I'm sure it is low fat and almost calorie free

Let's be honest. I have done pretty much nothing while I have been on short-term-worker's-comp-disability. Which is what I was suppose to be doing to give my arms time to rest. It hasn't worked out so well however since I have as much pain as I had on my last day of work. I had a lovely test today which basically felt like for the first half I was repeatedly touching my hand to the metal portion of a plug and then leaving it there while inserting it into the socket. The second half of the test had the doctor practicing human voodoo doll maneuvers on the arms. I told him that he really knew how to show a lady a good time-he laughed so hard he put the probe down.

So what have I been doing, really with all this time off? Facebook and Twitter and Stumble. I bring them all up in the morning and leave them up all day long. While perusing my friends on FB, one of my high school classmates who now lives out in Seattle Washington (and just had another baby-bless her heart) and had posted she had just picked up a Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate at Starbucks. A friend of hers replied with a blogpost about making it at home. While I didn't exactly have the ingredients for it, I made one up that worked pretty darn well with what I had in my pantry and fridge.


I started by warming up 3 TBSP of Stonewall Kitchen's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel sauce in the microwave. I then warmed up a cup of water and stirred in several teaspoons of International Foods Vanilla Bean Latte mix. I poured about 2 TBSP of the chocolate down the sides of my coffee mug, then poured the coffee in. I topped it with a BIG dollop of aerosol whipped cream then drizzled the last of the warmed chocolate sauce over the top.

Oh yeah. It was sublime while watching the snow fall and watching the cars go by.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

My Aunt Lola makes the best Special K bars in the world. No, I am serious. I have eaten many in my life time, and hers are by far the best.

I attempted them twice. And failed miserably.

I don't know if it was because I was new(er) to baking and the corn syrup gave me trouble, but they were hard as bricks both times. Nothing like the soft, chewy bars I remember having out on the farm. With fresh milk out of the bulk tank. Mmmmmmmmmm.

Unfortunately, I do not live very close to Lola, so I had to figure out a way to get my fix. This is my fix. It has most of the same taste notes as her Special K bars and they turn out each and every time.




I adapted this recipe from one I got from a doctor I used to go to. His wife was (probably still is) a nutritionist. I had to laugh, because I don't think these fall anywhere under the "nutritious" category on any health provider's guidelines. But I'm not a doctor-nor do I play one on TV-so I will delight in eating these delicious bars all my live-long days.

Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Bars

1 cup of butter (use butter, not margarine please)

2 (10 oz) bags miniature marshmallows

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 TBSP vanilla extract

9 to 12 cups of crispy rice cereal

Topping:

1 cup chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet)

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Use a heavy-bottomed large pan. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue over low heat to melt the marshmallows. Stir frequently to help them melt. When the marshmallows are completely melted, remove pan from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Add the cereal a few cups at a time. Add until the desired chewiness is achieved. I add about 10 cups because I like mine chewy, not crispy.

Pour cereal mixture immediately out onto a buttered jellyroll sheet. Pat down with buttered hands so the top is level and the cereal has been squished into the corners.

In a microwave-safe bowl, pour in the butterscotch chips, followed by the chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then stir. If not completely melted, stick in microwave for another 30 seconds, let sit another 1-2 minutes, and stir again. The butterscotch chips do not melt down as easy as the chocolate chips, that is why I put them on the bottom and let sit before stirring. When chips are melted, stir in the peanut butter. Pour over bars and spread frosting out to cover.

Eat one, or several, with a large glass of cold milk.

You'll thank me later.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Oh, the simple recipes. The ones that look just too easy that they cannot possibly taste good. Let me tell you-this delivers on all accounts.

I needed to bring some bars and salad to my brother's house for his youngest child's graduation and going away party (he joined the Marines-I'm still dealing with that). Leading up to the weekend of the party, I had a lot going on. I went to the grocery store after work Friday morning with intentions of making my Double Decker Caramel Crispy Rice bars, but the store didn't have any of the caramel dot-balls-morsels that I use and didn't want to spend all the time unwrapping the caramels, plus the added time to melt the large squares versus the pebbles, so I was trying to come up with something else. I'm not an inspired cook. I cannot look in my pantry and say "Oh look-rice, beans, stock, some chicken in the fridge-I can make X". I believe I have spoken of my innate fear of this. It was also mentioned on someone else's blog (ehem, Grace) that she suffered the same fate, but she speaks and writes much better than I. So, I'm digressing. I stood in the baking aisle at 3:52 AM trying to figure out what to do. I decided to make a pan of peanut butter bars with cut up peanut butter cups in them and then I was going to do a pan of chocolate chip cookie bars. The graduate had specified to one of my sisters (the one that cooks, um not S) that he likes cookies-in-bar form. I looked on the back of a package of Betty Crocker Chocolate chip cookie pouch (don't hate me foodies, I had a time pinch plus I had to make the salad too!) and saw this recipe.

