Twix Bars

Mmmmmm.

Yes, let's say that again, Mmmmmmm.

These are tasty!  I made them for a family Halloween party and they were gobbled up quickly!

It might be partially due to the fact that there is 1 pound of butter in a 9x13 pan.  Oh yeah, and some sugar.  Throw in some sweetened condensed milk, and what's not to love?

Shortbread Crust:
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
Mix and press in 9x13 pan. Bake @ 375 for 20 min.

Caramel:
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
 Cook over med heat- boil 5 min. Pour on crust. Put in fridge 1 hour.

Chocolate:
Melt 12 oz bag of milk choc chips
 2 tbsp veg. Oil
 Spread over caramel and put in fridge for 2 hours.

I discovered that if you 1/4 this recipe, it makes a perfect 8x8 pan.  It is thinner layers of the caramel and crust and I think it is a nice change.  Plus making only an 8x8 pan means there's less laying around that I am going to eat.

1/4 recipe:

4 T butter
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
Mix and press in 8x8 pan, bake at 375 for about 14-15 minutes.  Check it to make sure it doesn't get too dark.

4 T butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T corn syrup
5 T sweetened condensed milk
cook over medium heat - boil 5 minutes.  Pour on crust, put in fridge 1 hour

1/3-1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 T vegetable oil
melt together, spread over cooled caramel layer.  Refrigerate until set.

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

This year when I was a few months away from my birthday, I happened to stumble upon this blog.  I don't even remember how I came across it but I was instantly intrigued.  Each recipe she posted just looked like something I wanted to try.  Then, I saw this recipe.  And I knew I wanted it to be my birthday cake.  I probably looked at it every other day during those two months.  I kept thinking about how it would taste and how much fun it would be to make.  A week before my birthday I went and bought the chocolate and the raspberries and the jam.  We were out of town over the weekend and got home in the afternoon of my birthday.  We were pretty busy that evening and didn't know if we would end up making the cake that night or the next day.  Finally we decided to just make it that night, and it wasn't done until about 11:30 - but it was so worth it!  I definitely recommend this cake - it is delicious!!

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

from Elissa at 17andbaking.com
Makes a three layer 8″ cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
Raspberry Ganache (recipe follows)
2/3 cup raspberry jam **I used seedless raspberry jam and it turned out awesome!**

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8″ cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter again.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the oil and sour cream, then gradually beat in the water. Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix to combine, and finally beat in the eggs until the batter is well combined. Divide among the three cake pans.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out almost clean. **I checked mine at 33 minutes and the toothpick came out completely clean.  I think they turned out perfect, but definitely check the cakes a little earlier, depending on your oven**  Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper, letting the cakes cool completely. These cakes are very soft, and it helps to freeze them for 15 minutes at this point. While the cakes cool, make the Raspberry Ganache.

If the cakes are not flat, use a serrated knife to even the tops. Place one layer onto a parchment-lined cardboard cut out and spread 1/3 cup raspberry jam. Cover the jam with a thin, 1/4″ thick layer of raspberry ganache. Top with the second layer and repeat. Then invert the final layer and place on top.

To frost the cake, start with a crumb coat: barely cover the entire cake with a thin, see through layer of ganache. This is to help create a smooth finish later. Chill the cake for 10 minutes.

Frost the cake with the remaining raspberry ganache and top with fresh raspberries.

Raspberry Ganache
Makes just enough to fill and frost a three layer 8″ cake

15 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped **I used half 50% cocoa and half 70% and sometimes I felt like it was too bitter, other times I felt it was just right.  I definitely wouldn't want it more than 60%**
1 2/3 cups frozen raspberries
8 oz (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Bring an inch or two of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. As the water heats, microwave the raspberries in 1 minute intervals, stirring and mashing with a fork, until they become a smooth liquid. Pour through a strainer (should yield 1/3 cup raspberry juice) **I didn't measure, but mine definitely yielded more than that - and I just used it all** and set aside to cool.

Place the chopped chocolate and the butter in a large heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan. The bowl should not touch the water or fall more than halfway into the saucepan. Stir until the chocolate and butter melt, then gradually add in the slightly warm raspberry juice, whisking to combine.

Take the ganache off the heat and let cool until spreadable, stirring once in a while.

Here are my pictures from the process -- enjoy!!

mixing the raspberry juice into the melted chocolate

My cakes weren't perfectly flat but I didn't care, so I didn't waste time cutting them with a knife.

first jam layer

and ganache

repeat the process

I hadn't ever made ganache before - so when it said cool until spreadable, I didn't really know what that meant.  And since it was really late, I just kind of poured it on.  It looks really drippy and sloppy here, but then we put it in the fridge and it hardened and looked really nice, except where it had all dripped down on the plate.  It was plenty thick too, so I wouldn't necessarily worry next time about waiting until it was spreadable just to prevent the ganache from slipping down.

MMMMMM!

Grilled Jam Sandwich

When we were in Texas, we went to a restaurant called Cheddar's and had the Monte Cristo sandwich.  Delish.

Although this is not the same, when I saw it that is what it reminded me of.  It's so good.  It's kind of like a warm jelly-filled donut, only much easier to make!

I got the recipe from Real Simple Magazine.

