recipe: crockpot sausage and cheese tortellini

I'm becoming a fan of crockpot recipes. I've made potato soup and have now tried a sausage tortellini soup! And oh, they're both pretty good! I like being able to put everything into the crockpot and then leave it alone. The only difference is that the tortellini I used wasn't frozen so it took about two and a half hours for it to fully cook. I also didn't realize I needed specific diced tomatoes so I had to season them myself. I just poured them into a bowl and added some Italian seasoning and a little garlic powder. This is definitely a recipe I'll be making again! You can click here for the full recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Italian Sausage
• 20 oz. Frozen Three-Cheese Tortellini
• 32 oz. Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• Grated Parmesan Cheese for topping

Putting this together is super easy! Brown your Italian sausage and put in the bottom of the crockpot. Then add the tortellini. Next add the tomatoes. Pour in the chicken broth. Last, add the cream cheese, cutting it into small pieces. Stir all the ingredients, making sure the tortellini is covered with liquid. If your tortellini isn't frozen, cook on low for about two and a half hours. Stir every hour, letting the soup cook uncovered the last thirty minutes. If the tortellini is frozen, refer to the original recipe.

 

recipe: crockpot chicken and dumplings

Picture source: http://all-things-delicious.blogspot.com/2012/10/crockpot-chicken-dumplings.html

This recipe is sooooo good! I haven't quite mastered preventing the biscuit from turning doughy, but it's still really good :) I love recipes where you just put everything in the crackpot and you're done. So to recap, super easy recipe that tastes amazing. Win-win. 

What you need:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. butter

2  (10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1/2 onion, diced OR you can use 2 Tbsp. dried, diced onion - didn't use either in my recipe

1 Tbsp. dried parsley

4 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits

What to do:

Disclaimer: I did things a little differently because I used a rotisserie chicken that was already cooked - waited for it to cool and then shredded it (such a time saver!). Put everything except the biscuits into the crockpot. Cook on low for about an hour and a half. Add the biscuits (cut into nine pieces) and cook on high for an hour. 

You can read the full recipe here.

recipe: brownie frosting

I made some brownies the other weekend and added some frosting. I've never put frosting on brownies before. I wasn't sure if you use regular cake frosting or if there's a special "brownie" frosting. So I googled it. I bought a box of brownie mix (and added some mini chocolate chips) and then put together this frosting. It was super easy. I added the rest of my chocolate chips to it before spreading it over the brownies. I made the brownies for a church event and wasn't able to see how they turned out. But several people told me the brownies were really good! I'll have to make them again so I can see for myself :) You can click here for the full recipe.

What you need:

- 3 tablespoons butter, softened

- 3 tablespoons cocoa

- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or 1 tablespoon honey (I used honey)

- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

- 1 cup powdered sugar

- 1-2 tablespoons milk (I used 2 tablespoons)

recipe: cookie dough fudge

I've never made fudge but this looked too good to pass up! I've heard stories about how tricky fudge can be and...they've proven true. I don't think I let the fudge base get hot off before adding the powdered sugar but it still tasted good! I took it to work and we ended up just eating it with a spoon :) Cookie dough is good in any form! What I like about the recipe is that - except for the half-and-half - I already had all of the ingredients. I think this could be one of those "I feel like baking" recipes that can be done on a whim. I'll try again to get the consistency right but again, what I made tasted pretty awesome! You can click here for the full recipe. I found another recipe that's the same but the I like the picture better :)

What you need:

Cookie Dough:

- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 2 tablespoons half-and-half

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Fudge Base:

- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

- 1/3 cup unsalted butter

- pinch of salt

- 1/3 cup half-and-half

- 4-5 cups powdered sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla 

- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used the mini ones)

What to do:

"Line an 8-by-8 in baking pan with buttered aluminum foil. Combine butter and sugars in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in vanilla, salt and half-and-half. Add flour and mix until incorporated. For the fudge base, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and half-and-half in a saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted and brown sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth and sugar is completely mixed in. Stir in vanilla. Add cookie dough and stir together. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Fold in chocolate chips and spread fudge into the prepared pan. Chill until set, about 3 hours."

recipe: chocolate lasagna

This dessert is pretty awesome - so awesome I wasn't able to get a picture before the whole pan was gone! There are a few steps involved but it's pretty easy and it's no bake! You can click here to see the full recipe from Ashley at Center Cut Cook.

What you need:

• 1 package Oreo cookies (not Double Stuff) 
• 6 Tablespoon butter, melted 
• 1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 Tablespoons cold milk 
• 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided 
• 2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding. 
• 3 1/4 cups cold milk 
• 1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

What to do:

"Begin by crushing the Oreos and to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving."

