Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy

This recipe seemed kind of weird at first but I decided to give it a try and HOLY COW! They were so so so good and I think Christina and Brent will vouch for these! Everything about them is delicious but my favorite part is the caramel filling. It just oozes all over. I seriously could have eaten the whole pan if I didn't know how many calories were in these! I hate it when they put the nutritional facts on the recipe!! btw, this recipe came from my Taste of Home magazine.






Ingredients
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup 2% milk
2 sleeves butter-flavored crackers (about 80 crackers)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions
In a saucepan, combine the cracker crumbs, sugars, butter and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 5 minutes longer.
Place a single layer of crackers in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. dish; top with half of crumb mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining crackers.
In a small saucepan, combine the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cook and stir until smooth. Pour over crackers. Let stand until set. Yield: 15 servings.
Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Keebler Town House crackers.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

A few years ago, Celeste's friend and amazing cook brought this cake by. It was incredible, and she gave us the recipe. Celeste asked me to send her the recipe, and I just realized I never did. I went ahead and made it today for my mom's birthday, and it's as amazing as I remember it. Don't be afraid of it--if I can make it so can you! It's easier than cake decorating and yummier too!


Chocolate Mousse Cake

Crust:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 cup Sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
30 Saltine Crackers, crushed (I put mine in my veggie chopper, worked great!)

beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff. Fold in cracker crumbs and walnuts. Spread in bottom of greased and floured (or Pam-ed) 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.


Filling (brownie layer):
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter on low heat (I microwaved it). Cool slightly then add sugar and eggs. Beat on low until smooth and fold in flour and vanilla. Pour on top of baked crust and return to oven at 350 for about 22 more minutes.


Mousse:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate. Cool slightly and add cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat whipping cream until firm then add to cheese mixture. Pour on top of completely cooled filling (I put my filling in the freezer for about an hour cause I was in a hurry). Let set up in the refrigerator all day or overnight.


Frosting:
2 cups whipping cream
powdered sugar
1 tsp cocoa powder

Whip it until it is a good spreading consistency. Take cake from spring form pan and frost sides and top of cake. Very rich, cut small pieces.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

I was a little nervous to try this recipe because, well, it's different. But it got great reviews and I thought, what the heck? What's the worst that can happen besides maybe throwing it away and ordering takeout?? And since Friday nights are pizza night in our house, I am always looking for a new idea for pizza. I hope you all get a chance to try this out! I tweaked it a little bit, I added bacon and omitted the onions. My whole family ate this up and Bryan said it was a keeper (which doesn't happen often!).

1 pound hamburger (I seasoned mine with McCormick's Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic, but season as you wish!)
1 (12-inch) prepared pizza crust (I used the recipe below)
1/2 cup yellow mustard
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped onions (I omitted this, but maybe green onions would be good!)
15 dill pickle slices
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 package bacon, chopped into pieces, cooked and drained

Brown the hamburger, seasoning to your liking. Set aside. Cook bacon, set aside. Prepare cruse (I used the recipe below, and it is awesome because you make it and you can use it right away, with NO rising time!)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1.Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. Spread out on a large pizza pan. 

2.Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Top cooked dough with mustard. Then add 2 cups mozzerella, hamburger, bacon, pickle slices, and cheddar cheese. Cook 10-12 minutes longer, until cheese is melted.

**I think it would be easier to chop up the pickles slices - it would be easier to eat. But the slices look so cool on the pizza!

Swedish Pancakes

I can't believe we (as in my sisters and I) haven't posted this yet! We grew up on Swedish Pancakes, which are pretty similar to crepes. We usually put maple syrup in the middle and rolled it up, although we've also filled it with fruit and whipped cream. My inlaws make crepes with orange zest in it, that might be fun too. Oh, and a new fave of ours is Nutella or peanut butter with bananas. Every time I make them reminds me of Saturday mornings at my parent's house.

Swedish Pancakes (feeds a family of 4-ish, so you can double or triple this)

1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour, not sifted

Mix all ingredients except flour together in a bowl with an egg beater or a mixer with the whisk paddle attached. Add flour and mix until smooth. In a large pan or crepe pan, with about 1/2 Tablespoon melted butter coating it, pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter into the pan, swirling the pan to cover the entire bottom (first photo). Once the edges are started to turn brown, flip the pancake over. Let cook until golden spots appear on the pancake (second picture). Stack pancakes together between wax paper or serve them up to hungry family members who are waiting for more. To fill, put filling choice in the down the middle of the pancake and roll it up like a cigar (picture 3).

Want to make your own maple syrup???

Maple Syrup

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon Mapeline (maple extract)

Boil water in a small saucepan. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the Mapeline. It will be thin, but it's so good. Use a small ladle or gravy boat to serve. My dad saves old store-bought syrup bottles and fills them with his syrup.

Cafe Rio Salad Dressings

I know we already have two recipes for Cafe Rio salads on our blog, but this is a different dressing that is AMAZING! I had it at a baby shower, and honestly, the dressing made the meal. You have to try this next time you make the salad! It's easy and just wonderful. I love the garlic flavor in it. Happy Cafe Rio-ing!

1 1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
1 bunch of cilantro
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
4 Tbsp salsa verde (green salsa)
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce (I omitted this)
juice of one lime

Mix together in a blender--and that's it!

Easy Cake Cookies

I know we all have our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe but this recipe caught my eye because of how versatile and easy it was! You make this cookie with a box of cake mix! Since I stock up on my boxed yellow cake mix when it is on sale (for lemon blossoms!) I used that and normal choc. chips. You can change this up and make any kind of cookie you could imagine. They are fluffy and have a great taste to them. Give them a try the next time you are in a pinch for time, you won't be disappointed.

Easy Cake Cookies

1 Box cake Mix (any flavor)
1/4 C. Flour
1/4 C. Water
1/2 C. Oil
1 Egg
1 C. Chocolate Chips (any flavor)

Mix together all ingredients adding choc. chips last. Drop spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. The cookies will be lightly browning on the ends. You can mix up this recipe and make chocolate cookies with butterscotch choc. chps or maybe mint! So many possibilities I cannot wait to make some more flavors!!!

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is from the Sisters' Cafe blog, which I have been frequenting lately. I'm making some other dishes from their blog later this week (including Honey Lime Enchiladas!) and anything new I like I'll definitely share! Make sure when you make this soup, that you put the tortilla chips at the bottom, top with the soup, and finish off with shredded cheese and sour cream. My soup wasn't nearly as soupy as the one in the picture. It was really thick but tasted fantastic. Next time I'll add in some chicken stock at the end if it's too thick.

My kids loved this soup and my husband said it was a keeper. It was super simple- just throw it all in the crockpot and let it simmer for 8 hours on low, and there you go! It made my house smell yummy too! I know all of you in Utah need some warmth and soup is so easy. Plus, this one is super figure friendly if you use light or fat free sour cream and little cheese.

Picture courtesy The Sisters' Cafe

4 chicken breast halves (I've used 3 big ones and had it turn out great)

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained
2 15-oz cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 cup salsa (they used medium, but mild would be fine, just not as flavorful)
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
1 14 ½-oz can tomato sauce
Tortilla chips, not optional :)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp)

Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in large slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and slice or shred into bite-sized pieces. Stir into soup. To serve, put a handful of chips in each individual soup bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese.