Rum Balls

I made these around Christmas...soo easy and tasty... they are pretty strong. After a week they mellow in flavor a bit. Store these in the fridge. They will keep for weeks....if they last that long!

Rum Balls

3 1/4 C crushed Nilla wafers
3/4 C confectioners sugar (additional for dusting)
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 C chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 C rum (I used black seal rum...I think spiced rum would be good too)

stir together nilla wafers, confectioners sugar, cocoa, and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in additional confectioners sugar.

Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap Crust

I am so happy that I am getting better at making up baking recipes, because they are so much harder! So my pregnant sister requested Sweet Potato Pie for Thanksgiving and I, of course, will oblige her. So here is my recipe for Sweet Potato Pie....you will NOT be dissapointed!

Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Crust:
30 gingersnap cookies ( I used keebler), crushed in food processor
7 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix gingersnap crumbs with melted butter and put in a 9 inch pie plate and press in and up the sides. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Filling:
3 med size (about 1 and 1/2 lbs) sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
1/4 C butter, softened
1 (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixer bowl, beat cooled peeled sweet potatoes with butter until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into cooled pie crust and bake 50-55 minutes until toothpick inserted into middle is dry. Cool and serve. I usually make this a day ahead

PB and J Bars

So this recipe is lifted from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)....almost verbatim.. you know me...I cant just make a recipe the way it is specified. I used my own homemade strawberry jam instead of the raspberry that she used. The jam is embarrassingly easy...the recipe is in any package of pectin...strawberry freezer jam...the worst part is the chopping of the fruit. It is soooo worth it! They taste like a grown up version of the kiddie favorite!

Ina Garten's Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Ingr:
1/2 lb (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened
1 and 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, whisked
2 C (18oz container) peanut butter ( I like Jiff)
3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 and 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 and 1/2 C (18 oz) rasberry jam (I used my homemade strawberry jam...rasp jam eww with pb)
2/3 C salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 X 13 in pan ( I just used non stick aluminum foil...worked great!)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on med. speed until light and yellow, about 2 min. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingr. are combined.

In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Wiht the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, mix until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or spatula. Spread the jam evenly over hte dough. Drop small globs of remaining dough evenly over the jam. Sprinkle wiht chopped peanuts, and bake for 45-50 min, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Key Lime Trifle

So I had my family over for brunch, and for my father in law (who loves key lime pie) I made Key Lime Trifle....also a co worker just bought me a trifle dish. It is a time consuming recipe, but sooo worth it!

Key Lime Trifle

Lime zest
key lime poundcake (recipe follows), cut into squares
Tuaca Liquor
Key lime custard (recipe follows)
1 pint heavy whipping cream (whipped until stiff peaks form)

Assembly: Layer key lime custard, key lime poundcake, sprinkle poundcake with tuaca liquor and then contine layering in the same order. End with layer of poundcake, key lime custard, and whipped cream. Garnish with lime zest and graham cracker crumbs.

Key lime poundcake:

1 C butter
1/2 C shortening
2 C granulated sugar
5 eggs
3 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C milk
1/2 C key lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
zest of one lime

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan. Mix flour and baking powder. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in flour and milk (alternating). Mix just until incorporated. Add lime juice and lime zest and vanilla. Pour into pan and bake for about 90 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. allow to cool 10 minutes. Turn into wire rack. Once cooled, cut into cubes

Key Lime Custard

2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 Cup Key Lime juice
8 oz mascarpone cheese

Mix all ingredients together.

Summer Strawberry Crisp

I was inspired by Katie #s (as always) to make a nice summery crisp. I bought a jumbo container of strawberries at Costco, so I thought that would be good. I used her recipe for the topping as a guide(it is not exactly the same), and made up mine for the filling. It was soooo good!

Strawberry Crisp

Filling:

5 Cups Strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced

1/2 C sugar

1 T orange zest

juice of 1/2 orange

1/8 C Gran Marnier (or other orange liquer)

1 T cornstarch

Topping:

1 stick butter, chilled and cubed

1 C flour

1/2 C oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

juice of 1/4 of orange

Preheat oven to 400. Mix all filling ingredients and pour into baking dish. In med bowl add all topping ingredients and combine with a pastry cutter, 2 knives or a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over filling in baking dish. Bake uncovered 45 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Smells like strawberry jam is cooking!

Key Lime Pie

You can also add shredded coconut to the crust recipe (only if you are sure your guests or you like it). I would use 1/2 cup if you are going to use it.

Key Lime Pie

Crust:

1 and 1/4 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 C chopped Macadamia Nuts

1/4 C sugar6 Tbsp Butter, melted

Combine all ingredients and press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Pie Filling:

14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 egg yolks

1/2 C key lime juice ( I use Nellie and Joe's)

1/4 c Cream cheese (can use low fat)

Combine ingredients until smooth with hand mixer. Pour into cooled pie crust and bake 350 for 15 minutes. Chill at least 3 hours. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Berries with Limoncello

This is a Cooking Light Recipe. I served it over Lemon sorbet. I bet you could incorporate it into a martini. Only 136 calories!