I don't think I need to put step by step directions on here, but you just make a jam sandwich (I used strawberry, but anything would be good).  Then you butter the two outside pieces of bread and cook it in a frying pan over low heat until it is golden brown.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a fancy look.

Carmelita Bars

Carmelita Bars
***These are so tasty, so please don't automatically disregard them when you find out how much butter they have in them!***
--also, read the notes at the bottom--

2 1/4 cups melted butter
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oatmeal

6-12 ounces chocolate chips
17 ounces caramel ice cream topping

Combine first six ingredients.  Spread half of dough on an ungreased jelly roll pan.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the dough.  Pour caramel topping evenly over chips.  Use remaining dough to press into palm-sized sections and place on top of caramel.  Bake for 10-12 more minutes.

***Notes***
***** This makes a pretty big recipe -- I cut it in half and just use a 9x13 pan.  It works out great.
***** Instead of pressing the second half of the dough over the top, I just crumble it over, trying to spread it evenly.  It prevents you from having to touch the hot cooked part, with the melting chocolate chips and caramel.

White Chili

This rockin recipe is not mine to take credit for, but my friend Missy's. She had a super fun recipe exchange party at her house when we lived in Monterey and I think that is when I got this recipe from her.

White Chili

1 pound small white beans, soaked overnight
2 chopped onions
48 ounces chicken broth
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
7 ounces diced green chilies
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6-8 cloves garlic
1 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Combine beans, onion and broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 2 hours. Add chicken, chilies, and seasonings. Cook until thick, 30-60 minutes. Add sour cream and cheese, stir until cheese melts.

Lemon Chicken Alfredo

Sauce:

Tonight I was in the mood for chicken. And lemon. So I was broiling a bit of lemon pepper chicken in the oven when I thought of a yummy sounding recipe. So I googled it, and lo and behold, it is an actual recipe. I followed this recipe from Mmm...Cafe and just changed it a little bit. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of it!!! Anyway, if you like lemony chicken goodness, you'll love this recipe!

I did one large chicken breast, covered with olive oil and lemon pepper, in the oven at 400 degrees. Then once it was almost done, I took it out, cut it up into bite-sized chunks, and stirred it in a bowl with a little bit more oil and lemon pepper (so all the sides of the pieces were exposed) then put them back in the oven for a few minutes.

Then I used the recipe for alfredo sauce (below) only I added another shake or two of lemon pepper (because I didn't have lemon peel) and 6 Tablespoons lemon juice.

Then prepare your noodles (I like linguine) and pour the sauce over and top with the chicken.

Hopefully I'll get a picture soon -- (Davis asked if we could add this to our regular rotation of favorite meals, so I'm sure we'll be making it again :)

Alfredo Sauce

I found this tasty recipe for alfredo sauce and it is really easy and good. Plus I like to think that because it has a little chicken broth that means it has less fat in it. Ha!

1/4 Cup butter

3/4 Cup flour

1 1/2 Cup 2% milk

1 1/2 Cups chicken broth

3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp. Parsley Flakes

2 tsp. Oregano

Melt the butter on low heat. Add flour, milk and broth and cook until slightly thicken. Add Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup at a time. Heat until parmesan is melted, then add parsley flakes and oregano.

These are a fun little treat for April Fool's Day. Although the recipe is quite simple, I've had many requests for it, so I'll share.

Nilla wafers
grasshopper cookies
frosting (yellow and red)
green-colored coconut - put coconut in a bag with a few drops of green food coloring and shake the bag to evenly spread the green around
sesame seeds for the top "bun" - moisten the top with a little bit of water or juice to make them stick

Fried Ice Cream

1 cube butter - melted

In a separate bowl, combine:
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cup coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Pour butter over and stir.

Add:
2 1/2 cups rice crispies

Stir. Spread out on cookie sheet, bake at 300 degrees for 21 minutes Every 7 minutes turn/stir/fold so it gets brown all over. While topping is baking, take 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream out of freezer to soften.

Divide topping in half. Place half on bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Slice ice cream and spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle remaining topping over top of ice cream. Cover and freeze overnight. Cut and serve with caramel topping.
Sorry - no picture of the finished product! Trust me, it's good!

roasted tomato soup

I combined a few recipes to get my own version of yummy soup. I got my inspiration from Barefoot Contessa and Bobby Flay. I also threw in some things from this recipe. I really love thinking of a recipe that sounds good and then looking at several different recipes and creating my own based on what I want it to be. I wanted to make this because when we lived in California, I LOVED the Tomato Basil Soup at Safeway. I have searched for a long time for a good recipe that matches, and haven't found one.

Given my newfound love of all things roasted, I figured roasted tomatoes would easily find their way into the category.


Recipe:

5 pounds roma tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
minced garlic (6 cloves total)
1 onion, diced

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups half and half

I used just less than 5 pounds of roma tomatoes (I wanted a lot of soup!) and just cut them in slices. Lay them in a cookie sheet (mine overlapped) and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and minced garlic (I used 4 cloves). Roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through.

In a large saucepan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil, saute the onion and garlic until soft (but not brown). Once the tomatoes are done, add the contents of the pan (juice and all) into the saucepan. Add the chicken broth, heat through. Add the half and half. Put in batches in a blender, then back into the saucepan to heat more until ready to serve.