Crock-Pot Peanut Clusters

Need a Valentine Day dessert?  These would be great to take to work or make for your sweetheart.  As you know I love peanut clusters!  I keep them in my fridge at all times and they are often my go-to dessert.  This recipe is my favorite, but there is a small downside: they need to be refrigerated or they get soft.  When I was making my Christmas plates this year I wanted to include peanut clusters so I decided to try my Mom's recipe for Crock-pot peanut clusters (I have only tried them once because she started making them after I had already left home).  They turned out amazing...pretty dang close to my favorite recipe and they can be kept at room temp.  You can make them in your crock-pot (takes about 3 hrs) and it makes a very large amount, perfect to take to a big gathering or give away as treats.  You have to try them.  I gave them away on Christmas plates, but they were so good I had to keep a stash for myself.

 

 YUM!

 There are a lot of different chocolates that go in here

 Crock-pot on low for 3 hours

When it looks like this, stir it up and drop onto parchment or into cupcake liners

Crock-Pot Peanut Clusters

32oz dry-roasted peanuts-I used 2 jars (16oz each)

1 package white chocolate bark

1/2 package milk chocolate bark

1 1/2 bags of dark chocolate chips

1 bar German chocolate baking chocolate

Pour peanuts into the bottom of a large crock-pot.  Top with all of the chocolate broken up as seen above.  Turn on low heat for 2-3 hours, keep an eye on it because you don't want it to burn.  When it looks melted (as seen above), turn off crock-pot and stir well.  Drop into muffin liners until set and then enjoy!  I love this recipe because it makes a lot.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Cliff requested homemade Reese's Cups the other day.  I think he got the craving from watching me eat lots of "instant Reese's" (scroll to bottom of page) I have been hooked on them.  Well, these are a lot more dessert-like.  They are a little tedious, but well worth the effort.  Cliff loved them!  My Dad approves and he is a Reese's connoisseur! 

 YUM

 Spoon chocolate into a muffin paper

 Use your spoon and drag the chocolate up the edges, then freeze

 Put chilled peanut butter mix into the chocolate shell

 Top with melted chocolate and put in freezer until hardened

These are so good, you've got to try them.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

In a double boiler melt chocolate.  While that is melting, mix peanut butter, powdered sugar and salt; place in fridge to chill.  Place muffin papers in a muffin tin and spoon chocolate into muffin papers.  Use your spoon to draw the chocolate up the edges of the paper.  Place those in the freezer until hardened (about 10 minutes).  Dip peanut butter into the chocolate shell and then top with chocolate.  Try to smooth the chocolate over the peanut butter gently until it is fully covered.  Place back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.  Enjoy:)  I keep mine stored in the refrigerator. 

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

My bosses Birthday was a week ago and I was so excited because I got to make the cake!  When you are making such a special cake, you want to know your recipe is a good one, so I used the recipe my Mom always used for my Birthday!  This is one of my all-time favorite chocolate cakes, hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

 Oh man it was so chocolatey and rich-in a good way:)

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk (I used buttermilk, 1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp. vinegar)
2/3 cup oil (used canola)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2-3 cups chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 2 round cake pans or a 12x9 pan (if you are using the two round pans, place parchment in the bottom for easy removal).  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add milk, oil, and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add egg and beat 2 more minutes.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips (or if you don't put chocolate chips in the batter, you can put them on the middle layer on frosting).
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove cake from pan.  Cool thoroughly on a wire rack. 
Make frosting and frost cake.  I made a two-layer cake and used chocolate chips in the middle layer and on the outside edge. 
**Note:  I also wrapped my cakes in plastic wrap and placed them in the freezer overnight.  Optional but it is supposed to make the cake more moist. 

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting
1 stick butter
2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa (I used 1/3 cup dark cocoa and 1/3 cup normal cocoa)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat room temperature butter with cocoa.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency.  Add more milk, if needed.  Add vanilla.  Makes about 2 cups. 

