Caramel Bars

Ingredients

2 Cups quick cooked oats

2 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup cold butter

2 cups chocolate chips

12 oz jar caramel ice-cream topping

Combine 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. But in butter. Mix into a crumble, using a fork or pastry cutter. Set half aside. Press remaining half into a greased 9X13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Whisk caramel and remaining 1/4 cup flour together until smooth. Drizzle over chips. Sprinkle on the remaining crumble mixture and bake 18-20 minutes. Cool for 2 hours before serving.

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Original Recipe: Michelle Kennedy

Most Amazing Black Bean Salsa

Hello everyone!!! I am hoping SOMEONE noticed I have been missing from the blogging world. Along with numerous vacations and adventures, we also have experienced some serious computer problems. However, now that I am up and running I am hoping to catch everyone up by doing a blog almost daily... so prepare yourselves.

OK!!! Now this is the most incredible salsa. It has a secret ingredient... Balsamic Vinager, that I think makes it extra special. It is tangy with just a little bit of spice. Enjoy

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained well
1 onion finely diced
1 bunch finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 (7 oz.) can green salsa verde
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the salsa marinate for a few hours. Before you serve it drain about half the liquid out of it. Enjoy!

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Original Recipe: Mel's Kitchen

Easy Oreos Cookies

These cookies are so dang good, and they are easy. My mother in law will occasionally make these and they go pretty fast. My favorite thing in the world is oreos and these take it one step further. ENJOY!!!
Ingredients
COOKIES
1 pkg Devils Food Cake
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 Flour

Mix all ingredients. Roll into walnut sized balls and bake at 350 degrees, for about 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

FROSTING
1/2 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Frost the middles of two oreo cookies and EAT UP!!!

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Original Recipe: Marsha Kennedy

Pork Chops with Carmalized Onions and Apples

As many of you know, I am not huge on pork. I don't know what it is about it, but I usually avoid recipes with them, on the other hand, David really likes pork so I have tried to be an adventurer with this one. It was really tasty and the fun part was it looks really fancy but was actually a piece of cake. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 Bone in Pork Chops, the thicker the better
1-2 Medium yellow onions (thinly sliced)
3-4 Granny Smith Apples (peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick)
1/3 cup brown sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13 baking dish. Lay out onions on the bottom of dish in a thick layer, place apple slices on top of onions. Sprinkle onions and apples with brown sugar. Season pork chops heavily with salt and pepper, place those in a single layer on top of onions and apples. Cover TIGHTLY with foil and bake for about 3 hours. Serve pork chops with onions and apples as a layer on top.

Tip: It's tempting to open the oven and check on your chops, but don't. Opening the oven or lifting the foil will let out moisture, and your pork chops will dry out.

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Original Recipe: Mel's Cafe

Sweet and Hot Crock Pot Chicken

This was such a tasty dish... you know it's good when your husband says, "Hey is this Bajio." Better yet it is one of those throw it in the crock pot and run to church meals! The name is a little more exciting than the dish.... it really hasn't got much heat, but it has a nice sweet and sour taste! I served the chicken like tacos with black beans, mexican rice, salsa, ect. But it would be delicious as a salad or just over rice.

Ingredients
1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14z) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6. When tender, shred your chicken and return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce, let heat about 15 more minutes. READY!!!

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Original Recipe: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These are the most awesome cookies I have ever made. They were so much fun and pretty easy to make. It is a great rendition of the classic peanut butter cookie. Everyone HAS to try these, it is well worth it.


Ingredients
Chocolate Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

Peanut butter filling
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
Chocolate dough
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs, beating to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.

Peanut Butter Filling
In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and confectioners sugar until smooth. With floured hands or a teaspoon scoop, roll the filling into about 26 one-inch balls.
To shape the cookies: Scoop 1 tbs of the dough (a lump about the size of a walnut), make an indentation in the center with your finger and place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation.Bring the cookie dough up and over the filling, pressing the edges together cover the center; roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Roll each rounded cookie in granulated sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets.
Grease the bottom of a drinking glass, and use it to flatten each cookie to about 1/2-inch thick. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, a neat trick is.... when you can smell chocolate you know they are done. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

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Original Recipe: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Mini Strawberry Brownies

These are tons of fun and bite sized. It is definitely one of Mak's favorite treats I make him. They are are really simple to make and go fast.


