OREO COOKIE DESSERT

OREO COOKIE DESSERT

1 lg. pkg. Oreo cookies
2 sm. boxes French vanilla instant pudding mix
1 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
2 1/2 c. milk

In a 9 x 13 inch pan crumble up real fine all cookies, but 2. Melt
butter and mix with cookies. Spread evenly in pan.

In a separate bowl blend milk an pudding. Add cream cheese and mix.
Add Cool Whip and mix well. Pour mixture over the cookies and butter.
Rub the 2 remaining cookies together to garnish the dessert. Refrigerate.

Easter Cooking

I made 2 batches of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars. They look fantastic, and all of the separate parts tasted so good I can't wait to taste them together!


Just a few of the eggs we made.


I also made 2 batches of the Moms Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes. I used apples sauce instead of the pineapple, and tossed in some mini marshmallows. I think I might make a brown sugar topping for them, but maybe not.

Happy Easter to all!!!

Chocolate Coma Cookies

Chocolate Coma Cookies

Makes 6 dozen.

I 1/2'd the recipe but they are so good I wish I hadn't.

1 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup VE Bittersweet Chocolate chips
1.5 cups VE Dark Chocolate
1 cup dried tart cherries (I substituted Craisins)
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1 tsp VE baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp VE Sea Salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1.5 tsp VE Vanilla.

In nonstick pan toast the almonds over med-low heat until just browned
(5-10 mins). Cool. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Add Oats. Set Aside.

In large mixing bowl beat butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat
until light and fluffy, about 4 mins. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until
well combined (1 minute). Add flour mixture and beat at low speed
until well combined, less than a minute. Add chocolate, almonds &
cherries. Using a sturdy spoon mix well by hand, until thoroughly
incorporated. Using a 1 Tbsp scoop spoon out cookies onto sheets,
about 12 to one parchment covered bun pan. Bake 12-14 mins @ 350 until
they have flattened slightly & are light brown. Cool on sheets 2
minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

My Source: Epicure

Hershey's Truffles

Chocoalte Truffles

I usually dip them in melted chocolate chips instead of rolling them in cocoa or nuts. I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao chips for the ones I made. These are good for Valentine's Day too.


3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cocoa or powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; stir until
smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk; increase heat to medium. Cook,
stirring constantly, about 4 minutes or until mixture has pudding-like
consistency and is smooth and glossy.

2. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover; refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or
until firm. Shape into 1-1/4-inch balls; roll in cocoa or powdered sugar.
Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Store, covered, in refrigerator.
About 2-1/2 dozen candies.


VARIATIONS:

NUT TRUFFLES: Add 3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans to chocolate
mixture when adding vanilla. (To toast pecans: Heat oven to 375°F. Spread
3/4 cup pecan halves or pieces in single layer in ungreased shallow baking
pan. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool
before chopping.

RUM NUT TRUFFLES: Decrease vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Stir in 2 to 3
tablespoons rum OR 1 teaspoon rum extract and nuts.

ESPRESSO TRUFFLES: Decrease vanilla to 1 teaspoon. Stir in 1-1/4 teaspoons
powdered instant espresso or instant coffee when adding vanilla. Roll balls
in cocoa or chopped nuts.

NUT-COATED TRUFFLES: Roll balls in chopped nuts.

Christmas Cookies #2

Pretzel Rings

I made a sheet full of these this evening. I'm sure I'll have to hide them if I want any left for the Christmas Day tray! I couldn't find rings, so I just used mini twists.

Carnival of the Recipes has a bunch of cookie recipes to browse!

I am still frosting cut outs & thinking I should make a second batch. However, I do have a few sewing projects left to finish... priorities.

Chocolate Cherry Merlot Brownies

I must be in a mood, because reading this recipe makes me want to run out, buy all the ingredient, make them s & then eat the entire pan. But, at $4.21 a gallon, sanity & logic win!

Chocolate Cherry Merlot Brownies
Estimated Times:
Preparation - 20 min | Cooking - 33 min | Yields - 16 brownies

Sweeten the moment with this unique, wine lover's dessert. Bursting with merlot-soaked cherries, these fudgy brownies are bound to spark passion.

