Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms

Posted in Dessert by Cavities & Cravings

I’m happy to report that nothing horrific happened on last weeks exam. Thank God that’s done with! Now we have to patiently wait for our scores for two weeks.

Today we had the day off for MLK day – and it was wonderful! I managed to squeeze in some cookie baking, duh! Baking of some sort was bound to happen today. This is a fantastic spin off the traditional Hershey’s Kiss Peanut Butter Blossom cookie. Rather than having just a basic peanut butter cookie – this is a chocolate peanut butter cookie topped with a hershey kiss… every chocolate-peanut butter lover’s dream come true.

So so yummy! I can’t stop eating them… I might just have to pawn them off on dental school friends since I apparently have no self control.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

48 Hershey’s Kisses
1/2 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
Beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. While cookies are baking unwrap hershe Immediately press chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. (Recipe is supposed to make 4 dozen, but I made my cookies a little larger and ended up with 3 dozen)

12Jan2012

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sandwiches

Posted in Entrees by Cavities & Cravings

It’s been a long couple of weeks here in the dental school world. We have a big exam tomorrow… 7 procedures in 8 hours! Eeekkk! I’ve been spending way too much time with Henry (meet Henry below) and I’m pretty sure Husband is starting to get a little jealous (not really though). Please start sending good juju my way. Let’s also note that tomorrow is Friday the 13th. But I mean I’m not superstitious or anything! I must pass this exam so they’ll let me start working on the humans. 🙂

Meet Henry

Anyways, moving on to yummy food. What the heck’s a suiza? I have no idea.. but what I do know, is that these turned out delicious! The initial recipe suggested using a rotisserie chicken that you would pick up from the grocery store, I think that’s such a great idea for when you’re in a hurry but still want a partially homemade meal! Its a quick and tasty meal, enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
1/2 cup light sour cream
3 chicken breast, shredded (or 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded)
4 buns
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Instructions:

1. Set oven to broil. Have shredded chicken set aside in a bowl. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

2. To skillet, add onion and garlic and cook until golden yellow (about 2 minutes). Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa verde and heat through. Mix in the sour cream.

3. Add sauce a little at a time to your bowl of shredded chicken. You might not need all of the sauce, depending on how much chicken you have. Just add enough sauce so that i coats the chicken.

4. Pile mixture on to the bottom of a roll. Top with cheese and place on baking sheet. Put in oven just long enough to melt the cheese (~5 minutes!)

5. Cover with top bun and enjoy!

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

7Jan2012

Delicious Twice Baked Potatoes

Posted in Appetizers by Cavities & Cravings

What’s your favorite way to eat a potato? I love french fries, oh! and mashed potatoes and now… I love twice baked potatoes. Clearly, it’s a tough decision when it comes to picking my favorite potato. So many options, I don’t do well with this many options!

This recipe turned out great! I made it as a side dish one night for diner, but they would also serve as a great appetizer if you use smaller potatoes!

I hope everyone’s having a fabulous weekend!

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes
6 slices bacon
4 tablespoons margarine (or butter)
1 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 green onion chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour. (You could also just microwave the potatoes for a faster option. 3 minutes/potato. Just make sure you poke holes in the potatoes first so that they don’t explode… been there, done that.)

2. While potatoes are cooking, in a large skillet cook bacon over medium-high heat. Once cooked, crumble bacon and set aside.

3. Once potatoes are tender, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes or so. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides of the potatoes in to a bowl. Leave a bit of the potato in the skin so that it can help hold the shape.

4. Add sour cream, milk, margarine, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of cheese, and 1/2 the green onions to the potatoes in the bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy.

5. Scoop the mixture back in to the potato skins. Top each with the remaining cheese, green onions, and bacon.

6. Place back in oven on 350 degrees for 15 -20 minutes.

Source: Grumpy’s Honeybunch

4Jan2012

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Posted in Entrees by Cavities & Cravings

This is a recipe I’ve been itching to make for awhile now and I’m so glad I did! I love stuffed peppers and I thought that turning it in to a soup was such a fun twist on an original stuffed pepper recipe. Not to mention it’s freezing cold here in Ohio and this warmed us right up!

This is a great recipe because I feel like you can make it your own… (Vegetarians – skip the meat; Low carb – skip the rice)! Everyone gave this recipe two thumbs up! Thanks Maryna, Mary, and Husband for being my guinea pigs on this one 🙂

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked rice
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried marjoram (this is a spice that you can find at your local grocery store!)
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt .Drain fat if any, reduce heat to medium-low.

2. Add chopped red and green peppers, onions and garlic.Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat.

3. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

4. Serve soup bowl and top with desired amount of cooked rice.

30Dec2011

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Dessert by Cavities & Cravings

Yep. You read that correctly.

Chocolate chips cookies stuffed with an Oreo cookie in the middle… I mean what more could you ask for really? 2 cookies in 1. These turned out so so delicious! Every time I reach the Oreo in the center, I’m pleasantly surprised. This recipe might just be my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

I think everyone needs to go make these right now, ready go!

