Decadent Chocolate Mini Cookies

Happy friday!

Another one of those keeper recipes. This is right up the amazing alley, along with the chocolate lava cakes and the rolo cookies!! My husband is quite in love with me these days, and the kids are crying because they want more and I won't let them...win-loose.

Adapted from key ingredient
Ingredients: (I halved the recipe the first time I made them, yes, I did 1-1/2 eggs)

• 10 ounces (1-1/4 cup) semi sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) unsweetened chocolate, chopped 
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, put the chocolate and butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Mix, then repeat until the chocolate is just melted (it took me 3 - 30 second intervals)
2. Let it cool a little (couple minutes), then whisk in the eggs and sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cover and place in the fridge to cool for about an hour (or overnight).
3. Set your over to 350 degrees. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a 'silpat' mat. Roll small tablespoon balls and place 20 per baking sheet (4x5) about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake for 8 minutes (check them tho), then let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before picking one up or they may melt in your hands.

Mmmm, enjoy with a nice glass of milk (or three).

Cathy

Kid Friendly Sweet Potato Quesadillas

We've been having a hard time with dinner lately with our 6 year old boy. Nothing tastes good apparently, who knew.

My solution, to try and find healthy meals that my husband and I will enjoy, and that the kids will eat and want seconds.  This recipe was mission accomplished!

Here it goes:

Ingredients:

• 1 small sweet potato, peeled, cubed, and boiled (10 minutes)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1-15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• handfull of cilantro, washed and chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream, plus extra for topping
• 10 - 6 inch wheat (recommended) flour tortillas
• 1.5 cups shredded chicken (I used leftover chicken)
• 1-2 cups monterey jack cheese (recommended, but you can use any other cheese)
• Toppings of your choice: sour cream, salsa, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, etc..

Directions:

1. In a heated skilled, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic, cilantro. Cook for 3-5 minutes, then add black beans and cook a few more minutes to heat them through.
2. Add the cubed/boiled sweet potato to the skilled, as well as the sour cream. Use a hand blender to blend mixture into a puree (this is the trick to getting kids to eating veggies--next time I will add spinach in this mixture, mwuahaha!)
3. Heat another pan. Add a couple spoon-fulls of the mixture onto a tortilla and spread to cover, add some shredded chicken and then some cheese, and top with another tortilla. Place in the heated pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and repeat.

Enjoy friends!
Cathy

Seven Layer Bars

Since I have been little I have loved these bars! They are delicious. I also love that you can always switch up some of the nuts in the recipe as well. They are quick and easy to make and people always want to come back for more!

Ingredients

• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup butterscotch chips 
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts 
• 1 1/3 cups coconut flakes

Source

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for glass baking pan). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Stuffed Mushrooms

I made these for a party we went to and they went in minutes! This is one of those things that looks and sounds fancy but it is so simple and yummy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

source

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces, White Button Mushrooms
• ⅓ pounds Hot Pork Sausage
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 8 ounces, Cream Cheese
• 1 whole Egg Yolk
• ¾ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated
• ⅓ cups Chicken Stock
• Salt And Pepper (to Taste)

Directions:
-Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.

-Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat. Pour in chicken stock to           deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate.
-Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.

-In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese.
-Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up.

-Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
-Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.
-Garnish with minced parsley if you’re feeling fancy.

Butternut Squash Curry

This recipe never fails me! It is the kind of recipe you can work on throughout the day or even a few days before. The preparation is all worth it in the end! I absolutely love curry and coconut so this is the perfect recipe for me! Our sister-in law, Dana is the one who introduced it to us. It is so good!

Ingredients

• 1 2 to 2 1/2 pound butternut squash
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon curry
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 14 oz can/box chicken broth
• 2 cups,cubed cooked chicken breast
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Hot White Jasmine Rice
• Cashews (optional)
• Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Source

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350

-Spray a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds and pulp

-Place squash flesh side down onto the baking dish

-Bake for 30 minutes

-Remove squash from oven and flip the squash right side up.

-Sprinkle the squash with brown sugar and 1 tsp curry and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until squash is soft and the flesh can be scooped out.

-Scoop squash out into a bowl and mash well with potato masher, set aside until needed.

-Cook rice in rice cooker.

-For the soup, sauté onion in olive oil over medium high heat until the

onion is translucent and soft, 4 to 5 minutes.

-Add ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.

-Add squash, coconut milk, chicken broth, chicken, curry, salt and pepper

-Cook soup until heated, about 20 minutes

-Serve over hot rice and garnish with cilantro and cashews

Enjoy!!

Perfect-Portion Chocolate Lava Cakes

We're back! Sorry for the long drought, we both had babies!!





























So back to business.

These cakes are ridiculous.

I recommend vanilla ice cream, tho. Don't wanna overdue the chocolate, I know it sounds crazy but once you try this, you'll see what I mean! This recipe is EASY and will make you look like a pro. I made these for my mother-in-laws birthday, and everyone was begging for more. I will make these forever!!!

Perfect-Portion Chocolate Lava Cakes
Makes 12 little cakes (muffin size)
Portions adapted from Lauren's Latest.

Ingredients:
2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs AND
2 egg yolks (yes, 4 eggs total)
1 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbs flour


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray and set aside. Give it a good spray, you want these to come out nice after they're done baking.

Melt chocolate and butter in a large bowl. Cool a couple minutes. Stir in eggs and egg yolks until incorporated, this cooks the eggs. Stir in powdered sugar and flour. Spoon into prepared muffin tin so batter is 1/2 of the way up. Bake 8-9 minutes or until the edges are cooked and the centers are soft. Cool 5 minutes and carefully remove from pan using a butter knife. 

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.