into crusts. For the mini pies bake on 375 degrees about 20 minutes, for regular pie crusts bake about 45 to 50 minutes. Once the pies are baked, let cool for at least one hour or put in the fridge.

For the topping, melt butter over stove then add brown sugar. Cook about 3 minutes or until caramelized. Mix in pecans and let sit for 1 minute, then spread over the top of the cooled pies.

Boss's Day.....and Chocolate Creme filled Snickers Cupcakes

 October 17th is boss's day, for those of you who actually enjoy your boss. I myself have been blessed with good ones so decided to thank them with a little something from the kitchen. Some others in the office got together and got some personalized coffee mugs so I filled them with some cute and festive acorns made of doughnut holes. 

Acorn Doughnuts

Dip the doughnut hole in nutella, then dip in chocolate sprinkles. break off part of a pretzel stick and use that as the acorn stem. These are super quick and easy! You can use peanut butter or chocolate icing instead of the nutella too if you prefer.

 

Along with these gifts, I made cupcakes for the whole office (including me!) to enjoy. They were probably the best cupcakes I've ever made and should be eaten with a big glass of milk. Yummm.

 Chocolate Creme filled Snickers Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

1 Devils Food Cake Mix

1 sm box of chocolate instant pudding

4 eggs

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 c milk

1 c sour cream

For the Chocolate Creme Filling:

2 c heavy whipping cream

2 c melted chocolate chips

For the Chocolate Buttercream Icing:

1 stick butter

2 1/2 c powdered sugar

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla 

Combine ingredients for cupcake batter and pour into 24 lined cupcake tins. Bake on 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. While cupcakes are cooling, make the chocolate creme. Whip the heavy cream with a mixer until is becomes very fluffy. This sometimes takes awhile. Fold in melted chocolate chips until a completely mixed. Put creme in a plastic baggie and cut the corner out so it can be piped into the cupcake centers. After cupcakes have completely cooled, fill each cupcake with a good squeeze of chocolate creme.

Mix ingredients with a mixer to make chocolate icing until well combined and pipe onto each cupcake. Top icing with chopped up snickers bars. Get a big glass of milk and enjoy yourself.

Apple Bacon Pork Chops

Fall is by far my favorite season, especially since now the temperatures have dropped from those 90 degree days so it actually feels like fall! This is a great recipe that is super easy and will definately impress. Not to mention it uses the BEST BBQ sauce in the world, my favorite, Carolina Treet.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless pork chops

Apple pie filling (store bought or homemade)

Carolina Treet BBQ sauce

Bread Crumbs

4 slices bacon, fried

Shredded cheese (your favorite kind)

Marinate pork chops in Carolina Treat for a few hours or overnight. In a greased square pyrex dish spread out apple pie filling evenly. Dip marinated chops in bread crumbs to completely coat, then place on top of the apple layer. Cover with foil and bake on 375 for about 20 minutes. Cut into chops and make sure they are almost cooked through. Meanwhile, fry your bacon. Uncover pork chops and crumble bacon on top then cover with a layer of cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked and the cheese is good and melted. Serve with some good sides and you've got yourself a great fall supper!

I made it with creamed potatoes, wild rice and green beans. I topped off the evening with my apple pie filling I canned a couple months ago to make a quick and easy apple pie. Happy eating :)

My Spoiled Beagle

So it has officially been one year since I found my beloved beagle Barney walking down the road in good ole' Randolph County. What a wonderful year it has been! A late September Saturday morning, sitting on the porch drinking coffee with my mama, and he just came stumbling down the road, skin and bones but with a sweet welcoming smile on his face. My mama told me Jesus sent him to me, so after that of course I had to make him mine. Since I have no idea when he was really born, I will call this his birthday. To celebrate my little booger's special day, I made homemade Peanut Butter dog biscuits for him and his friends.

