Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

I found this recipe on thecooknextdoor.blogspot.com. It was delicious. Trust me!

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 individual Reese’s Cups, chopped

For the filling:
1/4 cup peanut butter, heated in microwave at 10 second intervals for easy spreading

For the glaze:
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray 2 (8-inch) round pans and line with parchment paper and spray again.
2. In a medium bowl combine the 1 cup melted butter and cocoa and stir until the cocoa is dissolved.
3. Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix well. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla, flour and salt and combine until the flour is no longer visible. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups and divide the mixture between the pans.
4. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Run a knife around the edge of each pan and turn out onto a work surface.
5. Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate or a round platter. Spread the 1/4 cup of peanut butter over the first layer and top with the second layer. In a bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and heavy cream until a glaze forms. Add more half and half, if needed, to achieve desired thick glaze consistency. Pour the glaze on top of the torte, spreading it out with a small knife allowing it to drip over the sides. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler and drizzle over the glaze.

Crispy Coconut Chicken

Crispy Coconut Chicken

From Our Best Bites

8 chicken tenders
1-2 eggs
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop the coconut a bit. Combine coconut, bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, curry powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Dip chicken into flour, then egg, and then into the coconut bread crumbs. Line your baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean up. Bake about 18-20 minutes. Do not overcook because they will be dry. We dipped out chicken in sweet and sour sauce. Serve it with coconut rice. Cook rice as directed but put in a can of coconut milk, so yummy.

Deviled Carrots

This post is for all you cooked carrot lovers out there. This recipe is from my childhood. My Mom used to make these for us and I have always liked them. Dave came in the other day and told me that the carrots in the garden from last summer were still good, so we have been having a lot of cooked carrots lately. These are still yummy so enjoy!

2-3 cups of thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 drops Tabasco sauce

Saute carrots in butter until tender crisp. Add brown sugar, mustard, hot sauce, pepper and salt if you want. Cook until tender.

Cheese Muffins

A few weeks ago I wanted to try something new. I wanted something with cheese and garlic, a perfect compliment for a deliciously grilled steak. Anyway after debated over yeast breads and garlic biscuits I found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman that intrigued me. Cheese muffins?
They were simple, tender like a muffin, with a crisp cheesy crust. Straight out of the oven they were unbelievably delicious! I honestly could not get enough. Forget the steak, please pass the muffins!

Fig’s Cheese Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese  (I used med. cheddar)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter (I used salted)

Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir in cheese.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and butter together. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.

Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Makes 12

Chicken & Pear Salad

We've had this salad for dinner several times and I LOVE it.  My kids eat it (but they eat salad).  We finally took a picture that we didn't lose so I can finally post it!

I found the recipe in my February All You Magazine and I modified it just a little bit and I tend to make salad with whatever I have so I'm a little unsure of the amounts, just make as much as your family will eat.  I always serve this with some kind of bread or my kids will complain that salad isn't dinner!

Lettuce (calls for Arugula, I always use either green leaf or romaine and mix with baby spinach)
2 pears (calls for sliced, but I find diced is better for my kids)
2 large chicken breasts cooked however you prefer (I threw them in the frying pan with a little oil and then diced them)
nuts (Mike prefers pecans but it calls for walnuts)
craisins (Mike doesn't like these so I left them out, I think they would be really good)
dressing below:

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons grainy mustard (I used spicey brown, any would work)
mix well and toss onto salad

Enjoy!

Triple Berry Crisp

One of my dear friends, Kendra, shared this most amazing recipe with me years ago. Kendra is an amazing cook and is constantly bringing her delicious goods to playgroup to share with our ravenous group. Anyway back to the recipe, the thing that makes this so incredibly delicious is the buttery crisp on both the bottom and top of the berries. Serve it up with a nice scoop of  vanilla ice cream and prepare to be amazed!

Triple Berry Crisp

4 c. frozen berries (I just use the frozen mix you can find at
          both Costco and Sams. Raspberry, Blackberry and
          Blueberry.) 
4 T. Sugar
2 c. Flour
1 1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. Rolled Oats
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 c. Butter (Last time I cut out 3 T. and I didn’t notice)

Mix berries and sugar, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients using a pastry blender. (If you don’t want to cut in all of that cold butter you can easily soften it up just a bit, but make sure not to melt it. You really want a crisp not a cookie texture.)
Press half of crisp mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread berries over crust and crumble the remaining crisp mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 mins.

Feta Artichoke Dip

Sorry no picture for this post. I made this dip for a going away/baby shower for one of my very good friends and so I forgot to take a picture. I got this recipe from my good friend, Lindsay. I am not usually a fan or artichoke dip but this dip was delicious.

14 ounces artichoke hearts drain can and chop
8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
2 ounces pimentos diced and drained
1 clove garlic minced

Directions:
Mix ingredients together.
Spoon into a 9 inch pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve with crackers or pita triangles or bread.