 

recipe: bacon appetizers

I made these earlier this week and they were everything Pioneer Woman said they would be! I made a practice batch last weekend and decided when I made them again, I would make a pan of the brown sugar ones as well. Oh, it was fun to hear the conversations surrounding these three-ingredient wonders. "I can't eat any more. I've had five!" "I've had seven!" was the reply from someone else. I love how incredibly easy these are and they smell absolutely amazing as they bake. I wonder what it might taste like to add sliced ham to the brown sugar ones? Something I might try next time. And unlike other recipes, I didn't have to do much after sticking them into the oven. There wasn't additional stirring or flipping or anything - though I did check on them after about an hour. Super easy and super tasty! You can also see Pioneer Woman's photo-by-photo instructions by clicking here. 

What you need:

- Club crackers

- thinly sliced bacon (bacon will be cut in half; one half wrapped around a cracker) 

- grated Parmesan cheese

What to do:

"Lay crackers (as many as you want) face up on a cookie sheet. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese onto each cracker. Cut your package of bacon in half (or cut pieces individually) and carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap each cheese covered cracker in one half piece of bacon, completely covering the cracker. It should fit snugly around the cracker. Place the bacon wrapped crackers onto a baking sheet that has a rack on it. Place in a 250-degree oven for about 2 hours."

 

recipe: sweet & salty cookies

I was looking for a new cookie to make. Something beyond just chocolate chip - something more. And I found it! I liked the odd combination of pretzel and potato chip and chocolate - I wasn't completely convinced I would like it until I took that first bite. And warm from the oven they were super good! I made these for a football party last weekend and got several compliments on them :) The only thing I would do differently is make them a bit thicker next time - I'm not sure if I should've chilled the dough first or what but they ended up spreading out as they baked. This is definitely a cookie I'll be making again! I found this recipe from Nestle's website.

What you need:

• - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• - 1 teaspoon baking soda
• - 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• - 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• - 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• - 2 large eggs
• - 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• - 2 cups coarsely broken rippled potato chips
• - 1 cup small pretzel twists, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
• - 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts (optional)
• 
  
• What to do:
• "Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels, potato chips, pretzel pieces and peanuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely." 

 

recipe: oreo cheesecake pops

Now that it's summer, I'm excited to have some free time to bake! I have a recipe list a mile long and these cake pops are at the top of my list. Amy has even made a 4th of July printable to make it cute as well as yummy! You can look at her blog for the full recipe.

Ingredients

1. 1 Package of Oreo Cookies
2. 1 8oz. Package of Cream Cheese
3. 1-2 Cups White Chocolate Chips or White Chocolate Bar such as Ghirardelli
4. Candy Sprinkles
5. Wax Paper

Directions

• Crush Oreos and then mix with cream cheese
• Roll cookie mixture into 1" balls. Place on a pan covered in wax paper and freeze for 10-20 minutes.
• While Oreo balls are hardening, melt white chocolate chips in a glass dish.
• Remove cookie balls from freezer, dip into melted chocolate and place on wax paper.
• Add sprinkles

recipe: super simple peanut butter cookies

These cookies are both simple and yummy! And even better, you probably have everything already on hand - I was very excited to have this be the case yesterday :) PLUS, if you're looking for a Father's Day gift, these peanut buttery delights would be perfect - they're my dad's favorite. This recipe is compliments of Jif. 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening
  Or 1/2 cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Directions
• - HEAT oven to 375°F. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.
• - COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork.
• - BAKE one baking sheet at a time 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

 

recipe: reese's peanut butter cookie dough dip

 I feel like this picture speaks for itself...and I want a bowl of it right now. You can click here to see the full recipe.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
• 8oz pkg Reese's peanut butter cup Minis (or about 1 1/2 cup chopped Reeses cups)

1. "In a small saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar and butter. Whisk until completely combined and butter is melted. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until creamy (about 3-4 minutes. On low, add in brown sugar mixture (that has cooled to near room temp). Mix until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips and mini Reese's cups. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy with pretzels, animal cracker and graham sticks."

recipe: cheeseburger pie

This is a super simple recipe - with ingredients you may already have on hand. The only thing I would change for next time is finding something to flavor the meat with. The recipe called for salt but I sprinkled a little bit of Nature's Seasoning in the pan as well. I still felt like it was missing something...

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs 

• "Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
• In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
• In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
• Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean."

This recipe is from Betty Crocker and you can click here to read the full recipe.  

recipe: red velvet oreo crinkle cookies

These cookies. I made these this weekend and they're good. Mine turned out more palm-sized but red velvet and Oreo together is great friendship :) I haven't looked at anything else on Sprinkle Bakes blog but I'm sure there's plenty more awesome-ness!

