Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for my friends going away party and everyone seemed to enjoy them. These cupcakes were super light and moist.

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 Filling:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used the mini chocolate chips.)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda. Stir in oil, water, vinegar and vanilla until blended. Pour mixture into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. (I filled mine too full and these cupcakes will rise so be careful to not put too much of the cake mix in the muffin cup.)
3. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop a heaping teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture into each cupcake. 
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Allow to cool. 

I topped my cupcakes with cream cheese icing (my favorite).

Cream Cheese Icing: 

• 1 (8oz) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 box of powdered sugar
• 1 tblsp of vanilla extract

1. Cream together the softened cream cheese and the butter.
2. Mix in the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Ice your cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Better-Than-Crack Brownies

So I made these brownies to thank everyone in my office for helping me so much the last few weeks with my big project and they were a hit! I think they would be a great party food because you can cut them into bite size pieces and they will go a long way. They are very delicious but they are also very sweet so I think bite sized would be a great idea. LOL

Ingredients:

• 1 batch brownies (I used a boxed mix)
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts (I added about 3/4 cup to mine)
• 1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups (I added a little over a cup to mine and I used the off brand Walmart peanut butter cups to cut down on the price and they still were delicious)
• 1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Instructions:

1. Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. 
2. Remove from oven and top with peanuts and peanut butter cups, and bake for 4-6 minutes more.
3. While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter (I just melted mine in the microwave). Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top.
4. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. (I didn't put mine in the fridge but I will next time.)

Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole

This recipe takes a little while to cook but it is really good and simple. I thought with all the hot sauce that this recipe calls for that it would be super spicy but it is not, it just adds a little heat.

For the original recipe go here http://cooklisacook.blogspot.com/2012/03/loaded-potato-buffalo-chicken-casserole.html .

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8-10 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  (I left the skin on.)

      Sauce: (I made 1 batch of this sauce for the chicken and 1 for the potatoes because I did not have very much left for the chicken once I tossed the potatoes in it. So I actually used double of all the ingredients below.)

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1 tbs. freshly ground pepper 
• 1 tbs. paprika 
• 2 tbs. garlic powder
• 6 tbs. hot sauce 

     Topping:

• 2 cup Fiesta Blend Cheese or a mix of Cheddar & Monterey Jack
• 1 cup crumbled bacon 
• 1 cup diced green onion

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 500F.  
2. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder & hot sauce.  Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  
3. Carefully scoop the potatoes into a cooking spray coated baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mix as possible.  
4. Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and crispy & browned on the outside.  
5. While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat. (This is when I made a new batch of sauce to coat my chicken.) 
6. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400F.  Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken.  
7. In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon & green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix.  Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious. (I cooked mine for 20 minutes and it was done perfectly.)  
8. Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe is so delicious and super easy! It would be really good for a busy day when you want to have a homemade supper. This was the first time I used a crockpot but I think I am addicted to it now so I will be trying more of these type recipes ASAP. I am not usually a fan of Velveeta cheese but this was really good and not overly cheesy.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product
• 12 1/2 oz canned chicken, drained & flaked (I only used 1 but I think I will use 2 next time so you can taste the chicken more.)
• 10 3/4 oz Campbell's 98% Fat-Free Cream Of Chicken Soup, undiluted
• 10 3/4 oz Campbell's 98% Fat-Free Cream Of Mushroom Soup, undiluted
• 10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, Rotel
• 4 oz canned mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained (I just used a can of sliced mushrooms and then diced them into small pieces.)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, diced 1 medium green pepper, diced 
• 1/2 tsp table salt 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• 14 1/2 oz cooked whole-wheat spaghetti 

Instructions:

1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well.
3. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving. (I did not have 3 hours to cook this so I cooked if on HIGH for 1.5 hours and stirred it occasionally.)

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Everyone always wants mine and Mom's Red Velvet Cake recipe and we always tell them it is no secret so after a few requests today I am going to post the recipe for everyone! This is a great recipe and I swear once you have a homemade Red Velvet cake you will never want to eat a store bought or frozen one again! LoL Mom and I have used this recipe to make layered cakes and cupcakes and it works great for both. If I am baking for people why do not like pecans I prefer to make cupcakes so I can top them with different toppings (usually pecans and red sprinkles) but if I know that everyone that I am cooking for will eat pecans I love to make the layered cake because it looks so pretty!

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 2 cup Crisco oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ cups plain sifted flour
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 oz red food coloring
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 2 tsp cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
• 1 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1 stick butter or margarine (room temp.)
• 1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese (room temp.)
• 1 box confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
• ½ to 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream sugar and oil; add eggs. Beat well. (Make sure the cream and oil is creamed!)
3. Sift together flour, salt, and soda; set aside.
4. Add food coloring, vinegar, and cocoa to the sugar and oil mixture. Add vanilla flavoring.
5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk; blend well. (Make sure you do not skip this step. If you do not alternate the flour mixture and buttermilk it sometimes does not come out the same for some reason.)
6. Pour batter into 3 round cake pans or can use 1 sheet cake pan. (If making a layer cake line the bottom of the round pans with parchment paper and grease the pans so you can insure your cakes come out of the pans cleanly.)
7. Bake for about 35 minutes. Let layers cool after baking.
8. For icing: Beat together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla flavoring. Add nuts if desired.

I make cupcakes with this recipe all the time. This recipe will make like 3 dozen cupcakes and they will probably need to cook between 15 and 20 minutes. 


I hope everyone enjoys this recipe!!!!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

I do not make pasta with homemade sauce very often because I find that sometimes it can kind of be a little pricey but this dish is worth every penny!!! My mom actually found this recipe online but it is so good and it looks pretty!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta:

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning (your recipe, Cajun Seasoning Mix or store-bought)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 thinly sliced green onion
• 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I added way more sun-dried tomatoes than this to give more flavor)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Red Pepper Flakes to taste (Be careful with these because they can become very spicy/strong after being cooked for a little while or after being stored in the fridge after being cooked.)

Instructions:

1. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat. 
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Reduce heat add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through (I added more Cajun seasoning and a few red pepper flakes for more heat in my sauce. I also cooked the sauce for a little while so it would thicken up).
4. Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.
    

The thing to remember when it comes to seasonings and herbs is to add as much or as little as you like. If a recipe calls for a spice that I do not care for or that my family does not care for I replace it with something else or just leave it out. 

 

S'mores Bars

If you know me, you know that 95% of the time I like to cook meals and desserts that are quick and easy. The other day I really wanted some s'mores but had no graham crackers or chocolate bar but I found this recipe and it is so easy and delicious.

S'mores Bars:

Ingredients:
 
1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 bag chocolate chips
1 bag marshmallows

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. 
2. In food processes blend one cup of graham crackers (I just crushed the crackers in a plastic bag, the less dishes the better)
3. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix (according to directions) and cracker crumbs.  
4. Press into ungreased 13×9-inch pan (I would actually grease the pan with Pam).
5. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. 
6. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. (I had to pop mine in the oven for just a few seconds)
7. Spread chocolate evenly over crust.
8. Set oven control to broil. 
9. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. 
10. Broil with top 5 to 6 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch very carefully because one second they are not toasted and the next second they will be burnt)

I think these would be great for a get together but if you would like to use them as a party food I would not actually place the marshmallows on top and toast them until close to the time you are going to serve them. They taste more like a s'more when they are warm!