Baked Angelhair Timbale

At the bakery I work at we try to have potlucks. For Christmas we had the "Very Merry Margarita" potluck and indulged in mexican food. This past one was our "Italian Stallion" potluck. I absolutely love potlucks but I always have a tough time deciding what on earth I want to make.

So I flipped through one of my Giada cookbooks (the first place I go when I want to make something Italian) and this timbale caught my eye. I was intriqued. I had never heard of a timbale, let alone made one....

If this isn't a recipe for disaster for me, I don't know what is.

I decided to make it because it was so different and I like to make things that are a little unexpected for potlucks. Well, a timbale takes over an hour to bake...which is fine. But I made the mistake of going to the gym while it baked...

As I returned from the gym, already short of breath and slightly hating my life because I really pushed myself (because I was anticipating the damage I would do to my body that night with all the carbs and meaty sauces). I opened my door to find an apartment filled with smoke....

My eyes instantly started to water and my heart dropped to me heels. "Oh my God I've burned it!" I was extra-panic stricken as I was supposed to leave for the potluck in an hour and had no back-up plans. I raced to the oven and yanked the door open, all the while inhaling pure smoke. As I waved the heat and smoke out of my face I got a peek at my timable and saw that is was fine...the floor of my oven on the other hand, was not.

The smoke was spiraling from the lovely black crusted liquid that was dripping from the springform pan...

Lesson learned; when using a springform pan, always line the outside with foil...Even now, a couple months later, when I turn on the oven you can smell the burning from the charred liquid. I can't seem to rid of it no matter how much cleaner or scraping I take to it...

On the bright side, the timbale turned out perfectly and everyone loved it. So there.

Baked Angelhair Timbale
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 Japanese eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 cups marinara sauce
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces angel hair pasta
1 pound mozzarella, diced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Directions:

Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant until it is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add half of the garlic and saute until it is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining eggplant and garlic.

Add the sausage and wine to the same frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine evaporates and the sausage is brown, breaking the sausage into pieces with the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper to the eggplant mixture, and toss to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the angel hair and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pasta is still slightly crunchy and undercooked. Drain. Toss the angel hair with the eggplant mixture. Cool completely. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and toss to combine.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface to a 13 1/2-inch square. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the rim. Spoon the pasta mixture into the pan. Place the second pastry sheet atop the pasta filling. Pinch the edges of the pastry sheets together to seal. Trim the overhanging pastry edges to about 1-inch. Fold the pastry edges in to form a decorative border. Cut a slit in the center of the top pastry to allow the steam to escape.

Bake until the pastry is brown and puffed on top, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the pan sides and serve.

Strawberry Tiramisu

Clearly I survived the tornado...well barely...ok so I tend to overreact sometimes...whatever.

This dessert is something I really just dove into (boy do I wish that were literally). I like things that are different or unexpected. I love to try to put a twist on things that are classic. I had spotted a strawberry tiramisu recipe online but I just didn't like the recipe...I searched and found nothing and decided to take it upon myself...

Trust me, I am not usually this brave (see last post. tornadoes=panicked Tarrah).

I really really loved this. I don't know if thats because I really wanted to or what but I could not stay out of it. The combination of the cocoa, strawberries and coffee was just divine.

I got the idea to use vanilla wafers from a friend at work...genuis...truly genius. I had attempted to make lady fingers before (since they are impossible to find) and it was not pretty...not the kind of not pretty that all my food is...it was a disaster.

I had to experiment and tweak a lot with this one so I hope I got the final recipe right...crossing my fingers!

Strawberry Tiramisu
Dame Good

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh strawberries
12 oz box reduced-fat vanilla wafers
1/4 cup hot water
2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 tablespoons khalua
8 oz marscapone cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
8 oz fat-free whipped cream, thawed
1 tablespoon dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 oz package fat-free sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
sliced strawberries for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Begin by placing the strawberries in a food processor. Pulse until the strawberries are pureed. Line a mesh strainer with a paper towel and let the strawberry puree drain out the excess water while you assemble the other ingredients.

Mix the hot water, instant coffee and khalua in a small bowl; set aside.

With a stand mixer on medium speed, mix the marscapone, vanilla and powdered sugar until combined. Divide the strawberry puree into halves. Add half of the puree to the marscapone mixture. Mix in the instant pudding. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the mixture.

In a 8in x 8in square pan layer half of the vanilla wafers (about 30 wafers). Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the khalua and coffee mixture over the wafers. Spread the marscapone mixture on top of the wafers. Layer the rest of the wafers on top of the marscapone layer. Drizzle the remaining khalua and coffee mixture on top of the wafers.

