Slow Cooker Reuben Dip

I consider myself a hard worker. So sometimes I surprise myself.

Like the other day, I was a little taken aback with myself when I got extremely annoyed that I had to park down the street from my gym and walk a few extra minutes....to the gym. That's crazy talk.

Just now I restarted the dryer for the third time because I don't feel like folding my laundry. Let's face it, I probably wont feel like folding it at all today and will have had the dryer running for the entire day. Again, crazy talk.

Sometimes laziness just creeps up on me I suppose.

Crock pots are good for laziness. You just throw everything in the pot and wait...

Easy peasy.

Also, I was feeling too lazy to take a decent picture but reuben dip isn't very pretty anyway.

Slow Cooker Reuben Dip

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut, drained
1 (8 ounce) package neaufchatel cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups shredded cooked lean corned beef
1/4 cup fat-free thousand island dressing

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine the sauerkraut, cream cheese, Swiss cheese, corned beef and thousand island dressing. Cover, and cook on high for 45 minutes if you're in a hurry, low for longer if you're not, or just until hot and cheese is melted. Stir occasionally while cooking. Serve with cocktail rye or crackers.

Easter Bark

Happy Easter weekend everybody!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday...with lots of food. Lots.

Ham. Candy. Lamb. Candy. Candy. All the above.

If you're still trying to throw together something last-minute and quick (much like myself) then this may be a good option for you. This takes about 5 minutes to whip together and look how festive it is!

It screams "Easter"! And "eat me, I'm delicious and all pastel-y"!

Easter Bark
Adapted from yourhomebasedmom.com

Ingredients

14 whole Golden Oreos, broken up.
1 C pretzels, broken into pieces
1 lb. white chocolate, almond bark or melts found in the bulk food section
1 C Easter peanut M & M's
1/2 C Easter pretzel M & M's
Pastel-Colored or Easter themed sprinkles

Directions:

Cover a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Spread broken cookies, pretzels and about 3/4 C of the M & M's onto the waxed paper.

Place white chocolate in a container and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and then microwave for another 30 seconds until melted and smooth. White chocolate melts faster and burns easier than chocolate.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie mixture, spreading with spatula if needed to coat evenly.Sprinkle remaining candy corn and colored sprinkles over the chocolate while it is still wet. Do not let it harden.

Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm. Remove and gently break bark into small pieces.

Store in air tight container.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

Today is Oreo's 100th birthday!

I don't know how I know this. I am not cookie-crazy or anything.

Who am I kidding? If you saw my last post you know I have discovered the birthday cake Oreo's and had a major minor freak-out.

Regardless...Happy birthday Oreo! I may or may not (and by "may not" I mean "without a doubt") enjoy a couple birthday cake Oreo's and a glass of milk for dinner dessert tonight.

I have a very fond "Oreo memory" that I would like to share with you. When I was really young my family and I would go to Golden Corral like everyday or something like that. (I have since decided I am no longer aloud within 100 feet of the place as approximately 11 days ago I went with family and devoured 4 full plates and nearly popped the button of my jeans...) I concocted the same dessert at the end of every single visit. You see, Golden Corral had this ice cream station where they always had super-whipped and super-fluffy whipped cream as well as other standard ice cream fixings. One of those fixings I could never say no to was the crushed Oreos. I would plop a huge cloud of the whipped cream in the biggest bowl I could find and eagerly dump a heaping handful of crushes Oreo's over it and mix it up and devour it as if it were ice cream.

After weeks of doing this, eventually it was done for me as I was shocked to find "my concoction" already mixed together and ready for me at the ice cream station. I proudly declared that day that I was a dessert chef at Golden Corral and invented that very "dessert".

Right.

I wish I had some fun Cookies-n-Cream style recipe to post but the closest thing I got is cookie dough dip.

Like that is a bad thing.

Not that I am one of those people who worries about the raw egg in dough or batter...it is indeed my favorite part of baking...but for those of you who are, this dip is egg-free.

Yep, no salmonella for you.

