Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Brownie Bites

We went to Frank's birthday party yesterday and I made these to go along with my Vanilla Cream Soda that we brought. They were so delicious and easy to make! People couldn't stop at just one...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Brownie Bites

from Picky Palate

Ingredients:

1 brownie mix such as Pillsbury

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Bake until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center but still slighty undercooked. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. When you are able to touch brownies comfortably, scoop brownies with a medium cookie scoop, roll tightly into a ball and place onto a wax paper lined baking sheet. Continue rolling until brownies are gone. Freeze brownies until very firm, a couple of hours or overnight. Don't worry if your brownie balls aren't perfect, once frozen reshape them. They are easier to handle when chilled.

Place chocolate chips over a double broiler (or heat in microwave until smooth) to melt, then stir in peanut butter until creamy and smooth. Roll each frozen brownie ball into chocolate and place onto wax paper to dry. Enjoy room temperature or chilled.

Posted by: Julia

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars

This is another favorite recipe of mine. The first time I made them I think I picked at them all day until I'd eaten half the pan. They're so good and have a little bit of everything. You can change them to your taste. Sometimes I use all chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips, peanut butter, chips, you get the idea. This time I left out the nuts.

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars

Eagle Brand Recipes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch-flavored chips
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass baking pan). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.

Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetables with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce

Maybe it was because this was the first meal I cooked after vacation, or maybe it was the combination of spicy chicken, slightly crunchy veggies and fluffy rice after all that heavy vacation food I ate, I'm not sure, but this meal really hit the spot. I must warn you, it was a little too spicy for the little kiddies but us adults thoroughly enjoyed it. The spice comes from the Asian Chili Sauce so you could try halving it if you're worried about it being too spicy. It comes together in about 30 minutes and is a great, healthy meal for summer.

Stir- Fried Chicken and Vegetables with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce

Best 30 minute recipe

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used canola)

1 recipe Spicy Thai Basil Sauce

8 oz. pkg. sliced mushrooms

4 oz. thinly sliced or julienned carrots (1 1/2 cups)

1 bell pepper (whatever color you like) cored, seeded and sliced ( 1 1/2 cups)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Spicy Thai Basil Sauce

1 cup basil leaves, chopped coarse

3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. Asian chili sauce

2 tsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

Combine ingredients in medium bowl and use as directed.

Toss chicken with soy sauce. Heat 2 tsp. oil in 12 in. nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. (While chicken cooks, prepare sauce). Transfer chicken to clean bowl.

Add one more tablespoon of oil to pan and return to high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in carrots and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.

Clear center of pan and add remaining one teaspoon oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook, mashing garlic mixture into pan with back of spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cooked chicken. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to pan, and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce thickens 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Round Steak with Black Beans

I promised myself that after coming back from vacation I would try to use up a lot of the food that was piling up in my freezer. I had some round steak and found this recipe from Southern Food. It cooks in the crock pot which makes it super easy and the only work required is dicing an onion and measuring spices. Everything else comes from a can. It was really good. The soup gave it a little creaminess and the kick from the green chilies was really good. The meat turned out so tender! The only change I would make next time is to just leave the round steak in serving portions. I think it would make a nicer presentation and cubing it just wasn't necessary. We had this over mashed potatoes but you could also use rice. This recipe can be easily adapted. I think pork chops would taste just as delicious and if you don't like spicy food you could just use regular diced tomatoes.

Round Steak With Black Beans

Southern Food

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies 10 oz. or 1 1/2 cups salsa

1 10 1/2 oz can cream of mushroom soup

1 16 oz. can black beans, drained

1 large onion, diced

1/4 tsp. each cumin, chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder

1 1/2 -2 lbs. round steak (you can either cube this or just leave in normal portion sizes)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in the crock pot. (I did the sauce first and then added the meat last). Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or 4 to 5 hours on high. Serve over hot rice or mashed potatoes. Makes 4-6 servings.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake With Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze

It feels so good to be back. I love vacation, but I'm a big homebody and always love coming home. My sister and her husband invited us for the 4th of July and boy was it a feast. Her husband broke out the famous smoker and made salmon, chicken and pulled pork. We had some great classic side dishes and because the 4th of July also happens to be my sister's birthday I had to make her a cake. I was so excited to break out my Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cake book. Every recipe in here looks so delicious I am just waiting for more opportunities to make them. She chose a delicious chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.

Anyone that knows me also knows when I get too tired you might as well forget about it. Well, who knows what I was thinking but I decided to make this cake at night and lets just say I forgot 2 crucial ingredients. Totally embarrassing, but the cake luckily was still okay and the frosting more than made up for it. It had the perfect amount of peanut butter so it wasn't overwhelming at all and just so creamy and delicious. The cake was moist and dense like a devil's food cake and I will for sure be making this again just to redeem myself. I know it will be even that much better made the right way. We didn't have 3 pans so we just used 2 9" pans and it worked great. If you have a peanut butter/chocolate lover in your family you've got to try this one. Just make sure you're wide awake!

