Oreo Fudge Bars

If I wasn't worried that this super-dose of chocolatey goodness might possibly cause Mr. Simon some tummy problems (because, you know, I have no self control and would eat the entire pan in one sitting...), I'd totally whip up a batch of Bakingblonde's Oreo Fudge Bars. Oreos, sweetened condensed milk and three kinds of chocolate chips?? Hello, hello. How good does that sound?

Get the recipe here.

Ratatouille Soup

I believe I've mentioned how very, very much I've been enjoying the lovely meals my lovely friends have been bringing in since Simon was born. Can I just say YUM?! There's been homemade bread, cookies, brownies, soups, tacos, gingerbread (!), stews, homemade honeybutter, pies...ooh, baby! It's all been delicious and so very, completely appreciated.

Chris especially appreciated the soup our friend Jen made for us - it was right up his alley and absolutely delicious. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from Jen - she's one of those super-together super-women who always amazes me with how easy she makes it all look - and she's Mama of five! Check out this delicious recipe for Ratatouille Soup here, and be sure to explore her food blog Yummy Fun when you have a moment - there's lots o' delicious looking stuff there!

I've pigged out on this dip many times at parties and showers, and I figured it had to be simple...but this simple?! This is one to add to the rotation - simple and delicious!

Crab Cocktail Dip

Spread 1 pound of softened cream cheese in a 5-by-9-inch baking dish. Layer with 1 cup of cocktail sauce and 1 pound of lump crab meat. Sprinkle chopped chives on top and serve with crackers.

{From Every Day with Rachael Ray}

Cravings Update: 2 Weeks To Go

For the past couple of weeks the only thing I want to eat (aside from piles and piles of baked goods, of course) is a sandwich. Not just any sandwich. One of 3 sandwiches:

1) Chicken salad on a toasted croissant from Jason's Deli. Have you had their chicken salad? It's pineapple-y and nutty and oh-so different and delicious. With a side of baked chips (another craving, actually) and some soft serve vanilla afterward, naturally.

2) Egg salad on wheat from Which Wich. Their egg salad is insane. Served warm. On a toasted hoagie. With provolone cheese melted all over the top. Mmm, baby! Chocolate milkshake to go along side, of course. Or if the shake machine is broken as it was today, a warm chocolate chip cookie will suffice.

3) Turkey on wheat from ThunderCloud. Straight up plain, with only mayo. Perfect for days when only the mildest of the mild will get the job done. Best. Wheat. Bread. Ever!

Any of those options has to be better for me than popcorn shrimp, right?! Thank goodness that craving passed...

Grandmother's Punch

I would venture to guess that I had at least 6 cups of punch at Maya's party. It was soooo good. So good. Give it a whirl for your next gathering. It's pretty and frothy and really, really yummy.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (0.13 ounce) packages unsweetened strawberry-flavored drink mix powder
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 quarts cold water
• 2 (6 ounce) cans frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 (6 ounce) cans frozen pineapple juice concentrate
• 3 oranges, sliced into rounds
• 1 liter ginger ale
• 1/2 gallon orange sherbet

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large punch bowl combine the drink mix, sugar and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in the orange juice and pineapple juice concentrates. Just before serving stir in the ginger ale and slide in the sherbet.

{From Allrecipes.}

Chocolate Cream Pie, Baby!

My friend Stacie is a fantastic cook and an incredible baker - and super generous in sharing her talents, I might add! We get treats and dinners from her waaaay more often that we deserve, but we are not complaining! A couple of weeks ago, she made the most ridiculously delicious chocolate cream pie for us. Like, I almost passed out when I tasted it, it's that good. And I know I might be slightly more enthusiastic about treats (and food in general) than some people, but I can pretty much guarantee that everyone would love this delicious pie. So I asked for the recipe. And guess what - I actually made it! And while it didn't turn out as delicious as Stacie's, it was still insanely good and not too difficult, even for me! And now...the recipe:

Stacie's Cream Pie

5 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix

Add
2 1/2 c. milk (whole, preferrably)
3/4 c. half & half
Whisk very well with dry ingredients.
Microwave in 5 minute intervals, stirring every 5 minutes, until mixture thickens - 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile
Beat 2 eggs

When mixture is thickened, add small amounts of hot mixture to eggs and stir, repeating until the eggs are up to temperature - then add eggs to mixture.