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 package of Oreo cookies

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

3. In separate bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well combined. Add chocolate chips until just combined.

4.Form balls of cookie dough. Place one ball on top of an Oreo cookie, and another ball on the bottom. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is fully enclosed with dough.

5. Place on baking sheets and bake cookies for approximately 13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Hope everyone has a fabulous and safe New Years Eve!

Source: Very Culinary

28Dec2011

Asian Glazed Drumsticks

Posted in Entrees, Uncategorized by Cavities & Cravings

These Asian themed drumsticks turned out delicious. The reduced glaze has so much flavor and I made it with a little kick of spice, just the way we like it! This recipe was inspired from Ginas Skinny Recipes. Check out the nutrition information:

Serving Size: 2 drumsticks • Old Points: 5 pts • Calories: 213 • Fat: 4.7 g • Protein: 27.5 g • Carb: 12.7 g • Fiber: 0.4 g

Pretty impressive, right? I would’ve never guessed that these drumsticks would be so healthy, especially with all the flavor they have. I served drumsticks next to rice and some steamed vegetables sautéed in soy sauce.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

10 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
Oil spray (I used PAM)
1 cup water
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste, can also use any other hot sauce that you have on hand)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp splenda (or sugar)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp ginger
2 tbsp chives or scallions, chopped (optional)
1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil.

2. Add water, balsamic, hot sauce, soy sauce, agave, garlic, and ginger, and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes.

4. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don’t want it to burn!)

5. Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.

26Dec2011

Lemon Pepper Salmon

Posted in Entrees by Cavities & Cravings

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season. Christmas here, was amazing. I am so so blessed and thankful to have such a wonderful husband and family. This was the first year we celebrated here at our house, it was great! Also, santa was very good to me… I got some awesome dental-themed presents!

After eating my way through both Christmas eve and Christmas day, I needed something light for dinner tonight. I made a salmon steak with a lemon pepper seasoning, served over a giant salad. This is so so simple and such a healthy recipe.

Since husband hates fish, I keep salmon steaks separately packaged in my freezer, this way I can make myself I piece whenever I’m craving it and I don’t have to torture Mina with fish. It works out perfectly. Ready to see how easy this was?

Ingredients:

1 salmon steak
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Mix olive oil, lemon pepper, and lemon juice together in bowl. Season salmon in lemon pepper mixture (the longer you season it, the better the flavor)

2. Bake on 420 degrees. If salmon is defrosted then bake for 12-18 minutes, if salmon is frozen then bake for 22-26 minutes.

3. Serve on salad or next to rice.

19Dec2011

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Posted in Dessert by Cavities & Cravings

This is an awesome, awesome vegan chocolate cake recipe! People will be shocked to find out that this is vegan, it tastes like the real deal! I have used this recipe for both cupcakes and for a cake, just depending on the occasion and both turn out equally delicious.

I made this for some friends that were coming over for dinner, I topped some cupcakes with buttercream icing (to die for, I’ll have to share the recipe with you all another time!) and others with dark chocolate icing (store bought).

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c cold water (or ice coffee)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp vinegar (strange, I know…just go with it)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix all wet ingredients in a separate bowl (EXCEPT FOR VINEGAR).

2. Add wet ingredients Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until all dry ingredients are mixed.

3. Add vinegar quickly and stir in–immediately. Pour in pre-lined muffin tins (or small baking dish). Bake cupcakes for 18-22 minutes and cake for 25-30 minutes.

4. Allow to fully cool. Decorate with icing of your choice and enjoy!

17Dec2011

Puff Pastry Chicken

Posted in Entrees by Cavities & Cravings

This is a recipe that I came up with after looking at many other similar recipes. I thought it turned out delicious, but there’s one major change I would make. A lot of the recipes I found said to wrap one chicken breast in one sheet of puff pastry. So, I did. The puff pastry kind of took over the chicken. I guess I probably should’ve assumed that would happen…but next time I would recommend using 1/2 a sheet of puff pastry/chicken breast.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons parsley
1 tablespoon oregano
2 cups of sliced black olives (get creative & add other veggies! I was low on veggies & only had olives…dont judge 🙂 )
2 slices of sharp white cheddar cheese
2 pieces chicken breast seasoned with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning
2 sheets of thawed puff pastry
1 egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Heat olive oil in pan and add garlic, parsley, oregano, and black olives.

2. Place 1 seasoned chicken breast in center of puff pastry sheet.

3. Top chicken with olive and garlic mix. Add one slice of cheese. Fold excess pastry over chicken. Do the same with the second piece of chicken.

4. Beat 1 egg. Brush egg over pastries. Place in oven for 35-40 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

14Dec2011

Apple Cinnamon Waffles

Posted in Breakfast by Cavities & Cravings

After failing at trying to convince myself to go to the gym early last saturday morning, I ended up making these delicious apple cinnamon waffles for breakfast. They turned out extra tasty.

Just a heads up, the batter turned out extra thick but as long as you spread it out so that it covers the entire waffle griddle, they will turn out perfect.

This recipe was modified from one on illustrated recipes

Enjoy!

Ingredients: