My New Favorite Snack!!

Now that I am working night shift again I have not had much time to blog. I also have not really cooked or tried anything new that was "blog worthy"....that was...until Sunday night! It was one of the longest night shifts of my life...seriously. As the night drug on I developed the raving munchies. I noticed one of my work peeps eating these pretzel looking things. She offered to share.....big mistake on her part ;) I fell in love with the Andersons Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels! I stopped by two different stores on my way home that morning in search of these little gems. I bought two containers and hid one of them from my hubby (just in case he liked them even more than me!)!! They are seriously good snacking....and taste even better after midnight :P

My Mother's Quick Chili

When I was growing up I can remember my Mom making the best chili in the world. It was nothing fancy..but it would fill you up...and warm you up when the weather was cold! After spending way to much time trying to figure out meals for this week...I thought I would make this and see what my hubby thought. Well....it was a huge hit! Thanks for coming through in a pinch Mom :)


1 lb. ground chuck
1 pkg. Frenches Chili~O mix
1 can Bush's chili beans
1 can dark kidney beans
1 can chili ready tomatoes
1/2 cup water

Brown and drain ground chuck. Drain and rinse kidney beans. Toss in slow cooker with remaining ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours. Enjoy :)

**Like I said...short and sweet!**

Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake!!

Oh My Goodness! This has got to be one of my favorite cakes ever! Thanks so much to my AL nestie bud...lilcrablegs...for posting this recipe in her blog. It is not too sweet....just enough richness from the dark chocolate..without being bitter....it's just the perfect dark chocolate cake!

**note...even though the recipe says to cool your cakes on a wire rack...I always cool my cakes just slightly in their pans...then I always begin to ice them when they are still warm. My mom always made her cakes this way...and I think it turns out a much more moist cake!**

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

*Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or one 13x9x2-inch pan!

*Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pans.

*Bake 30-35 minutes for round pans. 35-40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (cake may be left in rectangular pan if desired) Frost with One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting (recipe below)!

One Bowl Buttercream Frosting!

6 tablespoons butter, softened

2-2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa or Hershey's Dutch Pressed Cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups.

Christmas Brunch Casserole

This week my hubby and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary. I really wanted to make a special breakfast to surprise my hubbs...so I headed off to one of my fav sites...allrecipes.com! I found this recipe...and I made a few alterations....and the husband loved it! It was not my favorite...It tasted a little to "egg" for me...but he loved it..so that's all that really matters :) Mission Accomplished!

1 pound bacon **I substituted 1lb. sausage**

1 tablespoon butter

2 onions, chopped **I only added 1 large onion**

2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms **omitted**

4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese **I added 2 cups**

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.

Place bacon in large, deep skillet. Cook over med high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. In skillet, melt butter and fry onions and mushrooms until tender.

Mix potatoes, onion, mushrooms, bacon, salts and pepper and place in prepared casserole dish.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk. Pour over casserole. Top with cheese. **if making the night before..cover and refrigerate**

Cover with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour or until set. If preparing and baking the same day, cook for 45 minutes.

Nicole's Cheese Ball!

One of my best gf's Nicole always makes the most wonderful cheese ball. There is never a bite left of this at the end of any party! After hunting for the recipe for months....I finally found it in an old cookbook my mom had passed down to me. Seriously..the most amazing cheese ball...ever!!

2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1/4 or 5 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup each finely chopped bell pepper and green onion
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 dash seasoned salt

Whip up cream cheese with fork until creamy. Put in all ingredients except 1 cup of pecans. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it set overnight. ***this is very important, so onion and bell pepper taste will not be so strong*** Roll cheese ball in leftover pecans to coat right before serving!

Magic Cookie Bars!

These are one of my favorite fall treats! I can remember my mom making these and packing them in my lunch when I was a kid. The butterscotch chips add a nice flavor :)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup semisweet chips

1 1/3 flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans (or your fav nut)

Melt the butter in a 9x13-inch pan in a 350-degree oven. After butter is melted...sprinkle with the graham cracker crumbs. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs. Sprinkle with the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts; press with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until light brown. Let stand until cool. Cut into bars. Store covered, at room temperature. Makes about one dozen!

Oh The Cuteness :)

On my trip to the beach~ shopping adventure I ran across the cutest thing ever!! I needed a new pair of oven mitts....but oven gloves trimmed in leopard fur....sign me up! My husband just laughs at me...and makes some obnoxious "redneck" jokes...but I love them. I think it adds some spice to my everyday cooking..lol! I contemplated buying the matching apron for a hot minute...but decided to pass on the fear that it might look a little ridiculous (or make my ass look even bigger)!