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
24 Oreos
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1. "Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat in buttermilk, vanilla and red food coloring. 
3. Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat on low until just combined. The dough should be very soft and a little sticky. If it is very sticky then add 1/4 cup more all-purpose flour and stir again. Cover and chill in the freezer until the dough is very cold and easy to handle.
4. Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl and set aside.
5. Using buttered fingers (I used cooking spray) scoop out a 3-4 tbsp.-sized piece of dough and press the dough around the sandwich cookie.  Alternate method: flatten dough between the palms of your hands.  Place a cookie on the flattened dough and fold the dough around the cookie. (Butter hands between each dough piece.)
6. Roll lightly between the palms of your hands to make the cookie-stuffed dough a little more ball-shaped and roll in powdered sugar. Repeat until all the dough and cookies are used.
7. Place dough balls on a cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.  These cookies will spread, so I suggest placing no more than 5 per cookie sheet.  Tip: re-roll dough balls in powdered sugar just before putting them in the oven.  The crinkled appearance will be more prominent.
8. Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked on top about 14 minutes. Let cool on the pan about 5 minutes (cookies will be soft) then transfer to a wire rack to cool."

recipe: peppermint pattie cookies

Oh my! I'm knee-deep with planning lessons, grading papers and all other things teaching! While I'm loving finally having my own classroom, I'm still working on finding the balance between my job...and the other parts of my life. Blogging has wandered to the sidelines since August but I want one of my goals for 2013 to be to get back to it! So I'm sharing an amazing recipe for peppermint pattie cookies I found today - I'm baking these super soon! 

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup loosely brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate chips

peppermint pattie cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

ganache
3.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2.5 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the cooled butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Gradually add in dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. Fold in chocolate chunks. Roll dough into 1-1 1/2-inch balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the middles are just set. Don’t over bake! Let cool completely. While cookies are cooling, add powdered sugar, butter, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Use a spatula and spread the peppermint cream over the top of each cookie evenly."

 

recipe: peppermint pattie brownies

One of my goals while on Christmas break is do some major baking! These brownies are at the top of the list! They're from the amazing Jessica at How Sweet It Is. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup chocolate chips
peppermint pattie layer
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
ganache
3.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2.5 tablespoons heavy cream

 

Directions:

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with butter or nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine melted butter with sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until combined and almost smooth. Whisk in each egg one at a time, stirring until a smooth batter forms. Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter in the 8x8 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Remove and let cool. While brownies are cooling, add powdered sugar, butter, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour over brownies and spread in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Place in the refrigerator until set, about 30 minutes. To make ganache, heat heavy cream until warm and pour it over chopped chocolate. Stir for a few minutes until totally combined, smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the peppermint layer or cut brownies first and spoon over top. I love these refrigerated!"

happy fall and a yummy recipe :)

I miss blogging! I feel like it's been soooo long since I've posted anything! I'm going to try and do better with that. I'm learning with my new job that it's all about balance. I could easily stay late at school and bring things home to work on until going to bed and then repeat that routine each day but I would then be speeding toward Burned Out Blvd. :) So this is the beginning of me taking a break from checking papers and planning lessons and everything else...

Fall is my favorite season! I absolutely love the cooler weather and the color of the leaves and the smell of fireplaces! To celebrate, here's a cozy, fall-ish recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 8 slices white bread (6 slices if your bread is on the larger side)
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and halved (for rubbing on the outsides of the bread)
• Butter

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to 24 hours) to allow the flavors to develop.
2. Lay down the bread slices and, using a butter knife, spread the ricotta mixture evenly on each piece. The ricotta mixture should coat the insides of both pieces of bread. Note: If you’re using large pieces of bread, you may want to make more of the ricotta mixture, or only make two or three sandwiches instead of four).
3. Lay the mozzarella slices evenly on every other piece of bread (one side of each sandwich). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and close the sandwiches by place both cheesy insides together.
4. Rub the outsides of the sandwiches with the cut side of the garlic clove, then butter both sides generously.
5. In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, cook the sandwiches, flipping often, until they’re golden-brown on the outside and the cheese is melted inside, about 10 minutes.
6. Serve immediately.

recipe: creamy chicken noodle soup

Recently, a very sweet woman at my church was nice enough to open her home up to those who were interested in taking part of a cooking class she was hosting. She, along with two other women, showed us how to make an amazingly simple meal that tasted soooo good! She ended up doing two classes and for the second class, she made chicken noodle soup. I tried the recipe myself this past week and though it didn't taste like hers, it was still pretty good. I've made note of what to do differently next time but you've got to start somewhere, right? So here we go...