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 sugar

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch Process (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soy bean, or vegetable blend

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups water

2 tbsp distilled white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

1/2 c. chopped peanut brittle (couldn't find this so left it out)

For the Cake:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8 in. round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:

10 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick, 4 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature

5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended. Makes about 5 cups

For the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze:

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 c. half and half (next time I might add a tad more as it was a little thick)

In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from heat and whisk in the half and half beating until smooth. Use while still warm. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

To frost the cake:

To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

To decorate with the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle. Makes 3 8 inch layer cakes. Serves 12-16.

French Toast Supreme

I am a huge fan of Monte Cristo sandwiches, so when I came across this recipe in a new cookbook I picked up, I just had to try it. Well, it didn't disappoint! This was such a yummy version of french toast, I may never go back to the plain stuff again!

French Toast Supreme
from the Taste of Home Simple & Delicious Cookbook

Ingredients:
8 slices Texas toast
4 sliced Canadian bacon
4 slices Monetery Jack cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup refrigerated French vanilla nondairy creamer
Confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions:
On four slices of Texas toast, place one slice of bacon and one slice of cheese; top with remaining Texas toast. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and creamer. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture.

On a hot griddle or large skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired. Serve with jam. Makes 4 servings.

Posted by: Julia

Father's Day Menu

We'll be heading off later this week for a well anticipated summer vacation so I won't be posting for quite awhile, but I wanted to leave you with a menu idea for Father's Day. These ribs are one of my Mom's most requested recipes. They are my absolute, all time favorite and quickly became a favorite of my husbands too. I have to admit, I've never even tried another recipe. The sweet of the chili sauce, with the tart from the lemon is a winning combination. I like to use the boneless, country style ribs. They cook up so tender with no annoying bones to worry about. Plus, I think they taste just as delicious baked as they do on the grill so you if you're like me and are clueless when it comes to the BBQ, no worries. Most of this meal can be made the day before so you can both relax!

The Menu:

BBQ Ribs

Potato Salad or Funeral Potatoes

Corn on the Cob

Rolls

Lemon Cake or Texas Sheet Cake

Mom's BBQ'd (or baked) Ribs

from Better Homes and Gardens

2 lbs. boneless, country style pork ribs

For the Sauce:

1/2 c. chili sauce

2 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

1/4 c. butter1/4 c. finely minced onion (I like to do mine in a mini food processor and get them nice and small)

1 c. Ketchup

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Worcestershire

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 lemon sliced

Either- Simmer ribs covered in salt water in saucepan until tender about 45-60 minutes or (my preferred method )-- put ribs in crock pot until just barely covered with salted water. Cook on low for 7 hours. Drain and refrigerate until baking or grilling. (I do this the night before). Meanwhile, prepare sauce. In a saucepan, combine ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, butter and onion. Add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and lemon slices. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat.

If Baking in oven: Place hot ribs in shallow roasting pan; pour generous amount of sauce over ribs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, basting with sauce every 10 minutes.

If grilling: Grill ribs over medium to low coals about 10-15 minutes each side, brushing often with sauce.

Perfect Potato Salad

My Kitchen Cafe

This potato salad was great. I've never had a potato salad recipe I've liked well enough to stick with. I really liked the "dressing" on this one. This recipe also gives you the option of serving it warm or cold. I will definitely be making this again. I think next time I will add pickles too.

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise

2/3 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. minced dried onions

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. mustard

Shake vigorously in jar or blend in blender until well combined.

Salad:

5 lbs. potatoes (red is what I used)

1 cup sliced olives

10 hard boiled eggs, diced

Peel, dice and boil potatoes until tender but not mushy. Drain potatoes well and pour into large bowl. Add sliced olives and hard boiled eggs. If you want to serve it warm--- Pour dressing over warm potatoes until desired "dressing-level" is reached. If you would like it cold pour a thin coating over the potatoes and refrigerate until cold (or overnight). Right before serving add remaining dressing to your liking. The recipe says it serves 6-8 but I would say 10-15.

Lemon Cake w/ Lemon Glaze

This recipe was given to me by my Mother in Law and has been a favorite of both my husband and I for years. The cake is moist and full of lemon flavor and it starts with a cake mix so it's really easy. It's got a nice, simple glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice which keeps it nice and light, perfect for spring and summer.

Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 3 oz. pkg. Lemon Jello

3/4 c. oil

3/4 c. water

4 eggs

1 tsp. lemon extract

Glaze

1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients together for 4 minutes. Bake in greased 9 x 13 pan for 30-40 minutes. When cake is done poke holes with fork all over the top of the cake. Pour glaze evenly over cake and put back in a 200 degree oven for 2-5 minutes just to "bake-in" the glaze.