Oreo Cupcakes

How fun are these?! They're tasty too!

A vanilla cupcake is loaded with chunks of Oreo cookies and then topped with rich cream cheese frosting and finished off with an Oreo cookie half.

 I decided to try a few designs out just for fun. Otherwise a simple swirl of frosting and an Oreo cookie topper is all that is needed. 

From the pictures you can see I did two different frosting. I divided the frosting in half and added ground Oreos to one of the halves. Both frostings were delicious. I think my family preferred the Oreo infused version.

There's a cute surprise Oreo on the bottom of each cupcake too! Kids and adults alike love these.

And inside, pure cookies and cream heaven.

This Picture: Annie's-Eats.com

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Oreo Cupcakes
Ingredients

24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.
Recipe: Annie's-Eats.com

7-Layer Greek Dip

I love love this dip! It's a fun twist on the usual 7-Layer Mexican dip. It has all the yummy Greek flavors, like kalamata olives, cucumber yogurt dip, hummus, feta, tomatoes, oregano, mint... and they're all layered in one delicious spread.

All the bright flavors in this appetizer go really well together and the baked pita chips are perfect for scooping up all the delicious goodness. I recently took this to a cooking club I attended and won a prize for best dish. I've made this a handful of times now and it always gets rave reviews.

So, if you need a tasty appetizer to take to a party or just want to make something different and yummy for yourself at home, this is the dish!

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7-Layer Greek Dip

Source: Closet Cooking
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hummus
1 cup tzatziki (cucumber yogurt dip, see recipe below)
1 cup tomato (diced and mixed with 1 tablesoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon oregano)
1/2 cup cucumber (cut into small pieces)
1/4 cup red onions (diced)
1/4 cup feta (crumbled)
1/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted and coarsely chopped)
1 handful mint (chopped)
4 whole wheat pitas (cut into triangles and toasted until just crispy)*

Directions:
Assemble dip starting with the hummus and stacking each ingredient on top of the last.

*After cutting the pita into triangles, I brushed them with a mix of olive oil, minced garlic (I put mine through a press) and salt. I baked this at 350, turning the pita once, until lightly browned and crispy. These are addicting!

Tzatziki (Yogurt Cucumber Dip)**Source: about.com
Ingredients:

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1 cup greek yogurt, strained

1 cup sour cream

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

** I made a half recipe of this to go with the above 7-layer dip. I also added more dill. For the cucumbers, once they were chopped, I pressed them between layers of paper towels to render some of the liquid before adding to the yogurt mixture.

White Silk Raspberry Tart

This white chocolate tart is just luscious! The filling is creamy and fluffy with the perfect amount of white chocolate flavor that pairs wonderfully with the tangy raspberry sauce and crispy oreo crust. Each bite was like heaven. My whole family really enjoyed this. This recipe will be going into my 'keep' file.

White Silk Raspberry Tart

20 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup butter, melted

(1) 6-oz pkg white chocolate baking bars, chopped

2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

(1) 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened

(1) 10-oz pkg frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed

2 tsp cornstarch

1 cup fresh raspberries

Heat oven to 375ºF. In medium bowl, mix crushed cookies and butter. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of ungreased 9- or 10-inch springform pan (glass pie plate). Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in 1-quart heavy saucepan, heat white baking bars and 1/2 cup of the whipping cream over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add white chocolate mixture; beat on medium speed until creamy. Set aside.

In a chilled large bowl, beat remaining 1½ cups whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using rubber spatula, fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until blended. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or until set.

Place small strainer over 1-quart saucepan. Pour package of raspberries into strainer. With back of spoon, press raspberries through strainer to remove seeds; discard seeds. Stir cornstarch into raspberry purée. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

To serve, spoon fresh raspberries around top edge of tart. Remove side of pan. Cut tart into wedges; place on individual dessert plates. Drizzle raspberry sauce over individual servings.

