Chocolate Bowls

Chocolate Bowls

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 T. oil (optional)

Melt chocolate chips.
For microwave: heat in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until melted.
For stove: Heat in sauce pan over low heat until melted.

 Dip a partially inflated balloon into melted chocolate. Allow chocolate to cool a bit before dipping. (I got too excited and didn't let it cool enough. Balloon popped. Chocolate everywhere....) You might need a spoon or spatula to help spread it around the balloon.

Spoon a small amount of chocolate onto parchment paper to create a base for the bowl. Place chocolate covered balloon on top. Place in fridge to harden.

Oh, and, ya know, there will probably be some chocolate left over. I used some bananas to finish it off :)

 When chocolate has hardened, cut a small hold at the knot of the balloon to slowly release air. If you let too much air out the bowl will crack.

 Carefully peel balloon away from chocolate. (One of mine cracked a little)

Serve with ice cream, brownie, etc.

Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies
 
 Make one batch of plain dough, and another batch with red food coloring added.
 1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (white or brown)
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla or peppermint extract
2 tsp. red food coloring
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat for a minute, until smooth and light. For red dough, add the red food coloring.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the sugar mixture and stir by hand just until you have a soft dough. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or until chilled.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll walnut-sized pieces of dough into ropes, then twist one red and one white piece together to make something that resembles a peppermint stick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet (curled at the end like a candy cane or not). Bake for 15 minutes, or until set and pale golden on the bottom and around the edges.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

You can use any Basic Brownie recipe (you can use a box mix if you would like) here is the one I used:
Brownie
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla.  Beat in eggs.  Stir cocoa and flour together and add to creamed mixture.  Press into a greased 9 x 13 in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Do not over bake. Cool completely.  I actually put it in my freezer to help it along.


Make cookie dough:
Cookie Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup chocolate chips or regular

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla until well blended.  Alternately stir in flour and sweetened condensed milk until blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread onto cooled brownies. Put back in fridge to harden a bit

Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon oil in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted.  Spread on top of brownie/cookie dough and return to fridge until chocolate is firm

These are best served at room temperature.

I know, right?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfait

Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfaits
Ingredients
Graham crackers, crumbled
1 cup peanut butter
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) tub of whipped topping, divided
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup milk

Directions
Prepare the chocolate pudding according to directions on package. Set aside.

Combine the peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Mix together until combined. Stir in the whipped topping.

Spread one heaping spoonful of pudding into the bottom of each glass. Spread one heaping spoonful of peanut butter mixture and a tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs. Repeat layers. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired, and a sprinkle of remaining graham crackers.

Refrigerate before serving. Serves 4-6.

Wow, these were so good! There is really nothing better than chocolate and peanut butter. A nice change up from cake or cookies! The original recipe says to use  melted chocolate chips instead of pudding. I'm sure that would be delicious too. You can get the original recipe here.

Chicken Ranch Tacos

Chicken Ranch Tacos
3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 pkt. taco seasoning -chicken or beef (I used about 1 Tablespoon of my homemade Taco seasoning.)
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
taco shells
lettuce
cheese
Ranch dressing
tomatoes
etc...

Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken & warm it for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the dry taco seasoning. Do not add any water! Heat for 5-7 minuted until all heated through & powder is stuck to the chicken.

Add Ranch dressing, heat an additional 2-3 minutes to warm through.


Serve in taco shells with all the fixings you love - plus an extra squirt of Ranch!

Um, wow! This was so amazingly good to me. A great change up from beef - which has gotten a little boring for me. I wasn't sure how taco seasoning and ranch dressing would go together but it is fantastic!! I didn't get a picture of the made-up taco, though. I was too busy enjoying it!

Country White Bread

Country White Bread

3 cups luke-warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoon yeast

1/3 cup oil

1 Tablespoon salt

6 - 7 cups unbleached ground white wheat flour (you can use regular all-purpose bleached flour with success as well. It will make a softer, less-coarse bread.)

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Let sit 10 minutes. Add the oil. Add the dry ingredients starting with 6 cups of flour. Mix all together. Knead the dough thoroughly until all ingredients are incorporated, and dough is smooth, elastic, very slightly sticky, and pulls away from the bowl (6-10 minutes). As you knead the dough, you may add more flour as needed, and repeat the process until dough reaches the desired consistency.

Cover the bowl of dough with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (an hour or more depending on how warm your kitchen is.) You may speed up this process by placing the covered bowl inside the oven with the oven light on, and another bowl of warm water sitting on the lower rack.

Punch the dough down, divide and and form into 2 loaves. Place the dough in 2 greased bread pans. (I use 9" pans.) Cover and let rise until the top of the dough is an inch or two higher than the bread pans.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the baked loaves from their pans immediately, and place on a cooling rack. Slice, and serve warm with butter and honey. Makes 2 loaves.

Store in an air-tight bag. Baked loaves AND bread dough freeze well.

I love, love, love this bread!!! The crust stays soft which makes it great for sandwiches (the most popular use of bread in our house). And it's great for toast. Yay!!!