Tasty Tuesday

Oreo Cream Cheese Brownies

INGREDIENTS:


8 tbsp. unsalted butter

¾ cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

½ tsp. salt

2 large eggs

¼ cup milk

1½ cups coarsely chopped Oreo cookies

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line an 8×8″ baking pan with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; whisk together to combine. Add the eggs to the pan with the butter-sugar mixture and whisk until well blended. Whisk in the milk. Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the Oreo cookie pieces. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

To make the cream cheese mixture, combine the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well-blended and smooth. Drop the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter in dollops. Use the blade of a knife to gently swirl the cream cheese mixture together with the brownie batter, creating a marble effect.

Bake for about 22-24 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats and Sugar Plum

Confession: You can go thru all the work of making these from scratch or you can do what I did. Take your favorite boxed brownie mix and mix in the chopped Oreos and just mix the cream chesse topping and put it on top. Bake according to the boxed brownie directions.
 
Your Welcome!!!

Tasty Tuesday

Soft Pretzels w/ spicy cheese dip

Soft Pretzels

Recipe slightly adapted from Baking Illustrated

Dough:

1 package rapid-rise yeast

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp salt

3 cups bread flour (16 1/2 ounces)

1 cup water, at approximately 110 degrees

Approximately 1 T olive oil


Baking Soda Solution:

Approximately 6 cups water

3 T baking soda

Salt for sprinkling on pretzels


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients for the dough. Make sure you are using rapid rise yeast, or you will need to proof your yeast before mixing. Mix on low speed until combined and then knead about 5-7 minutes on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Prepare a separate bowl by coating with olive oil, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about one hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down, recover and let rise approximately 30 minutes more.

In a large low pan (a 12" skillet with deep sides or a small dutch oven will work perfectly) bring water and baking soda to a boil over medium high heat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Separate dough into 12 approximately 2 ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a long string, about 20 inches in length. Fold pretzels into shape, twisting the ends over each other and pressing lightly to seal dough into shape. Transfer pretzels, a few at a time to boiling water, cook 30 seconds on each side, turning with a slotted spoon, drain and transfer to prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with coarse salt and repeat until all the pretzels have been boiled. They don't need much room on the baking sheet as they won't spread much in the oven. Bake approximately 12-14 minutes until dark golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve.


Jalapeno Cheese Sauce

1 T unsalted butter

1 T flour

3/4 cup milk

1 clove garlic, finely grated or minced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced

1 cup Colby Jack cheese

1/2 -1 tsp cayenne pepper


In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine, cooking about one minute until smooth. Add milk, whisking to incorporate. Add garlic and jalapeno. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until thickened, about 15 minutes. The sauce should begin to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Add cayenne pepper to taste

I've got Sole

Like many other women, I love pretty shoes. Anything with ruffles, feathers, spikes or sparkle will catch my eye. So I had these 2 pair of shoes that already had their fair share of sparkle but there is always room for more.

I started with these

                                               



 This is what the soles looked like...boring.



Then I used these supplies...

to turn them into this

I love them. The possibilities are endless. I want to buy bright new shoes just so I can do this to them in a crazy contrast color.  This was a quick but more importantly cheap way to add a little sparkle. Now my shoes are cute coming and going!



What do you think?

Tasty Tuesday

Well it seems that Summer is just about over and the cool, crisp days of Fall are upon us. It's the time of year for a nice big comforting bowl of soup. This is one of my favorites.

Baked Potato Soup

4 large potatoes (peeled and cubed)

4 cups chicken stock

1 onion (chopped)

4 cloves of garlic (chopped)

2 cups milk

1 cup cream

salt and pepper to taste

parsley

1 stick unsalted butter

 
 
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, melt butter and cook onions and garlic until softened. Add potatoes and chicken stock, cover and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to desired consistency. You can leave a few big pieces to give the soup a bit of texture.

Pour in the milk and cream and mix to combine. If it is still too thick, keep adding milk or cream until you get the thickness you like. Salt and pepper to taste, you can also add a dash of cayenne pepper if you like to kick up the spice a bit!

Heat through and serve with toppings of your choice!

ENJOY!!!

Sweet Dreams

When you think of your Dream Home what comes to mind? I have many different dream homes. The "Leave it to Beaver"suburban homestead , a cozy lake cottage, a New York city brownstone, a parisian apartment,  and I can't forget my palatial Jamaican Estate.

This is what I see when I think of my suburban home.



I just adore a home with a welcoming front porch. The curtains are just the right touch. The white picket fence is a must. 

