Penultimate Pumpkin and Pecan Bars

WELCOME FALL!!

I love the fall, and today just happens to be my mom's birthday, so I made this treat. We are also trying to stay healthy and fit, so I got this recipe from weight watchers.

What you'll need:
1 spray(s) cooking spray
15 oz canned pumpkin
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute (I used one beaten egg)
1/2 cup(s) sugar
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
18 1/4 oz unprepared white cake mix
1/2 cup(s) (chopped) pecan halves, chopped

Stir pumpkin, milk, egg substitute, sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl until smooth; pour into pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and gently press it into pumpkin mixture to moisten.

Sprinkle cake with pecans,

and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

These are so so SO good!

Rad Ravioli

It's been about a year since I've started this blog! I'm so happy. I am so ADD that I consider it an accomplishment that I've been able to stick with this. Not only that, but also expand!

In celebration of my first year anniversary, I am posting one of my favorite recipes.

Ususally I'd make this with tortellini, but I had a request for ravioli, so here we are!

What you'll need:

1 package 3 cheese ravioli or tortellini
1 package italian cheese mix
1 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a $5 Pino Grigio)
1 red, yellow, and orange pepper
1 large onion
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic

Mince the garlic and give your onion a rough chop.
Saute in olive oil over medium high heat.
Chop chicken into 1 inch cubes, and add to the garlic and onions.
Slice the peppers into strips, excluding the seeds and add to chicken mix.
Saute til chicken is cooked through.

Cook ravioli in boiling water until they float to the top.

Add wine, ravioli, and cheese, and stir til equally melted.

Serve and enjoy!

Blissful Burgers!

Hello there! Sorry it's been so long since an update, but my computer crashed, so I had to wait til I could afford a new one.... so here we are!
In honor of this, and spring, I am blogging burgers!

Did I mention my new camera? Nikon D3100.... LOVE it!

What you'll need:

1.5 lb Ground Beef
1 Large Yellow Onion
1 Tomato
1 Package Onion Rolls
Sliced Dill Pickles
Stone Ground Mustard
Mayonnaise
Ketchup

Heat pan to medium and drizzle a coating of olive oil.
Shape ground beef in round shapes and place on grill when heated.

While beef is cooking, slice vegetables to liked thickness.

Flip burgers and cook on the other side.

Place cheese (if desired), and take off heat when the burger has reached your desired "doneness"

Top with condiments and veggies of your choice. (I like everything on my burger!)

There you goooo! NOM!

Perfect Penne

I was shopping with my brother the other day (can you tell I'm living at home again?) and I asked him what he wanted for dinner.
His response: Italian.

.....

k.

So, I really didn't have time to make anything elaborate before rehearsal, so I made my own take on baked Ziti.

It was pretty good :)

What you'll need:
1 box Penne pasta
1 jar Sockaroonie sauce
1 small bag of italian cheese blend
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Bring water to boil with olive oil and pinch of salt

Add Penne and boil til pasta is tender.

Drain and place pasta back in pan. On medium low heat, add Sockaroonie sauce to the pasta. When stirred well, add half the bag of cheese and stir til melted.

In a 9x13 pan, spread pasta and sauce mixture out evenly, and cover the top with the remaining cheese. 

Place in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

And you're done!

I loved this, and it made a ton! We're still finishing off the leftovers :) So, it's perfect for potlucks or holidays. Oh! It'd be great for christmas eve!

Yeah, I made these Twix bars once...

I saw this and got super excited...  and the tried to debate whether or not to try to make them... given I have not the best luck with baking.
But I did... and they are supah yummy, pretty intense prep process, but yummy.
I have to be gross and sweet and say that I made these with the boy in mind, so Nick, if these suck, somehow it's your fault ;)

They are better than they look, I swear!

We're gonna do this layer by layer.
Shortbread layer
What you'll need:


1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon 
2 tablespoons cold water
2 egg yolks

Mix together the flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. 