Baked Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 c flour

1/2 c milk

1/4 c dry oats
1 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp applesauce

2/3 c creamy peanut butter

Mix all ingredients and form a dough to roll out about 1/2 inch think. Using a cookie cutter, cut out biscuits and place on a cookie sheet. Bake on 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Let them cool and store in an airtight container. Your little friend will love you. :)

Chicken Pillows

This recipe is quick and easy and great for fall. I had them with corn and creamed potatoes, which I also topped with the gravy.

Chicken Pillows

Ingredients:

Filling:

About 3 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp italian spices (I have a mixture of thyme, basil and oregano, but you can use whichever you have available)

1 tbsp minced onion

For Pillows:

1 can crescent rolls

1/4 cup melted butter

Italian bread crumbs (around 2 cups)

For Gravy:

1 can Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom soup

1 packet chicken gravy mix

 

Boil chicken breasts until fully cooked, cool and shred with your hands. Mix cream cheese and sour cream until blended. Add chicken, salt, pepper, onion, and spices. To make the pillows, unroll crescent rolls and keep triangular rolls in sets of two to make 4 squares of dough, pushing the middle to seal the perforations so filling will not come out. Put 1/4 of chicken filling in each pillow and wrap around to completely cover the mixure. Dip pillow in melted butter, then dip in bread crumbs to completely cover. Bake on ac foil-lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the can of soup, gravy packet and 3/4 can of water in a small pot on the stove. Cook on low until warm and top each pillow before serving. This gravy is also great on creamed potatoes!

Ready for fall....and apple pie!

Crisp mornings, football games, hoodies, carving punkins, the state fair, so many wonderful things about my favorite season. I love fall and everything it brings, especially seasonal food. Pumpkins, apples, and sweet potatoes are probably my three favorite things God brings us in the fall. Especially homemade APPLE PIE! My daddy has a couple apple trees in the backyard, unfortunately one tree filled with apples was brought to the ground after the hurricane winds a couple weeks ago. My mama and I gathered what we could and she made some oh so yummy apple cobbler and breakfast apple oatmeal. I decided to stock up on my apple pies for the season.

Canned Apple Pie Filling
about 12 lbs apples (I'm honestly not sure how many we had)
14 cups water
5 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar

4 cups apple juice

2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

4 tsp salt

6 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups cornstarch

Peel, core and slice apples. Soak in a bowl of salt water to keep from browning. When ready, pack into glass quart canning jars about 1 inch from the top. Combine apple juice, 10 cups water, sugar, salt and spices in a VERY large pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, mix cornstarch, lemon juice and 4 cups water in a bowl until blended. Once combined, add it heated mixture in pot and stir until the corn starch has dissolved and sauce becomes think. Pour sauce over packed apples until about 3/4 inch from the top. Seal jars with clean heated lids and rings in boiling water as I have discussed before.

**You may have to alter your amount of sugar based on what type of apple you use, as some as sweeter than others. I used red delicious and yellow delicious. Using sweeter apples like Cameo, Jonathan, Fuji, or Gala might not need as much sugar. I don't recommend Granny Smiths for this recipe, you will need a lot of sugar!**

When you are ready to make a pie, just pop open a jar and put in a pastry shell and bake! Bring it on fall, I am ready :)

Beeing a Busy Bee

It has been awhile! Upon starting my first semestor of Graduate School and getting busier at work, I am sad to say that I have not got to bake too much here recently. FYI to all those who are considering going to Grad School at some point in your life...don't wait too long, its lots of work. Aside from that, I have also sold my beloved Ford Truck and got a 2010 Toyota RAV4 with wonderful gas milage. I love it! However I do miss my badass Clint Eastwood Ford. Despite my busy self, people still gotta eat. I made this yummy supper last night...a combination of my two favorite types of food. Italian and Mexican.

Taco Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger meat (I used deer meat)

1/2 package taco seasoning

4 ounces cream cheese

1 8 ounce jar taco sauce

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup sour cream

12 large pasta shells, boiled

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

Chives, if you like

Brown hamburger in frying pan, adding taco seasoning. Then add cream cheese and simmer until completely melted. Allow to cool while boiling pasta shells, drain and toss in butter.