Me? I'll risk it. Totally worth it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Adapted from Willowbirdbaking.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (a few people have found this to be too much; if you want, just add a pinch and increase to taste. I add the full 1/2 teaspoon and enjoy it!)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (again, you might want to add this a teaspoon at a time to taste. I add the full tablespoon and enjoy it!)
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
water

Directions:

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the flour, salt, vanilla and chocolate chips. Add water one tablespoon at a time (stirring between each) until the dough reaches cookie dough consistency.

Serve with animal crackers, graham crackers or nilla wafers...Or whatever you shall choose...and dig in!

Birthday Cake Blondies

Something happened to me today...

I guess you could call it an out of body experience.

Sure, we'll call it that.

The little kid inside of me (yep, she's still kickin) hijacked my grocery store pit stop today. My intention was to get milk.

That is all.

But within inches of the milk was frozen breakfast food. I don't buy a lot of frozen food, but like I said, out of body experience people.

They had french toast sticks! I was instantly brought back to elementary school. French toast stick day was the best.

And I have a confession. It's weird. I am well aware. But I would alternate dipping my french toast sticks in ketchup and syrup. It's gross I know. But it's kind of like dipping your Wendy's fries in your chocolate frosty. I know it's wrong...but I don't wanna be right.

You know what else they had? Confetti waffles. Yes. This isn't a joke. I am obsessed with anything that has sprinkles in it. I would probably eat mashed potatoes with sprinkles in it...

Well maybe not...but still.

I know sprinkles dont actually change the taste or anything but somehow my mind tricks me into thinking it does. Nothin beats funfetti cake. Nothing.

They had confetti pancakes too. Yep, my freezer is now packed. The best thing about all this though? Most of it wasn't packed with sugar like many of the breakfast foods are. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the waffles were low in fat and sugar.

Happy happy me!

I feel the need to prove that these fabulous finds are not a product of my imagination.

See? I don't lie...except about the mashed potatoes...that was kind of a lie.

Now check out these blondies. I have seen a couple recipes out in the blog world for these gems but I wanted to make my own. I borrowed a simple blondie recipe and tweaked it to come up with these. If you are like me and you can't stop yourself when something is good then put on your stretchy pants...

I was literally at the counter with a fork and shoveling the piping hot brownies into my gluttunous (there is no spell check on this thing) mouth.

I made these for my aunts birthday...because she's a member of the blonde trio (my mom and two aunts) and because you can't have a birthday without sprinkles.

Have I mentioned I really love sprinkles?

Well, now you know.

Birthday Cake Blondies
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup boxed yellow cake mix (dry)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup sprinkles (rainbow jimmies)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Combine the flour, cake mix, baking powder and salt.

Melt 1/3 cup butter. Add the sugar and mix well. Cool slightly.

Add egg and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing well.

Add chocolate chips and sprinkles and mix until combined.

Spread in 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cut-Out Cookies

As of about 15 minutes ago I finished reading my latest book "The Help". Already the grieving process has started (if you read my last post, you'll understand).

Now I am just incredibly eager for the movie to come out...2 months from now...perhaps I should have waited to read the book...

But who am I kidding? Patience is not a trait I am familiar with.

You people who are patient are lucky...just saying.

I'm the kind of person who gets antsy when a person is 5 minutes late. By the 6th minute I have convinced myself that something horrible has happened to them...

I often check my school's web site shortly after I take an exam as I am dying to know how horrible I did so I have an excuse to indulge in chocolate gelato....

I paint my nails only to have them ruined in a matter of minutes because I decide that 17 seconds to dry is more than enough time....

And yes, I even watch a pot of lukewarm water and pray to the cooking God's to "hurry it up already! water should be boiling after 2 minutes! easily!"

I could learn a thing or two from you patient people.

This post may come as a shock to you all. Cut-out cookies are not for impatient people. And yes, I know this. But they make such darned good gifts that I can't help myself.

Another thing about me...I tend to think that I can somehow cheat the "time" system by holding my breath and squinting my eyes when I try to complete these tasks in which patience is vital. Such as cut-out cookies.

My cut-out cookies don't come out as pretty as the cake decorator at work (her patience baffles me!) While I find detail important, I also find it impossible to pay attention to.