Recipe Source: Dorothy Lane Market

Blackberry Jam Bars

These bars are buttery, soft and crumbly and full of rich berry flavor from the jam. I made these for a play date and the kids (and adults) devoured them. I saved around ten bars to take pictures of this morning and they were all gone when I got up ( I have some night snackers in the house!).

photo: recipegirl.com

The recipe calls for a combination of AP flour and almond flour or finely ground almonds. I ground my own almonds since we had some on hand. I'm sure you could use all AP flour, but the ground almonds really add a delicious flavor that make these special. So if you can, go for the almond flour.

Photo: recipegirl.com

My only change to the recipe was to add coarse sanding sugar to the top before baking. Nice sparkle and crunch.

Blackberry Jam Bars
Yield: 15 large or 30 small bars

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup almond flour or very finely ground almonds
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups seedless Blackberry Jam
powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.

Prepare shortbread: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter and sugars; beat until creamy. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined. Beat the almond flour and the all-purpose flour into the butter mixture on low speed, just until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so. Press the other half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the bottom crust.

Bake the crust until it is just beginning to turn light brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Place jam into a bowl and stir very well until it is nice and smooth. Spread the jam evenly over the partially baked crust. Crumble the refrigerated shortbread dough over the jam to form a crumbled topping. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking until the topping is firm and crisp and golden in color, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar before cutting into bars.

Tips:

*Almond flour is sold in a bag (I always buy Bob's Red Mill brand). Ask your market if they carry it.
*If you can find a jar of Smucker's brand seedless Blackberry Jam- 18 ounces- it is the perfect size for this recipe.
*Substitute raspberry or apricot jam if you wish to change up the flavors.
*The bars will keep in a covered container at room temperature for about 1 week. Or keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Recipe and Photos: recipegirl.com

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've never made red velvet cupcakes nor do I usually choose them when given the option at a bakery, but my little girl really wanted me to make some (presumably because they are red). So, I looked around the web, flipped through some cook books and decided on this recipe from McCormick's. 

The cupcakes came out soft and perfectly moist. They had just the right amount of cocoa flavor that paired really well with the cream cheese frosting. My whole family really enjoyed these and I would make them again. They would be super cute for Valentines! Especially in mini sizes.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 30 Regular Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Source: McCormicks

Salted Caramel Cupcakes!

A moist brown sugar cupcake is filled with gooey caramel, topped with a fluffy salted caramel butter cream and drizzled with more caramel. This is one delicious cupcake.

After the cupcakes are baked and cooled, the centers are cut out and filled with caramel.

The tops get put back on...

And the cupcakes get a generous swirl of salted caramel buttercream and a nice drizzle of caramel sauce.

I really enjoyed these cupcakes and I think you will too!
The recipe looks daunting, but see my tips below for an easier method.


Salted Caramel Cupcakes Source: Sprinkle Bakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sea salt together and set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until the batter begins to appear fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until each is well incorporated into the mixture. Then add the vanilla.

In three batches, add the flour and alternate adding the buttermilk, making sure that each previous batch is incorporated before adding the next. Fill each muffin tin about half way with batter and bake for 23-25 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before the next step.


Salted Caramel Filling *

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
In a large pot, melt sugar over medium/high heat. Begin to gently whisk the sugar until it begins to melt. Add the butter and mix until it begins to melt. Incorporate the heavy cream. The mixture will immediately begin to foam.

Remove from heat and allow the sauce cool just slightly. Cut a small circle out of the top of each cupcake. Fill with a teaspoon of caramel sauce and re-top the cupcake piece that you cut out.


Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting **

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring at all, until it starts turning a deep brown/amber.

Remove from heat and very slowly add the cream and vanilla. Lightly mix until the mixture is smooth in texture. Allow the caramel to cool, for about 20-25 minutes, but make sure while it's cooling you keep an eye on it to make sure you're still able to pour it. If it gets too thick, you can add a touch of water, reheat on the stovetop, and continue whisking until the caramel is pourable again.

In your mixer, beat the butters and salt until fluffy. Slow the mixer speed down a bit and add the powdered sugar, until combined. Using a spatula, scrape the sides of the mixer and add in the caramel. Mix until all of the caramel is incorporated. Top the cupcakes with the frosting.

