S'mores and Turtle Kiss Pies

This is my kicked up version of the kiss pie.  A Hershey's kiss and a little pie crust just wasn't enough to statisfy my sweet tooth.  If a little bit of caramel, pecans, and chocolate sound good to you then we're on the right track.  If marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs, and chocolate are more your style, I've got something for you too!

Let's Get Started:

Turtle Kiss Pies

1 refrigerated pie crust (I rolled mine out to make it a little thinner)

Pecans

Caramel bits

Hershey kisses

3 Tablespoons of melted butter

1 Tablespoon sugar

I didn't give exact measurements because it's going to depend on how much you want to put into each kiss pie and how large you cut your squares or circles from the pie crust.

I placed a Hershey kiss, several caramel bits, and a couple of pinches of pecans on top of the pie crust and then cut a square big enough to be able to pull the sides together.  Using a glass and cutting a circle out will work too. 

Pull the sides together above the kiss to seal everything in.

This step is optional--Melt butter and stir in sugar to combine. Brush the top of each kiss pie with melted sugar butter. 

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees F .

S'mores Kiss Pies

1 refrigerated pie crust (I rolled mine to make it a little thinnner)

Hershey kisses

marshmallows

graham cracker crumbs

3 Tablespoons of butter

1 Tablespoon of sugar

I didn't give exact measurements because it's going to depend on how much want to put into each pie and how large you cut your squares or circles from the pie crust.

I placed a Hershey kiss, a few marshmallows, and a couple of pinches of graham cracker crumbs on a section of the pie crust and cut squares around it, allowing enough space to fold the edges together.

I added 4 marshmallows to each kiss pie but will add more next time.  Four just didn't seem to be enough.

Bring the edges together above the kiss and seal.

This step is optional--Melt butter and stir in sugar to combine.  Brush the tops of each kiss pie.

Bake for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees F on a greased cookie sheet.



Print Recipe Here

Cocoa Chili and my very first award!

I'm so thrilled to announce that I have been award The Versatile Blogger Award! It is absolutely amazing to be recognized by another blogger. 



Dawnie, from The Coach's Wife's Kitchen extended the honor to little 'ol me!  She's got some great stuff on her blog, so head over and check her out. Be sure to tell her congratulations on her upcoming new addition!   

So here is how the award works...I pass it along to 15 other bloggers that I think are  super duper and tell you guys 7 random things about myself. 

Let's Get Started:

Seven Random Facts about Me

1. I'm addicted to Diet Coke.  I always have one....always!  I will leave my house at midnight and run to the store to make sure I have one in the morning, I sleep with one beside my bed, and there is an on going joke that I will be buried with a 12 pack!

2.  I work for a small catering company called The Silver Spoon Cakes and Catering.  My best friend for the last 16 years, Jennifer, owns it.  The days can be long but I love it!  I'm surrounded by food...my obsession!

3.  I'm a real life Army wife, and mother to three children.  We are stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, home of the 101st Airborne Division. We live on post which has it pros and cons. The housing is a little old, my kitchen is so out dated that I will never show you guys a picture! :) But, my children are around other kids that have parents that deploy.  My husband just returned from his 4th deployment so having that support system or common bond for them is worth more than a stellar kitchen. At least that is what I tell myself :).

4. I'm a TV junkie.  I'm positive that I couldn't live without my DVR.  It even has a name...Dave.  I'm a big fan of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, NCIS, all the CSI's, Modern Family, and so many more.  In the past when my husband has been gone these shows have been my escape from reality or my "me" time.  Oddly though, the only food show I watch is Masterchef (I have a crush on Gordon Ramsey).

5. I have a couple of food related quirks.  I don't like fruit and meat combos, or meat and nut combos.  The thought of it is just weird to me.  The only exception, I think, is tomatoes.

6. I grew up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  I've lived in North Alabama, Tennessee, and now Kentucky.

7.  As soon as I log into Blogger to start typing away about something I've made I lose just about all of my confidence.  I type and type and then feel like a complete goofball about some of the things I've said. I tend to get a little long winded at times and then delete the majority of what I've said.  I've found it a little difficult at times to put myself out there. Each time it gets a little easier though.