Berries with Limoncello

2 C fresh raspberries

2 C fresh blackberries

2 C fresh strawberries

1 C fresh blueberries

1/4 C sugar

1 T grated lemon rind

2 T lemon juice (fresh)

2 T Limoncello

1/2 C. torn mint

Combine first 8 ingredients in bowl. Let stand 20 minutes, stir in mint with spatula. serve over lemon sorbet.

guinness Stout Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Sauce

Let me just start by saying this ice cream did NOT taste like beer! It mainly tasted like a rich vanilla custard with a deeper flavor, almost carmel or coffee like, something you cannot put your finger on. The chocolate sauce is to die for---I could just (and did) eat it with a spoon). Original recipe http://www.foodtv.com/ from Emeril Lagasse. I made a few changes that were recommended in the reviews. My changes are reflected in the recipe. I made the changes based on reviews that said the ice cream left a fatty residue on the tongue. Original recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_19413,00.html

Guinness Stout Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Sauce

12 oz Guinness Stout

2 C. heavy cream

2 C 2% milk (orig. called for whole milk)

3/4 C granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

4 egg yolks (orig. called for 6)

Dark chocolate sauce recipe follows

In large saucepan, simmer the guinness until reduced by 3/4 in volume, recipe said about 8 minutes it took me much longer over med high---warning your house will smell like a brewery, but it dissapates quickly. Keep measuring until it is only 3 oz. Place in fridge until cool. Combine the cream, milk, and sugar in medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and add them with the vanilla bean to the cream mixture. Whisk. Bring to gentle boil and remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk 1 c of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow stream to the hot cream. Cook over med low heat, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (5 minutes). Should read 170 degrees on a instant read thermometer. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove guinness reduction and cream mixture from refrigerator and whisk them together, until well blended. Pour into the frozen bowl of an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers directions. Freeze until ready to serve.

Dark Chocolate Sauce (original had honey, I subbed 1 T. sugar) I also halved the recipe.

1 C whipping cream

20 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped. ( I used Hersheys Special Dark)

2 tsp vanilla extract

In med saucepan, scald cream over med. heat. Remove from heat. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the hot cream, let sit for 2 min, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Let stand until cool, but still pourable. Serve over guinness ice cream

Irish Potato Candy

No this recipe does not have potatoes in it, but they look like little potatoes---so cute. Sooooo good. Very sweet, so you only need eat a few. Tastes kind of like buttercream frosting with coconut in it. I think I got the recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/ cant remember.

Irish Potato Candy

1/4 C unsalted butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 box confectioners sugar (approx 4 C)

2 and 1/2 Cups flaked coconut

2-3 T ground cinnamon (to roll "potatoes" in)

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar, beat unitl smooth. Mix in the coconut. Roll into balls or potato shapes and roll in the cinnamon. Chill to set.

yes these are my balls--PMS Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Balls that is! hahahah! I am PMSing in the worst way, and was craving peanut butter and something crunchy. I put this together because it was all of the things I was craving (besides the butter, which I just know goes in peanut butter balls). They were so good. here is my recipe, which I am mostly posting because I will never remember what I put in them.

PMS Peanut Butter Balls

1 C extra crunchy Jif

1/3 C shredded coconut

6 T butter (approx)

1 and 1/3 C powdered sugar (Confectioners sugar)

1 C graham cracker crumbs

Vanilla extract---just kept adding until it was the right consistency---maybe a tsp or so

Melt butter and then mix in KA mixer with peanut butter, coconut, sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Add vanilla and mix again (could add anything else you might be craving...chocolate chips, toffee bits, potato chips?!). Shape into balls and put in fridge (after you eat lots of the batter). Then eat up!

My take on Pumpkin Pie Dip

ok, so I made the pumpkin dip (link to original recipe below) and I made some changes...the dip is FABULOUS! Even hubby liked it, he does not even like pumpkin stuff. Serve it with Gingersnaps and you will not be disappointed! Here is the original recipe with my changes in orange:

Pumpkin Pie Dip (Original recipe from Allrecipes.com)

1 8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese, softened (I used low fat cream cheese--cannot notice the difference)

2 C Confectioners sugar (I used 1 3/4 C Confectioners sugar and 1/2 C light brown sugar)

1 15 oz can solid pack pumpkin--not pumpkin pie filling

1 T pumpkin pie spice (heaping Tablespoon, use more if needed)

1 T ground cinnamon (I liked more, I used approx 1 1/2 T--use the 1 T and taste)

1 tsp frozen orange juice concentrate (I omitted this, it seemed like a waste)

Combine Cream Cheese with sugars (I used KA mixer) until smooth. If you are afraid it will be too sweet, add 1 1/2 C confectioners sugar and 1/2 C brown sugar and taste, that is what I did. Scrape down bowl and add spices (add 1 T of each, blend and then taste, add more if needed--I like it spicy). What you have right now would make a great spiced cream cheese if you do not care for pumpkin. Slowly add pumpkin and stir until well blended. I omitted the OJ concentrate because I thought it sounded gross and was a waste to just use a tsp. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Serve with Gingersnaps and/or graham crackers.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

