recipe of the week: those joe-joe truffles

let's face it.  everyone on the internet has the same recipe for oreo truffles.  i've seen it a million times and drool each and every time.


however.


i've always made peppermint bark at christmas.  and plan to this year (don't worry family!!).  but when coming up with the menu for our holiday open house, i realized that having two time consuming desserts to make (oreo truffles AND peppermint bark) was a little ridiculous.


so i decided to combine the two.


i used candy cane joe-joe's from trader joes.  they have flakes of candy cane in them.  pretty much they are amazing.


if you don't have a trader joe's near you OR you want to make this during the off season, i recommend using oreos and then putting some peppermint OIL (not extract) in the mix.  a very small amount will do.


here's the recipe, for those of you who don't know it by heart already :-)


1 box candy cane joe-joe's (or oreos)
1 block cream cheese
1 container of white chocolate bark/melting chocolate.  i used kroger's vanilla bark...same difference.

- place cookies in food processor and process until they are just crumbs

 - add cream cheese and process until mixed fully

- roll into balls and place on waxed paper on cookie sheet

- place in the freezer for minimum 10 minutes (i usually do more like 30)

- melt chocolate according to package instructions.  i prefer the oven methods normally.

- using a toothpick or whatever you have on hand (cough, skewer, cough) roll each ball in the melted chocolate.  place back on the wax paper and then into the fridge while they harden

- enjoy!!

 (somehow i never get pictures of the final product...they keep disappearing!)

Recipe of the Week: LB Connection Fruit Pizza

a couple of weeks ago i was in delaware. my friend laura and i were trying to make a healthy dessert, and did a 3-layer deal with strawberries, honey and cinnamon being one of the layers. i loved the combination...and i love how when we put our heads together we come up with this kind of stuff!

* "lb connection" is because not only do our first and last names sound alike...we also both go by "lb" (elle bee) on occasion. so we often have "lb moments" when we get together--and we create some pretty fun things (often food) together! *

i've made this twice now, and it's gone over really well both times...it was kind of a made up recipe based loosely on several fruit pizzas that i found on other blogs and websites, mixed with the aforementioned layer in the dessert we made a week prior to me creating this recipe.

so without further ado:

lb connection fruit pizza

1 package of refrigerator sugar cookie dough (i use pillsbury)

1 package of low-fat cream cheese (you could use 2 if you want it to be less liquid-y, but then you're adding unnecessary fat and calories...in my mind at least)

3/4 - 1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 package of fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp (ish) cinnamon

2 tbsp (ish) honey

first, combine the fresh strawberries with the sugar, cinnamon and honey in a bowl. refrigerate for at least an hour, but up to 24 to let the juices flow. it sounds like an odd combination, but i promise you it's good :)

approximately an hour before you want to serve the pizza, spread the cookie dough over a pizza pan. i haven't tried this with a pizza stone. i assume you could use that as well...but the 'lip' on the pan helps with the next few steps.

bake the dough at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes. let the cookie crust cool completely.

with a mixer, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar until it's creamy. then add the strawberries.

* warning: this gets rather messy...because it'll basically be a liquid. i don't mind, and neither have the people who i've shared this dessert with...but as previously mentioned, you can add a bit of whipping cream or cream cheese to make the consistency a bit thicker if you like.

pour strawberry goodness mixture over the cookie crust, and chill in the refrigerator until it's ready to serve. be prepared to run out :)

(in fact, that's why the pics are the quality they are--i snapped them with my phone when i noticed there were only 2 slices left!)

Recipe of the Week -- Cake Mix Cookies

A few weeks ago, Marin posted this amazing recipe

And I may never, ever lose this weight now.
:0)

Actually, that's not an issue. They go like crazy when I take them anywhere. Definitely not a cookie you'll take home leftovers of.

Here's the cookies I made the first time:

This recipe is the easiest cookie ever.

1 box of cake mix of your choice (the first time I used the lemon she suggested. I have since done carrot cake, white cake with toffee crumbs mixed in, red velvet cake...they are pretty much all amazing)
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg

Combine all ingredients until blended well
Roll dough into individual balls
Press dough into circles and arrange evenly on baking sheet
Bake at 375 for 9-12 minutes (I do 9 because I like mine a little dough-ier)

Enjoy!

I should mention that I had never even bought, much less used, shortening before in my life. But well worth it.

And cream cheese icing on the carrot cake/red velvet cake cookies is to DIE for.

That is all.

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week -- a 2 for 1!

I served these tonight and I have to say...they were pretty amazing. This recipe looks involved at first glance, and it does involve some serious time, but I assure you that it's completely and totally worth it. Can I get a witness?



