Gooey Almond Coconut Cereal Treat

I've been wanting to share this recipe with everyone for SO long, but just haven't because I could not come up with a name good enough for it!  I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, she's been making it for family get togethers for YEARS, and it is always requested...and devoured!  We just call it Candy's chex mix, but I thought it needed something better, so I asked my kids what they thought we should call it.  I thought my 10 year old Eli's answer described it perfectly...he said we should call it yummy goodness!:)  And that it is!!  But I didn't think that was an actual name, so this long descriptive name is what you get.  

It's perfect to wrap up and give to teachers, neighbors, friends.  Just know that if you give it away you will be hounded by everyone to make them more!  But I guess that's better than eating every last bit yourself! 

Gooey Almond Coconut Cereal Treat

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1 box (12 oz.) Rice Chex cereal (off brand works great)

1 box (12 oz.) Golden Grahams cereal (off brand works great here too!:))

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter

2 cups sugar

2 cups corn syrup

Combine both cereals, almonds and coconut in a large bowl.  

In a medium sized sauce pan add butter, sugar and corn syrup.  Cook over medium heat until it reaches the soft ball stage.  That's between 230-240 degrees using a candy thermometer.  Or you can use the method we used growing up (and I still use today).  Get a small cup and fill it with cold water.  Test the syrup by adding a little drop into the cold water.  Use your fingers and if you can mold it into a ball and it will stay formed but is still soft you've got soft ball stage...pretty easy!

Pour syrup over cereal mixture and using a wooden spoon stir until all pieces are well coated.  Dump onto wax paper until cooled.  Pull it apart into chunks and store in bags or any airtight container.

And for your info...the cute little cups I used to put the yummy goodness in I purchased from Pick Your Plum.  I love them!:)

Chicken Bacon Croissant

I love these sandwiches!  They are so perfect for these hectic May days!
May is so unbelievably jam packed with activities, programs, recitals, projects, homework, baseball, track...and I'm sure you all could add plenty to the list...so these are a lifesaver!

One of the best features of these is that you can make them ahead of time.  They are even better the next day, it gives it time for all the flavors to combine & makes them so delicious!  Grab it on the run & have a nice picnic at the baseball park or track meet...or hurry and scarf them down in the car before that special recital/program!  Beats fast food any day!

Chicken Bacon Croissant

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3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 package of turkey bacon (you can use regular as well)
croissants

Combine milk, mayo and spices and mix until combined.  Add celery and onions.  Stir in the shredded chicken; mix well.  Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let the flavors combine.

Serve on croissants.

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

I come from a family where we had ice cream every single Sunday night.   And when I say every, I mean EVERY!  I honestly don't remember a Sunday growing up where we did not have ice cream.  We would make special trips to the grocery store on Saturday night if we didn't have any in the freezer.  I remember loving it when my Dad would let one of my brothers dish it up...they always gave us big helpings!

As an adult I've noticed that my ice cream taste buds have matured.:)  I now crave the good stuff!  I'm in love with anything Ben & Jerry's and I love Tillamook ice cream as well.  (but just so you know...I don't turn down any ice cream!)  One of my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors is Chubby Hubby.  If you haven't had the pleasure of eating an entire carton...it's vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge with peanut butter filled pretzels.  Oh. My. It's good!!

So to keep this cupcake in harmony with the ice cream we just had to fill it with delicious chocolate ganache & broken pretzel pieces.  And then we had to top it with the MOST RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING peanut butter frosting.  And to top it off...a chocolate drizzled pretzel!

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

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For the Cupcake:
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup malted milk powder
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the filling:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups chopped pretzels

Peanut Butter frosting:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Pretzels drizzled with chocolate, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Beat butter in an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar a little at a time beating well in between additions.  Mix in the malted milk powder.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Alternate adding in the flour and the buttermilk and beat after each addition just until incorporated.

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  A large cookie scoop works wonders here!  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted come out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the ganache by placing the chocolate chips in a glass bowl.  Heat the whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl until simmering.  This takes about 2 1/2 minutes in my microwave, but it will vary with each microwave so just watch it.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for a couple of minutes.  Whisk until combined.  Add the butter and stir until butter is melted and incorporated.  Place in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes or until it starts thickening, about the consistency of pudding.  Whisk occasionally throughout the waiting period.

Take a serrated knife and hollow out the middle of the cupcakes.  Add the filling to the middle of the cupcakes about 3/4 the way full.

Place chopped pretzels on top of the ganache.

To make the frosting, combine butter and peanut butter and beat until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until incorporated.  Add in the vanilla and cream and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy...about 3 minutes.

Place frosting in a pastry bag and pipe onto the top of the cupcakes.  I used a large round tip, Wilton 2A.  Garnish with drizzled pretzel.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

My sweet little Rhett is home sick today, thus I'm home with him.  He's so content just laying on the couch watching some cartoons.  Every once in a while he'll ask me to bring him a drink or to change the channel for him...so sweet!  So...while he's watching TV I've been able to get some much needed spring cleaning done!  Windows washed, floors mopped, decluttering the top of the piano, and getting this blog post to you all!

This is one of my absolute all-time favorite desserts EVER!  The ooey gooey fudgey sauce and the moist chocolate cake is perfect paired with some moose tracks ice cream (or vanilla or whatever you like).  Just make sure to serve the cake warm...yummy!

