Fudgy Cake Pops

Fudgy Cake Pop                                                                                        

These bite size cakes dipped in chocolate are to be a hit at your next party!

Ingredients 

 3/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of butter
3/4 cup of sugar
3 TBSP of cocoa
2 eggs
3/4 cups of flour
1/4 tsp salt
16 lollipop sticks
1 package of chocolate bark or candy melts
sprinkles, decorating sugar for decorating

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease the cake pops pan.
Melt the chocolate chips and butter on low heat until smooth

Add melted butter and chocolate mixture to a bowl. Add sugar and cocoa mix well until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time, mix well. Add flour and salt, stir until blended. It will be a gooey mixture when  blended

Spoon batter in the non hole side until it mounds over the pan and place cover (hole side on top and keys through the slots.
(Sorry forgot to take a picture before I placed the cover and after I placed the keys)
Bake for 25 minutes.
Let it  sit in the mold for 5 mins before you remove. Remove from mold
Place lollipop sticks in the center. 

Melt your chocolate or in my case Candy melts as directed. I used the white candy melts and sprinkles.
Dip it in the chocolate mixture and let it rest on parchment covered baking dish and your favorite decorations. You can place in the fridge for the chocolate mixture to harden. And that's how you make cake pops

Nothing is so great as bite size desserts. This recipe make the best cake pops ever and they are perfect for parties

Whiskey and Beer BBQ Sliders

 I actually found this recipe at  Shape BBQ sliders and modified it. I didn't need to make such a huge portion so I cut the recipe ingredients in half and added some other ingredients.

For the sauce

1/2 cup of bbq sauce
3/4 cup of beer
1 tbsp. of whiskey
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of ground pepper
1 tsp of hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce
1/2 tsp of honey
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper







For sandwiches
1 deli rotisseri chicken shredded meat (I used 2 cups)
6 slider buns (I just used a french bread loaf and cut and sliced)








Directions

In a 2 quarter sauce pan, heat sauce ingredients and simmer for 15 to 20 mins until it thickens. Stir consistently so sides of pan don't burn.
Microwave two cups of shredded rotisserie chicken for 3-4 mins. Add chicken to thicken sauce, mix and cook for 1 min. Add 1/3 cup of chicken mixture to slider bun or bread loaf of your choice.

Makes 4-6 servings. Enjoy!!!

Simmer Sauce until it thickens.

I used a french loaf and a side of mashed sweet potatoes. 

Yum!       

SUPER BOWL SIDE DISH -WASABI COLE SLAW

Super Bowl is just a few days away...YEAH!!!  Whether you are hosting or just going to someone's party this is perfect side dish to prepare. It's not your typical cole slaw...it has a kick to it.

Wasabi Cole Slaw
Ingredients
1 head of cabbage
1/2 a head of red cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrots
2 tablespoons - wasabi mayonnaise from trader joe's *
1 tablespoon -sour cream (light or regular)
1/2 tablespoon - apple cider vinegar

Cut the cabbage and red cabbage to thin strips, place in bowl  and shredded carrots (You can also get the ready pack cole slaw packages if pressed for time).
Add 2 tablespoons of wasabi mayonnasie. (* If you can't find wasabi mayonnaise add 1/8 teaspoon of wasabi paste to sour cream and mayonnaise and mix)
Add 1 tablespoon of sour cream. (If you don't like it too spicy and hot alternate 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of sour cream)
Add 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Mix everything up. Refrigerate overnight.

Perfect dish to pair on top of burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, hot wings or ribs. Enjoy!

What's for Dinner!

Quick and Easy Salmon

Salmon is so easy to prepare and it's good for you!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

I'm actually am using a pre-sliced Salmon platter from Costco (it's portion is perfect if you are only cooking for 1-2 people and it last about a week or more) I usually freeze one piece and use the two pieces throughout  the week. 

I cut one of the pieces in half. One pre-cut filet is good for two people.