* I used a jar of Trader Joe's fleur de sel caramel in place of making it from scratch. I can eat that stuff with a spoon!

** For the frosting, I whipped together 1 stick butter with 1 1/2 cups powder sugar until fluffy. Then I beat in spoonfuls of the fleur de sel caramel until I got the flavor I wanted. It turned out delicious and saved me the hassle of making my own caramel. 

Superbowl!

Superbowl Sunday is coming up on February 5th, so here are some fun and unique appetizers from around the web to get your creative juices flowing!

Greek 7 Layer Dip

A fun and delicious twist on the traditional 7 layer dip!

Source: Closet Cooking

Greek 7-Layer Dip
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hummus
1 cup tzatziki (cucumber yogurt dip)
1 cup tomato (diced and mixed with 1 tablesoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon oregano)
1/2 cup cucumber (cut into small pieces)
1/4 cup red onions (diced)
1/4 cup feta (crumbled)
1/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted and coarsely chopped)
1 handful mint (chopped)
4 whole wheat pitas (cut into triangles and toasted until just crispy)

Directions:
1. Assemble dip starting with the hummus and stacking each ingredient on top of the last

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Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
A tater tot, wrapped in bacon? Yes, please! If only to see the curious looks of guests as they ask what these are and eagerly try one!

Source: Recipegirl.com

Some funky, but tasty variations

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Yield: 24 appetizers

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Yield: 24 appetizers

ingredients:

24 tater tots, partially defrosted (about 15 minutes at room temperature)
12 strips of center-cut bacon, cut in half
24 small chunks of sharp cheddar cheese (1/2-inch x 1/4-inch)
Tabasco sauce
toothpicks

directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.

Lay a piece of bacon on a flat surface. Place a tater tot on top. Using a sharp knife, gently cut a slit down the center of the tater tot. Wiggle a piece of cheese into the slit. Sprinkle Tabasco sauce on top. Wrap bacon tightly around the stuffed tater tot and secure with a toothpick.

Bake 15 minutes, or until they appear to be cooked through and the bacon is crispy. Serve immediately.

tips:

*Tater tots are found in the frozen section- Ore Ida makes them.
*Variations: add a piece of pickle on top of the cheese. Roll the bacon-wrapped tater tot in brown sugar before baking to add a little sweet flavor to this (my favorite way to make these)- just make sure you don’t over-bake them though or the sugar will make them burn. Or try replacing the cheddar cheese with cream cheese and a piece of pepperoncini.
*Make ahead tip: Assemble these a few hours ahead, place them on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and bake when ready.
*Try serving them up with a spicy sour cream dip- sour cream mixed with a little bit of Tabasco sauce.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip
Always a hit! And you can make this as spicy was you want.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup Ranch or blue cheese dressing

1 cup pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot®)

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces

1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers

Directions

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to an 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

• You can transfer this mix to a crockpot to keep it warm if needed.

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Soft Pretzel Bites

This is one of the most popular recipes on twopeasandtheirpod. A bit of work, but well worth the effort.

twopeasandtheirpod.com

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
directions:

For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.

To make the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*

Recipe makes a lot of bites-perfect for sharing!

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Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups

These are a nice change up from the usual white tortillas smeared with cream cheese and filled with turkey and lettuce. Make plenty, they'll go fast!

annies-eats.com

Chicken Enchilada Dip Roll-Ups
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, pepper jack, etc.)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt, to taste
Handful of cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained well
4-6 8-inch tortillas

Directions:
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

In the meantime, combine all of the remaining ingredients except tortillas in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Once the chicken is cool, transfer to a cutting board and chop or shred into small pieces. Add the chicken to the filling mixture and stir well to incorporate.

Spread a thin layer of the filling mixture over a tortilla, leaving a small border clear around the edge. Roll the tortilla up tightly into a spiral. Place the rolled up tortilla on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into 1- to 1½-inch thick segments. Transfer to a serving platter and serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Pizza Dip

Does this look tasty or what?! Everything you love about a hot pizza served in dip form. Yowzers!