 The entry of your home sets the tone for the rest of your home.

 These stairs are just perfection. The view isn't too bad either.

 Love the molding.

Not much can be said about this other than, "Yes please"

 Outdoor dining is a must.

I have a large family and love to host Thanksgiving so a large dining room is a necessary element.

 SWOON

Every girl needs a closet

As I said this is just a tiny glimpse of what I would want in a dream home but it sure is a good start, don't you think?

What does your dream house look like?

Tasty Tuesday

I made this today and I will make it again soon. Very, very, very soon. Homemade Ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Nutella Peanut Butter Chip Ice Cream Recipe

2 cups heavy cream

1 (14 oz.) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup Nutella

1 cup peanut butter chips

Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks in large bowl. Whisk sweetened condensed milk, butter, and Nutella in large bowl. Stir in peanut butter chips. Fold in whipped cream.

Pour into a 2-quart container and cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Store in freezer.


You can find this recipe and others on this very cute blog

A Blessing In Disguise..

A week ago yesterday I was laid off. It was not really a shock. The company has been cutting back on staff for a while but when it's you that gets cut it can knock you back on your heels. I have to admit that the job I was doing wasn't my life's work but it did pay the bills.

I have been wanting to make a change for a long time now but fear was holding me back from doing something that I have always wanted to do.

Fear has a way of stealing your dreams.

I am a believer that everything happens for a reason and I know that this experience is nothing but a

Blessing In Disguise

Tasty Tuesday

***WARNING***

The following post may make you lose your mind. What you are about to see is the epitome of food pornography. Proceed with caution.







A little further.....









Keep going.....you know you want too

HAVE MERCY



Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie


Fudge Brownie Bar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips

1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos

1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix

1/4 cup hot fudge topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well to thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then slowly incorporate into the mixer until the flour is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish that’s been lined with wax paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a layer of Oreos. Mix together brownie mix, adding an optional 1/4 cup of hot fudge topping to the mix. Pour the brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes.



Reciepe and step by step pictures available here.

Tasty Tuesday

* Due to technical difficulties Tasty Tuesday is a day late

I made these last weekend and they were delish.  I made some changes to them (of course), like I used chocolate cake mix and I omitted the filling. They were fantastic. I have been trying to make a decent buttercream frosting for a long time and I have finally found a recipe that yields the best buttercream I have tasted.  This cupcake makes me happy. I hope it makes you happy too.

Cookies N Cream Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS


Cupcakes:

1 box Duncan Hines White Cake Mix

1 stick of butter, melted

1 cup water

3 eggs

24 whole Oreos

Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tins with liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each liner.

In the bowl of a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, melted butter, and water. Mix on low speed for one minute. Increase speed to high and beat for a minute more. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

While cupcakes are baking, make your filling.

Filling:

13 oz jar Marshmallow Creme

1 stick salted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

4 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat Marshmallow Creme, butter, heavy cream and vanilla on medium low until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and increase speed to medium high and beat for about a minute. Refrigerate filling until cupcakes are done baking and cooled.

Frosting:


4 sticks salted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 cups powdered sugar

15 Oreos, crushed VERY FINELY

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream, and vanilla on medium-low until smooth and well-combined. Slowly add powdered sugar. Once powdered sugar is barely mixed in, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in crushed Oreos.

Generously frost or pipe frosting on cupcakes and top with a mini Oreo if desired.

Store uneaten cupcakes in the refrigerator.


Recipe taken from here

Firsts

Today was the first day of the rest of her academic career. I can only pray that the excitement and optimism she had this morning will stay with her throughout the years.

Good Luck today, my love...Knock em dead!

Hot, Hot, Hot

This summer has been one of the hottest that I can remember. Atlanta summers are Hot and Humid most years but this summer has been a bit much.

This is what I am thinking about right now:

How do you stay cool?

Tasty Tuesday

Has anyone been following Food Network Star? I haven't been able to catch many episodes but I did see this recipe for a fancy Italian Beef and since I am a Chicago girl at heart I knew I must give it a try.

