Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Slutty Brownies or Knock your socks off Brownie bars

With that title I know I have your attention now and then after the picture...

 ... I know you are ready to find out how to make this delicious-ness :) If you have looked through my recipe and or seen my blog you know that I am a fan of Oreo's. They are just SO good. I had this idea to wrap chocolate chip cookie dough around an Oreo and cook. I have to admit it was pretty good. Definitely the best when it was warm. Then I saw a recipe for Oreo brownies. Yes, you saw that right...Oreo brownies. You take a 9x9 baking dish and put Oreos all on the bottom of the pan covering the pan, then pour your brownie mixture over it and bake. Well, now I ran across a combination of all 3!!!
What you need:


  • Your favorite box of brownies (make according to package)
  • A package of Oreo cookies
  • Your favorite choc. chip cookie dough


Assembly:


  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan with tin foil and then spray the tin foil with a layer of baking spray.
  3. Press the cookie dough on the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan, pressing down to form the bottom of the slutty brownies. 
  4. Layer as many oreos that will fit on top of the cookie dough. No need to overlap. One single layer will do.
  5. Pour the brownie batter on top of the oreo layer and make sure it's evenly layers on top.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Test with a knife to see if the center is done. If the knife comes out clean, let the brownies rest before serving. If the knife comes out with batter still on it, allow the brownies to bake about 5 more minutes.
Are you serious? I do not think your taste buds are even ready for this-WOW!! If you think you need something to help with the richness you may need to add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with it. Enjoy and prepare to be a big hit anywhere you share this recipe.


On a side note...I saw on pinterest where someone posted a very similar recipe. They made everything homeade. That is a way to go to I guess :) but really I wanted to share their name in case you needed to share this where "slutty brownies" may not be appropriate :) hahahaha....She called them "Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Knock your socks off Brownie bars." I was thinking maybe just call them "Knock your socks off brownie bars". Depending on your mood you can call them whatever!! Just enjoy!


http://betchacanteatjustone.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/chocolate-chip-cookie-n-oreo-knock-your-socks-off-brownie-bars/#comment-706



Sunday, January 22, 2012

Poor Mans Toffee-Saltines never tasted this good



I have actually heard this called many things, but I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and her recipe called it this.
Poor Mans Toffee 
1 cup unsalted butter (must use butter!)
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
40 saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil. Melt the sugar and butter until a boil is reached. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the toffee becomes bubbly. After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, and then spread them into an even layer. Let cool and 
refrigerate until hardened. Break into pieces the size of your choice.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chicken Tortilla

I have had this lots of places, but my recipe is from my sister-in-law, Tisha. I think I got it about 3 years ago after a new years day get together.
1 pound chicken (I always use rotisserie chicken pulled apart)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can of cream corn
2 cans of rotel
2 cups of chicken broth
2 cans of black beans, drained well
1 jalapeno (optional)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tbl cilantro
Salt to taste
3 tbl butter
1 cup of Jack Cheese
2 cups of half and half

This is a big ole dump. Dump everything in to a large pot but the last two ingredients (cheese and half and half). Let everything cook and simmer for about 25-30 mins. Add cheese and half and half 5-10 mins before serving.
Garnish with tortilla chips and sour cream if you want.

Potato Cheese Soup


Now this one is a little tricky but maybe you can get the idea. I really do not measure with this one. I start with about half a cup of diced onions (I have also used dried onion flakes-about 1 tbl when I didn't have an onion-omit butter if you use them) and a tbl spoon of butter. Saute. Then I add a can of cream of chicken soup, 2 cups of half and half ( I use all milk if I do not have this), and about a cup to cup and a half of Velveeta cheese torn into pieces (depends on how cheesy you like it. I let that all cook together and melt. Depending on consistency sometimes I add a cup or two of milk to thin it out, then a bag of Oreida  frozen potatos (Southern Style Hash Browns) to the soup mixture. Turn on low and let cook for about 20 mins. Ta-dah!! So easy and so yummy!

Chicken Penne

 I made this one up after eating the soup at J Alexanders. It was one of those dinners where we were like this is really good, what do you think is in it? and this is what we came up with...

3 tbl butter
4 oz of mushrooms, diced very little
1 cup of celery
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 medium onion, diced
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
6 cups of chicken broth
1 1/2 cups of half and half
2 tbl parsley
1 chicken shredded ( I buy pre-cooked rotisserie)
1 cup of whipping cream
2 tbl Herbs de Provence
1 tbl lemon juice (optional)

Saute in butter, mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery. After softened mix in chicken broth and parsley. Bring to a simmer. Then add in all ingredients except the creams. Add the creams last and before serving. Make sure soup is heated through.

Creamy Broccoli and Wild Rice

 This is one from my mother-in-law, Mama C

6 oz. Chicken Flavored Wild Rice
5 cups of water 
10 oz frozen chopped broccoli
2 tsp minced onion
1 can of cream of chicken soup
8 oz cream cheese

Combine rice and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 mins. Stir in broccoli and onion. Cover and simmer for 5 mins. Stir in soup and cream cheese. Cook until cream cheese is melted.
I also add shredded chicken to it sometimes. My husband always wants a meat in it. If I do this I usually add a can or two of chicken broth since the chicken soaks up so much liquid.

Best Banana Bread Ever!