Spread the reserved strawberry puree on top of the wafers. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top of the strawberry puree. Sprinkle the cocoa powder on top of the whipped cream. Garnish with sliced strawberries (optional).

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Pork Chops

Do tornadoes scare the crap out of anyone else? Anytime I hear those sirens or that awful screeching coming from the tv my heart races...

I remember tornado warnings as a kid and grabbing pillows and burrying myself in a bathtub full of them and crying about how much I hated "tomatoes". Now I know they are not in fact "tomatoes" but I still have the urge to pull my memory foam matress into my bathroom and barricading myself with a pint of ice cream and hard liquor.

We are under a tornado warning in various parts of Ohio right now and I find it terrifying. The thought of a dark funnel cloud plummeting from the sky sends me into an immediate panic. Not to mention the thought of the recent tornado that touched down and killed over a hundred people makes me so sad.

There is something extremely terrifying about the lack of control available to you when a tornado hits and how utterly destructive they can be.

I just have to cross my fingers that these warnings are nothing and everyone will be okay. :/

There, now I have poured my heart out and shared one of my biggest fears...

On a more positive note...these pork chops are one of my favorite dinners to make. I have made them a couple of times and am always impressed with how delicious they are each time I eat them. I love goat cheese. It's tangy and creamy and pairs really well with the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes...

The filling can be a bit of a pain in the "arse" when you are cooking the pork chops because it wants to ooze out onto the pan...so try not to overfill the chops and if the filling starts oozing just use your spatula to shove it back in or throw the lost filling on top of your pork chops. Either way, it's going to be delish...guaranteed.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Pork Chops
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.
Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.
Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a side dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

Cinnamon Brunch Cake

I went putt-putting for the first time in a long time Friday. It was sunny with a slight breeze...aka perfect. My putt-putting "skills"...not so much.

I was terrible. By my 5th miss being 4 inches from the hole I was yelling profanities and threatening my golf ball forgetting that there were children around. Poor Shawn has to deal with my innappropriateness (I think I just made that word up) in public.

But I make food for him so that balances it out right?

I guess I need to brush up on my putt-putting though. I had rehearsed and was prepared to showcase my sweet victory dance...unfortunately I only got to put my moves into action like once.

Does this mean I'm getting old?

Guess I gotta stick with what I know...food.

This brunch cake was featured on food.com and I couldn't pass up how easy it was. For some reason my oven was not wanting to coorporate the day I made it and the cake baked unevenly but it was still tasty.

Cinnamon Brunch Cake
From food.com

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar (add in more for a sweeter taste)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 -2 teaspoon vanilla (optional) or 1 -2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 large egg (optional)

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar (can use more or less)
1 -2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
chopped walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)
Directions:

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, or two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans (although the batter will seem like it will fit into only one 8 or 9-inch pan, this flop rises very high and will run over the sides if baked in just one pan).

In a bowl mix the 2 cups flour, 1-1/4 cups white sugar, milk, vanilla or almond extract, baking powder, pinch of salt and egg (if using) until just combined careful not to overmix. Pour into prepared baking pan/s.
Generously spread brown sugar and cinnamon on top. If desired sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans over top. Drizzle melted butter over top.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes for 8 or 9-inch round cake pan, and about 30 minutes for a 13 x 9-inch pan.

Buffalo Chicken-Sausage Penne

This here is part two of my buffalo-chicken sausage experimentation. I love trying to make up new things and come up with my own recipes. It is super excitng when something works out...and not so surprising when something doesn't (as it is bound to happen, especially with me).

Luckily for me, this one worked out. Meaning this wasn't a repeat of the many times I threw stuff together as a kid expecting something out-of-this-world only to find myself gagging on whatever my concoction was at that time. I remember many times as a kid I tried to invent "soup" recipes by boiling water and throwing any and everything I could find in the pot. I'd say I've improved a bit since then...

I actually got the idea  for this recipe off of the package of buffalo-chicken sausage and ran with it from there. I came up with a greek yogurt blue cheese sauce and I really liked it...

Sounds weird I know...

But that's how I roll. Sometimes the unexpected is better than the expected. I think I held my breath the entire time I was throwing stuff together for this sauce and praying it would work. I hate wasting food...absolutely hate it!

Clearly, I was able to breath again...so here it is. Hope you like it.

Buffalo Chicken-Sausage Penne
Dame Good

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Pasta:
16 oz Al Fresco Buffalo Chicken-Sausage (4 links), sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup celery, chopped
12 oz whole wheat penne
1/4 cup fresh parsely, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:
6 oz non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
3 tablespoons Franks hot sauce
4 oz reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon skim milk

Directions:

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stir and set aside. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized pan. Add the pepper, celery and onions and saute for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken-sausage and stir until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Rinse cooked pasta and toss together with the sauteed vegetables in a large bowl. Add the parsley and some salt and pepper. Stir the sauce into the pasta mixture until combined. Serve warm and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Cherry Walnut Bars

Who likes free stuff? Me me!! I am actually kind of amazed at the lengths I go through for free stuff...or to win something. Winning is so much fun am I right?

