Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is just the dessert to crave for. The good thing is it only takes 15 minutes to prep the pie and 1o minutes cook time but on the down side it is inactive prep time. It’s really easy to make and serves up to 8 people. To make the crust you need: Oreo’s and butter that’s it. Then for the filling you need:  creamy peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipped topping. How to: 

FOR THE CRUST:

Step 1: preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Step 2: Crush 25 whole Oreos until they’re in fine crumbs.

Step 3: Then pour 4 tablespoons of melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine.

Step 4: Press into a pie pan and bake until set, for 5 to 7 minutes. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. 

FOR THE FILLING:

Step 1: Beat 1 cup of creamy peanut butter with one 8-ounce of the cream cheese until smooth. 

Step 2: Next add the 1 ¼ cups of powdered sugar and beat that until smooth, 

Step 3: Add in one 8 ounce of thawed whipped topping and beat until smooth, make sure to scrape the sides as needed. 

Step 4: Pour the filling into the crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula.

Step 5: Now chill for at least an hour before serving. 

***WARNING this recipe is super rich. Cut into small slivers! 

*TIP: you don’t have to use oreo cookies. The oreo is just preferred. You could really use any type of cookie for the crust. 

Attention All Vegetarians

For all of you vegetarians out there I have the perfect meal for you! Vegetarian pot pie. This pot pie is rated at an easy level and yields 8 servings. Also it has a 5 minute prep time with 5 minute inactive prep time and 40 minute cook time. The vegetarian pot pie recipe calls for: unsalted butter, finely chopped fennel, yellow onion, carrots, white bottom mushrooms, russet potato, all-purpose flour, whole milk, baby green peas, fresh chives, parsley, white vinegar, egg yolk, and store bought puff pastry or pie dough. How-to:

Step 1: Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.

Step 2: Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium heat in a 3 to 4 quart Dutch oven or heavy 

bottomed saucepan. Then when it foams add 2 small heads of kennel, ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped, and 2 medium carrots (peeled and finely chopped). 

Step 3: Cook until just soft and onions are translucent, for about 2 minutes.

Step 4: Next add 12 ounces of the sliced mushrooms, and 1 small russet potato (peeled and diced), season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir to coat. 

Step 5:  Cook, stirring rarely, until mushrooms have let off water and have shrunken, for about 6 minutes.

Step 6: Now sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to coat, and cook until raw flavor is gone, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add 1 cup of low-sodium mushroom broth and 1 cup of whole milk, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth,

Step 7: Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and cook until slightly thickened, for about 5 minutes.

Step 8: Now remove from heat and add 1 cup of frozen baby green peas with ¼ cup of thinly fresh chives, ¼ cup of parsley and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Then stir to coat. After that season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step 9: Turn filling into an 8 by 8 inch baking dish.

Step 10: Now whisk 1 large egg yolk together with 2 teaspoons of water and a pinch of salt until evenly mixed. Then Set aside.

Step 11: Now with kitchen shears, cut dough to fit over the baking dish. Place dough over filling and tuck into the edges of the dish. Then brush dough with egg wash and cut slits in the top to vent. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbling, for about 25 to 30 minutes. Then let sit at least 5 minute before serving.

ENJOY!

Chicken Parm Pizza

Have you ever wanted to eat Chick Parm with Pizza together? Well I got just the right thing for you! I have Chicken Parm Pizza recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray. This delicious recipe only takes 22 minutes to cook and 15 minutes to prepare. So it’s super-fast and it’s extremely easy for the cook. On the downside it only serves up to 4. To make this specialty pizza you’ll need: pizza dough, cornmeal or flour, extra-virgin olive oil, ground chicken, cloves garlic, chopped, small onion, chopped, salt and pepper, flat-leaf parsley chopped, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, tomato sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded provolone, and basil leaves torn or shredded. How-to:

 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Step 2: Then coat hands and work surface with a little cornmeal or flour for the dough. This prevents the dough from sticking. 