Ingredients
1 Box Chewy Brownie Mix
1 sm container Chocolate frosting
Strawberry Jam or Preserves


Prepare Brownie Mix as said on box. Pour into greased mini cupcake pan. Bake about 10 minutes. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes until just slightly warm. Smoosh indent into the middle of each cupcake using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon. Fill indent to top with Strawberry Jam. Heat your frosting in microwave for about 45 seconds and stir. Pour over each cupcake, allow to dry and enjoy!!!

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5 Minute Freezer Jam

My mom discovered this awesome new product and I just had to try it. It is Ball No Cook Freezer Jam.It comes in a package just like above, and it is nothing short of amazing. It works just like it says, and it takes about five minutes. The directions are on the back but I will give you one of the recipes I used.

Ingredients
1 pkg Ball no cook Freezer Jam
1 pnd Raspberries
1 pnd Blackberries
1 pnd Blueberries
1 1/2 cup sugar
5 1 cup freezer jam bottles

Put fruit in blender and blend until desired texture. I liked mine pretty runny with a few little chunks. You should end up with about 4 cups blended fruit. In small bowl stir sugar and pectin. Add to fruit and stir for about 3 minutes. Ladle into freezer jam bottles, close up and allow to sit about 30 minutes, allowing jam to thicken. Freeze up to 1 year or refrigerate for up to three weeks.

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Original Recipe: Ball Recipes

Black Tie Chocolate Mousse Cake

This cake is supposedly the same recipe as the famous Black Tie Mousse Cake from Olive Garden... I would have to say it probably is not. However, it was absolutely delicious and beautiful.... but it was so difficult that I have sworn to never do it again (regardless of how hard my husband begs.) In truth it was not that difficult, especially if you are familiar with custards or cooking with gelatin, I'm not. But the four layers make it time consuming, and when I was finally finished my kitchen was a disaster, but if you are feeling like an adventure and a lot of chocolate I would still recommend it.
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
1 pkg Devils food cake mix

2nd Layer
1 tsp knox unflavored gelatin
1 tbs cold water
2 tsp boiling water
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp sugar

3rd Layer
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbs flour
1 tsp knox unflavored gelatin
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Top Layer
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Bottom Layer

Prepare cake according to directions, once cooled remove about half the cake and press into the bottom of a 10 inch cheesecake pan.

2nd Layer
Melt chocolate and cream cheese together and let cool. Soften gelatin with cold water for 1 minute, then add boiling water, stir until dissolved and clear. Let this cool while you start whipping the heavy cream and sugar. As cream starts to thicken, add gelatin. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Add 1/4 of the cream to the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. Then fold this into the remaining cream. Once you have it completed, spread this chocolate mousse onto the cake and refrigerate.

3rd layer
Beat egg yolks until pale. Add sugar, flour, and gelatin, then beat until mixed. Bring cream and vanilla extract to a boil. Add a small amount of cream to egg mixture while stirring. Gradually add until all of the cream has been added and then pour entire mixture through a strainer into the pan. Continue to cook until custard begins to thicken. Cool slightly, then pour on top of the chocolate mousse layer and freeze while getting the fourth layer ready.

Top Layer
Bring butter and cream to a boil, pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool until it starts to thicken. Remove cake from freezer, remove the cheesecake pan collar, then pour some of the icing and use a spatula to spread it evenly across the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate. Keep refrigerated for about 2 hours before serving. ENJOY!!!

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Original Recipe: recipezaar.com

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

This is one of those unbelievable no work recipes. I make this a lot when I am feeling lazy and need something tasty. It makes a lot so if you are needing to feed a lot of people or have a lot of left overs, this is your dish.


Ingredients
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Cube Butter
1 Packet dry italian Dressing
8 Oz Cream Cheese
1 Lrg Can cream of Chicken Soup
1 Pnd Pasta (I like Angel Hair but spaghetti or Fettuccine is great to)

Put chicken in crockpot, throw in your butter and Italian dressing. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low for 6. Shred your chicken and add soup and cream cheese. Cook on high about 20 minutes until heated through and smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over noodles.

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Original Recipe: Michelle Kennedy