http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Cup-Brownies/Detail.aspx
Ingredients
1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
1 egg
20 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.Combine brownie mix, oil, egg and water in a large bowl. Stir 50 strokes with a spoon.
3.Place batter in a cupcake pan (cupcake wrappers recommended). Once cups are 3/4 of the way full, place an unwrapped miniature peanut butter cup in the middle, then bake for 30-35 minutes keeping an eye on them while they're baking. Let them cool and then they're ready to eat!!
My thoughts: I read the reviews and decided to go with half full and put the peanut butter cups in. I made these for a gathering so I used a low fat brownie mix for a quick mix. I pushed the peanut butter cups down in the mix however and the bottoms were rock hard from where the candy melted! They did soften up the next day with bread in the container. As long as you don't let the candy sink these should be a hit and I will try them again.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Chewy Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Brownies
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chewy-Whole-Wheat-Peanut-Butter-Brownies/Detail.aspx
Original Recipe
16 Servings
Ingredients
1/3 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2.In a large mixing bowl, beat together margarine and sugars; add eggs one at a time, and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and water.
3.In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flours with salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir into peanut butter mixture and blend well. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
4.Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool and cut into 16 squares.
My thoughts: These were pretty yummy. I didn't have baking soda though and don't think it made a difference but I did however use an 8x8 pan and it filled it to the top almost like a cake if you saw the pic on facebook! I also used only whole wheat flour for a full cup and added some chocolate chips because as some of the reviews on Allrecipes said, it needed a little bit of sweetness added to them. Oh and this was the day it was pouring rain and I was out of butter so I used shortening instead of margarine. If you're trying to go healthy natural peanut butter, organic sugars, and cage free eggs are always preferred in our kitchen. Enjoy!
Original Recipe
16 Servings
Ingredients
1/3 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2.In a large mixing bowl, beat together margarine and sugars; add eggs one at a time, and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and water.
3.In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flours with salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir into peanut butter mixture and blend well. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
4.Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool and cut into 16 squares.
My thoughts: These were pretty yummy. I didn't have baking soda though and don't think it made a difference but I did however use an 8x8 pan and it filled it to the top almost like a cake if you saw the pic on facebook! I also used only whole wheat flour for a full cup and added some chocolate chips because as some of the reviews on Allrecipes said, it needed a little bit of sweetness added to them. Oh and this was the day it was pouring rain and I was out of butter so I used shortening instead of margarine. If you're trying to go healthy natural peanut butter, organic sugars, and cage free eggs are always preferred in our kitchen. Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Simple Tiramisu
Original recipe http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Tiramisu/Detail.aspx
Yield 9 servings (that's big pieces for as sweet as this is!)
Ingredients:
16 lady fingers
2/3 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 (12 ounce) container forzen whipped topping, thawed
1 tablespoon unsweetned cocoa powder for dusting
Directions:
1. Split lady fingers lengthwise and use them to line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 inch dish. Stir together coffee and 1/3 cup maple syrup until smooth. Spoon mixture over ladyfingers.
2. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sour cream and 1/2 cup maple syrup until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture over soaked ladyfingers. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
3. Dust with sifted cocoa just before serving
My thoughts:
I was a little skeptical because this recipe was so much easier and had way less ingredients than most for tiramisu. It's not as "pretty" but it tastes pretty darn close we thought! As always I prefer to buy the fat free dairy products because it's all I can really take with my digestive issues. Lady fingers are hard to find (by the bakery not cookies at our Kroger) so you can use pound cake for another option.
Yield 9 servings (that's big pieces for as sweet as this is!)
Ingredients:
16 lady fingers
2/3 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 (12 ounce) container forzen whipped topping, thawed
1 tablespoon unsweetned cocoa powder for dusting
Directions:
1. Split lady fingers lengthwise and use them to line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 inch dish. Stir together coffee and 1/3 cup maple syrup until smooth. Spoon mixture over ladyfingers.
2. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sour cream and 1/2 cup maple syrup until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture over soaked ladyfingers. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
3. Dust with sifted cocoa just before serving
My thoughts:
I was a little skeptical because this recipe was so much easier and had way less ingredients than most for tiramisu. It's not as "pretty" but it tastes pretty darn close we thought! As always I prefer to buy the fat free dairy products because it's all I can really take with my digestive issues. Lady fingers are hard to find (by the bakery not cookies at our Kroger) so you can use pound cake for another option.