Step 3: Using either hands or a rolling pin, form a 14-inch round pizza. (You only need 1 store bought pizza dough). After place the pizza on a baking sheet or pizza stone and poke the top of the pizza with a few holes.

Step 4: Then drizzle about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil down over the dough and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 5: While that’s baking, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. 

Step 6: Add 1 pound of chicken and break it up with a wooden spoon. To browned meat, add 3 cloves of chopped garlic and 1 small chopped onion, then season with salt and pepper.

Step 7: Cook together for 5 to 6 minutes then add a handful of parsley, couple pinches of crushed red pepper, couple pinches of dried oregano and 1 can of tomato sauce. Heat sauce through.

Step 8: Now remove the pizza from the oven after 10 minutes and top with the sauce and 1 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 ½ cups of shredded provolone. After that return the pizza to the oven and bake until golden and bubbly; for about another 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 9: Top the pizza with 5 to 6 basil leaves. Then cut and serve

ENJOY!

Caramel, Chocolate Candy Apples

Candy apples have to be about one of the sweetest fall treat there is! There are all types of candy apples like caramel and chocolate kinds. For you, I have a recipe for caramel, chocolate candy apples! The delicious candy apples are a little time taking but definitely worth it! It’s easy and serves about 6 people. The only downside is there is 5 hour waiting period until you can actually eat them. But it only takes 10 minutes to prep them and 10 minutes to cook them! The ingredients needed are: vegetable oil, small apples, caramel candies, pulp-free orange juice, 53 percent cocoa dark chocolate, small candies, chopped nuts, sprinkles, thick wooden sticks. How-to:

Step 1: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with vegetable oil cooking spray. Then insert the craft sticks halfway into the stem-ends of the apples.

Step 2: In a medium heavy saucepan, on low heat combine 2 bags of soft caramel candies with ¼ cup of orange juice.

                *For the caramel candies, it is recommended to use Kraft Classic Caramels

Step 3: Cook, stirring occasionally, until the candies are fully melted and the mixture is smooth; for about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for 2 minutes. 

Step 4: Then dip the apples in the caramel until coated and put them on the parchment paper until firm, about 2 hours.

Step 5: Put 1 bar of the coca dark chocolate, chopped into ½ inch pieces in a medium size bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water. 

                *Recommended: Nestle Chocolatier 

Step 6: Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Using a fork, drizzle the melted chocolate over the caramel. Then put the apples back on the parchment paper for 10 minutes.

Step 7: Sprinkle with small candies, chopped nuts or sprinkles and allow the chocolate to harden, at room temperature, for about 3 to 4 hours. 

                *Use assorted small candies, chopped nuts, and sprinkles

***Cook’s note: Some apples have   wax coating that will prevent the caramel from sticking. To remove the coating, dip the apples for 4 seconds in 6 cups of boiling water mixed with ¼ teaspoon white vinegar. Dry thoroughly before using. 

ENJOY!

Apple Muffins

Apple Muffins are just the perfect thing for the fall. It’s super easy to make and serves up to 12 people. It takes approximately 55 minutes total with 15 minute prep time and 40 minute cook. The ingredients you will need is: cooking spray, chopped pecans, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, all-purpose flour, flour, baking soda, fine salt, canola oil, large eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, low fat buttermilk, and one apple. How-to:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. And coat a 12-capacity standard muffin pan with cooking spray 

Step 2: In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup of the pecans with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Step 3: In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour with 1 cu of whole wheat pastry flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ½ teaspoon of fine salt

Step 4: In a large size bowl, whisk the remaining ¾ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of canola oil until combined thoroughly. After that add 2 large eggs(one at a time) whisking well after each addition. Then whisk in 1 cup of natural applesauce and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Step 5: Next whisk in the flow mixture in two batches, alternating with the ¾ cups of low fat buttermilk. Just whisk until combined. Then gently stir in the apple chunks. 

*for the apple chunks use 1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch pieces

Step 6: Now pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pecan mixture. Bake until a wooden pick is inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean; should be for about 20 to 25 minutes. 

                * Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.

Step 7: Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold them. 

Step 8: Cool completely on the rack

ENJOY!