Dry-aged Italian Beef Sandwich with Homemade Giardiniera, Sweet Peppers, Suet-Fried Chips and Broccoli Rabe


Ingredients


Beef:

1 top round rump roast, tied with butcher twine in 2-inch increments

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1 cup dry red wine

3 cups beef stock

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Suet-Fried Chips:

3 cups rendered beef suet

6 russet potatoes, scrubbed, skin-on

2 tablespoons fine sea salt

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon sugar

Sweet Peppers:

5 green bell peppers, cut into large strips

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

Salt

Broccoli Rabe:

4 ounces fatback, diced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

3 heads broccoli rabe, stems trimmed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 soft Italian rolls

Homemade Giardiniera, recipe follows

Directions

For the beef: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Sprinkle the roast liberally with salt and pepper. In a heavy-bottomed roasting pan over high heat, heat the grapeseed oil until shimmering. Add the roast and sear all sides until a golden crust forms, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside on a sheet tray. Add the garlic, onions, dried Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Saute until caramelized. Add the wine and deglaze, scraping the bottom. Add the stock, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, and bring to a simmer. Return the roast to the pan and any accumulated juices from the sheet tray. Roast in the oven, turning every 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meat registers 125 degrees F, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. While the roast is cooking, start on the garnishes.

For the chips: Heat the suet in a pot to 365 degrees. On a mandolin, thinly slice the potatoes and rinse in cold water. Drain and dry thoroughly. Add the potatoes gently to the suet and fry until gold brown. Drain on paper towels and season with the salt, granulated garlic, paprika and sugar.

For the sweet peppers: Toss the bell peppers, olive oil and granulated garlic together on a sheet tray and season with salt. Roast until slightly soft, but still bright, about 20 minutes.

For the broccoli rabe: In a saute pan over medium-high heat, render the fatback until crispy. Remove the fatback with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. Saute until fragrant, and then add the broccoli rabe. Cook until the greens have wilted, the stems are cooked through, but the broccoli rabe has retained its color. Toss with the fatback and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

When the roast is done cooking, remove from the oven and let rest under tented foil. Strain the juice from the roasting pan into a saucepot. Bring to a simmer, skim the fat from the top and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Hold warm over low heat.

To build the sandwiches: Very thinly slice the roast by hand or on a deli slicer. Dredge a roll through the cooking juices and top with 4 to 6 ounces sliced meat. Garnish with the Homemade Giardiniera and the sweet peppers. Serve with the chips and broccoli rabe.

Homemade Giardiniera:

1 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup diced celery

4 serrano chiles, sliced into rounds

1 cup small cauliflower florets

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup julienned red bell peppers

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons salt

2 1/2 cups canola oil

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small pot, add the carrots, celery, chiles, cauliflower, garlic, bell peppers and vinegar and cover with water. Season with the salt and bring to a light simmer. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes; the vegetables should still be crisp and bright. Drain and cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Add the oils to the vegetables and store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator

Tasty Tuesday

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients


12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Confectioners' sugar and/or cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

Serving suggestion: Really Vanilly Whipped Cream, recipe follows, or ice cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 2-inch spring form pan.


Put the chocolate, butter, and salt in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted.

Beat the eggs and sugar with a standing or handheld mixer until light and thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped eggs until evenly combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out wet but not gooey, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

When ready to serve remove ring from spring form mold. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.


Really Vanilly Whipped cream:

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy or whipping cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract

2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

 
 
 
Receipe taken from FoodNetwok

Fun Filled Days

As I stated in my previous post, July is such a busy month for me. I have been having so much fun my blogging has taken a backseat. I am only half way through the month but I wanted to brag share one of the things I've been up too; I did this last night.

Last night I went to see SADE in concert. All I can say is wow,  Love her!! She is fantastic and she looks fantastic. She is one of the most beautiful women on the planet and boy can she sing.

I have lots of other fun stuff planned in the coming weeks and I will "share" and soon as I can.

Busy Bee

I have been so busy with family, school, work and having lots of good old summer fun that I have been neglecting to post.

My July's are always busy due to all the family and friends birthdays this month. (Mine Included)

I am going to return to posting pretty soon....I think?!!?

Until then, go out and enjoy the summer.

See ya soon!

Tasty Tuesday

Corn, Arugula & Tomato Salad

Fresh corn and tomatoes make an especially attractive and delicious summer salad. Sweet corn balances the peppery arugula and tart tomatoes.

RECIPE & INGREDIENTS

 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons minced shallots

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

6 cups loosely packed arugula (about 6 ounces)

2 cups corn kernels (about 4 ears)

1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS

Combine vinegar and shallots in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.


Whisk oil into the vinegar mixture until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula and toss to coat. Arrange the arugula on serving plates. Add corn and tomatoes to the bowl, toss to coat with the dressing that remains, then spoon the mixture over the arugula and serve.



NOTE: I like to replace the arugula with fresh spinich. I am not a fan of the arugulas peppery taste but if you like it leave it in.

