Fried Snicker Bites

Evenin' ya'll!

Hoping this finds you all well, and with fully tummies!   I am slowly but surely working my way back into the kitchen.  Isn't it ironic that I chose a time full of sweet treats?  Yea, well, I can't help what my mind wants!

I was inspired to make these after hearing a friend back east eating a dougnut with a Snickers in the middle!  I thought these would be easy, quick and freakin' awesome.

In case you wondered....I was right on all 3 counts.  Serve these warm, or room temp.  Please try one while they are still warm though.  You need to.  It should literally be on your bucket list!

Here we go!

1 can of refrigerator crescent rolls
12-20 Snicker Minis.  (depending on the amount of rolls, you will need 2 per roll)
1/4 cup melted chocolate chips (for garnish, option)
vegetable oil

Get about 2 inches of vegetable (or your oil of choice) in a medium pot.  While it is coming up to temperature (350 degrees F) let's get going on the rest.

Remove your crescent rolls from the container.  Separate them out.  Unwrap double the amount of Snicker bites as you have rolls as you will cut the rolls in half.  Now take your rolls, cut into 2 pieces, a bit more on the pointed end, and put a Snicker bite onto each one.  Pick it up and cover in the dough, roll in your hands until the ball is showing no chocolate and completely sealed, repeat with all of the ingredients.

When your oil is up to temperature, fry about 4 at a time.  It will literally take 30-60 seconds.  I like to keep mine moving around with my spider while they fry.  This helps them brown equally on all sides.

Remove to a paper towel lined dish and get on with the next bath!

This recipe is easily double, tripled or quadrupled.  I drizzled mine with a bit of melted chocolate, and some peanuts, but feel free to hit them with some powdered sugar and call it a day!

ENJOY!

Frozen Butterfinger Pie

It is 80 degrees today.  Time for some fun COLD treats, don't you think?  I do! 

I am guilty of hitting up the after Easter sales on candy.  I mean, I bought A LOT of it.  I have used most of it but this bag of Butterfingers keeps getting pushed to the side.  I like them but I don't need them and they get stuck in my dang teeth.  Drives me nuts!  I decided to make them into something delicious for these warm spring/summer days ahead!

I love no bake desserts.  For some reason, now that I think about it, my favorite desserts are NO bake.  Except for cream puffs, but they are in an entirely different realm of fabulousness so they don't count.

These ingredients are pretty straight forward but, if you want to use a premade chocolate cookie crust feel free.  I didn't want that much chocolate so I used some store brand, half vanilla, have chocolate sandwich cookies.  They worked out fabulously.  This is a very rich pie, I would guess you could easily serve 12 with it.  Also, I used Cool Whip, please feel free to use fresh sweetened whipped cream.  That is just a personal preference, and while I normally choose that, it was more in the realm of what I wanted to use cool whip. 

On that note, let's get to this EASY recipe.  Make sure to make it the day before so it is frozen nice and firm!

30 sandwich cookies
6 T. melted butter

Place cookies in a food processor and process until fine crumbs.  Add in butter and process until you get the consistency of wet sand.  Pour out into a pie pan and press firmly.  You could do this in a 9x9 square baking dish as well.  Set aside

In a stand mixer bowl or mixing bowl combine the following except candy bars....

3.4 oz. box of vanilla pudding mix (instant)
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
8 ounces cool whip
8 ozs cream cheese
12 fun size butterfingers chopped (reserve 2 for topping)
remaining cool whip for the top

When all ingredients are a smooth mixture, fold in candy bars.  Pour into crust smooth over and top with cool whip.  Sprinkle leftover candy bars on top and freeze at least overnight!

ENJOY!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Bark

Uh huh.  That's what it says in the title.  This recipe is a chocolate/peanut butter lovers dream.  I qualify, and apparently, after eating nearly this entire batch over the course of 3 days, my son qualifies as well!  HA!   It never gets old, no matter how old your kids get, seeing them enjoy something you make.  Am I right?  Or am I right?