Mix salsa and sour cream and cover bottom of greased 8x8 inch Pyrex dish. Once cooled, stuff meat mixture into shells and arrange on top of salsa and sour cream. Cover shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Remove from open, uncover and top with crushed tortilla chips and cheese. Bake uncovered an additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chives if you like. I made this dish with a side of spanish rice. Enjoy :)

 

Oreo Marshmellow Fluff Cupcakes

This past weekend I went to Boone to visit my best friend Miranda who is about to graduate from ASU. I've never been to Boone when there wasn't snow on the ground so I was super excited about this weekend trip. My friend Will and I got up there late Friday night, and what a fun weekend it was! Miranda also just reached 5 months since she quit smoking....so I thought I'd make her some treats in celebration.

Oreo Marshmellow Fluff Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 large box vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup marshmellow fluff (for cake batter)
marshmellow fluff for layering
4 oz cream cheese
1 package oreos
cream cheese icing (store bought or homemade)

Combine cake mix, oil, milk, eggs, pudding mix, marshmellow fluff, and cream cheese with electric mixer. Fold 5-6 crushed oreos into batter. Fill each cupcake liner about 1/4 full of batter, top with 1 oreo cookie, top with a small spoonful on marshmellow fluff, and top with more batter to cover middle ingredients. Fill each liner about 3/4 full. Bake on 350 degrees about 25-28 minutes. Top with cream cheese icing when cooled and sprinkle crushed oreos on top.

The recipe makes about 28 cupcakes, however I only had enough oreos to put inside 26....guess that's what I get for snacking while i bake. I took about a dozen of these cupcakes to work also and my coworkers approved :)

Quick and Easy Braided Calzone

I made this last night for supper and it was so easy and I think it turned out pretty too! The whole thing only took about 20 minutes, including baking time. I started with a Pillsbury canned pizza crust.

Ingredients:
1 canned pizza crust
Canned chicken

Buffalo sauce

Ranch dressing

4 slices bacon

Shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh tomatoes

First I fried some bacon until fairly crispy. Then while it cooled a bit I got the pizza crust ready, placing it on a greased cookie sheet and cutting about 2-3 inch slits along both sides. Then I spread a little ranch dressing on the dough.

As the bacon cooled, I began piling on the ingredients. First adding the chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, then the bacon, cheese, and tomatoes. I added some salt and pepper on top. Note you can add any ingredients you want, it's like making a pizza. I just happened to have most of these ingredients on hand. To create a braided effect, start from one end and fold each piece of dough over each other. When you get to the ends, fold both sides over and tuck in tightly so the ingredients won't run out while its baking.

As directed on the canned pizza dough, bake at 425 degrees for 9-13 minutes. Serve with Ranch dressing for dipping. This recipe allows for lots of creaitivty with pretty much any ingredients you choose. Also makes for a quick and pretty supper!

Summertime Peaches

This week I spent my Sunday afternoon knee-deep in peaches. I went to the NC Farmer's Market and got a mess from Johnson's peach stand from the Sandhills. I made my first batch of peach preserves and canned peaches for use through the off season months coming up. I also made a yummy peach cobbler and threw a couple in the blender with some SkinnyGirl margarita mix....so good! While I was at the market I had to get a sunflower :)

Peach Preserves

Ingredients:

About 4 lbs peaches, peeled pitted and sliced

1 box Sure-Jell

1/4 cup lemon juice

Cinnimon

Nutmeg

3-5 cups sugar, to taste

I made this just like I made my Plum Jelly previously. To make the peaches easier to peel I boiled them for a few minutes then put them in ice cold water...the skins came right off!  The peach slices were preserved in lemon juice and heated just below boiling for about 5 minutes in a syrup consisting of five parts water to one part sugar.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

