Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

Every time we get together with friends, I love to bake a special treat to take along.  I was flattered when Richard came home for practice one day and said some of the guys had asked him if I would make a dessert for their Coach's Supper.  Of course I said yes, and I new exactly which recipe I wanted to try, as my mouth had been watering since I saw them on Kevin & Amanda.

Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies
Source: Kevin & Amanda

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Loaded Baked Potato Dip

I made this appetizer a while back when a bunch of us hockey wives got together.  It tastes so much like a loaded baked potato it is crazy.  Try it out, you won't be disappointed!

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Source: Brown Eyed Baker, adapted from MyRecipes.com

Yield: About 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives

Fry the bacon, cool and crumble.

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S'Mores Cupcakes

Here is the third and final cupcake recipe from our Cupcake Party. 

If you have ever went camping with me, you know that I love to roast marshmallows over the fire.  Many of my friends joke that I would eat a whole bag by myself.  While they are exaggerating a little bit, I do love them, and every once and a while I enjoy making myself a Smore too.  When I saw this recipe with an actual marshmallow on top, I knew I had to try it.  Served warm, it is delicious and the marshmallow is so perfectly gooey!

S’mores Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Kevin & Amanda

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Sugar Cookie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

When I was on my conquest to find some delicious cupcakes for my cupcake party, I came across the Vanilla Buttercream used by Georgetown Cupcakes from the show DC Cupcakes.  I new I wanted to try it, so I began searching for a white cupcake to pair it with.  When  I stumbled across a recipe for Sugar Cookie Cupcakes, I was very intrigued as I love sugar cookies.  After looking at the recipe, I decided that this was the cupcake that I was looking for to pair with this buttercream, and I was very pleased with the final product.  They tasted great together and I will definatley be using these recipes again in the near future! 

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

Source: adapted from Baked Perfection

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain Greek yogurt

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake

If you checked out my last post, you know that I recently held a cupcake party.  This week I will be sharing three amazing recipes that I tried for the first time for this party.  My inspiration for the party was a post on Kevin & Amanda so it only seemed right to try a few of her cupcakes too.  I only recently found this amazing blog, so I hadn't tried any of her cupcake recipes yet.  I chose the S'More cupcake from her party, and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake that is one of her most popular posts...and now I know why!  The third cupcake I found on Baked Perfection while searching for something I thought would go good with a Vanilla Buttercream from DC Cupcakes.

These might just be my new favourite cupcake. When I took my first bite, I literally stopped and said "Wow." I was all by myself and all I wanted to do was tell someone how amazing they were. My husband has since had the same reaction. He usually tries to stay away from my baking in order to be 'healthy,' but he will be eating these until they are gone, and his reaction is priceless every time. Trust me that they are just THAT GOOD! Mmmmm!

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Ladies Night In: Cupcake Party!

I happened across the most amazing blog a few weeks back while revamping my blog.  It is called Kevin & Amanda and it has a little bit of everything on it including amazing recipes, photography and blogging tips, free fonts and so much more.  Oh, and her craft room is amazing and will be my inspiration when I can have a permanent crafting space!

I have tried a few of her recipes so far and am in love.  I will be sharing many of them in the coming weeks so stay tuned.  However, it was her post about her cupcake party that really got me excited!  Not only was it an evening to spend with friends, but they enjoyed tasting delicious cupcakes and each of them created a lovely cupcake inspired painting.  How much fun is that?!?  It reminded me so much of last spring in OKC when my friend Kristen and I enjoyed an evening of Wine & Canvas, recently renamed Wine & Palette.  We enjoyed an evening out at a restaurant in Bricktown including drink specials and step-by-step instructions for creating our own masterpiece to take home. 

We had a wonderful time and when I moved to Norfolk, I looked to see if they had anything similar.  Sadly, they do not, however, when I came across Kevin & Amanda's Cupcake Party post, I was inspired to create my own version of Wine and Canvas at home, with the help of Stephanie from All Artful.  Click on this link to view a tutorial on painting the cupcake with a class of milk.  It is wonderful!

Of course, a Cupcake Party would not be complete without a bunch of cupcakes to taste test!  I found three new recipes to try and was impressed with all of them.  My mouth is watering just thinking about them.  I will share the recipes I used in the coming week so make sure to check back!  Until then, enjoy these pictures of the most amazing flavours ever: 

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

S'More Cupcakes 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes



  

Is your mouth watering yet?  I can best describe these cupcakes with words like "Wow," "Amazing," or "Heaven."  They are so good.  My husband tried the Cookie Dough one first and now that is all he wants.  Even though I tell him the others are good too, he thinks it is impossible to top the Cookie Dough cupcake!

Oh, and we had Cupcake Wine too!

Now, when I invited the ladies over for a cupcake party, they did not realize that it was also a painting party.  When they arrived to see my apartment set up as a mini art studio, some were excited, others were a little nervous, and probably a few thought I was crazy.  They were all troupers and played along, and I must admit, these ladies are pretty talented! 

I hooked my computer up to our TV and played the video from All Artful so that everyone could see and listen to Stephanie explain the painting step-by-step.  I made my painting prior to the party so that I knew the steps and could help my guests.  I also knew one of the ladies had to work and was going to arrive a little later so I started hers for her.  We replayed certain parts and pressed pause so that everyone had time to paint their picture and let the paint dry.

The ladies at work: 

It was funny how quiet it would get because everyone was concentrating so hard.

Here are our finished projects!  I love how everyones' paintings are similar yet different.  Great job ladies!