It was heaven in a bar. The aforementioned sister S, who I rarely see eat dessert, had like 5 and proclaimed to everyone around her how good they were. Have I mentioned that both of my sisters are thin and I'm......well, let's just say you can tell I haven't been late to the dinner table much. It was high praise indeed. I made another pan on Monday to bring to work. One guy said he ate three-I think he ate three rows as when I went to next break, half of the pan was gone.

These really are winner, you just need to trust me. And only make them when you have enough people around to help you eat them-or you will eat bar after bar.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (from Betty Crocker)

1 box Betty Crocker Supreme brownies (with the Hershey syrup package)

ingredients called for on box: oil, water, egg

1 pouch Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix

ingredients called for on pouch: butter and egg

Mix brownie mix according to directions on box. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Prepare cookies dough as directed on pouch. Drop spoonfuls all over brownie batter; press the dough into batter. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes, checking after 33 minutes. Cool on rack and cut into bars.

Lose yourself in chocolatey goodness.

Oreo Stuffed Brownies

I admit it. I was trying to show off. Or not really show off but show that I have at least a little skill in the kitchen. Hermit Crab came home for the week with her boyfriend Noel and her college BFF. They stayed here for a few days, went to the lake to visit Dude's parents for a few days, and will be back tomorrow for 2 more days. I had some food planned for dinners and snacks, but I hadn't baked anything. Looking through a cookbook, I thought brownies would be good; everyone likes brownies, don't they?

None of the brownies I had ALL ingredients for just were not clicking for me. I pulled out my Baker's chocolate thinking I would just use the recipe on the box. Nopers, some cheesecake recipe. I went to their website and found the recipe for stuffed brownies. There were all sorts of suggestions, and I happened to have a brand new package of Oreos sitting on the counter; well, hidden in a bag so they didn't get eaten, but I digress.

Oreo Stuffed Brownies

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

3 cups broken Oreos, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 pan with foil and grease the foil-grease it well. Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave safe large bowl. Stir until the chocolate is all melted and combined with butter. Stir in sugar; stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cup of broken cookies. Spread into the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining cookies on top of brownie batter. Bake for 3o to 35 minutes, but don't overbake. Start testing at 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 45 minutes, then remove and cut, slide off the foil into a storage container-but not until after eating at least one. Or six. Oh baby these were good!

Are you ready for some chocolate?

Life has been rather busy around here the last two weeks. I saw that my last post was almost two weeks ago. We had our good friends over for food and games this afternoon. Nothing fancy-sloppy joes, cheesy fries, corn hotdish, deviled eggs, pickle roll-ups and chocolate cream pie. Now, I will probably have a ton of typos in this post as I haven't slept in over 24 hours. I'm nodding off while typing and don't wake up until it nods down to my chest.

I made this pie early this morning and then whipped the cream fresh while our guests were here. It was quite fudgy and good, and not too overly sweet. Even Dude liked it and he is not a chocolate fan.

Chocolate Cream Pie-from Diner Desserts, Tish Boyle

Graham cracker crust

Pudding layer

3 TBSP cornstarch

1 TBSP unsweetened non-alkalized cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup half and half -I used whipping cream

1-1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 TBSP unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping

2 cups heavy cream

2 TBSP sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Bake off your graham cracker crust. I would normally make my own, but the ready-made ones were on sale and I had a lot going on this weekend. I popped the pre-made shell in a 350 degree F. oven for about 7 minutes to made sure it was all toasty and good.

For pudding layer, in a medium bowl, sift together the corn starch, cocoa powder and salt.

Whisk in 2 TBSP half and half until it is a smooth paste. Whisk in remaining half and half; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and chocolate. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat. Whisk about 1/2 cup hot chocolate mixture into the half and half mixture. Whisk this mixture into the remaining chocolate mixture in the saucepan. Return pan to heat and cook over medium-high and cook, whisking constantly. When mixture begins to bubble, continue to cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.

Scrape pudding into cooled pie shell. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

For whipped cream, in an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment or beaters, beat the cream on medium-low for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and add sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Spread on pie before serving.

We have been busy working on my scrapbook room these last two weeks also. Drama Queen moved downstairs so I moved my scrap room up. We (not me) painted walls and got new baseboards. We went to Ikea and go a table for me, along with some chairs for computer desk/scrapping room. I spent about 8 hours hitting it yesterday and I'm still not done. I will post photos once everything is put away-looks like a bomb went off.

Well, my head keeps bobbing so I'm crawling into bed. I will probably wake up in the middle of the night-maybe I can find something else to bake?