Have to Try Right Now Granola Bars

I don't even know how I stumbled upon these beauties but I am so glad I did.  These are a healthy version of no bake cookies (those awesome peanut butter chocolate oatmeal ones, the ones I have forbidden myself to make unless I am taking them somewhere).  Yes, there are a few foods I just don't make anymore because of a little thing called self-control, or lack there of.  I will be making these though because they are a lot healthier and for some reason they are more satisfying (I wouldn't mind eating half the pan, but don't feel the urge to like I do with normal no bake cookies).  Have I built them up enough yet? 

 I accidentally dropped a few extra chocolate chips on top, dark chocolate of coarse!

This recipe makes a 9 x 13 cake pan of them.  I cut them into about 16 nice sized pieces.

Have to Try Right Now Granola Bars

1 cup peanut butter (I will try crunchy next time)

2/3 cup honey (I used a little less, basically I didn't fill it all the way)

1/2 cup coconut oil (this makes them so yummy)

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, plus the additional sprinkle on top if you want

2 rounded cups oats

3/4 cup dried cranberries (I may try peanuts for cranberries next time, depends on my mood)

In a medium saucepan melt together peanut butter, honey and oil.  Once melted and smooth, remove from heat and add chocolate chips.  Stir until melted and add the rest of your ingredients.  Pour into a cake pan lined with parchment paper and top with chocolate chips or nuts.  Place in fridge until hardened and cut into bars.  Keep stored in the fridge because they get a little melty, plus they are really good cold.  Enjoy!

*Slightly modified from New Nostalgia (and I want to try the normal granola bars on this page too)

Simple Pasta

I am thankful it is Friday and time to relax for the weekend.  Cliff and I are going to lay low this weekend and try to get some rest, which means I should get to cook up yummy things.  More than anything I am just looking forward to some quality time with my husband.  Tonight I decided to make zucchini pasta.  I saw it on Mels Kitchen Cafe and I had all the ingredients on hand (plus I needed to use up my zucchini).  It is a very easy recipe and we both loved it.  I followed her recipe exactly, it is in the link to her blog so check it out and enjoy

 

 I have always loved pasta with Parmesan and olive oil. 

 

 I baked some chicken to go with it.

 Start with shredded zucchini and minced garlic.  I also had my fresh basil ready to go

 While your pasta is boiling you cook your garlic and olive oil over medium heat for about a minute.  Add your shredded zucchini and seasoning and cook a minute more.  Add your lemon juice and stir well.  Once zucchini is tender take it off the heat.  Toss in your basil and lemon zest (if you used fresh lemon). Your pasta will probably be done at this point.  Drain and toss it with your zucchini mixture, top with fresh Parmesan and serve immediately.  Top with extra cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if you are up for it!

Simply Delicious

Cliff and me usually have something yummy for dessert on a Friday night.  I was craving chocolate (when am I not craving chocolate?) and remembered this awesome "The One" Chocolate Mug Cake.  I found it on Pinterest and I am glad I did.

With a few modifications:  

"The One" Chocolate Mug Cake (for one)

2 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. baking powder

pinch salt

2 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. oil

chocolate chips

peanut butter, nutella, or biscoff to put in the center

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a microwave safe bowl or mug.  Mix well and make sure the clumps are gone.  Stir in your milk and oil.  Add chocolate chips, stir and then drop a spoonful of peanut butter, nutella or both (I haven't tried it with biscoff yet).  Microwave for one minute and eat right away (don't burn off all your taste buds though!).  This is a little bit different than the recipe in the link.  You will have to play with the microwave times, but when I made a 1 1/2 batch, one minute was perfect

 It doesn't look as pretty as it tastes.  I made 1 1/2 servings and split it with Cliff, next time we will be getting our own servings.  When you scoop it out of the bowl you have a lava like peanut butter fudge waiting for you at the bottom

 At this point I am very excited and licking all my utensils

 Topped with Caramel Turtle Fudge Blue Bell

A little over the top, in a good way!  This combo was very delicious-I will always love ice cream on warm gooey chocolate things, but this cake would even be good without ice cream, so I have a keeper here.