I have seen this recipe so many places, I can name a few here, but a lot on Pinterest and then two YouTube channels I subscribe to most recently, they are Tammy over at Yoyomax12 and Lynn at Lynn's Recipes.  When I saw it, I thought how easy it looked, how fancy Nancy it looked and how flipping GOOD it looked!  I had to try it. 

Now, you can opt for any chocolate on the bottom.  I opted for semi sweet, I used chocolate chips which some don't recommend but let me tell you it turned out perfectly for me.  With the chocolate chips there is just ONE little trick.  Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stir well, you ideally do not want to overheat the chocolate so mix it well every 30 seconds, so the heat of the bowl and the already melted chips will melt what is in there more.  If you overheat the chips you are done.  Ok?  Btw, the semi sweet, balanced all of the milk chocolate perfectly, not disgustingly sweet, but, still fairly sweet.

I made a "larger" batch, I would say double what most of the recipes call for.  I definitely see, taking this as an edible gift in the future, because it is that good.  In a decorative little box, oh yea, this will be a fun gift! 

Here is what you will need:

parchment paper
1 8oz. bag of Reese's minis
12 oz. bag of semi sweet chocolate chips (or whatever kind you choose)
6 ounces of peanut butter chips (about half of any bag)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Melt semisweet chocolate, slowly, take your time or you will ruin it!  When it is melted spread as thick or thin as you would like it.  Mine turned out to cover the better part of my cookie sheet. 

 

Next, working fairly quickly, melt your peanut butter chips.  Using the same method as the chocolate.  Drop spoonful's all over the chocolate you have melted and using a skewer, toothpick or butter knife, swirl the peanut butter around.  Be careful to make sure it maintains the swirled look and not so mixed up it looks like mud!!

 

 

Now take your mini peanut butter cups and cover the top, just drop them on, sort of evenly, you can always move them round.  Then, take your hand and press them down to so adhere into the chocolate and peanut butter!

And here is what you will end up with!  Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to make sure it is good and set.  Then break into pieces and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.  You can leave it out while serving as well, it will stay hard.  (unless it is super hot).  No worries, to be honest, it won't last that long!

Enjoy this simple, sinful treat!

PS.  Don't worry about the peanut butter and chocolate on my fingers.  When I was done I went ahead and licked it off!

Candy Corn Peanut Butter Candy

Think Butterfinger friends.  Think Butterfinger. 

As I ranted last week, I had to buy like a 4.5 or 3.5 lb bag of candy corn last week for a recipe.  They claimed to have no smaller bags.  Psshhht, whatever.  So after I used 1/2 cup out of it, what in the HECK was I going to do with the rest of it?  I had no ideas, except that I wondered what I could do with them if I melted those babies down.   Why didn't I just take a few and do it myself?  I have no idea.  But I went searching around in the world of Google and found this recipe at aboutfood,com. Normally I don't make other peoples recipes but this was to intriguing, and way to easy to not share with you all.

This calls for only 3 ingredients.  Candy corn, peanut butter and chocolate.  Oh and sprinkles if you are cool like me.  This was so easy, I don't even have much else to say about it.  ALTHOUGH.....make sure you do score the candy corn mixture like you are supposed to, because those babies will challenge your sharpest knife.  You can cut them however you like really, fat bars, skinny bars, "bites", the choice is yours.  I did a few skinny and few fat and a few bites. 

You will need:
3 cups of candy corn (traditional flavor)
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
12 oz. chocolate chips for dipping
sprinkles (optional)

Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment (or foil) and then spray it with non stick cooking spray.  I leave the ends long so I can lift my goods right out as you all know.  Set aside and in a large bowl microwave your candy corn, 30 seconds at a time.  The first few times it will seem it will never melt.  DO NOT over heat it, or it will get hard on you, thus 30 seconds and stir.  When it is melted, add the peanut butter and combine completely.  If you find the candy corn stiffens up on you, you can microwave it another 10-20 seconds to loosen it up so it can be combined easier.  When that is done press it into the bottom of your baking dish and make sure it is even and as level as you can get it.  NOW......  take a knife and score the bars however you will want them.  The world is your sandwich, make it how you want.  When these chill they will become very hard yet crispy.  (again, think Butterfinger).  Now, into the fridge and let chill about 1 hour. 