Three Cheese Manicotti II
Original recipe http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Three-Cheese-Manicotti-II/Detail.aspx
Yield 6 servings (2 stuffed shells each)
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package of manicotti shells
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 egg
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 (26 ounce) jars of pasta sauce
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish
3. ina bowl, mix 3 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture.
4. Spread about 2 cups (one jar) pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remanining mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and continue baking for 10 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.
My thoughts:
This is perfect for moms and busy folks because you can prepare it ahead of time and wrap it in the friend or even just cook the noodles and make the filling to get ahead. As another reviewer suggested I would recommend drying the noodles individually if you don't want them to split or they will stick together. I also added 2 food processors full of spinach to the filling and had to substitute some italian shredded cheese for a cup or so of the mozzarella I was missing. I couldn't find the wheat pasta version of these noodles, but did find a heart healthy sauce by Prego I think it was and the skim milk version of the ricotta. The less saturated fat the better! I also just used the regular basil that comes in your spice rack. To make stuffing the shells easier, i used my icing gun from Pampered chef, but a gallon freezer bag with the corner cut off will work just as easy vs spooning it all in. Enjoy!
Yield 6 servings (2 stuffed shells each)
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package of manicotti shells
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 egg
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 (26 ounce) jars of pasta sauce
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish
3. ina bowl, mix 3 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture.
4. Spread about 2 cups (one jar) pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remanining mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and continue baking for 10 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.
My thoughts:
This is perfect for moms and busy folks because you can prepare it ahead of time and wrap it in the friend or even just cook the noodles and make the filling to get ahead. As another reviewer suggested I would recommend drying the noodles individually if you don't want them to split or they will stick together. I also added 2 food processors full of spinach to the filling and had to substitute some italian shredded cheese for a cup or so of the mozzarella I was missing. I couldn't find the wheat pasta version of these noodles, but did find a heart healthy sauce by Prego I think it was and the skim milk version of the ricotta. The less saturated fat the better! I also just used the regular basil that comes in your spice rack. To make stuffing the shells easier, i used my icing gun from Pampered chef, but a gallon freezer bag with the corner cut off will work just as easy vs spooning it all in. Enjoy!
Soft Breadsticks
original recipe from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Soft-Breadsticks/Detail.aspx
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons of seasame seeds
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add milk and stir to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface, knead gently 3-4 times. Roll into a 10-in, x 5-in x 1/2-in. rectangle. Cut into 12 breadsticks. Place butter in a 9x13 baking pan. Place breadsticks in the butter and turn to coat. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake at 450 F for 14-18 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm
My thoughts: We use wheat flour for everything so they were a darker color but tasted just as great. If you go to the original recipe you can see someone even made hearts with theirs. We just sliced them and they tasted awesome. For those like me who cannot have seeds I substituted sprinkling garlic salt and parmesean cheese to sprinkle on the breadsticks as recommended in the reviews. I highly recommend this way!
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons of seasame seeds
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add milk and stir to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface, knead gently 3-4 times. Roll into a 10-in, x 5-in x 1/2-in. rectangle. Cut into 12 breadsticks. Place butter in a 9x13 baking pan. Place breadsticks in the butter and turn to coat. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake at 450 F for 14-18 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm
My thoughts: We use wheat flour for everything so they were a darker color but tasted just as great. If you go to the original recipe you can see someone even made hearts with theirs. We just sliced them and they tasted awesome. For those like me who cannot have seeds I substituted sprinkling garlic salt and parmesean cheese to sprinkle on the breadsticks as recommended in the reviews. I highly recommend this way!
Restaurant Style Zuppa Toscana
Link to original recipe on allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Restaurant-Style-Zuppa-Toscana/Detail.aspx
Yield 6 servings (easy to make more to freeze though!)
Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) smoked sausage
2 potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3/4 cup chopped onion
6 slices of bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups kale- washed, dried, and shredded
2 tablespoons chicken soup base
1 quart water
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Place sausge links onto a sheet pan and bake for 25 mins or until done. Cut links in half lengthwise then cut at an angle into 1/2 inch slices
3. Place onions and bacon slices in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Remove bacon and crumble. Set aside
4. Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional minute. Add soup base, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
5. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.