4-5 peaches, peeled pitted and sliced

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

Melt the butter in a Pyrex dish in the oven while mixing the flour, sugar and milk. Add mixutre to melted butter in dish and stir. Add peaches. I sprinkled some Quaker Oats and cinnimon and brown sugar on top for a little extra, but it is definately not required. Bake on 375 about an hour. Top with ice-cream or Cool Whip.....yum! Unfortunately I got too excited and dug in before remembering to take a picture :)

Plum Season

My dad planted a plum tree in the backyard a few years ago, and this summer he suggested I find some good uses for its fruit since it produces SO many plums, most of which go to waste. I didn't even think I liked plums, but now I am addicted. Here are some good uses for my new favorite fruit.

Cinnamon Plum Jelly

Ingredients:

About 3 qt plums, pitted (do not peel)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Box No-Sugar Added Sure-Jell

4-5 cups sugar

2-3 tbsp ground cinnamon

Toss pitted plums in lemon juice and boil down in a large pot. Add cinnamon and Sure-Jell. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, adding more or less than I recommended to meet your taste. Plums can be a little tart so you may want more sugar. Cook slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking on the bottom of the pot.

Test the thickness of the jelly with a chilled spoon. To do this, let a spoon sit in a glass of ice cold water until chilled then scoop out a sample of the hot liquid. Let sit out for 5 minutes or so until it cools off and thickens up. This will give you an idea of how thick your finished jelly will be.

When jelly mixture is ready, carefully place in CLEAN canning jars and seal tightly. Then set each jar upside down (lid down) in a small pot of boiling water for a minute or two to help it seal. This is a quick and messy process. Some jars may take up to 24 hours to completely seal.

Purple Plum Pie

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced and pitted plums 

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 unbaked deep-dish pastry shell (9 in)

For Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup oatmeal

Mix all ingredients and pour into pastry shell. For the topping, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and oatmeal. Cut butter in chunks and mix into topping until it makes a crumble. Sprinkle topping on pie and bake at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes, covering crust edges during the last 20 minutes to keep it from overbrowning. Top with ice-cream or cool whip!

Plum Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chopped and pitted plums

1 tbsp flour (for plums)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt (or half a 6 ounce container)

1/4 cup brown sugar

Toss plums with 1 tbsp floor to coat and set aside. Mix together the butter, white sugar and vanilla until fluffy, then add eggs. In a separate bowl, mix 1 1/2 cup flour with salt and baking soda. Stir these dry ingredients into the egg mixture, alternating with adding yogert until a smooth batter forms. Swirl in plums to batter and carefully pour into a greased 9x5 inch bread loaf pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and bake on 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool before removing from loaf pan.

Homemade Salsa

Tis the season for fresh tomatoes and peppers! Yummy! My summer lunches consist highly of tomato sandwiches on white bread but here's something different to help you get rid of all them tomatoes...homemade Salsa! This recipe make about 4 pints. This is not a real spicy salsa, but you can always add more chili peppers or jalapenos to your liking.

Ingredients:

10 cups fresh garden tomatoes (any kind will do, but my favorite are Beefsteak or Better Boys)

4 cups long green chili peppers, seeded and chopped (add more for spicier salsa)

1/4 cup jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (add more for spicier salsa)

5 cups onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1.5 cups cider vinegar

1 tsp cumin

1 tbsp oregano leaves

3 tbsp fresh cilantro

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

Remove the tomato skins by first boiling them whole for about 1 minute, then dump them into a bowl of ice water. This is make the skins fall right off. Then slice in half and squeeze out as much of the water and seeds out as possible, too much water will make a soupy salsa. Place squeezed tomatoes in a collander in sink so additional water can be removed.

Chop tomatoes and place in a big pot with additional ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste it as it cooks and add additional chili powder or hot sauce if a spicier taste is desired.

Fill 4 pint jars or 8 half-pint jars 1/4 inch from the top and top with lid and ring tightly. Boil filled jars for up to 15 minutes to seal. Boil lids and rings beforehand to help with the sealing process. Jars may take several hours to seal.