I don't know who else remembers being at that tender young age where you realize boys actually don't have cooties...in fact boys are kinda cute. I reached this stage around the same time that Usher arrived on the scene. Yes I am talking about Usher Raymond. I remember when "My Way" came out and I was infatuated.

I am not the biggest Usher fan nor do I consider myself obsessed (as I do with many other things...pugs, chocolate, margaritas...you know) but I have been secretly jealous of everyone who was able to snag some tickets to the Usher concert this Wednesday...

Jealous until I won a ticket of my own...yep! Thats right! I won't say what I had to do but I'll attribute it to having a gorgeous friend and lots of  loud "fans" aka Shawns friends...so not really "fans" but its fun to think that.

Needless to say I am excited...it's been a while since I have gone to a big concert...in fact I think the last one was Justin Timberlake...Notice the theme here...what'r'ya'gonna'do?

These bars=good. You can mix and match with different fruits and jams.

Whole Wheat Cherry Walnut Bars
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:


1 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten to mix
1 egg white
3/4 cup chopped dried tart cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Cooking spray
1/4 cup "fruit only" apricot preserves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, egg and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add the dried cherries and walnuts.

Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Put the preserves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the preserves. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars, about 4 by1 1/2 inches each.

Buffalo Chicken-Sausage Casserole

I love ladies nights. I am pretty lucky and rather impressed with the fact that I am still close to my best friends from highschool...well not all of them. It can be hard when some move out of state, or get married and have children. I try and keep in touch with those of my friends on different pages of life than I...

My girlfriends and I try to have a ladies night as often as we can. It tends to be every friday and last night we got together to go see the movie "Bridesmaids". I was not sure what to expect it because I found that the previews weren't exceptionally funny...but I quickly found out that this was because they couldn't possibly show the funny parts on the previews...

This movie had a raunchy humor...meaning I loved it. If you are like me and have a sick twisted humor, then you will enjoy this movie. I wasn't too "chick-flicky" but yet a perfect movie to go see with your girls.

Now, these two girls I went with are the ones I laugh with the most. The three of us are rather goofy...in fact we're sometimes just odd. So just the fact that I was with them, made the movie that much more funny. Has anyone else ever noticed that movies and your percieved level of their "funny" often depends on who you are watching it with?

Funny how that works.

On another note. Has that chicken-sausage that is always hanging out in the organic meats section caught anyone elses eye? I bought the garlic one once to make this sausage with quick sauerkraut. It's not exactly sausage but it is still pretty good. Well my heart skipped a beat when I saw they had a buffalo-chicken one.

Score!

There was a slight problem though...the links just sat patiently in my freezer for weeks before I could come up with a way to use it. I didn't want to just throw it into anything...I wanted to come up with something that screamed buffalo-chicken...since I am kind of obsessed with it.

Well, I came up with two things...I couldn't decide on one...making decisions is too exhausting...so I did both. Win-win.

I made a buffalo chicken-sausage casserole (seen here) and a buffalo chicken blue cheese penne. The penne may be my preferred dish (yes, I am teasing you) but this was good as well. Both can be changed and played around with to your liking because I know some people don't love blue cheese, or celery or hot sauce...these are the same people I think should be labeled legally insane, but hey, to each their own...

Buffalo Chicken-Sausage Casserole
Dame Good

Ingredients:

16 oz Al Fresco all-natural buffalo chicken-sausage, sliced
2 cups brown rice
1 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 cup white onion, chopped
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing
4 oz reduced-fat crumbled blue cheese
10.5 oz 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons franks buffalo hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsely
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cook brown rice according to box using the chicken stock instead of water. While rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and heat olive oil. Add onions, red pepper and celery and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and carrots and continue cooking for about a minute or 2, just until garlic is fragrant. Toss the chicken-sausage in and stir just until heated through. Remove skillet from heat and add paprika, cumin some salt and pepper.

In a small bowl mix ranch dressing, cream of chicken, hot sauce, parsely and blue cheese and stir until mixed. In a large bowl toss the cooked rice with the cooked vegetables. Add the wet ingredients to the rice mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Pour the mixture into a prepared 9-in x 13-in casserole pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden. Serve warm.

