Bacon Caramel Brownies.

Now this one is a TAD more complicated. It took me twice to make the caramel. But I'll tell you what I learned so you can only make it once. :) That's how nice I am.

First preheat your oven to 350. (it takes a while to heat up)
Get a square 8 inch pan and line with aluminum foil and spray the foil.
Cook up 4 slices of bacon. (I usually cook 5 because I have to eat a piece)
Crumble the bacon up into little pieces.
KEEP THE GREASE IN THE PAN


For the caramel sauce:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

Add cream to your bacon grease while the pan is hot. Then set aside and let come to room temperature.
In a medium saucepan on high cook up your sugar. It will get liquified and an amber color. Now this is where it gets a little difficult. (I had my boyfriend help me) You NEED to keep stirring while you mix in the butter. It will bubble up and then once that is melted mix in the heavy cream. Remember KEEP STIRRING.
Add in half of the crumbled bacon.
Set aside and let come to room temperature.

Now comes the brownies. This part is easy peasy.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter cut into pieces
6 oz (half bag) of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
bacon
bacon caramel

Melt your butter and chocolate chips. (I did it in microwave for 30 seconds and stir and then for 10 seconds after) You can do it whatever way you want.
Mix in the cocoa powder until smooth
Add eggs one at a time
Then add your sugar, vanilla and flour.
Mix in the rest of the bacon.

In you're lined pan mix 1/3 of the brownie batter and top with the caramel. Swirl the sauce into the batter with a knife and repeat until your batter and caramel is gone.

Place in the oven for 30-45 minutes.

Note* you want them moist so take them out a TAD early.

I know it's been a while. But I hope this makes up.

I'm not sure what to call these? But it's a salty but sweet treat. Great for a snack.
Very tedious though.

1 package hugs (or kisses)
1 package m&ms (I use the valentine ones you can use whatever you want)
1 bag of square 'waffle' pretzels.

OR

1 bag of rolo's
1 bag of pecan halfs
bag of waffle pretzels

Preheat your oven to 200. You can spray the pan if you want too. (Lightly)
Line the pan with your pretzels and then put the kisses or rolo's on top in the center.
Let them cook about 2-4 minutes and then take them out and place an  m&m or pecan in the center.
Let them cool ( I put them in the fridge)
and enjoy. :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

My boyfriend and I got banana's at the store and they were starting to turn brown. I immediately thought banana bread. But I didn't have a loaf pan. Then I thought... banana bars! I didn't have cream cheese; and honestly was to lazy to go anywhere. It's kind of cold outside.

So I decided on chocolate chip banana muffins.

It's obviously way healthier then everything else I've made but still delicious. 

 

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups chocolate chips (or nuts or fruit)

1/3 cup oil

3 bananas mashed

Preheat your oven to 375 and mash up your banana. I use a mixer and add 1 tablespoon water but if you want to you can mash it with a fork or potato masher. 

Add the sugar and oil and mix together.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, oats, baking soda and powder, and salt until combined. 

Mix in the chocolate chips or whatever your  using.

In a cupcake/muffin tin line it with liners and spray them but not a lot. It just makes it easier to get off the paper.

Fill them 3/4 full with the batter.

Cook for about 18-20 minutes. Leave in the pan for 5 minutes but no longer or the liners will get oily. 

Cool or enjoy warm.

Chocolate Chip Heath Cookies

I make these cookies all the time. They're a big hit with everyone.

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heath bits
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.
When I make this I mix together the salt, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, butter and eggs.
Then I slowly mix in the flour. Then the chips.

Grease or spray you're cookie sheets and cook for 8-10 minutes.
ENJOY

Beef Sherry

Tonight I made Beef Sherry.
I didn't get a picture. I'm sorry. And now it's gone so I can't.
This is delicious and makes a lot. I made it for my boyfriends game night and it was a hit. This is one of those recipe's you put in the crock pot and just let it go all day. I got this recipe from my mom who got it from hers.

It consists of very few ingredients.


2 packages of stew meat (or one big package)
1/3 to 1/2 bottle of red fruity wine
2 large cans of cream of chicken soup
1 envelope of Lipton onion soup mix

Put everything in crock pot and turn on high for two hours. (The meat has to cook down) then turn it on low and let it go all day.

Put it on potatoes, rice bread or whatever.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

So I saw this on tumblr and have decided it looked SUPER amazing. So... I made it.
Super simple and goes over GREAT with people. Believe me there's four people here devouring it while I type this.

 

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup MINI chocolate chips

Cream together the cheese and the butter.
Add the sugars and the vanilla.
Mix in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate until you want to serve...or serve immediately and let it be eaten.

Stuffed Shells

Tonight I made stuffed shells for dinner. It's a fairly simple recipe and doesn't take THAT much time to make.

For this recipe you'll need:
3 teaspoons of minced garlic or about 6 garlic cloves and mince them
1 box of Jumbo Shells
2 chicken breasts
1 30oz tub of ricotta cheese
1/3 cup of bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
6 basil leaves (chopped)
1/3 cup half and half
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 can of chicken broth
1 can of sauce (spaghetti or anything)
1 casserole dish or deep dish pan
Slow cooker

Now I know looking at all the ingredients are kind of overwhelming. But don't be; like I said VERY simple.

First you're going to take the slow cooker and dump the can of chicken brother in and place you're chicken breasts in and set to high. Leave them in for two hours. After the two hours is over they're cooked.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Start cooking your shells. Just like the box says. While you're cooking those start to pull apart or cut up your chicken and place in a bowl.
Once your shells are done cooking strain them and set them aside while you make the mixture.
In your bowl with the chicken add all your ingredients except the mozzarella cheese and the sauce and stir together and until all combined. (You can use a food processor if you have one)
Once that is all combined grab your dish and place some of the sauce of your choice (I used roasted garlic marinara) in the bottom of the pan with a little olive oil. Make sure the bottom of the pan is covered.
Next take a shell and spoon in the chicken mixture and set the shell in the pan. Repeat until the pan is full. (I had tons of extra so feel free to make more then one pan)
Once your pan is full top with some more sauce. However much you prefer. Then top with mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Finished. See... SIMPLE