(Side note...my little one just came and asked me if he could unload the dishwasher for me...then he adds "for a buck".  Apparently he saw something on TV that is calling his name!:)  So now I've got my 6 year old doing dishes while he's home sick...he must be feeling better!)

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

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1 cup sugar,divided

1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk (I used skim, but any will work)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8" square baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Mix 1/2 cup of the sugar with 1/4 cup of the cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.  Mix the flour with the remaining sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Now whisk together milk, butter, egg yolk and vanilla in yet another bowl (I know there's a lot of bowls involved in this one...but the clean up is easy and it's so worth it!!!) until smooth.  Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.  Don't over mix, just get all the ingredients combines and you're good.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into greased pan and spread out evenly using the back of a spatula.  Sprinkle the sugar/cocoa mixture evenly over the batter.  Heat your water to boiling and then slowly pour over the sugar/cocoa mixture.  Do not stir the water!

Bake for 22-24 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with your choice of ice cream.

Recipe source: Cook's Country

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

This was the easiest birthday cake I think I've ever made.  Really...only 5 ingredients!  Couldn't get much easier than that!  And everyone in my Oreo lovin' family raved about it!

AND, if you or your family or friends have a place in your heart for Oreos like we do, you can check out some of our other great Oreo recipes.  Our most popular Oreo recipe is our Death by Oreo Cupcakes.  OH BOY!  The name says it all!  But not to be outdone is the very wonderful Oreo Cake.  This is a perfect traditional birthday cake (that incidentally the same kid #3 requested for a past birthday...I think he's our biggest Oreo fan!)  Or...you can try your hand at our Homemade Oreos!  They're delicious!!

Okay...my mouth is now watering!

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

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1 package oreos

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 package (1.75 quarts) cookies & cream ice cream, softened

1 jar (small) hot fudge ice cream topping

1 container (8 oz.) cool whip

Crush all oreos except 5 or 6 until fine.  I like to use my blender, but a food processor works great too.  Reserve 1 cup of oreo crumbs.  Pour the butter over the top of the remaining crumbs and mix until combined with a fork.  Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 cake pan.

Warm the hot fudge in the microwave until it is pourable.  Pour over the oreo crust and spread until completely covered.  (Leave a little hot fudge if desired to use on the top of the cake.)  Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Next spread the softened ice cream over the hot fudge.  I ended up using my hands...it was just so much easier to squish into the corners and get an even coverage.

Mix the reserved oreo crumbs with the whipped topping and spread over the top of the ice cream.  Place in the freezer for at least an hour.

When ready to serve drizzle with leftover hot fudge sauce and coarsley chopped leftover oreos.

Chocolate Caramel Crumb Bars

This is one of Kyla's very first recipes that she shared here on the blog.  And it's so good I thought we'd
revisit it today!:)  Kyla's so busy with school, softball, church activities, track and Destination Imagination right now that she has had ZERO time to bake or cook around here.  It's probably a good thing though since she really just likes to bake & that's the last thing I need around the house since starting this new diet!:)  

I'll be explaining a little about the Dukan Diet that I'm on on my guest post this Friday over at Or So She Says.  So stay tuned for that!:)

I love me some caramel so the gooey caramel center in these coupled with the chocolate is heavenly.  Make me want to eat the whole pan kind of heavenly.  Not good for the diet!:)

Chocolate Caramel Crumb Bars

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 2 1/4 cups flour, divided
2 cups quick-cooking oats

1/1 2 cups packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups cold butter or margarine

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1 jar (12 oz.) caramel ice cream topping

In a bowl, combine 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set half aside for topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 9 X 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Whisk the caramel topping and the remaining flour until smooth; drizzle over top. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before cutting.

Lemon Lime Poke Cake

This is one of my favorite desserts that I loved having when I was growing up.  And it's one that hasn't gone out of style.  Just ask Pinterest.  Do a search and you'll be amazed at all the different flavors they have.  I have the urge to try every last one of them!

This is so easy and everyone will love it.  Even my "I don't like frosting" kids (the CrAzY ones!!)  love this.  And it is a perfect dessert for spring.  Anything lemony is wonderful this time of year!  I always start craving Lemon Cheesecake Bars every year around this time, and Lemon Bundt Cake, and Crack Cookies (aka Lemon Drop Cookies) along with anything else lemon!

This recipe is also so versatile.  If you're not a fanatic about lemon like I am...do a strawberry cake or raspberry and just use a vanilla pudding package instead of lemon.  The sky's the limit!

Lemon Lime Poke Cake

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For the cake:
1 white cake mix (plus ingredients listed on box)
1 small package lime jello
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

For frosting:
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk

Cool Whip or whipped topping

Make the cake according to package directions.  Cool cake for about 20 minutes.  Using a utility fork poke cake about every 1/2 inch or so; set aside.

Make jello by dissolving the jello mix in the boiling water.  After it is dissolved add the cold water.  Pour the jello slowly over the cake covering all the holes.  Chill for 3-4 hours.

After cake has chilled start the frosting.  Add all ingredients into a mixer and beat until it thickens.  Then frost away.

Now just top the pudding frosting with Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream and add some green sprinkles...or whatever...or nothing!