1 store-bought roasted chicken
1 cup diced onions*
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
4 cans (14 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (10.75 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic*
2 teaspoon fine herbs (I bought Morton's Nature's Seasoning)
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked egg noodles (I used a whole bag)

*ingredients I did not use

"Remove the skin from the chicken and shred the meat from the bone. Put the chicken into a slow cooker along with the onions, celery and carrots. Stir in broth, mushroom soup, and fine herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high setting for 3-4 hours or low for 8-9 hours. When soup is finished, stir in egg noodles. Adjust seasonings and serve." 

I don't like mushroom and after confirming with her that she didn't use them in the soup she made for us, I chose to leave them out. I probably should've added at least another can of broth to replace that liquid but I didn't, only using four (I bought two that were low sodium and two that were normal chicken broth). I also didn't let my soup cook long enough. It took longer than I planned on to shred the chicken and then cut and dice the vegetables. I ended up leaving it in the slow cooker for three hours but it needed at least four. While it tasted fine, the carrots and celery were both still a little crunchy. Overall, I was pleased with how it turned out :)

recipe: bacon peanut butter banana bread

Jessica's blog is one of my favorites. She has amazing recipes and has a knack for making me laugh :) I'm not a huge peanut butter fan so I think instead of spreading it on top, I might use some of Pioneer Woman's sugar glaze for her delicious apple fritters and drizzle it on top. The whole idea of bacon in this intrigues me - it seems like such a contrasting pair that I want to try it :)

6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg

2/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup bacon drippings resulting from cooking bacon

4 bananas, mashed (about 2 1/4 cups mashed)

1/3 cup milk

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon, cooking until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove bacon and let drain on a paper towel until ready to use. Reserve 1/4 cup of bacon drippings and set aside.

Spray a loaf pan liberally with non-stick spray or grease with butter. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon then set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar together until smooth. Whisk in vanilla extract, peanut butter, bacon drippings and butter, then add bananas and milk and mix until combined. Add in dry ingredients slowing, mixing with a spoon until batter comes together. Fold in bacon until it’s equally distributed.

Pour batter into loaf pan. Set pan on a baking sheet, then bake for 45-50 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove bread from oven and let cool completely before cutting.

Note: if you’d like even more peanut butter flavor, stir in a big handful of peanut butter chips!"

chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

I'm on a chocolate kick right now. I have this growing list of chocolate-based recipes that I really, really want to try. All involve chocolate in it's various forms: chocolate chips, Oreos, fudge, brownies - lots and lots of chocolate! If you follow me on Pinterest, you'd see I have a board dedicated solely to chocolate recipes - I'm that serious about this :) So here's a quick peek into what's on my list:

1. two bite chocolate cream pies

2. peanut butter fudge coffee ice cream cupcakes

3. brownie goody bars*

4. chocolate chip lava cookies

5. smore bars

6. another brownie goody bars recipe 

*to view this recipe, you have to be a member. I'm not but I just think it's yummy to look at :)

recipe: ultimate brownie

I saw this and wanted it immediately :) The official name is "Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar" and all that chocolate sounds absolutely amazing! I've not made this yet but it's moved to the top of my list of recipes to try - the very top. You can go to the direct link to view her picture-by-picture instructions but be prepared for a chocolate overload :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
• 1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos
• 1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix
• 1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Directions

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting — brownies may still be gooey in the middle when still warm, but will set up perfectly once cooled. Enjoy!!

* To half this recipe for an 8×8 brownie mix, simply half the chocolate chip cookie dough ingredients."

recipe: tuxedo pie

I'm basically using this recipe as a spring board because when I do make it, I want to change a few things - pretty much the whole thing - but you have to start somewhere, right? I'm not a huge cherry fan so I think strawberries would be a good substitute and I would also change the crust. I think a graham cracker crust would be quite lovely and maybe even top with a few mini chocolate chips and whip cream. Ok, so I just changed two things and left the rest as is - adding a few garnishes. So it's pretty much the original recipe :) This came from the Betty Crocker website - one of the places I go to for yummy things.

Ingredients

Crust

3

cups Fiber One® original bran cereal

1/2

cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4

cup sugar

1

teaspoon vanilla

Topping

1

package (8 oz) fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/3

cup sugar

3/4

teaspoon almond extract

1

can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

1 1/2

oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2

oz white chocolate baking bar, chopped (1/4 cup)

• 1
  Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush cereal with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor).
• 2
  In medium bowl, mix cereal, melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar and the vanilla. Press evenly on bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pizza pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• 3
  Just before serving, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and the almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Spread with pie filling.
• 4
  In small microwavable bowl, microwave semisweet chocolate on High about 1 minute or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. In another small bowl, repeat with white chocolate. Drizzle chocolates over filling; cool slightly. Cut into wedges.