Cinnamon Roll Bread

Finally! It appears that Spring has popped into central Ohio to say hello. I am sure it's stay wont be long, for it must tease us with its presence. For the first time this Spring I ran outside in the park. I think I went a little overboard in taking advantage of the sunshine and the delicate breeze because I am now sore all over...

This is the good kind of sore though...the kind that tricks your mind into thinking it's okay to have a second helping of cake..."I've worked hard today, I so deserve this!" We'll see how long I can ignore that little voice in my head that is always lying to me and telling me "it's okay, go ahead, you worked hard today." It's becoming difficult because that voice that has been saying "bathing suit season is around the corner and you could not be farther from ready" seems to be slowly fading away as I am remembering the dark chocolate truffles I have hidden away in my desk drawer...

Oh the agony!

Thankfully, I no longer have this gem of a baked good stashed away anymore. Then I would be in real trouble. I made this "bread" (slash cake) when I was going through that cinnamon roll craze. It appears that  have satisfied that burst of cravings because now all I can think about is cookie dough.

I obsess...I really do. When I am craving something I have to submit myself to a complete overload of whatever it is I am craving. It's sad really. Why can't I drool and obsess over something more healthy...like spinach or brussel sprouts...Why does it always have to be chocolate or cream cheese or peanut butter? Mmm...peanut butter....

Hmm...that's odd...I no longer hear the "bathing suit" voice. Interesting.

Cinnamon Roll Bread
Adapted from beantownbaker.com

Ingredients:

Dough:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm skim milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:
3 tablespoons margarine, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
(Shawn and I decided pecans or raisins would also be good here so if you have any hiding in your pantry, feel free to use them)

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2  tablespoons neaufchatel cheese, softened
1-3 tablespoons skim milk (enough to reach right consistency)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Grease an 8x8-in square baking pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl filled with warmed milk. Once the yeast becomes foamy, add the canola oil, vanilla and egg into the milk mixture. Add the milk mixture into the flour mixture and combine until smooth. Pour the dough into the baking pan and let rest for about 15 minutes to let the yeast get to work.

While the dough is resting, make your filling by mixing together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Mix using a whisk or fork until mixture is combined. Sprinkle evenly on top of the rested dough and slightly press the mixture into the dough.

Place pan in the oven and then set the temperature to 350F.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the bread if lightly browned and the center springs back when touched. Cool for 20-30 minutes. While the bread is cooling, make the icing and mix together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and milk until very smooth. If the mixture seems thin add more sugar, if it seems thick add more milk. Drizzle the icing onto the cooled bread. Serve warm and enjoy!

Cookie Dough Truffles

A few posts back I was talking about what I wanted to be when I grew up as a kid...it got me thinking about how thse aspirations progressed throughout my life...

My dreams and aspirations after the multiple face plants were a bit more realistic. For a while I wanted to be a writer. I loved to write. I used to enter poetry contests and even made it to the finals in a "Power of the Pen" writing competition. I was set on writing a book one day but I could never get past the first paragraph. Patience...crap...should probably have some of that huh?

Well I still love writing but I am sad that I had somewhat lost that drive I had. This blog definitely brings me back to that place and helps me to find that drive again.

In High School I did theater. I fell in love. I loved everything about it. I loved the adrenaline rush that surged through my body everytime I hit the stage, the stage makeup, and the cast parties...oh the cast parties. This is where I met many of my best friends who I still consider my besties today. I'm too much of a homebody to be an actress. Nor am I one to sell my body and constantly be in the eye of public scrutiny...give up all the food I love? I don't think so.

In college I majored in Psychology and Communications quite sure I wanted to be a marriage and family counselor. Then I volunteered at the suicide hotline for a year. It was a very rewarding experience though it was tough...really tough. I soon realized it wasn't for me. For about a whole minute I thought I wanted to do PR...again, nope!

Then one magical day I took a sign language class and from then on I knew I found something I was actually passionate about (aside from cooking and eating). Being born hard of hearing I had always had an interest in deaf culture but it had never occured to me that I could be a part of it...

As a kid I would pretend I knew sign language to impress the other kids...whoops. Well a year from now I hope to be an ASL interpreter. I still have quite a ways to go and really need about 37929387 more hours worth of practice...but at least I know that I will love...absolutely love what I will be doing.

Wanna know something else I am absolutely in love with? Cookie dough...I have proclaimed this devotion to cookie dough at least 6 times but thats just how crazy in love I am. I stumbled across these cookie dough truffles and had drooled over them ever since until I finally had an excuse to make them. Thank God people have birthdays...or I would have a serious heart condition about now...

Cookie Dough Truffles
Adapted from Tasteofhome.com


Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can (14 ounces) fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 pounds dark chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour, alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.

In a microwave bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in coating; allow excess to drip off; Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, remelt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 5-1/2 dozen.