Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I do not LOVE Reese's peanut butter cups like some, but I fell in LOVE with this homemade version for sure.  A friend of mine made these for me and I had to have the recipe.  She got the recipe from Martha Stewart, of course.  They were featured in her Everyday Food magazine.  Regardless you have to try them and give them to your chocolate/peanut butter lovers.  They will LOVE you forever.

4 oz white chocolate chopped
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 TBSP unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1.  Line two 12-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.  In a microwave-safe bowl, combine white chocolate and peanut butter.  Microwave, until almost melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Set aside to cool completely.

2.  Meanwhile, place semisweet chocolate in another microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave, stirring once or twice, until almost melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

3.  Dividing evenly, use a spoon to layer semisweet chocolate and peanut-butter mixture into liners, beginning and ending with chocolate; sprinkle with peanuts.  Place muffin pans in freezer until peanut butter cups are firm, about 15 minutes.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

4. To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

*I used Guittard white and milk chocolate.  I liked how the milk tasted better than semisweet.  You can also make white chocolate/peanut butter/white chocolate layered ones and they are delicious as well.

* I did not put the peanuts on top.

* My sister used regular sized muffin tins and made extra large peanut butter cups.

Your Husband's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

These are hands down my husband's favorite cinnamon rolls. We got the recipe from one of his childhood friend's mom and he never fails to remind me that without him, I wouldn't have this amazing recipe. They're really large, fluffy, and just plain good.

Your Husband's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

14-15 c. flour

2/3 c. vegetable oil

2/3 c. honey

1 T salt

2/3 c. gluten

3 T saff instant yeast

Put 5 to 5 1/2 c. hot water in a mixer

Add 2/3 c. oil

Add 2/3 c. honey

Add 1 T salt

Run mixer for 30 seconds

Put 4 to 5 c. flour on top of water in mixer

Run machine until smooth, about a minute or so

Then add 2/3 c. gluten

Then add 3 T saff yeast

Mix til smooth

Then add 9 to 10 c. flour

Mix

Stop machine and add 1 more c. flour

Mix until combined

Oil the surface of counter with vegetable oil (NOT flour)

Cut dough in half

Roll each half into a rectangle

Butter each rectangle liberally with softened butter and sprinkle liberally with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (2/3 sugar to 1/3 cinnamon ratio)

Roll up jelly roll style and cut into 12 rolls using dental floss

Place rolls on two jelly roll pans (with sides) and let rise for 20 minutes

Bake at 350 for approximately 25 to 30 minutes

Frost with your favorite butter cream recipe (I use the one below)

Recipe yields 24 large cinnamon rolls.

*gluten can be found at most grocery stores by the flour. I purchase my gluten and saff yeast at Bosch Kitchen Center.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla

3 c. powdered sugar

milk to desired consistency

Cream softened butter. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Mix in powdered sugar and add milk until you've reached your desired consistency. 

German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake
(I got this recipe from my dear friend, Marissa, and am forever indebted to her seeing as it has become one of my husband's favorites.)


4 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 box yellow cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines, but any will do)
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 c. water
1 8oz carton sour cream
4 oz package german sweet chocolate
6 oz chocolate chips

Beat the eggs. Add oil and water and mix well. Add the yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding packet and stir until combined. Gently fold in carton of sour cream. Melt your german sweet chocolate, either in the microwave or using a double boiler. (I have a broken microwave and do not own a double boiler, so I simply boil a pot of water, place a glass bowl on top being careful that the bowl is large enough so that it doesn't touch the water, and melt my chocolate in the bowl.) Pour melted chocolate in with the rest of the ingredients and stir until mixed well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour cake batter in greased bundt pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 55 minutes.

Frosting:

1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 coconut
1 c. pecans, chopped

Combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla in pan and cook aver medium heat stirring constantly until thick. Place coconut and pecans in a mixing bowl. Pour sauce from pan into mixing bowl and beat until combined. Let frosting cool and then pour over cake.

Pizza and Marinara Sauce

I found this recipe for homemade pizza from a New York girl at this site http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2010/01/pizza-for-project-365.html
I have not had better homemade pizza and credit it to Jennie and her expertise in New York pies. I don't know if it is the dough recipe, or the high cooking temperatures that makes this pizza so good. Or maybe it is the homemade pizza sauce. Trust me, it is so yummy! Notice how the cheese has started to brown on top. It even looks like a professional pizza. And don't mind the slice with green olives. I happen to be the only one that likes them and had to have them on my slice. Enjoy!

The Best Homemade Oreos

If I had to deem a cookie as being my husband's favorite, I'm almost positive it would be this one. I happen to be more than ok with this because they are really easy to make, and because they involve a hefty amount of cream cheese frosting. I could eat that stuff by the spoonful. 

The Best Homemade Oreos

Cookies:

1 package Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 c. shortening

2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Roll dough into small balls. (I roll mine out to slightly smaller than a golf ball.) Place balls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies sit on cookie sheet until set and then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Spoon cream cheese frosting between two cookies and sandwich together.

Frosting:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1, 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

*Makes about 12 oreos, give or take a few depending on desired size.

Thai chicken peanut noodles

I found this great recipe at the following site. I frequent the sisters cafe site quite often and have found some yummy recipes there. It is such an easy and delicious go-to meal because I had almost everything on hand. I did not have a red pepper, so I opted for grated carrots instead and it was just as good. It is nice to have another option for a quick chicken and noodle dinner that everyone in the family will enjoy.



http://www.thesisterscafe.com/2008/05/thai-chicken-peanut-noodles-2

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

This pie is so good. So good that my brothers asked that I leave the leftovers for them after stuffing our bellies full on Thanksgiving day.

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Once again, I found this recipe on our cousins' blog. They've got some killer recipes over there--go check it out!

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

2 ready-made crusts, Oreo or Chocolate Graham*

1 small instant vanilla pudding mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 c. cold water

3 c. whipping cream, divided

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. vanilla, divided

1/3 c. powdered sugar

Chocolate curls

Bananas

Ganache: In a saucepan, heat 1 c. whipping cream with 1 tbsp. butter. Heat until it's hot but not boiling. Add 1 c. semi-sweet chips and 1 tsp. vanilla. Stir till smooth. Divide into two crusts and chill for 30 minutes.

Pudding mixture: Mix together pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Put into fridge to set up (5-10 min). Whip 1 c. whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gently stir into pudding mixture.

Arrange thin slices of banana on the ganache and top with pudding mixture.

Beat remaining 1 c. whipped cream, 1/3 c. powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla until stiff. Spread on top and save some to spoon mounds around the edge. Top with chocolate curls and enjoy!

*For a homemade crust:

Place 30 oreos in a ziplock bag. Crush oreos, cream included, with a rolling pin until fine. Place 7 T softened butter in ziplock and combine. Empty oreo pieces into pie tin and press in tin until crust is formed.