Espresso Caramel Bars
(credit goes to Giada on Food Network for this one)

Crust:

vegetable cooking spray
12 whole cinnamon graham crackers, crumbled (or 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Caramel:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon water

Chocolate Layer:

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 teaspoons instant espresso powder (instead of this, I used strong brewed coffee in liquid form)
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt, optional (I do NOT use this ingredient)

For the crust:

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture forms into clumps. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes.

For the caramel:

While the crust is cooling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of cream, butter, sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the warm crust. Cool for 20 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

For the chocolate layer:

Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water (OR do what I did and microwave in 45 seconds intervals on half power.) Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Remove the springform pan from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with smoked sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.

Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a warm, slightly wet knife, carefully cut around the edges of the chocolate layer. Release the side of the pan and remove the paper from the bottom. Cut into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch bars and store airtight in a covered plastic container.

They go really well with the Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries featured on Heidi's blog. See?

(I did change the recipe slightly, so see her blog for the original. But they are totally healthy and good for you...unlike the previous dessert. Balance :0))


FAT FREE CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

18-20 large strawberries
1.4 oz. package of fat free Cheesecake pudding
1 7-8 oz can whipped topping
1 cup of skim milk

Mix the pudding and skim milk together with a whisk for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.Wash strawberries and cut off stems. Let strawberries dry on a paper towel on the cut end. With a sharp knife cut the strawberry in quarters from the tip without going all the way through the strawberry. Put filling in a large ziploc bag and cut the end off (or pastry bag if you have one). Put tip in strawberry and squeeze filling until it comes out of the sides and top of the strawberry. Store loosely covered in the fridge.


editing on Saturday just a bit to add that I served both of these at a Girl's Night In last night. Both are perfect girl's night food...and we also discovered that if you cut the strawberries too far so that they're in pieces they are delicious just dipped into the cheesecake mixture. To be fair, I think it was Anthony who suggested it :0)

Recipe of the Week -- Mint Chocolate Cake

I first made this for my boyfriend's birthday back in August. And since we're celebrating our 6 month dating anniversary tonight (it's only a few weeks late...ah well) I decided to make it again. He was quite excited when he figured out what it was going to be tonight.

Now...it's a multi-step recipe with multiple recipes! So bear with me :) Oh, and this is all from Southern Living, which I truly believe has some of the best recipes on the planet!



Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16 oz) pkg light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 cup hot water
2 tsp vanilla extract
(peppermint frosting)
(chocolate ganache)

1. Melt chocolate morsels in a double boiler. Stir until smooth.

2. Beat softened butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 10-inch round cake pans.

4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread Peppermint Frosting evenly between cake layers. Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly on top and sides of cake. *I also embellish the cake with JR Mints. Hence, Anthony calls this cake the JR Mint cake. :0)

Peppermint Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16 oz) pkg powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp peppermint oil

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in peppermint oil.

Chocolate Ganache

1 (12 oz) pkg semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons butter

1. in double boiler, warm semisweet chocolate morsels and whipping cream until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in butter, and let stand 20 minutes.
2. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until soft peaks form.

Recipe of the Week -- Creme Brulee

When I make something like my angel food cake I always end up with lots of leftover egg yolks. Thankfully, you can freeze them (or egg whites) so I don't have to completely waste 12-14 yolks! However, they do need to be used at some point...

There are several recipes I use that call for only yolk. This one, though, is by FAR my favorite.

Creme Brulee (food network's version)

1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (they are SO expensive, but make all the difference)
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided in half (you can make vanilla sugar by simply adding vanilla extract to the sugar)
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch*, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

*if you don't have a torch (like me) you can use your broiler setting on the oven to brown the tops. Just make sure to watch closely--the last thing you want is burnt brulee...even though "brulee" means burnt!

Recipe of the Week - Tiramisu

Double-Coffee Tiramisu

(from southern living)

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup hot brewed coffee (or 1/2 cup hot water, 1 tbsp instant coffee granules)

1/4 cup coffee liqueur

2 (3 oz) packages ladyfingers

1/2 cup grated semisweet/dark chocolate (I didn't use NEARLY this much)

beat cream cheese and sugar together at med speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

beat whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. fold into cream cheese mixture.

stir together coffee and liqueur.

arrange ladyfingers evenly around sides of 8 6-oz coffee cups or ramekins. drizzle ladyfingers with coffee mixture. spoon or pipe cream cheese mixture into center of ramekins. sprinkle with grated chocolate. cover and chill 2 hours

(ok--I put my ladyfingers on the bottom and don't use so much chocolate, and I think it works out the same or better )