Mocha Fudge Cobbler

For New Year's Eve I have been tasked with the dessert duties. Which of course I am happy to oblige to my hostess request! Desserts are my thing, they are my favorite thing to make, I think I make them well and I love to eat sweets. My only problem is I always want to "out-do" the last dessert I made but I am finding that harder and harder the more I make! This recipe didn't make the cut for New Year's Eve but it still was delicious! How could something called Mocha Fudge Cobbler not be good! 

First you need to combine 1 cup AP Flour, 2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium sized bowl.

Add 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tbsp. cocoa.

Stir it all together. In a separate bowl stir together 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegatable oil and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Add this wet mixture to the dry mixture and combine.

It will look like this after you stir it.

You then want to pour this mixture in to a greased 2 quart dish. Mine was in the dishwasher so I used a small casserole dish.

Now the interesting part of the recipe is the next two steps. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa.

You are then going to sprinkle this over the batter. But do not stir.

Coat the top completely. Then brew a pot of coffee. You are going to need 1 and 1/2 cups of coffee. You will then drizzle this over the brown sugar mixture and once again do not stir.

It should cover the surface completely.

Then pop this gently into a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. While this is bubbling in the oven I whipped up some fresh whipped cream to go with it. 2 cups whipping cream and 1/8 cup of sugar in a mixer in high till it forms stiff peaks.

This will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days so I make some extra to top off my coffee. I mean we are on vacation!! Then watch an episode of Sons of Anarchy and smell the aroma coming from the oven! Then this will come out:

I let it cool on the counter for about 20 minutes, well till the episode was over then serve it up!

And there ya go! Enjoy!

B

Chicken Bow tie Alfredo

This year our plans for Christmas are kinda different. It's just Jamie and I on Christmas Eve before Church. It is the first year that we will attend Christmas Eve Service at First Baptist Opelika as well. Church Service at 6 poses a Christmas Eve dinner dilemma as we won't be home from church until 7:30 and I am not a fan of cooking that late or eating that late for that matter. After some deep thought I decided that we would have a late Christmas Eve lunch and then just snack when we get home from church. After a morning in the kitchen with breakfast, 3 batches of chex mix and preparations for tomorrow, I was on the search for something easy and I came across a Pioneer Woman recipe for Bow tie Chicken Pasta! Sometime warm, rich and delicious for this chilly day and alittle out of the box for Christmas! But I am also assuming everyone will have their fair share of Turkey and Beef tomorrow! *this is an adaptation of Ree's recipe*

For this recipe I am using a cast iron skillet. First you want to get your skillet hot and melt 1/2 stick of butter.

Then add your diced chicken.

Sauté until done, remove from pan and set aside. Next add 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of butter.

Then deglaze the pan with 1 cup of white wine. (Santa is fascinated with the deglazing)

Let this mixture bubble and thicken for about 3-4 minutes. Then add 1 cup of half and half and 1/8 cup of heavy cream. It's the holidays right? We can indulge!

Stir this mixture until combined and let bubble and thicken for 5 minutes.

Then add 1 cup of shaved/grated Parmesan cheese. And continue to stir. Then add salt and pepper to taste. This is what your sauce will look like.

While you have been making the sauce, you should be boiling your bow tie pasta. When the pasta has about 2 minutes left throw in some broccoli to Blanche. Then drain and add pasta/broccoli to the sauce.

Toss the pasta around and the add the chicken and toss. Let the chicken warm back up! Sprinkle alittle more Parmesan on top and it's ready to serve.

There ya go! Easy and took about 40 minutes! It was a great break to baking and cleaning!

Enjoy!

B

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Like a stated in a previous blog, one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is making breakfast while Jamie and I are off of work. But with that being said I don't want to start the day slaving away in the kitchen when I will be there most of the day cooking! My sister has made this recipe before and I loved it! These are Overnight Cinnamon Rolls and they have an unexpected ingredient!

First pick up some frozen dinner rolls at the grocery. Most of the other things you will have in your pantry. You have to make sure you get the kind that need to thaw and rise. You are going to place 20 of these in a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish.

In a separate bowl. Place 1 cup brown sugar, 1 packet of vanilla pudding and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Yep you heard right!!

Pudding!!! Then sprinkle this mixture on top of the rolls.

Then sprinkle with pecans, as much as your desire.

Melt 1 stick of butter and drizzle over the top.

My pictures are awful I know but I had melted butter smeared on my lens! Then cover with a loose towel and sat on the counter for the night. I originally put them in the fridge for goodness knows why and my sister texted me and was like I think you should leave those on the counter. This is what they looked like when I woke up.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Or until golden brown.

Then turn them out onto a platter.

And enjoy!

B

Christmas Bark

If you are looking for a quick fun Christmas treat to make with your children or with you husband this is it! No baking, no mixing, just a sheet pan, a microwave and lots of toppings! Plus it can be personalized to suit your taste!!

You will need graham crackers, almond bark and your choice of toppings!!

First line you baking sheet with graham crackers.

You can go all the way to the edge by breaking the cookies in half but we were lazy. Next you will want to place your almond bark in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals till it is smooth. Then pour over the graham crackers.

Then smooth it out.

Now add your toppings! Jamie want dark chocolate and mint chips and I wanted m&ms so we divided it up.

Let it sit for about 20 minutes.

You should be able to pick up the whole sheet like this which makes it easy to break. Excuse the chocolate stain on my sleeve I am not very neat in the kitchen.

Then place in a ziplock to keep fresh! We also made some with chocolate almond bark.

This has pretzels, peanuts, peanut butter chips and M&Ms!!

Finished product:

Enjoy!

B

Holiday Breakfast

One of Jamie and I's favorite thing about our holiday off time is getting to be a little lazy in the mornings and actually having time for breakfast. I always try to whip up the traditional bacon and eggs, pancakes or sausage balls but this morning I made a Capps Sausage Quiche. For those of you who don't know about Capps sausage you are truly missing out! It was first introduced to us when we got it as a Christmas gift and now we buy it in bulk! Mr. Capps makes this wonderful sausage in Beauregard and it is delicious! And my main inspiration when I wrote this recipe!!

First you need to brown off 1 pound of ground sausage.

You a slotted spoon and place the cooked sausage in the bottom of a frozen pie crust. 

Then add 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese.

In a bowl crack four eggs.

Add a cup of half and half.

Then 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoon pepper, and wisk.

Pour the custard over the sausage and cheese and place the quiche on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. I can always tell it is done when it doesn't jiggly!

And then enjoy!

B