Melt chocolate chips, and add about 1 tsp. vegetable oil.  I find it makes dipping easier, by thinning the chocolate just a WEEEEEE bit.  Remove the bars from the pan, and using a large knife, cut along your score lines.  Now start dipping.  As these come to room temp they will soften, and become chewy.  Dip them, and place them on a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet and immediately sprinkle if you are sprinkling, so they will stick.  When you are done, refrigerate again for 30 minutes to an hour and dig in.  If you serve these chilled they will be almost the consistency of a Butterfinger, if you serve them at room temp, they will have more of a chewy consistency, but delish, either way!

ENJOY!

Halloween Treat Crunch

I am in a Halloween state of mind.  After all besides it being my "littles" first Halloween, and they live here, AND it is a great chance to scare the H-E-double hockey sticks ouf of my sisters, it is also my anniversary.  I will have been married to my angel for 11 years this year.  Or wait, is it 12 years?  No, I think it is 12.  Anyway, we love celebrating all things Halloween, nothing to hideous or horrid, just fun.

This will be an easy treat for a Halloween party, or that last minute, "Mom I need to take something to so and so"  and you need to be there in 30 minutes.  Use whatever you have on hand and call it a success!!  I used items I find typical of Halloween or in Halloween colors but the world is your sandwich, make it how YOU like it.  It is an easy, no bake.  Wait.  You DO have turn on the oven, and let your chocolate melt but.......even that you COULD do in the micro and then spread on parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  So technically...........oh Lordy, nevermind.

You will need:

8 cubes of white chocolate/almond bark ( I wish I could tell you how much that was but let's be honest, I had a couple of packs already opened and well, ya know...)
1 Butterfinger bar
1/2 cup candy corn
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup mini oreos or 10 large oreos.  Roughly chopped and a few left whole. 

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set your almond bar on top like so......

After 5-7 minutes, it will be melted, but you won't know because it will hold its shape.  So I poked mine with an offset spatula to find it was in fact all melted and spread it not to thin, and not to thick, you want your "stuff" to stick so do it like so..........

Then I sprinkled all my goodies on top.  Place another piece of parchment on top and press those treats into that melty goodness.  Remove the parchment and it will look like........ SO.......

 

Now let it sit for 30-45 minutes on the counter or about 10-15 in the fridge.  Break it up or cut it up, just get it in your belly!

ENJOY!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Let just answer the question you are thinking about.  Yes, they ARE good, and they ARE easy and yes, you have what you need so finish reading and get to it.

Oh wait.  That isn't what you were thinking?  You were thinking you want me to ship?  HA.  

I was needed a break from my fruits and veggie recipes.  I needed chocolate.  We all know how that feels.  It was in a, "don't ask why, just GET ME, some chocolate" kind of way.  I also hit a peanut butter sale last week.  Yes, I do that, I hit a sale and stock up and then realize there were 3 jars in the pantry that got pushed to the back.  As if you can ever have to much peanut butter anyway. 

I wanted to make little ones.  You know, portion control.  I burn more calories putting one in, chewing, reaching for another, chewing again, etc.  If I made big ones, it would be one motion.  Not near as much exercise.  Makes complete sense to me.  Frankly, as long as I can self justify, I am good. ;)

So yea, about those cute little ones.  PAIN IN THE BUTT.  I mean, if you are into tedious, OCD, minuscule kind of work, go for it.  But I would rather accidentally cut my legs shaving then deal with that nonsense.  Do the big ones.  People will want more than one bite anyway, consider it a favor to your eaters! You can do them with the peanut butter all covered or so that you can see the layers.  As you can see I did both, not by choice, but out of sheer torment on those little babies!

Here is what you need.  Seriously, they are easy and kind of fun and are going to be making an appearance this year for Christmas cookie gifts!  This made, um......crap, I didn't count.  OK let me think about how many I ate, err, "sampled", how many I gave away and how many are left.  Be right back..........