A little tip for those of you who, like me, curse at the hairdryer every morning you are drying your hair (because "OH MY GOD" it takes too darn long)...if you pair your panic-inducing, time-consuming, detail-oriented activity with a freshly lit candle and a glass of riesling or sweet red wine, your experience shall consists of a little less jaw-clenching and a little more breathing (I can't imagine holding your breath is that good for you)...

And word on the street is a little red wine is. And some dark chocolate. Always allow for some dark chocolate.

Cut-Out Cookies

From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Royal Icing:
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons meringue powder
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Food coloring, optional

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until smooth. Wrap dough in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with assorted snowflake cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Chill dough 15 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Paint cookies with Edible Paint Icing. Garnish with silver dragees, sugar pearls and sparkling sugar, if desired.

Royal Icing:
In a medium bowl, combine water and meringue powder; whisk until foamy. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired. Use immediately.

NOTE: If you can't find meringue powder you can easily make royal icing by whipping egg whites, a touch of vanilla extract, and powdered sugar together until you get the right consistency (it should be thick, white and glossy). Just thin out that icing with a touch of water.

Hot Reuben Dip

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Thankfully this day falls on my break so I can enjoy some green beer with my friends after I post this and get a good work out in. I couldn't tell you the last time I enjoyed some porch day drinking...oh how I miss being a buckeye...

I saw on someones facebook status a quote that was something along the lines of  "its ok to pretend were Irish on St. Patricks Day.... We pretend we're good on Christmas dont we?"...haha, I thought that was funny.

I am a little confused about how Irish I am...as I have said before my dad's side is German and I grew up thinking I was Irish on my mom's side. Apprently though, my Grandpa (miss you!) took a trip to Ireland some years back to learn about our family heritage and what-not and actually found out we were more Scottish than Irish...

Well, on this day I like to celebrate whatever unknown amount of Irish is in me...Whether it be 50% or 5%, I will still enjoy the Guinness and green treats the same :)

I would consider my friends pretty lucky because I am bringing them this dip and these Irish car bomb cupcakes.

I saw this dip on The Girl Who Ate Everything. Her blog is a must see...I have so many of her posts on my baking/cooking list because it all looks wonderful. As soon as I saw this I knew I HAD to make it...I lightened it a bit because we all know I eat in large quantities, so if I can save any calories by altering the food I will...because as hard as I try...my portions will never get smaller...

The girl who ate everything was right when she said this dip is ugly...but all my food is ugly so dig in! It tastes just like a reuben sandwhich...aka awesome.

Hot Reuben Dip
Adapted from thegirlwhoateeverything.com

Ingredients:

8 ounces neaufchatel cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
4 ounces lean sliced corned beef, chopped
1/2 cup Fat-free Thousand Island dressing
3/4 cup drained sauerkraut
cocktail size pumpernickel rye bread squares

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup of Swiss cheese, the dressing and chopped corned beef. Spread in a pie plate or other shallow serving dish. Top with the sauerkraut and the remaining ½ cup of Swiss cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Serve on cocktail-size rye bread squares.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

It's been so long since I've posted a cupcake recipe! I can't believe it! Though I am still obsessed with cupcakes and love them with all my heart, it has been hard to find motivation to make them at home when I work with them everyday at work. But I saw these guys for St. Patty's day and have always wanted to make them...I actually wanted to make them last year but made these thin mint cupcakes instead...but these Irish car bombs...

I finally made them!

I found this recipe thanks to the Brown Eyed Baker...her blog is amazing and has so many things I want to try. She was right in her post where she claims these cupcakes are "boozy". You can definitely taste the alcohol...which is why these are fabulous!

Irish car bombs (the dangerous drinks) have a special place in my heart. Everytime I get together with my mom's side of the family, it is tradition that we have an Irish Car bomb race. I am lucky enough to have the funnest family with the coolest aunts and funnest cousins...

We don't get together too often but we try. Everytime we have one of these races, I try...I really do but there's no competition when my lovely cousin Tiffany is involved. That girl dominates these drinks...I'm not kidding. She puts the boys to shame everytime. What makes this so amazing is she is tiny...I mean super tiny...like 5 nothing tall and 100 nothing pounds tiny. And even Shawn who is 6'4" and I dunno 180 pounds(?) couldn't even compete...she killed him...