Place the filet on a piece of foil. Drizzle some lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and what ever other spices you like cayenne pepper is nice for a little kick. Place some dill and slice lemons on top. 

Place herb butter. If you don't have herb butter you can drizzle some olive oil or vegetable oil.

Fold the foil and create a little packet. This keeps the juice all together and the fish comes out moist and flaky.
Plus it makes clean up a breeze.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees

Right out of the oven. Look at all those juices. 

I made mashed potatoes, placed the filet on top and added some asparagus on the sides.
I will admit the asparagus are frozen, just microwaved them and drizzle lemon juice and a little sunflower oil.
It's ok to use short cuts when cooking sometimes.
You can pair your salmon with wild rice and any vegetable of your choice.
Enjoy!

Cooking gadgets and gizmos I love

Onion Goggles 

I am one of the few people that I know that suffer from hyper sensitive to onions. Yes those stinky things that are a base to every cooking recipe. Even being near an onion being chopped by someone else would be difficult.  I have tried everything over the years. I have put it in the fridge, run the onion under cold water before chopping, and yes even gum chewing. Nothing would work my eyes would tear up, burn and sting for hours. I would usually just have someone else chop the onions far away from me or endure the pain.

Recently I saw a friend post a picture of her Onion Goggles.  Onion Goggles could they seriously work???  Well it wouldn't hurt to try. I rushed to Sur La Table and purchased a snazzy pair in red.  The minute I got home I rushed to the kitchen and got a giant onion out of the basket in the pantry, not the fridge, didn't run it under cold water, didn't even chew gum, just put on my Onion Goggles and started chopping. Chopped the whole entire onion for the hell of it. I just wanted to see if all my years of suffering would be over and all I had to do was wear goggles.

To my disbelief...THEY WORKED!!!! NO MORE TEARS!!! NO BURNING!!! It was a miracle. I love my Onion Goggles!  Thanks to my friend I can now chop onions. Soon I hope to have a post up for French Onion Soup. Something I always wanted to make, but couldn't imagine doing because of all the onions. Well now I can!

What's for Lunch - Rotisserie Chicken short cut

Quick and Easy Chicken Burrito 

I feel that preparing a quick and easy meal is possible. Sometimes short cuts help. 

Chicken Burrito

1- large tortilla (I used a chipotle and onion one from Trader Joe's)

2. rotisserie chicken (just use a few shredded pieces you can save the rest for another recipe) 

3. enchilada sauce 

2- filling of your choice

(rice, saluted bell pepper, onions, cheese, sour cream,  salsa etc) 

Rotisserie Chickens are amazing to create quick and easy meals 

Pull some pieces of chicken add to skillet and pour some enchilada sauce over it.
Heat for a 3 minutes 

Time to make your burrito. Warm your tortilla in the microwave for 15 seconds.
Take out of microwave and time to put on your toppings of your choice.
I used rice, lettuce, chicken, and salsa, but you can add whatever you like.

I poured some enchilada sauce over my burrito, you can add salsa or nothing at all.
Cooking is not about following recipes exactly, but preparing things the way you like.
Enjoy! 

This little kitty was knit!

I do love knitting and it is great to create something out of basically a ball of yarn and knitting needles.

This was something I recently made for my friend's daughter.

I found the pattern online barbara prime's fuzzy mitten.  I love Fuzzy mitten's blog as well. I used the lamb pattern for the body, legs and arms.Then I created my own pattern for the cat ears and a tail. I think it turned out really cute.

The only difference is that I knit in the round on DPNs (double pointed needles), so I don't Purl I Knit those stitches instead. I prefer to do this because it creates a seamless project. If you are new to knitting  I would suggest just to knit on knitting needles and sew the ends as the pattern instructs.

I also have used the pattern to create the lamb that is picture on the pattern and a bunny which I just used one color of yarn and created a different pattern for the ears. Aren't they adorable?