Useless, I think it made maybe 30-36 small ones and 12 big ones.   This can easily be halved for a smaller batch.  But they freezer beautifully, so why would you only make half?!

Here is what you need....

36 oz. of chocolate.  (I used milk chocolate chips)
2 T vegetable oil or shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 T. butter (softened)
1 cup confectioners sugar (icing sugar, powdered sugar)
1 T vanilla extract
cupcake liners, size if your choice kids

In a microwave safe bowl add in your chocolate and shortening/oil.  Microwave 30 seconds at a time and stir,  Don't do it longer, or you will burn your chocolate.  Just trust me.  While it is melting, in a second bowl mix the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla with a hand mixer.  Line your cupcake or mini muffin tins and go to town.  I used a small cookie scooper for the chocolate and another for the peanut butter but you could just use a teaspoon for the peanut butter.  One scoop of chocolate all around, then bang your pan on the counter to level and even things out.  Next, spoon or scoop in the peanut butter, in the center if you want it covered or use the back of a spoon to smooth it totally out for a layered look and then repeat with chocolate on top.  Bang that baby again!  Use the back of a spoon if you need to, to smooth the tops over or get more coverage. 

Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.  These freeze like a dream and what a great little something sweet when you need it, a Ziploc full in the freezer!!  WOOHOO!

Peanut Butter Wishes and Chocolate Dreams

Hey guys!!  Have you ever gotten in the mood to get in the kitchen and create something amazing?  I mean like, AH-MAZING?  You know it is out of your culinary knowledge and you think your ability but you decide to go for it anyway?  Well that is what I did with this cake.  I wanted to make my husband his dream cake, just because he is, ya know, so DREAMY!! I took to YouTube for some ideas, and found only one cake that I thought to myself would be something I could experiment with.  More the method, than the actual flavors and colors.

My Geo, is a peanut butter and chocolate loving man!  I have been spending so much time away I just wanted make him something special.  I mean after all, food is love, right?  I wanted to make this so far over the top it was almost ridiculous.  There is some explaining to do, so let me get to it.  This is NOT hard, not even a little, but there are some specific things you need to do! 

OH!  Did I mention this cake has a surprise in the middle?!?!

Once again I used a box cake mix, do what you want, but the star of the show for me was not the actual cake.  You will need an angel food cake pan, 9 inch cake pan and an 8 inch cake pan.  (2-9's will work but it make it difficult to work with once you have cut the cake to fit)

For the CAKE you will need:
2 chocolate cake mixes (or a double recipe of your favorite "from scratch" recipe
1, 9 inch round cake pan
1, 8 inch round cake pan
1 angel food cake pan (approx. 9 inches at the base)

Preheat your oven and prepare cake mixes per box directions.   Line cake pans with parchment and spray with non stick spray.  Divide the batter so that about 1/4 goes in each round cake pan and 1/2 goes into the angel food cake pan.  The round layers will go on the top and bottom of the angel food cake and don't need to be the normal thickness.  Once this is done, bake according to the box directions.  A few minutes less for the round cakes and up to 15-20 min longer for the angel food cake because it is obviously thicker.  When they can be poked with a toothpick that comes out clean, they are done.  Let cool COMPLETELY!!

While they are baking, prepare your frosting and filling:

FILLING:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup Reese's Pieces
1-1 1/2 cups mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Regular size cut into quarters.

FROSTING:
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter (softened)
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
3-5 tbsp. milk (depends on the consistency you want, may need even more or less)

In a bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer combine 2 cups peanut butter, butter, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Begin adding milk until you achieve the desired consistency for your liking.  Beat for 2 minutes on high when you have achieved that consistency and set aside.

When cakes have cooled, on a cake plate or cake board, place your 9 inch cake.  Spread a thin layer of plain peanut butter on top.  Now, add your angel food cake pan layer, largest side down so it is evenly placed on top of the 9 inch layer.  Spread a layer of peanut butter on top. 