OK, so I went to a sex toy party the other night and there was this yummy Pumpkin Dip (which was like the filling to a pumpkin pie and it was served with gingersnaps. It was out of this world!!!! So here is a recipe I found on http://www.allrecipes.com/, I have not tried it yet, but plan to this week and then I will post pictures and any changes I make: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Dip/Detail.aspx

the picture with the dip in the pumpkin is from the recipe on allrecipes***

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

I went to a sex toy party last night and figured, a bunch of girls would love a recipe like this (and they did---the host hid the dip, so she could have it to herself)

***I forgot to do this last night, so I am giving credit to where I got the recipe ( : Thanks Chelley***I got it from Melissa's Magic in the Kitchen Blog ( who I believe got it from Chelley's blog) http://foodiemelissa.blogspot.com/2007/09/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-dip_20.html

1/2 C (1 stick) butter
1/3 C light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz package low fat cream cheese
1/2 C confectioners sugar
3/4 C mini chocolate chips (I used reg. size milk choc chips, but I think heath chips would be good too)

In small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over med heat. Stirl continuously until the brown sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and set aside to cool. Beat Cream Cheese and confectioners sugar for 1 minute. Slowly beat in cooled butter mixture and beat another minute. stir in choc chips and Pour into pie plate and refridgerate. Garnish with more chips. Serve with Nilla Wafers. Let stand at least 3o minutes before serving.

roasted pears with creme brulee ice cream (ben and jerrys)

I had some pears and was craving something fall like, so I made this recipe up....

2 anjou pears, ripe, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp of lemon juice
2 T butter, melted
2 T light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss pears with melted butter, and all other ingredients in a baking dish. Cover and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring several times. I served this over Ben and Jerry's Creme Brulee Ice Cream.

Ice Box Cake

Here is a very old fashioned recipe for an easy dessert that is yummy! I think I got the original from www.allrecipes.com

but I think it called for Chocolate pudding and I had to tweak the measurements a little bit to fit a large pan.

Ice Box Cake

3 pkg french vanilla pudding mix (instant) or flavor of your choice

3 C milk (cold) I used 1 %

12 oz container of Lite Cool Whip (separated into 8 oz and 4 oz) Thawed

1 16 oz pkg graham crackers

Mix pudding mix and milk with hand mixer for 2 minutes and then mix in 8 oz of cool whip. In a 9X13 pan layer graham crackers on the bottom (use broken pieces to fill in gaps). Layer pudding mixture on top. Complete layers with graham crackers and pudding mixture. Last layer should be graham crackers and then 4 oz of cool whip topping. Refridgerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Funfetti Cookies

I made the funfetti cookies that everyone always talks about---they came out great and were so easy!!! This basic formula would work with any cookie mix, I am going to try lemon next. I got the recipe off the side of the box.

Cake Cookies

1 box cake mix

1/3 C canola oil

2 eggs (I used 3 by mistake and added a little flour and they were fine)

Mix all ingredients together and drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes. Leave on the tray for one minute and transfer to rack to cool. Frost them if you like.

Here is a low cal version that I found on Trisha's One Tiny Pink Kitchen Blog that looked great!

1 box cake mix

1/2 c applesauce

1/2 c eggbeaters

Follow directions above (except it looks like she cooked them for about 12 minutes). Watch them closely after 9 ( : 1 ww point per cookie.

Oreo Truffles

I made these the other day, and wow! They were so good---hubby is eating too many and they are almost gone! The original recipe is from Recipe Zaar. any changes I made are in blue. Here are pictures of them before and after dipping in chocolate. Next time I make these I am going to use the mint oreos!

1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves) keep about 4 or 5 aside to crush to top truffles.
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used 1 tsp)

1 lb milk chocolate

Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. I just put them in a lg. ziploc bag and crushed them with a rolling pin
With a mixer (I used KA mixer), blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.
In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate.
Dip balls and coat thoroughly.
With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Crush cookies that you set aside and sprinkle on top of truffles while chocolate is still melty.
Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet. Let cool (put in fridge).
Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Pie (No Bake)

I think I got this from an ad for Graham cracker crust, not sure of exact source. Ive made it so many times I have it memorized. This is so much easier if you have a KA mixer!

1 premade graham cracker crust (or you can make your own)
8 oz light cream cheese, softened
1/2 C honey
1 jar Jif peanut butter (I always use this one, it is the peanuttiest)
1 container light cool whip, thawed

Cream honey and cream cheese and then mix in peanut butter---if you have a stand mixer use it, hand mixers get messy and this pie is a bitch if you mix it by hand (the best method if no stand mixer). Then fold in cool whip and put mixture into graham cracker crust---chill at least 4-6 hours, best if overnight. You will LOVE this pie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oatmeal and the kitchen sink cookies

Oatmeal and the kitchen sink Cookies
1 C butter
1 C light brown sugar (packed)
1/2 C white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 C oats
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1 C milk choc chips
1/2 C raisins (or craisins)
1/2 C coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, one at a time, stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Mix in oats, walnuts, choc chips, raisins and coconut.
Bake 12 min. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack. Makes approx 50 cookies