recipe: better than anything oreo cake

This dessert. Oh, it turned out pretty perfect! I like it for several reasons. One is that it only takes a handful of ingredients. Two, it was fairly simple to make. Three, it tasted really good! I've made it twice and followed the recipe as is. But I'm thinking next time it might be fun to add some chopped Reese Cups to the top and less Oreo. I feel like the Oreo makes it really sweet - maybe it's the cream. I did a layer of Oreo before the whip and also on top so I might scale back the next time and just use around ten Oreos or so. Regardless, this is an easy recipe and tastes REALLY good! You can look at the full recipe from Nikki at Chef In Training by clicking here.

What you need:

• 1 box German chocolate cake mix, and all ingredients it requires
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (16 oz) jar hot fudge
• 1 (8 oz.) tub cool whip, thawed to room temperature
• 15 Oreos, crushed/chopped

What to do:

1. Bake cake according to directions in a 9x13 pan.
2. Let cake cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Poke holes in cake with the handle end of a wooden spoon.
4. While cake is still warm, slowly pour over sweetened condensed milk over the top making sure some gets in all the holes of the cake.
5. Heat Jar of Hot Fudge until runny and hot. Make sure it is melted to a point that it will pour easily. Pour over top of cake, making sure some gets in all the holes of cake.
6. Let cake cool completely then spread thawed cool whip over the top.
7. Sprinkle crushed/chopped Oreos over the top of Cool Whip.
8. Store in fridge until ready to eat. Store any leftovers in fridge.

recipe: crockpot chicken and dumplings

Life is busy right now and blogging has sadly fallen to the wayside. I'm almost halfway through my second year of teaching and it's very exciting…but I'm still working on making time for everything else :) A goal for the new year! However, I've been doing a little cooking and wanted to share this great recipe! I made a few changes but it's super easy and the perfect cozy dish! This was a Pinterest recipe and I'm very excited to add it to my #pinterestsuccess list - because that doesn't always happen!

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I bought a rotisserie chicken, let it cool, and shredded it)

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 (I used neither)

1 Tbsp. dried parsley

4 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits (the can I bought had five biscuits but I liked having more dumplings)

Directions

You can click here to read the full directions but since my chicken was already cooked, I did things a little differently. Add everything but the biscuits and cook on low for about an hour and a half. Add the biscuits and turn on high for an hour, stirring occasionally. 

best cookie recipes

I made cookies the other night...and they ended up in the trash. It was a very disappointing experience. I used Betty Crocker's cookie mix but for some reason, something went horribly wrong. The sides were starting to brown but the middle was still gooey. Normally I use the pre-made dough in the dairy section and it's fine. So, what are some of your best cookie recipes? I will say one of my favorites is the JIF peanut butter cookie recipe. Those never last long in my house when I make them :)

recipe: blueberry muffins

I made these last week and felt very accomplished. I went with a friend to pick the blueberries and had everything already on hand to make the muffins except for the yogurt. You can go to Ree's website to see her step-by-step picture instructions. 

Ingredients

3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch of salt
Dash of Nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt (throw in extra if you want)
2 cups fresh blueberries
Vanilla Extract
Softened Butter, for muffin tins
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Directions

"Preheat oven to 385 degrees. In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-full of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10. Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times. Add mixture to well-buttered muffin pans. Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top (brown sugar can be used instead). Bake 20 to 25 minutes and allow to cool completely."

 

recipe: no bake s'mores cheesecakes

Don't these No Bake S'mores Cheesecakes look amazing?! And I love how she put them into these glasses - How Sweet It Is always has great presentation :) Here's the recipe for these cheesecakes or you can go to Jessica's blog. 

Ingredients

crust & topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff or cream
4 marshmallows, toasted and cut in half

chocolate ganache
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream

marshmallow cheesecake
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff or cream
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

"In a small bowl, mix together butter and graham crumbs until moistened. Press crumbs into the container of your choice (jar, ramekin, etc) with the back of a spoon. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm, just until bubbles appear on the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds, then stir constantly until the chocolate is all melted and a smooth ganache comes together. Add about a teaspoon of the ganache on top of each graham crust.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until creamy. Add in the marshmallow fluff and beat until combined, then with the mixer on low speed, pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until a smooth batter forms. Pour the batter on top of the chocolate ganache, leaving space on top for more chocolate and marshmallow.

Add another teaspoon of ganache on top of the cheesecake and a sprinkle of graham crumbs if you wish, then refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. When ready to serve, add a tablespoon or so of marshmallow fluff on top of the ganache, then top with a toasted marshmallow. Sprinkle extra graham crumbs on top and serve!"

recipe: oreo white chocolate rice krispie treats

I'm making these tomorrow and am pretty pumped about it :) I've made original Rice Krispie Treats but wanted to add a little pizzazz and I think this recipe will do just that! The only additional ingredients you need are Oreos and white chocolate. The recipe is from Grey Luster Girl and she has tons of other great stuff going on at her blog!

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Melted Butter

1 (10.5 oz) bag plus 1/4 of another (10.5 oz) bag Mini Marshmallows

6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal

26 Oreo Cookies Crushed up in rough chunks (Divided into 16 for filling and 10 for topping)

1 Bag Guittard White Chocolate Chips

Directions:

"Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Crush 16 Oreos and set aside. Melt butter in a large non-stick pan and add marshmallows. Mix until marshmallows are melted and combined with the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the Rice Krispies cereal. Add the 16 crushed Oreos and mix. Pour and press the mixture into the prepared 9×13 pan. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave for 30 second intervals. Pour the chocolate on top of the Rice Krispie mixture, reserving some to drizzle on the top afterwards. Smooth the white chocolate with a knife. Crush the remaining 10 Oreos and sprinkle on top of the white chocolate. Drizzle the last of the white chocolate on top of the Oreo layer. Allow chocolate to cool and harden before cutting the Rice Krispies Treats."

recipe: peanut butter cookie dough brownie bites

I'm not a huge peanut butter fan but when it's paired with chocolate, I have a hard time refusing. And this recipe combines both things beautifully. This is another recipe on my "to do" list but oh my, it's pretty close to the top :) You can also read Hayley's full recipe.

Ingredients
1 box fudge brownie mix, baked and cooled
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp smooth peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
About 2 cups flour
1 pkg white chocolate bark (like Candiquik)
Peanut butter chips, optional

Directions

1. "Beat together the butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter and sugars until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla; beat to combine. Lastly, beat in the flour until a soft dough forms.

2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, drop rounded, tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Freeze the cookie dough balls for about an hour to firm up.

3. Cut the brownies into small squares, about 1″ in size. Pick up a square and gently flatten it with your palm. Fudgy brownies will flatten easily and retain their moisture which is why it’s important to make sure you use a fudgy brownie mix rather than a cake-y one.

4. Place a cookie dough ball in the middle of the flattened brownie and very gently, wrap the brownie around the cookie dough ball. If the brownie cracks, that’s okay; just kind of roll it in your fingers until the brownie completely surrounds the cookie dough. Repeat until all cookie dough balls are covered, then return to the freezer for 30 minutes or so.

5. Prepare white chocolate bark according to package directions; once melted, stir in the remaining Tablespoon of peanut butter to combine.  Using a fork, dip each brownie truffle into the white chocolate mixture, coat completely, and allow excess to drip off. Return to the foil-line sheet and sprinkle the tops with the peanut butter chips, for garnish. 

*Note: this works best when using brownies from the middle of the pan.  I don’t like using brownies from the edges because the edges are far crispier and don’t mold around the cookie dough as well.*"