Now it's time to pass The Versatile Blogger on to some deserving bloggers.

These wonderful blogs are in no particular order.

Drumroll please.......

1. Jam Hands

2. Cookin Cowgirl

3. Cassie Craves

4. Christine's Pantry

5. Flour Trader

6. Big Bear's Wife

7. One Perfect Bite

8. Off The Menu

9. Taking on Magazines

10. Eat. Drink. Love

11.Bake Me Blush

12. My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good
13. What Is Cooking Now
14. Steph's Bite By Bite
15. I Heard It's Yummy






Ready for some chili?




I'll keep this short and sweet, considering I've already said so much. This is my adaptation of a previous neighbor's chili recipe. 


It has unsweetened cocoa powder in it!!


Don't worry, it won't taste like chocolate.  In my opinion the cocoa powder gives the chili a rich taste. 
 We love it!  And it's perfect for those chilly days that are on their way! (Hopefully sooner than later)

Cocoa Chili




2 pounds of ground beef-cooked and drained
1 (16 ounce) can of chili flavored beans (do not drain)
1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes
1 small onion-chopped
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon butter
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Oregano
3 Tablespoons Cumin
1 1/2 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
2 Tablespoon chili powder


Add butter and chopped onion to a large pot, cook over medium low heat for about five minutes.  Add minced garlic and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. 

Add browned ground beef, beans, tomato sauce, spices, vinegar, and cocoa powder.

Stir until combined.  Bring to a slight boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Continue to simmer for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Top with cheese, onions, and/or sour cream.

Your Team Football Rice Krispie Treats

You can have rice krispie treats with your favorite team colors with just a little kool-aid!  The possibilities are endless!

These are red and black because we are Arkansas Razorback fans in this house.

Woo Pig Sooie!

Okay....enough cheering for my team, which did great this past weekend by the way. 

A friend gave me this great little tip of using kool-aid to help achieve the desired color and mask the taste of food coloring.

Let's get started:

Your Team Football Rice Krispie Treats

adapted from ricekrispies.com

3 tablespoons of butter

4 cups of miniature marshmallows

6 cups of rice krispies cereal

couple of pinches of desired color/flavor powdered kool-aid (I used strawberry)

food coloring as needed to achieve color (I used red)

Melt butter and marshmallows in a large pan over low heat until melted.  Remove from heat and add kool-aid and food coloring to achieve desired team color. 

Don't use too much kool-aid, the rice krispie treats will have a very strong flavor if you do.

Combine cereal and colored marshmallows in a large bowl and stir to combine. 

Let cool for 20-30 minutes or until it's easily shaped.

Spraying bowl, spoon, and hands with non-stick cooking spray will help to keep everything from sticking to you.

Shape cereal mixture into a football shape.  I rolled my into a ball and spread it out with my hands to make the shape.

Allow rice krispie treats to set. 

I used Wilton's pre-made black icing to make the stripes.  Melted white chocolate with food coloring (and kool-aid if desired) should work great too.  Spoon icing into a pastry bag with tip and apply stripes.  A sandwich bag with a small hole cut out works great too.

Print Recipe Here

Pralines and Cream Ice Cream Bread

I'm addicted to food.  Seriously, all things food.  I've come to terms with it and accept it. I love to look at it, look up recipes, make it, talk about it, and eat it.  Lucky for me, if you are reading this, you probably have a bit of an obsession too!  It's okay, we're in it together!

I'm glancing through Pinterest and came across this recipe for Ice Cream Bread.  It caught my attention immediately.  I headed over to this website to check it out.  Three minutes later I was leaving for the store to buy ice cream.  This is one of those stop what you are doing and make this now recipes.

I'm not sure you can make anything simplier either.  There are only two ingredients!  Seriously, only two.  And you can use any ice cream flavor you want! The ice cream sweetens the bread ever so slightly. I expected it to be a little sweeter but it's still awesome! I can't wait to make it with other ice cream flavors.

So, read the rest of this post and make this bread!

Let's get started:

Pralines and Cream Ice Cream Bread

slightly adapted from here

3 cups of softened ice cream (I used Pralines and Cream)

Best results if you use regular ice cream, not light or reduced fat

2 1/4 cups of self rising flour

That's it!  That's all you need!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Mix ice cream and flour until combined.  Pour into an 8x4 greased loaf pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from pan and allow bread to cool.