Sorry to out you like this Shawn...I'll make it up to you with an Irish car bomb cupcake. ;)

So anyways, these cupcakes are dedicated to the McKenny fam...most of all my cousin Tiffany whom I miss dearly!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
From Browneyedbaker.com

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

Baileys Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
Directions:

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

Whiskey Ganache Filling: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Fill the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Baileys Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

Blog Birthday! Funfetti Cake Balls

Today is my blogs birthday! One year ago today I reluctantly started this blog looking for a creative outlet for all my crazy baking and cooking shenanagans (thats the best I can do with the spelling of that). I may not have 698+ blog followers and fancy pictures like many of the great blogs out there but I am still pretty darned proud of this thing and very thankful for the 108 of you that do follow...it makes me :) lots!

In the future, I am really really really hoping to get a nice camera. Sure I still wont really have the extensive knowledge on food photography and proper lighting but a reliable camera that actually works would be a great start!

Here's to another year of doing something that really makes me happy...getting fat and telling people how I did it ;)

I actually made these cake balls on thursday for a girl I had become friends with in the interpreting program. She definitely deserved something for her birthday so I stayed up all night doing these...trust me, this is a big deal with how impatient I am.

I thought these were the perfect little gifts to post on my blogs birthday...funfetti is my favorite favorite favorite! I know most cake ball recipes out there have you using one box of cake and one can of frosting. Funfetti is one of the few boxed cake I say "go for it" for, but that frosting? Blegh! Hate it...

So I made a frosting from scratch and played around with it and made cake balls a little different from your average cake balls...and thse are oh so good!

Funfetti Cake Balls
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 (18.9 oz) box funfetti cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
32 ounces white chocolate
non-pariels (sprinkles)

Directions:

Follow directions on box to bake cake in a 9x13 in cake pan. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes after baking. Crumble cake into a large mixing bowl.

Cream 1/2 cup butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla exract. Slowly add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add another teaspoon of vanilla. Add the milk and whip frosting for about a minute.

Mix the frosting with the cake until fully mixed. Put the mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop 1-1 1/2 inch balls of cake. Roll into the shape of balls and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. When all the balls are rolled out, place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

While the balls are cooling, melt the white chocolate in a double broiler over medium heat or in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 min 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.

Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and work on a few balls at a time. Using a toothpick and a spoon, dip the cake ball into the melted chocolate, using the spoon to spoon chocolate over any uncovered parts of the ball. Once the ball is covered, remove the ball from the chocolate and tap any excess chocolate off the ball with the spoon. Place ball on a baking sheet lined with waxing paper by letting the ball slide off the toothpick...smooth the hole over with the spoon and sprinkle the top of the ball with non-pariels. Repeat until all balls are covered.

Store balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator (for several days), or zip lock bag in the freezer (for a couple weeks). Enjoy!

Ps. You can also attatch popsicle sticks to the balls and make cake-pops for a fun gift :)

Buckeyes

Here in Ohio we have something that is totally amazingly wonderfully awesome. I don't know who came up with these but its genious and one of the things that I'm proud to claim as "Ohio's" and that is buckeyes. Not only does this include the Ohio State football team but the peanut butter chocolate candy...they are easily one of my favorite things ever.

I know football season has quickly passed before I had a chance to post this recipe but the Buckeyes ARE #1 in Basketball right now so I still deem it appropriate to show my pride and love of all things Buckeye. I make these any chance I get and anytime I go up to Minnesota to visit family because they are always requested.

If you haven't heard of or tried these...you haven't lived...get on it ASAP!

Buckeyes
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar, or as needed
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons Shortening

Directions:

Combine peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on LOW until blended. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended. Beat in additional powdered sugar until mixture, when shaped into a ball, will stay on a toothpick. Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until mixture is smooth. Reheat as needed while coating peanut butter balls.

Insert toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Remove excess. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Smooth over holes with finger or butter knife. Refrigerate until firm.