This is SO good, SO moist, and just plain de-lish. My best friend in school, her grandmother made this for us all the time. I remember asking for the recipe once, but for the life of me could not remember what I did with it. I ran across it in a drawer one weekend when I was home from college. I have been making it ever since. Here is it...

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup canola oil
3 cups mashed bananas (about 5 med bananas)
1 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp poppy seed
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a mixer. This recipe makes two full size loaf's. I sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar after I put it in the loaf pan. Cook at 375 for 1 hour or until cooked completely.

I have done these into muffins a lot as well. I always get compliments on how good and moist the bread or muffins are-so here is my secret!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Oreo Pudding Cake



Have I mentioned on here yet I love Oreos? I love a good Oreo with milk and any dessert with Oreos ( dirt cake, Oreo truffles, Oreo trifle). I ran across two different recipes on pinterest, but decided to use a little from each recipe to make it more Oreo tasting. It is an Oreo Pudding Cake and you cannot get any easier.
1 box butter recipe fudge cake mix
1 cup Oreos (crushed) about 12-14 cookies
3/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa-optional
1pkg Oreo jello pudding-could leave this out

I made the cake like my mother-in-law did, 1 cup water, 1 cup of mayonnaise and 3 eggs, then added 1 cup of crushed Oreos in the batter.
Cooked according to box. After the cake cooked I mixed up the pudding according to the box. When I first pulled out the cake I poked holes in it with the handle of a wooden spoon. Then poured the pudding over the hot, now hole-ey cake. Then put the cake in the refrigerator to let the pudding set up.
After the pudding is set and has gone in the holes you can add the frosting (recipe below).
You could easily leave the pudding out. I think I might try that next time. I think it was almost too moist. It didn't come out pretty (but it tasted great!) and it was hard to get out of pan after the pudding had set. It is SO moist from the mayonnaise you really do not need the pudding.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups Cool whip (I used the extra creamy kind)
1 cup fine crushed Oreos

I did this with two round 8x8 pans. So the icing made enough for the middle layer as well as to top off the entire cake.
Hope you Oreo lovers enjoy!!

This was a recipe inspired by these two recipes...
http://realmomkitchen.com/6917/chocolate-oreo-cream-cake/
http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/07/puddin-poke-cake.html



Monday, January 9, 2012

Creamy Italian Chicken and Rice


ingredients:


2-4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts


1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese (let sit out to soften)


1 can cream of chicken soup


1 pkg. italian dressing seasoning (the dried kind in the packet)


rice

Stir the cream cheese, cream of chicken, and seasoning together and pour over chicken breast. Now, I used my handy dandy, fast cooking pressure cooker but the blog I got it from used a crock pot ( cook on high 4-6 hours or until the chicken is cooked and fall-apart-tender. After it was done I used my handy dandy pampered chef salad chopper shears to shred the chicken, but you do not have to do that.
 How easy is that!?
Cook the rice in a pot (I also cooked the rice in chicken broth to give a little flavor to it) and smother with chicken mixture! The italian seasoning is the secret ingredient! So yum!
Thanks to "Stick a Fork In It" blog
http://forkinit.blogspot.com/2008/01/dinner-reality-check.html

Sunday, January 1, 2012

It's not your grandma's pressure cooker!

Yes, I have a pressure cooker. One night while watching HSN (yes, it caught my attention) I saw Wolf Gang Puck showing his pressure cookers. I sat there and watched in amazement. As I kept looking at it I realized it looked nothing like the one my grandmother had, which then became my mothers. What won be over completely was the fact that you could put something in it completely frozen and then have dinner in 30 mins. I always hated having to thaw things out. That is usually when I cave and decide on something like fast food. So I did it! I went on-line and ordered it. It was here within a few days. I went big too! I put in a chuck roast frozen. I cooked the roast with, dry a ranch seasoning pack and some beef broth for 20 mins, then put in the onions, carrots and potatoes and cooked it another 20 mins. BAM! dinner was served. It was the best roast I had ever made, which is a big deal because I always seem to mess it up. It was moist and juicy and SO good. My next adventure was green beans. I can never seem to get those just right either. I took a can of Allen green beans, chicken broth and some onion. Threw it in, put it on 20 mins and presto! The best green beans I have ever made. I am LOVING this thing. I have also done frozen chicken wings, then tossed them in sauce and baked them for about 15 mins to get a crunch. Casey loves them.
Today was another challenge on things I have never been able to do well....black eyed peas and turnip greens. Well I can say my pressure cooker did not disappoint. It was SO easy and SO good. I put a 16 oz bag of black eyed peas in the pot with some hogs jaw, water and chicken broth. Put the lid on and cooked for 1 hour. They are yummy, maybe a little too soft, but still very good. Maybe 45-50 mins next time. Next was the turnip greens. I did the same thing with them hogs jaw, chicken broth and water. Cooked them for 30 mins, checked them out then for another 30 mins. The best I have ever made. Maybe that should be my title?! Well, I said "It's not your grandma's pressure cooker!" because it doesn't look like it or cook like it.
When I have googled recipes you can see that they are the old pressure cooker and it will say things like, when it gets to a boil, put in this...well this one I have you cannot do that. It is sealed tight. So I have had to guess around at some times. There also isn't a whole lot of pressure cooker recipes out there. I think they are  a thing of the past, but Wolfgang is bringing them back!!!
I just wanted to share my new found cooking love, my pressure cooker!!