Cliff and me watched Sky Captain in the World of Tomorrow, it was good.  Have a good weekend everyone, be back tomorrow

New and Improved Peanut Clusters

You may or may not know I have an addiction to peanut clusters.  In college Cliff used to love peanut clusters (they are basically peanuts and chocolate and we found them in the candy section at the grocery store).  They are kind of hard to find, and a little expensive so one day I told him I was going to make them myself.  Apparently his Mom used to make some when he was little and he said she melted chocolate and peanut butter, then added peanuts.  That is exactly what I did and my favorite treat was born.  I have these in my fridge at all times.  I typically have them as dessert most evenings unless I there is another dessert that has been made during the week.  The other day when I was making Oreo balls I decided to try something new with the last bit of chocolate.  I added peanut butter, a few peanuts and corn flakes.  I spooned them out just like peanut clusters.  They are my new favorite version of Peanut Clusters.  I have made them twice in the past 2 weeks.  I highly recommend you try these!

 These are an amazing little treat to end your day.

 To refresh your memory, melt chocolate in a double boiler, add a big glob of peanut butter

 Add a few peanuts.  For the New and Improved Peanut Clusters, this is the point you will add corn flakes as well

Scoop into muffin cups or onto parchment paper

I would have to say this is my favorite dessert of the moment.  I love them because I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter, peanuts and corn flakes.  As far as I am concerned, this is healthier than most desserts and it is really satisfying.  Hope you like them as much as I do!

Amazingly Overboard

Last night at our friends graduation party she had an ice cream dessert instead of cake.  It was basically a crushed oreo crust topped with ice cream and re-frozen.  It was so good that I wanted to come home and make one for our freezer.  Cliff and I were talking on our way home from church and I said we should go get oreos and he laughed and said why...."So I can make that amazing ice cream dessert."  To which he said, "I think you should just make a giant brownie crust instead."  Oh, okay, maybe I will take it one step farther and make an ice cream cake topped with homemade brownies!  Cliff helped me come up with the overall idea and he said he wanted it to be his Valentine dessert (I gave him a coupon for a dessert of his choosing for part of his V-day gift).  He REDEEMED his dessert today!!!

 Extreme Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

 A mouth watering bottom layer of peanut butter chocolate chip cake

 Homemade chewy fudge brownies for the top

 These are the brownies pre-oven but thought they needed a pic side by side.  I baked them while the cake was cooling

 When the cake is almost cool, you take your favorite ice cream and scoop it on top of the cake.

 A beautiful layer of ice cream

 As the ice cream sits you can smooth it out and then put it back in the freezer.

 When your brownies are almost cool, cut them up and crumble them over the top.  I needed some pretty contrasting color so I went ahead and drizzled some white chocolate over the top!

Served with a cup of coffee and a movie.  I think Cliff was pleased with his Valentine Dessert.  May I also say we like to call this a Mother's Day Cake.  Even though we didn't get to see our Mom's today we did talk to them and send them a picture of this beauty because we would have loved to share with them.

Lauren's Extreme Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

Layers Include:  Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake, Ice Cream of your choosing, Homemade Chewy Cocoa Brownies and a drizzle of white chocolate.  Check out the recipes I used.  Then read how I assembled it all at the end

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup oat flour (oats blended in blender, can use normal flour instead)
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup water
splash vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl combine the sugar and flour.  In another bowl beat egg, baking soda and sour cream until combined.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan melt butter, peanut butter and water over medium heat.  Bring to a boil stirring constantly and take off heat right after it boils, stir in a splash of vanilla.  Pour hot peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir well.  Add the sour cream mixture and beat until well combined.  Pour into a lightly greased round baking pan (I used a large spring form pan for the purposes of the ice cream cake).  Or for a thinner cake you can bake it in a 13x9in cake pan.  Top with chocolate chips and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
*Recipe from Mels Kitchen Cafe.  I halved her recipe and changed it slightly.  If you want to double my recipe above (or check out here recipe) you can bake in in a 15x10in jelly roll pan.  She also had a great frosting if you were just making the cake.  If I was not using it the base of my ice cream cake I would frost it with chocolate frosting for sure.