Microwave for 5-6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until thick.

Stir in
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
and ONE of the following:
2/3 c. chocolate chips (I used 1/3 milk, 1/3 semi) for Chocolate Cream Pie
or
1 1/2 c. coconut for Coconut Cream Pie
or
1 1/2 c. sliced bananas for Banana Cream Pie

Pour into a graham cracker crust and let cool. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Oh, baby baby. Yum yum yum!

Candy Necklaces

How cute is this?? If this activity {from Speckled Egg} didn't involve the use of needles, we'd totally be doing it at Maya's birthday party. Although, I suppose we could use those huge, plastic, practically harmless needles...hmm. Lots o' pink and purple gummies...might be just perfect. We shall see.

Find out how here.

{Via the Crafty Crow.}

The Snack All Day Diet

With just over 6 weeks left in this pregnancy, I'm already thinking about how I'm going to get off all these pounds I've been packing on. I keep reminding myself that I won't be this hungry all the time (right?!), for one thing. But I've never been much of a dieter. And my eating habits have been pretty terrible this pregnancy (can you say free for all?). And I have very little self control. So I'm going to need a little assistance, I think.

So I'm intrigued by the Snack All Day Diet, a plan that has you eating every 2 hours from 8am to 8pm. Now that sounds like something I could do! They give you lots of ideas for each meal/snack period, and there's even something that sounds do-able in each time frame. You can read about it here or download the sample menu here. I will be hanging on to this idea and giving it a whirl here someday...

{I don't actually weigh myself or even keep a scale in my house - that's just torture! But if I did, I think the one above would be a good one - show me some love before you give me the bad news!}

Some People Are So Clever!

Over at Sycamore Stirrings, every Monday is Muffin Tin Monday. Which is a clever and fun way to feed your kids lunch - and I'll probably never participate, because I'm downright lazy. However, I love checking out the creations - especially this week, where all the muffin tins were based on children's books. Seriously, these are some clever muffin tins from clever Mamas!

Check them out here.

Note To Self:

This is how to do an amazing candy or dessert buffet.

You must click over and look at the other displays in the Amy Atlas Events portfolio. They're all amazing, but I particularly love the Halloween spread.

{Via Oh Happy Day. Again.}

Campfire S'More Cream Puffs

Much like the previous post almost makes me want to go to the gym, this one almost makes me want to go camping. Hellooooo, Campfire Cream Puffs:

Ingredients

1 can of frozen biscuit dough (such as Pillsbury Grands)
8 large marshmallows
8 milk chocolate squares
Cinnamon and sugar to taste
2 10-inch by 10-inch squares of aluminum foil

Directions
Makes 8 cream puffs.

1. Sprinkle a plate with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar.
2. To make each cream puff, open the biscuit roll and pull off one biscuit. Open it up and stuff a marshmallow and one chocolate square inside. Close the biscuit so you can't see the marshmallow. Roll the biscuit dough in the cinnamon and sugar.
3. On each square of aluminum foil, place four of the stuffed biscuits; bring the sides of the foil around the biscuits, leaving a small space for ventilation.
4. Place the foil packets over the campfire for about 10 minutes, until dough is golden brown and marshmallow is melted.

Oooh, baby!

Recipe from YumSugar, via Design Crush.

Breakfast On The Go...

I liked this breakfast idea that I saw in a magazine: toast a whole-wheat hot dog bun, top with peanut butter and a banana. Quick, simple and pretty well rounded. I like it! I'll be giving this a shot.

Pregnancy Craving: 7 Months Along

Every night before bed, I'm dying for an orange julius. Mmm, mmm! I'm sure everyone has whipped one of these up in their day, but just in case, here's how I do it:

Orange Julius

1 small can of OJ concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
about 10 ice cubes

Blend it all up and enjoy the frothy goodness!

Monkey Bread Minis

The Rach is so clever. She's taking my favorite childhood breakfast treat and making it mini! What could be cuter? You can get her recipe here. But I'll probably just use our recipe and do it up muffin tin style. Sure it's more work, but the cuteness factor is very high, no?