Fill the hole with the Reese's pieces and peanut butter cups you have for the filling.  Fill to the top!  Now place the 8 inch cake on top.  (NOTE, if you use a 9 inch cake, it will need trimmed which makes icing a little trickier but not impossible by any means)

Frost the entire cake with your frosting.  Make sure you have enough left to do any decorating with a piping bag that you want to do.

I also poured ganache over the top of my cake for added decoration and interest.  Here is my recipe for Ganache.

Garnish:
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Reese's Pieces Candy
Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

Use these as you wish.  Decorate to your hearts content!!  When you cut your cake, it will be like a piñata!  Candy will spill out from the center like this....

Complete joy and love in every bite!!

Your "brownie points for this wife" Chefwannabe

Better Than Sex Cake!

Ok, so you KNOW a woman named this cake, right?  NO man would go there.  I mean, am I wrong about this?  Yea, didn't think so.

So, I thought EVERYONE knew what this was.  When I posted about it on Facebook, I got lots of different versions, some completely different and some variations of how I make it.  I could think of 10 different ways to change this up, but I stuck with the recipe that I have always known and always LOVED! 

I would not advise asking your husband if he wants any of this before bed.

This recipe calls for caramel.  I don't particularly enjoy the ice cream topping variety.  I decided to make mine from sweetened condensed milk.  Let me tell you how I do this.  Take one can (for this recipe anyway) of sweetened condensed milk.  Put it in a pot that is much taller than the can.  Fill it with water and make sure the entire can is submerged.  They say if you let the can peek out of the water there is a chance of it exploding.  Some scientific yadda yadda I don't need to hear about, just make sure the can is covered.  Put it over medium-high  heat, until it comes to a boil, cover and turn your burner as low as you can while still keeping it actively simmering.  I cover mine with a lid to keep the water from evaporating to quickly.  I check it every 30 minutes for water level.  After 3 hours, remove the can with some tongs, and set on a hot pad or in the sink and let it come to room temperature.  Open the can after cooling and you have a can of awesome caramel.   You can feel free to go get some ice cream topping, but, be awesome and just try this!

First you need a chocolate cake baked in a 9x13 pan.  I don't care if it is from scratch, or out of a box, because you know how I feel about that.  So get it made, and while it is baking gather up the rest of your ingredients...

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can caramelized sweetened condensed milk or 14 ozs of caramel topping
3-4 Heath or Skor Bars (crumbled) or 1 bag of chocolate toffee bits (found by choc chips)
1 regular sized container of whipped topping (or make your own)

When you take your cake out of the oven, poke holes in it, with either the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar in size.  Pour over the can of sweetened condensed milk and let it absorb.  Then spread over your caramel sauce and let it sit 30 minutes in the fridge or if it is cool let it sit an hour on the counter.  You want the caramel to cool and set so the whipped cream doesn't melt off.  When it is ready cover the top with whipped cream and toffee bits.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

So you be the judge.  IS this a true "Better Than Sex Cake"?   If you actually answer that question below, please, use an alias, we don't need anyone in divorce court!

This cake is awesome, and a long time family favorite, I hope you enjoy it too!

Your "who can think about sex when you have a huge piece of cake" chefwannabe

Niece Invasion of the Extreme Sundae Pie- Take 1! By: Jamie and Katie

 For a long time now we have been trying to plan to come and make some yummy dishes with our Aunt Chris!  My summer has been busy doing softball, babysitting, and hanging out at my grandmas lake, and Jamie's summer has been busy at volleyball camps, and preparing for 8th grade. We finally made some dates and came down to cook!  The first thing we had to do was go to the grocery store and obviously buy the ingredients. Then, we finally got to the house and prepared what we needed to make!  We made a dessert what we call "The Extreme Sundae Pie." We wanted to make an ice-cream dessert to cool down these 110 degree days!

 

If you want to cool down these extremly hot summer days too, please keep reading and follow these directions!

You will need...                 
9 in. springform pan                  
1 -1.5 qts. of Cookies and Cream ice-cream
3 pkgs. of fun size Kit Kats
2 tsp. vanilla
2 -12.8 hot fudge jars (melted a little bit just enough to spread)               
2 cups graham crackers
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 pkg chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreo)
              
***remember to let the ice-cream soften slightly before you begin to assemble this dessert***

We put 2 cups of graham crackers into the food processor and zapped it.  Add in melted butter and zap some more.  Press it into the bottom of the spring form pan. 
Put the cookies and cream ice cream in a mixer or use a bowl and spoon. 