My thoughts:
I'm not sure why I posted the original recipe because I altered it quite a bit off the readers comments and availability. I used about 1/2 pound of crumbled italian ground sausage instead of the smoked sausage and turkey bacon (which I microwaved and put in the chopper instead). I also used spinach leaves in place of the kale because it was easier available and how I think it's served at Olive Garden. I do recommend chopping the potatoes as directed because I used red potatoes and cubed them and they still didn't quite get soft enough on the bigger chunks. Also to reduce the fat I used half and half cream and the turkey bacon as another allrecipe user recommended and it still tasted just as great! 6 bouillon cubes will work in place of the powdered chicken base. Enjoy!
Yield 6 servings (easy to make more to freeze though!)
Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) smoked sausage
2 potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3/4 cup chopped onion
6 slices of bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups kale- washed, dried, and shredded
2 tablespoons chicken soup base
1 quart water
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Place sausge links onto a sheet pan and bake for 25 mins or until done. Cut links in half lengthwise then cut at an angle into 1/2 inch slices
3. Place onions and bacon slices in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Remove bacon and crumble. Set aside
4. Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional minute. Add soup base, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
5. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.
My thoughts:
I'm not sure why I posted the original recipe because I altered it quite a bit off the readers comments and availability. I used about 1/2 pound of crumbled italian ground sausage instead of the smoked sausage and turkey bacon (which I microwaved and put in the chopper instead). I also used spinach leaves in place of the kale because it was easier available and how I think it's served at Olive Garden. I do recommend chopping the potatoes as directed because I used red potatoes and cubed them and they still didn't quite get soft enough on the bigger chunks. Also to reduce the fat I used half and half cream and the turkey bacon as another allrecipe user recommended and it still tasted just as great! 6 bouillon cubes will work in place of the powdered chicken base. Enjoy!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Stew
I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com! I just love that site! I've been saving a ton of ideas the past week and can't wait to add more here!
Yield 16 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes (I disagree but I hate handling raw chicken so I take my time!)
Cook Time: 6 hours
INGREDIENTS:
4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
10 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 (8 ounce) package of baby carrots
1 cup chopped celergy
2 (26 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (please see my thoughts at the end)
6 cubes chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: Combine the chicken, potatoes, carrots, celergy, chicken soup, chicken bouillon, garlic salt, celery salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on High for 5 hours
Step 2: Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook for 1 hour more.
MY THOUGHTS:
It was awesome! i made a can of biscuits and served it over top of them. Shane also thinks it'd be great on mashed potatoes, but with the potatoes in it that'd be a little heavy to me. I used 3 smaller chicken breasts and it was the perfect amount. I was confused on the soup as to whether that meant 2 small cans should equal 26 ounces (a regular can of Campbell's is only 10 3/4 ounces) or 2 of the larger cans of 26 ounces. I only used one 26 ounce can and I think 2 of those would over flow and make it really soupy vs thick stew. I also just used regular celery seed vs salt because it was what I had available. The pepper is good if you like a peppery taste, but it definitely is noticeable so if you're not a fan I'd cut back to 1 tablespoon. Same goes for the carrots. I love carrots but if you don't this has a ton as most frozen veggies have them in it as well. Also it cooked on high all day so if you're going to be gone longer, I'd kick it down to low or precook the chicken if you're worried. Enjoy! We'll be making it again!
Yield 16 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes (I disagree but I hate handling raw chicken so I take my time!)
Cook Time: 6 hours
INGREDIENTS:
4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
10 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 (8 ounce) package of baby carrots
1 cup chopped celergy
2 (26 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (please see my thoughts at the end)
6 cubes chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: Combine the chicken, potatoes, carrots, celergy, chicken soup, chicken bouillon, garlic salt, celery salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on High for 5 hours
Step 2: Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook for 1 hour more.
MY THOUGHTS:
It was awesome! i made a can of biscuits and served it over top of them. Shane also thinks it'd be great on mashed potatoes, but with the potatoes in it that'd be a little heavy to me. I used 3 smaller chicken breasts and it was the perfect amount. I was confused on the soup as to whether that meant 2 small cans should equal 26 ounces (a regular can of Campbell's is only 10 3/4 ounces) or 2 of the larger cans of 26 ounces. I only used one 26 ounce can and I think 2 of those would over flow and make it really soupy vs thick stew. I also just used regular celery seed vs salt because it was what I had available. The pepper is good if you like a peppery taste, but it definitely is noticeable so if you're not a fan I'd cut back to 1 tablespoon. Same goes for the carrots. I love carrots but if you don't this has a ton as most frozen veggies have them in it as well. Also it cooked on high all day so if you're going to be gone longer, I'd kick it down to low or precook the chicken if you're worried. Enjoy! We'll be making it again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)