Mom’s Monkey Bread

3 Cans Refrigerator Biscuits 1 C. Sugar w/ Cinnamon to taste (I like lots!)

¾ C. Butter ½ C. Brown Sugar

½ C. White Sugar

Grease bundt or 9 x 12 pan (bundt pan is prettier, but either works). Cut biscuits into quarters. Dip into cinnamon/sugar and line the inside of the pan. Boil butter and both sugars and pour over the biscuits. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch

As a chocolate peanut butter dessert aficionado, this recipe from The Rach is tops on my list to try! Seriously, how good does that sound? And seems practically foolproof, to boot! Yum, yum, sign me up!

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 2 sticks (8 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter One 16-ounce jar creamy peanut butter 3 cups crispy rice cereal 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, melt half of the chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 cup peanut butter, then 2 cups rice cereal. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan; refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. Wash out the saucepan.
2. In the saucepan, combine the remaining 2 sticks butter and the salt; melt over medium heat, stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining peanut butter and the confectioners' sugar. Spread half of the peanut butter mixture over the cereal layer. Top with the remaining 1 cup cereal.
3. In a small bowl, microwave the remaining chocolate at medium power until melted, 1 1/2 minutes. Stir into the remaining peanut butter mixture. Spread evenly on the cereal-topped peanut butter layer; refrigerate until set, about 45 minutes. Cut into 16 pieces.

Quite Possibly The Cutest Idea Ever

In fact, these are so adorable, they just might be worth the trouble of making them! Edible crayons made with pretzel rods and tinted candy melts? I LOVE it! Get the details here, including wrapper downloads.

PS - Gourmet Mom on the Go is an awesome blog! Check it out!

{Via 3 Ma'am's and Their Guy.}

Leftover Help? Brisket Edition

I have some lovely sliced brisket leftover from Sunday dinner - and I don't want it to go to waste! But what to do with it? My first inclination is to chop it up and cook it sloppy jo style and serve it in tortillas (since I have those - or hot dog buns...I have those, too). But I'm not much of a "throw in a little of this and a bit of that" type of girl - it usually comes out nasty. Any thoughts, suggestions? What do do with my leftover beef? Anyone have a sloppy jo recipe that might translate well for something like this?

Help!

Here's An Idea...

...a rather ingenious one, from the queen of semi-homemade, Sandra Lee: grilled bananas.

Sandy says:

Take a banana
Pull back part of the peel
Carve a ravine
Stuff with mini marshmallows, little chocolate chips and graham-cracker sprinkles
Put the peel back
Wrap in foil
Grill toppings-side up

Are you joking? That sounds like a dream come true to me!

Healthy Snacks, Anyone?

You may or may not have noticed that I have a deep appreciation for baked goods. (Hello, microwave brownies!) And, if you've seen me recently, you may or may not have not noticed that I'm really packing on the pounds lately. I know, I know, I'm nearly 6 months pregnant. But seriously. Packing. On. The. Pounds. I acknowledge that I need to eat when I'm hungry, believe me, I do. What I should probably also acknowledge is that I don't need to shove a cookie in my mouth every time I have hunger pangs. Perhaps I could try something a little healthier.

But see, I get stumped. I eat lots o' bananas. And string cheese. But that's about as clever as I get about healthy snacks. So please, please help. What do you like to munch on? It's not so much calories I'm interested in - not 100 calorie pack snacks, or anything. Just better quality snacking that will fill me up. Without being inconvenient, of course.

Thoughts?

S'mores on a Stick

Thank you, Tip Junkie, for pointing me in the direction of this delightful looking treat. Marshmallows dipped in chocolate and rolled in crumbled graham crackers?! Hello, s'mores on a stick! Although these are made on a hard to find chocolate "Pocky" stick, you could just as easily stick them on a lollipop stick. Or leave them as is.

They're like the summer version of my friend Andi's signature Christmas treat: marshmallows dipped in chocolate and rolled in crushed candy cane. Perfect for popping into your hot chocolate - or straight into your mouth!

{PS - Frantic Home Cook is a fabulous blog - and the latest addition to my Google Reader. Check it out!}