Father's Day Fun

This Father's day was a blast. A good time was had by all. When the other half came downstairs he was greeted by this banner the mini-me and I put together.

We went to Carpe Diem for brunch. It was OK but I am a bit hard on restaurants that serve brunch because brunch is my favorite meal. We will  go back to give it another try however, I am going to make sure I go after 12.30 when I can order a Mimosa. What's brunch without a Mimosa??

We then went to see Kung Fu Panda 2. There was plenty of action and the story has such a good message. I recommend it for kids of all ages. We had a bit of fun with the PO cut-out.


Now, I know I said I was going to grill some fish but it's my prerogative to change my mind. These lobster tails were on sale and they are pretty close to fish. So Yum.



Grilled Lobster Tails

 As if lobster wasn't decadent enough I also made Crab Mac & Cheese. Yum



Crab Mac & Cheese

 No matter how hard I try I can't seem to fight the urge to grill a big juicy steak. I guess growing up just outside of a Meat & Potatoes town had a lasting affect on me. 






Dinner was the end of a fantastic Fathers Day.

Shopping

If your anything like me you like looking nice and fashionable but you are not crazy about going from store to store looking for just the right outfit at just the right price. I still experience sticker shock when I happen to venture into some of the more "high end" stores. I once almost swallowed my tongue when I saw a tank top on SALE for $115. R U Kidding Me???

I love places like TJ Maxx and Marshall's but I hate searching the racks. I have this thing about crowds and the isles in these stores are so small? whats up with that?

Online shopping is a good solution but that has its own set of problems. I don't like paying for shipping only to get the item and its not right. Some sites offer free shipping but often you have to spend a certain amount. I don't like being told how much to spend, its annoying!

What do you love and hate about shopping?

These are some outfits I plan on living in this summer. I have everything covered work, drinks with the girls, hanging out with the family and date night with the other half.

Have a great weekend...I will!

 

Check out Fashion under $100 for purchasing info.

Tasty Tuesday

Fathers Day is this Sunday so I want to do something nice for the other half. we love to grill and we try to do it as much as possible. Living in the South gives you the opportunity to take advantage of great grilling weather 9 months out of the year. But I digress, I want to grill on Fathers Day but don't want to do the same old steaks or chicken. I was thinking something more like this:

Grilled Fish

Ingredients


1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons coarse salt

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnishing

2-pound fillet of striped bass or red snapper, skin intact

Lime wedges, for garnishing

Directions

Stir together spices and salt. Mix in olive oil and cilantro. Use a sharp knife to make shallow slashes about 1 1/2 inches apart into the fish skin; transfer to a large dish and rub both sides with spice mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat a clean, lightly oiled grill to high heat. Place fish, flesh-side down, on hot grill. Do not move for 3 to 5 minutes, or until fish is opaque. Flip using two spatulas. Cook until fish flakes slightly when pressed, about 5 to 7 minutes more.

Transfer fish fillet to a plate. Set aside to cool slightly. Place on a serving platter, shred fillet with fork into bite-size pieces, and garnish platter with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately, or within 1 hour at room temperature

Party Perfect

I hope you all had a great weekend. I am in the middle of planning My Mini Me 5th birthday party so I have been combing the web for party planning tips and I came across this blog that has a few good tips.

I have a couple more weeks to get everything ready and I could use all the help I can get.

Fun Friday

Are You a Martha or a Maxine??

Martha: If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant 'fix-me-up.'

Maxine: If you over-salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: 'I made it, you will eat it and I don 't care how bad it tastes!'

Martha: When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.

Maxine: Go to the bakery! Hell, they'll even decorate it for you!



Martha: Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

Maxine: The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust, so I don 't.



Martha: Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

Maxine: Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink! All your pains go away!



Martha: Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

Maxine: Leftover wine??????? HELLO!!!!!!



So, which one are you?


Have a great weekend...I will!

Sandcastles

When we were in Hatteras we visited the lighthouse. It was nice to take in a bit of North Carolina history.

The  lighthouse was beautiful.

Twelve Story Climb...needless to say I was not CRAZY brave enough to take a 4 year old on a 12 story climb.

 The mini me wanted to become a junior park ranger. Super Cute!

 

 My mini me loves the beach but hates the ocean. It is the weirdest thing but I am hoping she will grow out of it. It's not that she dislikes the water because she loves the pool but something about the ocean turns her off. Sandcastles are her new favorite past time. Ever since we returned from the beach she can't stop talking about them.



All in all a great day enjoying the Sun, Sand and Surf.