Add 1 tsp vanilla and mix completely.  Unwrap all of the kit kat bars and leave them connected. 

Line the spring form pan after you have pressed in the crust .  You might have to hold them up with an extra set of hands until you get the ice cream layer poured in.  Pour the ice cream in the pan on top of the graham cracker crust and smooth it out. 

Put it in the freezer and let it set up for about 30 minutes.  Jamie can't really remember so just keep checking it.  It doesn't need to be solid, it just needs to be set a bit. 

Now, melt the  hot fudge just until it is soft enough to spread.  Spread on both jars and put back in the freezer for another 30 minutes.  Wait, Jamie can't remember again, so just until it is set. 

Now mix together your softened vanilla ice cream and 1 tsp vanilla.  Stir until combined.  Pour into pan OVER the hot fudge.  BE CAREFUL.  It will be a wee bit to much.  So, get yourself a little bowl and pour the excess into it.  Now let it sit in the freezer again. 

While it is in the freezer, crush 1/2 of a package of Oreos in a ziploc bag.  Now using any bashing instrument of your choice, beat those babies until they are Oreo DUST!  Next, sprinkle the crumbs on to the top of the pie.  Let it sit until ready to serve.  (probably at least 3 hours)

We hope you love our Extreme Sundae Pie.  It is fun to make and we had fun driving Aunt Chris insane.  We didn't even have to clean up cause our Aunt Chrissy did it all for us. 

Your "cra-cra nieces of chefwannabe"

Jamie and Katie
 

PS.  Thanks Jatie and Kamie (hehe), I had so much fun with you!  Food, makeup, writing, and laughing our buns off!  Hope you make this at home so you can actually EAT SOME! Sorry!  Love you guys!xoxo


             

Apple Snicker Salad

This recipe will require you to make a decision or two.  *sorry I have to shut off "Islands in the Stream" I am distracted.  

Anyway, the decision you will have to make is if this is a side dish or if this is a dessert.  In my family we eat it with our meal but I have a feeling, if you popped this puppy in a chocolate cookie crust or any crust, let it set, omitting the milk, you could have some good dessert on your hands!  Maybe I will try that one of these times.  I just never feel like I can make it that far, once it is mixed I need to eat!

Everyone in my family seems to have a different way of making this.  I took what I felt like was a good combination and went with it and oh boy was it ever the perfect combination.  I would do something differently next time.  I would use a hand mixer or something and mix the whipped cream, pudding and milk together first so it is undeniably creamy and fab, which,  it is now, but I just feel like that would have been the wiser thing to do.  I can admit when I could have done something better.   Did you all hear about my heinous dinner tonight?  I bit it big time, I can admit it.  As soon as I crawl out of my hole I am blogging from!

Ok, I made what I consider a half batch of this.  I would double it for a family dinner.  Don't mess with the ingredients on this one, it is perfection.  Oh wait, I messed with them, I used sugar free pudding and fat free whipped topping.  I dunno, I just did.  Use whatever you prefer but just know that those choices do not affect the final product at all, it is delectable!  

Here is what you need:
1 8oz. container of cool whip 
1 box instant vanilla pudding
2 tbsp milk
3 apples
2 regular sized snickers or I used 6 fun size.  (I always add more)


Combine whipped cream, pudding mix and milk using a hand mixer or whisk, whisking it briskly for a minute until smooth and creamy.  Chop apples into bite size pieces along with the snickers.  Add into the whipped cream mixture and mix thoroughly.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Overnight is great.  
How simple is that?  Yes, incredibly, but it is OH so good and everyone loves it!!  By the way, watch out for sisters and nieces who dig for the snickers.  They think I don't know, they think they are sneaky but the truth is, I have been on to them for years!

Your "I spy a snicker thief or 5" chefwannabe

Chris