All of the ladies with our finished paintings.  Thanks so much to all of you for coming over and making the evening so great.  You ladies are awesome and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

(I told you they were talented!)

Are you interested in having your own Cupcake Painting Party?  You can easily host one with the help of All Artful and Kevin & Amanda.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment as I would love to help get you started!

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Beef Dip Sandwiches

When I came across this recipe for Beef Dip Sandwiches, I new I had to try it.  One of my goals this year is to find more great recipes for my crock pot, and who doesn't love a good sandwich?  Let me tell you, the end result is Ah-mazing!  Our whole apartment smelled delicious as the beef cooked in the crock pot, and I almost forgot to take pictures to post as I just wanted to eat this delicious sandwich!  I will definately be making this again-soon!  Sooo good!

Beef Dip Sandwiches

Source: Orginally from AllRecipes, via Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef chuck roast
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon chopped bay leaves
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 cups water

For Sandwiches:
4 hoagie rolls or french bread, cut in half horizontally
4 slices provolone cheese (or cheese of your choice...we used Pepper Jack Cheese for a touch of spice!)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Directions:
Place meat in crock pot. Add garlic, rosemary & bay leaves. Pour in soy sauce & water. Cover & cook on low for 6-10 hours until the meat is tender and is easily pulled apart with a fork.

To assemble sandwiches:
In a small bowl, add mayo, parsley & thyme and stir to combine, set aside.

Take bottom piece of your bread roll & add the meat. Top with cheese. On top half of the roll spread a thin layer of the herb mayonnaise and place on top of sandwich. Place some of the au jus left in the crockpot into a small bowl & serve with sandwiches for dipping.

Enjoy!!

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Oreo Cookie Bark

I found this recipe and new I had to try it since we love Oreo's in our house. It is pretty tasty, but I must admit, the Oreo Truffles are still my favourite Oreo treat.  Let me know what you think!

Oreo Cookie Bark
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:
4 squares Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 squares Baker’s premium white baking chocolate
1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
5 oreo cookies

The original recipe was doubled, but I just wanted enough for us to enjoy at home.  This was more than enough for the two of us.  I think next time I might try it with milk chocolate.

Directions:

Place semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate microwaveable bowls. Microwave until completely melted, following the package directions. Add peanut butter to white chocolate. Stir until well blended. Crumble half the oreos into each of the bowls of chocolate. Mix well.

Drope spoonfulls of mixture onto a wax paper covered baking sheet, alternating the colors of chocolate. Cut through mixture with knife for marbling effect.

Refrigerate at leaet 1 hour or until firm.

Break into pieces.

Enjoy!  (My recipe made about double this amount.)

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French Breakfast Puffs

One of the first food blogs that I started to follow was the Pioneer Woman, mostly because she also had a section about photography.  Last year, while living in Oklahoma, a dear friend shared the Pioneer Woman's cookbook.  I had so much fun flipping through the recipes and stubbled across many that I wanted to try...including this one for French Breakfast Puffs.  I just finally got around to trying it this past week and they are absolutely delightful!  I was not disappointed and know that I will be making them again.

Recipe: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients


For Muffins:3 cups Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (Original recipe called for Ground Nutmeg but I didn't have any)
1 cup Sugar
2/3 cups Shortening (Crisco)
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Milk

For Coating:
1 cup Sugar
3 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 sticks Butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening. Add the eggs and mix again. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

In a bowl, melt 1-1/2 sticks butter. Feel free to melt 2 sticks right away, but I didn't use all of mine so next time I will start by melting 1-1/2 sticks.  In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Dip baked muffins in butter, coating thoroughly.

Coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture...don't be cheap!!  If you run out, feel free to add more sugar and cinnamon together.  The original recipe called for an extra cup of sugar but my recipe made 16 muffins and this is all I used. 

They are delicious, and best served warm.  About 25 seconds in the microwave reheats them perfectly from in the fridge, or a minute if you decide to freeze some.

ENJOY and let me know what you think!  I am so excited that I can cross off another recipe from my Top 100 list!



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Cookie Dough Truffles

I fell in love with truffles last year when I made the most delicious Oreo Truffles, so when I came across this recipe for Cookie Dough Truffles, I new I had to try them.  I mean, who doesn't love to steal a little bite of cookie dough when they're baking?

I took these to a surpirse birthday party the other night and they were a big hit.  My biggest mistake was that I didn't think to cut one in half for a picture until they were all gone, but check out the source blogs below for more great pictures, including instructions for making them into Cake Pops from Baked Perfection.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake, adapted from Baked Perfection
Makes about 20-24

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened (it's okay if it is melting a little)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I only had regular size chocolate chips so I chopped them up with a knife into 3 or 4 smaller pieces...a little time consuming but worked great)
1/2 package chocolate candy melts  (I used 3 blocks of a package of Almond Bark, chopped into smaller pieces)

Directions:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, and dash of cinnamon.
In a second larger bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Roll the mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill for several hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes until firm.
Melt candy melts in the microwave, heating them in 30 sec intervals, and stirring in between. I melted the chocolate in 3 groups so that the chocolate stayed nice and smooth.
Gently dip the cookie dough ball into the candy coating by placing it on a fork and rolling in the chocolate until coated. Once covered remove and softly tap the fork on the side of the bowl until the excess chocolate falls off. Place on parchment or wax paper until set.

I added a some red swirls over the chocolate to make them a little prettier.

Enjoy!

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