Print Recipe Here

Bacon Swiss Cheesecake

It's a cheesecake....

But it's not for dessert my friends!

I have just recently discovered savory cheesecakes.  It's like a whole new world.  I'm not very fond of the traditional dessert type cheesecakes....I'm weird huh?  My family loves them though.  But, they only want plain or strawberry cheesecake.  That's it...they're weird huh? 

This cheesecake is made after one of my favorite dips.  You can probably use any kind of cheese you like though.  If you're not a fan of swiss, try something else.

Let's get started:


Bacon Swiss Cheesecake

Crust

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Filling

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

3 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped chives

1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1 teaspoon horseradish

½ teaspoon of kosher salt

Dash of black pepper

****Ideally all ingredients for the filling should be at room temperature to produce a better cheesecake.

Topping

 shredded swiss cheese

 crumbled bacon

 diced green onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

To prepare crust

In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients together with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray. Firmly press the mixture over the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the pan, the bottom of a measuring cup works great for this.

Bake for 10 minutes

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees

To prepare filling

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute just until smooth and free of any lumps.  Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to slowly beat until combined. Stir in the sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, horseradish, salt and pepper with a spoon. The batter should be well mixed, but not over beaten. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

To Prepare the Water Bath

Wrap the bottom of the spring form pan in aluminum foil.  Place spring form pan into a larger oven proof pan that will be able to hold 2-3 inches of water.  Fill larger pan with 1 1/2-2 inches of hot water. 

Place into pre-heated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Do not open oven door.

Cheesecake will be jiggly in the center when you pull it out.  It is done and will set.

Let it cool in the spring form pan for 30 minutes.  Release from pan, wrap loosely and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Remove cheesecake from the refrigerator at least 30-45 minutes prior to serving.

Top with shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, and chives.

Serve with pita chips.

Print Recipe Here



S'mores Dip

I served this yummy dessert dip a few days ago at my husbands welcome home BBQ.  He spent the last seven months in Afghanistan.  Everyone loved it!  If you like s'mores, this is a simple way to have them anytime you want.

Let's get started:

S'mores Dip

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

1 cup of small marshmallows

Graham Crackers for dipping 

 

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and condensed milk on High for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted. Stir to mix well.

 Pour into 9-inch glass pie pan, spreading evenly.

Drop marshmallow creme by tablespoonfuls randomly over chocolate mixture.

 Microwave on High about 30 seconds or until marshmallow creme is softened.

 Immediately with a knife, make several small swirls through marshmallow and chocolate, creating a marbled appearance.

Top with small marshmallows, place in oven and broil until marshmallows start to turn brown.  Keep a close eye on them because they  burn.

Serve immediately with graham sticks for dipping

Print Recipe Here

Caramel Popcorn Fudge

Yes, my friends you read that correctly.  It's caramel popcorn fudge!!

I've already professed my love of Pinterest.  That's where I got the inspiration for fudge.  It was just too neat not to try.  What a combo huh? Seriously...caramel fudge topped with salted popcorn...holy moly!! 

The inspirational recipe (found here) used vanilla fudge but I opted for the great caramel + popcorn combo.

**A note of caution--if you make this it needs to be eaten pretty quickly and stored in an air tight container so that the popcorn does not go stale.  Also, my caramel fudge was a little softer than what I wanted.  I've increased the cooking temperature in the below recipe in hopes of solving that problem.

Let's get started:

Caramel Popcorn Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 cups caramel bits

1 tablespoon milk (used for melting caramels)
1 7-oz.  jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (give or take) salted popcorn

Melt caramels in a double boiler over medium heat with milk.

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Continue boiling 7 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Candy thermometer should reach somewhere between soft and hard ball stage, approximately 240 degrees F.

Remove from heat, stir in melted caramel till combined.

Add marshmallow creme,  and vanilla, stir until blended.

Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Top with salted popcorn and light press down so that popcorn will stay in place.

Let the fudge cool, and cut into squares.

Store in an air tight container to preserve popcorn. 

Print Recipe Here