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 cups (6-oz. pkg.) dried sweet cherries, chopped
* 1/2 cup Merlot wine
* 8 oz. NESTLÉ CHOCOLATIER™ 53% Cacao Dark Chocolate Baking Bar(s), broken into small pieces
* 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease 9-inch-square baking pan.

MICROWAVE dried cherries and wine in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute. Set aside for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain cherries; discard wine.

MICROWAVE small chocolate pieces in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; STIR. If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted; cool to room temperature.

COMBINE flour and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in medium mixer bowl until well mixed. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Stir in drained cherries. Spread into prepared pan.

BAKE for 33 to 37 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

NOTE: Sweetened dried cranberries can be substituted for the dried cherries.

Texas Sheet Cake

This is it! After making it, I can say this is "my" recipe!!! I had made a different version I found online & it just wasn't the same (of course that was the one I had to serve to family & friends).

My recipe is MIA, I haven't gotten it back from my Mom yet, but I think this is close enough that I don't need too. It was just right.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

2 sticks butter
1 c. water
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

In a saucepan bring to boil first 3 ingredients and remove from heat. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a large, greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes. Frost with Texas Sheet Cake Frosting while still warm.

* Mine only took 20, but I have a baking stone in my oven I put all my pans on, so it helps with the even cooking*

FROSTING:

1 stick butter
6 tbsp. milk
4 tbsp. cocoa
1 lb. confectioners sugar (I think that it was about 3 cups, but I used my scale so I was exact, I buy this in bulk)
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring to a boil first 3 ingredients; remove from heat and add last 3 ingredients. Spread on cake while still warm.

Royal Treasures

I was just asked to write about this food site Royal Treasures. I had never been to the site before, but their product sounds fantastic! How can you go wrong with a motto of "Chocolate is nature's way of making up for Mondays." Based in Graham North Carolina this "bakery" seems to have very focused company plan. Do a couple things really well & customers will follow. According to the website their business started like many food business do, in their home kitchen. It's amazing how sometimes a simple gift from your kitchen can turn into a thriving food business!

They have truffles available individually or in baskets. They have 4 levels of gift basket available for order online, but of course if you want something special they can accommodate you.

The Royal Treasures website also has brownies and Pecan Pies available. There are 8 varieties of brownie to choose from, how about some Triple Chocolate, or my favorite kind of brownie Peanut Butter...YUM!

I think my only complaint about the website is the photos are a little on the not mouth watering side, and I'd like to see pictures of all the brownie varieties. But over all Royal Treasures is a website worth visiting!

Valentine's Day Chocolates

OK, so it is coming fast now!

Which is putting me in the mood to wear red & browse the Internet for CHOCOLATE!

I have found a yummy looking site in my travels the Chocolate Covered Company, how can you go wrong with a name like that...

In browsing the site I discovered Chocolate Dipped Berries. My favorite food (when I can get to the chocolate shop & have the $) is chocolate covered strawberries, theirs look fantastic! I also discovered chocolate covered blackberries, gooseberries, cherries, and grapes. You can get then in different chocolates, coatings, colors, assortments, the only limits I can find are that of you credit card!

They even have a Sugar Free Product Page. There are 4 options for ordering sugar free online, but it states that a "majority of our items online can be Special Requested to be Sugar Free. Please contact one of our representatives." With the quality of "sugar" free chocolate improving greatly with it's increase in popularity I bet these are yummy as well, maybe just not AS yummy as the regular stuff.

Granted their "you can't eat flowers" slogan works for me on so many levels, their price tag being equal to that of roses does not. So this website is for truly decadent occasions, where you want to spoil yourself/significant other seriously. Don't look for a frugal/thrifty option here! This website is all about luxury!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chocolate Enchilada Sauce

I recieved this recipe in my Hershey's Kitchens Sweet Ideas emailing Chicken Enchiladas with Chocolate Enchilada Sauce

Sounds like a yummy Valentine's Day meal!!!