Source: Closet Cooking

Pizza DipIngredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded/grated
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 2 ounces pepperoni, sliced
• 2 tablespoons green pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced

Directions

1. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream mayonnaise, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate.
2. Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the cheese, pepperoni, green pepper and olives.
3. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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More Dips:

Caramelized Onion Dip: Saute 1 large minced onion in oil until a rich, golden brown. Cool to room temperature, then stir into 1 cup of sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Red Pepper-Almond Dip: In a food processor, combine 1 cup roasted red peppers (fresh or jarred, rinsed and drained), 1 small peeled and seeded plum tomato, 1/4 cup natural almonds, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon paprika and puree until smooth. Season with salt.

Greek Yukon Gold Dip: Boil 1 pound peeled and sliced Yukon gold potatoes along with 6 garlic cloves until the potatoes are tender. Mash potatoes and garlic with a potato masher along with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

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Sausage and Cheddar Pinwheels

Source: Stolenmomentscooking.com

Buttery pastry crust, salty sausage and cheese...now that's a winning combination!

Sausage and Cheddar Pinwheels 
3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. butter or margarine, cut into pieces
1/3 – 1/2 c. milk
1 lb. bulk pork sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled small
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter or margarine until crumbly. Add milk as need until a soft but not sticky dough forms. Knead dough one minute.

 
Divide dough in half and roll out. Top with a layer of sausage and a layer of cheese. Roll up jelly roll style and slice into pieces, about an inch thick. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with foil and greased. Repeat with second batch. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 – 18 minutes, until golden brown.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

These frosted sugar cookies are reminiscent of the soft Loft House cookies you buy at the grocery store.  They're a guilty little pleasure that you can't help but snack on (all day long, if you're me).

I love that these cookies are thick and soft! They remind me of gourmet bakery cookies. They're also fabulous because you don't have to roll them out! Big time saver. Dough balls are pressed flat with the bottom of a cup and then baked. Really simple. I cut a few hearts out of some of the pressed dough, just for fun. These would be great for Valentine's Day or to give to neighbors and friends. The frosting is on the sweet side, but still really tasty and like I mentioned above, very similar to the Loft House cookies (but much better, of course). 

These are great, simple cookies you can whip up anytime. Bake some today, you (and your loved ones) will be glad you did!

I halved the recipe below since I was making them for only three of us. My half recipe measurements are in pink.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

        Inspired By: Annie-Eats.com
        Yield: about 2 dozen large cookies

For the cookies:
4½ cups all-purpose flour ( 2 1/4 cups)
4½ tsp. baking powder (2 1/4 teaspoons)
¾ tsp. salt (rounded 1/4 teaspoon)
1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature (1 1/2 Sticks)
1½ cups sugar (3/4 cup)
3 large eggs (1 whole egg, plus 1 yolk)
5 tsp. vanilla extract (3 teaspoons)

For the frosting:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (2 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted (3 Tablespoons)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
7-8 tbsp. milk (plus more, as needed) (3-4 Tablespoons)
Food coloring (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed.  Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.*

When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart.  Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set.  (Do not overbake!  The edges should be no more than very lightly browned if at all.)  Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To frost the cookies, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in additional milk as necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired.  Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies.  (If the frosting begins to thicken as you decorate, just continue to whisk in small amounts of milk to keep it workable.)  Top with sprinkles if desired.  Store in an airtight container.

* My dough was thick, so I skipped chilling it and just baked them. They baked up nice and fluffy and didn't spread.

** These don't stack well. The frosting sets up, but it gets a little smashed when stacked.

Jersey-Style Tuna Melts

These tuna melts are warm heavenly goodness. A delicious twist on a comforting classic. I've made them three times in the last week, and I could eat another right now!

So let's assemble the ingredients!
Chunk tuna, finely diced onion, fresh parsley, red wine vinegar, diced pickles or celery, tomatoes, cheddar and of course, bread, tuna and mayo.