Mix in the butter (cut into cubes) with your hands, until coarsely combined. 

the brother's hand. Thanks for the help, Alex

Add in the water and egg yolks and mix well.

Bake in a 9x13 greased pan for 20 minutes at 350.

Caramel layer
What you'll need:
2  cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup corn syrup (I used light, but I'm really trying to find an alternative to syrup)
2 teaspoons vanilla

There is whipping cream in here... don't worry about it. I was making due...

Add the condensed milk, brown sugar,  butter, syrup, and vanilla in a pot on the stove. Turn burner to  medium and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. 

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and stir constantly until thickened. 
If you have a thermometer, you want the caramel to be around 220 degrees F. If you don’t, you want to stir until it begins to look like caramel (this took me FOREVER).
When done, pour over the cooled shortbread, and let sit in fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate layer
What you'll need:
1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips

Melt chips over medium heat, stirring frequently as not to burn the wonderfulness that is chocolate.


Pour over the caramel and shortbread. Refrigerate overnight, to be safe that it sets all the way. 

There you have it. 

YUMMMMMMY. 

Daring Christmas Duck

Ahh Christmas. 

Every year for Christmas my sister and I have made dinner. For the last 2 years, I have failed at making prime rib... well, that's not true. Last year I mad prime rib with a Cabernet rosemary Au jus, and it was delicious, BUT the year before that... well... was embarrassing.

So this year I wanted to do a duck! I found a really incredible Fig and Cranberry glazed duck recipe, so I used that as a jumping point (omitting the figs as per family's request).

And without futher ado, I give you....... DUCK WITH A CRANBERRY RELISH!!! (I need a better title)

What you'll need:

1 5 lb. Duck

1/2 a lb fresh or frozen cranberries

2/3 cup apple cider

4 tsp. ground cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 oranges, halved

First, the relish:

Combine 2 tsp. cloves, cranberries, cinnamon stick, the juice of one orange,  and apple juice into a bowl. Mix and let sit.

The Duck:

Rinse the duck and prick skin with a fork. Cover the body in the cloves, salt, and pepper. Stuff the duck with the two halves of the remaining orange. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

While the duck is roasting, place cranberry mixture in a pot and simmer till the cranberries burst.

After 20 minutes, turn the oven heat down to 350 degrees. Baste the duck in the fat from the bottom of the pan, and roast for another hour and 10 minutes, occasionally basting the duck as it roasts.

When the duck is done roasting, the juices will run clear. Once it is done, remove it and poor the cranberry relish over the duck.

Cove with foil and let duck rest for 10-15 minutes. The Transfer to platter and serve!

And there you have it!
Personally I loved this Duck, but I am a huge duck fan.

The relish could really serve as it's own dish... I accidentally made my own cranberry sauce :)

So, all said and done.... this is superblogworthy! Yummmmmmmy noises all around.

Green Eggs and Ham

I found this, and I think it's the most adorable thing in the world.
Superlotsofun, and something that you can do with your kids!

What you'll need:
1 Dozen Eggs
Seasoning salt
2 tbs. Mayonnaise
Dab-o-mustard
1 Package Bacon
Green food coloring

1st bring a large pot of water to boil.
Add eggs and boil for 15 minutes.
While eggs are on, fry up the bacon to your liking (personally, I prefer chewy bacon over crispy, but that's just me).
When eggs are done, remove from heat and run cold water over them.
Don't forget to dab the fat off the bacon!

Slice bacon into 2 inch slices.

When eggs are cooled, peel them and cut them in half, lengthwise. With a spoon, remove the yolk, and place in a separate bowl.
In bowl, combine seasoning salt, mayo, mustard, 2 or 3 drops of food coloring, and yolk, and mix til smooth.

When fully mixed, with a spoon, place the mixture back into the eggs, and top with a bacon slice.

There you have it!
Your very own Green Eggs and Ham!