Chewy Cocoa Brownies
I followed this Nestle recipe exactly and then added some chopped Hershey bars before putting it in the oven.



Ice Cream of your choice
My choice was  a 1/2 gallon of Blue Bell Dessert Trio which is vanilla ice cream with chocolate chip cookies, pecan brownies, chocolate coated cake and a swirl of chocolate sauce.  I know I know you can wipe up your drool now!

White Chocolate Drizzle
Place 1/2 cup white chocolate chips in a small bowl and place in microwave.  Heat 45 seconds at 70% heat and stir.  Keep heating in 15 second increments at 70% heat until soft.  Place in a ziplock bag and cut the tip of the bag.  Drizzle the white chocolate onto your cake.

 Important Ice Cream Cake Instructions:

Make and bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cake in a large spring-form pan.  While that is in the oven start your brownies (box brownies would be fine if you wanted to make this a simpler process).  When your cake comes out of the oven put it on a cooling rack and then put your brownies in the oven.  Start cleaning your mess because it is a big one!  When your cake is cool to the touch and the pan is still a little warm, top with ice cream.  As your ice cream melts a little, start to smooth it out.  Place that in the freezer and let your brownies cool as that starts to harden.  When your brownies are almost cooled, cut them up and place them on top of your ice cream.  Put it back in the freezer and you can melt your white chocolate.  When you are ready to drizzle take your cake out one more time and drizzle your chocolate over the top.  Let it re-freeze for at least 2 hours and then you are ready to serve.  Enjoy this highly indulgent cake.

I am headed to bed but had to share this before I started my busy week.  Have a Happy Monday and a great week.  See you soon for more new recipes!

Surprise Dinner

Cliff has been working really hard and it can be tiring so on Wednesday night I decided to surprise him with a nice dinner (instead of the leftover spinach lasagna as planned)!  I spent plenty of time thinking about what to make and was really excited all day.  On the menu:  Ritz Parmesan Chicken, Cottage-Fried Potatoes, Caesar Salad, and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries.  Yes you can picture my excited face and my little kid squeels.  I got off work late but had time to get the chicken in the oven before Cliff got home.  He walked in just as I was starting to melt my chocolate and said, "What are you doing?"...."Nothing...we are not having any chocolate of any kind!"  Even though he got home before it was done, we both enjoyed a nice dinner

 It was all delicious

 The Cottage-Fried Potatoes were so fast and easy.  You have to try these, they are an amazing side dish.

 Try it all in fact!

 I need to make these more often, they are really easy but they kind of use a lot of chocolate

Ritz Parmesan Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (the powdery kind)

Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper

Combine egg and milk in a bowl.  Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and seasonings in a shallow dish. Pour flour on a plate and coat raw chicken breast with the flour.  Dip floured chicken into the egg wash and then into the crumb mixture.  Make sure it is well coated with your crumb mixture and place on a greased baking sheet (I placed a cooling rack on my baking sheet so the bottom of the chicken would get crispy too).  Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.  While the chicken is baking you can work on some yummy sides!

Cottage-Fried Potatoes

2.5 Tbsp Butter

1 pound red potatoes, washed and thinly sliced

Garlic salt, pepper, and favorite seasonings (we used season-all, pepper blend, Cliff loves the stuff)

1 small onion, chopped

In a large skillet, melt butter.  Layer sliced potatoes in skillet and sprinkle with seasonings.  Cook, covered over medium heat for 8 minutes.  Add onion and cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes.  For the last 4 minutes I like to turn up the heat so they get nicely browned. 

*Slightly altered from Better Homes and Gardens

Easy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

8 fresh strawberries washed (pat dry with a paper towel)

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 small cube of melting chocolate

In a double boiler melt chocolate.  When it is melted, dip strawberries into chocolate until they are well covered and place on parchment.  Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.  Enjoy!