The tuna mixture gets a nice punch from the diced pickles, onions, red wine vinegar and parsley. Trust me, all these flavors and textures work wonderful together. And of course, the mayo brings everything together in all of it's creamy goodness.

Layer the yummy tuna mixture on top of toasted bread. Top with cheese and tomatoes and more cheese and broil until the tuna is heated through and the cheese is nice and melted.

These look and smell so wonderful as they're pulled out of the oven. Drool.

Cut them in half on the diagonal and serve with chips, pickle slices or....

....a hot bowl of tomato soup. So good!

Tuna Melts
slightly adapted from allrecipes
2 (6 ounce) cans solid white tuna in
water, drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped celery or pickle*
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped onion**
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
4 slices seedless rye bread or thick white bread***
8 slices ripe tomato
8 slices Swiss cheese (I used cheddar)
paprika, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven broiler on low.
2. In a bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, celery or pickles, onion, parsley, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet, and broil 1 minute on each side in the preheated oven, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and spread with the tuna salad. Place 1 cheese slice over the tuna salad on each piece of bread, layer with a tomato slice, and top with remaining cheese slices.
4. Return layered bread to the preheated oven, and broil 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.****

* I used pickle for an extra salty kick and because that's how my mom always made them.
** I was a little afraid of the onion, but it really amped up the flavor without being overpowering. I really enjoyed the addition of onion in these.
*** Make sure to toast both sides of the bread so you don't end up with a soggy side. I used white bread, because that's what sounded good to me at the time.
**** Broil these on low on the middle rack so the edges of the bread don't burn.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies!

Cookie dough lovers rejoice! These fudgy brownies, topped with a layer of egg free chocolate chip cookie dough are simply amazing. They are my new favorite treat. 

These bars are pretty easy to make. They start with a yummy homemade brownie batter.

 Once they bake, cool completely.

Then spread homemade chocolate chip cookie dough (egg free!) on top of the brownies. I couldn't really spread the dough, so I patted it into disks and then pressed it together on top of the brownies.

 This glorious mixture goes into the refrigerator for an hour to setup.

 Then just cut and enjoy!

My family loved these and I had plenty of extras, so I shared them with the neighbors and they loved them too!

chocolate chip cookie dough brownies

Source: RecipeGirl.com

BROWNIE:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

COOKIE DOUGH (EGG FREE!):
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chips + 1 teaspoon shortening for drizzle, optional

Directions:

Prepare the brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. In a medium glass bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds; stir after each burst and remove from microwave when melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in melted chocolate. Blend in flour and mix just until combined (don't over-mix). Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes*. Watch closely and remove from oven when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Prepare the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is quite firm. It's okay to speed up the process and place it in the freezer too. The firmer the dough, the easier it will be to cut into neat squares. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies. You may need to wipe the knife off with a paper towel in between cuts since the fudgy brownies and cookie dough will tend to stick to the knife a bit. These brownies are best to serve placed inside cupcake papers and served with a fork.

If you'd like to add chocolate drizzle on top, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening in the microwave; stir until smooth. Scoop the melted chocolate into a zip baggie and snip off the corner. Squeeze the bag to drizzle the chocolate on top of each brownie. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, if desired.


*  These took longer to bake then the stated time. More like 30-40 minutes. Start checking them for doneness around 30 minutes and then give the pan a slight shake ( with an oven mit on of course). If they jiggle, check them every 5 minutes or so. Once they longer jiggle and a tooth pick comes out almost clean, they're done. They'll finish cooking as they cool.
** The brownies do puff up fairly high, but will settle once they cool and then you can press them down further when you add the cookie dough on top. 
*** The cookie dough topping will have the texture of regular cookie dough, so be sure to beat your sugar and butter really well until light and fluffy. Also, let the vanilla and milk beat in for a few minutes.  This will help the slight grittiness from the sugar.
**** I'm not sure if packaged brownie mix would work for these, but if you do go that route, stick with fudgy, thin brownies so you don't end up with monster tall bars.