 Cake pops are my new creative outlet and they're easier to make than you might think.  Follow my simple step by step instructions and can create cake pops of your very own. Be careful though - they can be very addicting.
Chill for 1 hour. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Melt 1/4 cup candy melts in the microwave. Dip a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then push it halfway into the cake ball.
Chill for 1 hour. AGAIN, DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
Once the cake pops are dry, decorate with melted chocolate. 
I am no expert at making cake pops but I'm completely addicted. There are so many creative ways to decorate these fun desserts. Have you tried making them? Post a comment on my blog and let me know how they turned out.
Ciao!
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 I'm always looking for new ways to marinate and flavor my grilled chicken. I ran across this Paleo recipe on Pinterest last month and it looked really interesting. I added a few ingredients of my own which meant that it wasn't a Paleo recipe anymore but it came out pretty darn tasty. For those of you who are trying to follow a Paleo diet, I will give you both versions of the recipe - mine and the Paleo version. Spicy Paprika Lime Chicken 6 thins sliced chicken breasts 5 Tablespoons paprika 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 Tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 2 limes, zest and juiced 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar Combine all ingredients except chicken in a bowl.
Lay chicken on a waxed paper lined baking sheet and brush with marinade.
I put mine in the frig for the afternoon. The longer it sits in the frig with the rub on it, the better it will taste. Cook chicken on the grill.   Ciao!
 We are living on make ahead dinners lately. Baseball games and soccer games are consuming most evenings. By the time we get home at night, everyone is starving and way too hungry to wait for me to fix dinner. My solution? Make dinner at noon and put it in the frig until dinnertime. It only takes a few minutes to reheat a meal in the microwave and evenings just run smoother once everyone has had a warm dinner. This Chicken Cordon Blue recipe was inspired by Bobby Flay and it's a fantastic make ahead dinner. I cooked the chicken at lunchtime and let it cool before putting it in the refrigerator until dinnertime. It reheated beautifully in the microwave and everyone really liked it.  Chicken Cordon Blue 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless 4 thin slices prosciutto 1/2 pound Gruyere, sliced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs Extra-virgin olive oil Lay the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
It's nice to have dinner waiting for us when we get home from a game. These were a nice treat after a recent baseball game. And just in case you were curious, I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures from the game.
Ciao!
 When Cook's Country publishes a new chocolate sugar cookie recipe - I can't help but try it. This recipe is not for people who like chocolate. This cookie is meant for chocolate LOVERS. It is absolutely jam packed with rich, deep, dark, intense chocolate flavor. You WILL need a glass of milk to best enjoy this decadent treat.
Chocolate Sugar Cookies 1/3 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tablespoons flour 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 14 Tablespoons butter 1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar 1 Tablespoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg + 1 egg yolk  Microwave 10 Tablespoons butter until melted.
Allow to cool. Whisk brown sugar, vanilla and salt into butter.
Whisk in egg and egg yolk.
Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each cookie to 2 inches. Sprinkle with more sugar.
 Ciao!
 I was doing a little spring cleaning on the blog and I found this blog post that somehow got overlooked. I had intended to post it a couple of weeks ago. Better late than never.
He had worked really hard to keep himself on weight during the season but after his last weigh out on Friday night, all diets were off. (He started the weekend at 129 pounds and I he ended the weekend at nearly 135 pounds.) Luckily, I had anticipated this drastic change in his eating habits (not my first wrestling season) and armed myself with chocolate caramel peanut butter rice crispy treats. If that didn't satisfy his craving for something sweet, nothing would.  Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Cereal Treats 3 Tablespoons butter 10 ounce bag marshmallows 1 Tablespoon vanilla 7 cups Rice Crispy Treats 14 ounce bag caramels 2 Tablespoons water 1 1/2 cups peanut butter 12 ounce bag semisweet chocolate
Place caramels in saucepan with water. Heat on low heat until melted.
Place dessert in the refrigerator and allow to set up for about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm to the touch.
Cut into squares or rectangles when firm.  These traveled really well in a Tupperware container all the way to the wrestling tournament. What happened to them after the boys got a hold of them, I will not say. I will tell you that they were well received.   Bars are easiest to cut when cold but are best eaten at room temperature or only slightly chilled.
You don't have to be a wrestler to appreciate these chocolate caramel peanut butter rice crispy treats. Trust me. Ciao! |
