Preschool Snack - Part 2

After pretzels and apples on Monday, and S'mores Trail Mix on Wednesday, we decided to make dirt dessert pudding cups for preschool snack on Friday. This was another easy one to make and Linds and Luke helped throughout the entire process. The end result was delicious and after we set aside enough for her class, there were three left. I thought this was perfect since the boy doesn't really do desserts (especially one this juvenile!)...but lo and behold, when I pulled them out last night for dessert, his eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "oh, YES, I love dirt dessert!" Needless to say, I shared half of my pudding cup with my grateful husband :) Lucky for us, too, there were four sent home from school today - so we each got our own tonight.

We garnished ours with a single gummy worm on top (mostly because I managed to eat the rest of the gummy worms over the course of the week we had them in the house and didn't have any extras to mix in with the batter - totally the baby's fault?!). The pudding cups taste much better after sitting overnight in the fridge, but can always be eaten pretty much immediately after making, too.

Dirt Dessert
Ingredients
1 (3.9 oz) package instant chocolate pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
15 Oreo cookies finely crushed
Gummy worms

Directions

1. Beat pudding mix and milk in a large bowl with wire whisk for 2 minutes.
2. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Mix in whipped topping and 1/2 cup of cookie crumbs.
4. Spoon into ten 6 or 7 oz cups and top with remaining crumbs.
5. Refrigerate for an hour and top with gummy worms before serving.

Our doubled batch for her class:

Toffee Millionaires

The annual MOMS Club cookie exchange was on Sunday, and although I haven't done a whole heck of a lot with the club recently, this was the perfect opportunity to 1) catch up with old friends, and 2) get a nice big variety of cookies to eat (and guiltlessly, thanks to the baby on the way!). The festivities did not disappoint - nor did the cookies ;-)

Last year I made some pretty kick ass rum balls and wanted to bring something equally delicious this year. While chatting with the boy's family over Thanksgiving, someone mentioned the toffee millionaires that my brother-in-law made last year. They were a huge hit and I vaguely remember eating one (or five or six...hmmmm?) over Christmas and loving them. The more I thought about them, the stronger the craving, and I decided those were it. Making them in such a large number (I needed about 6 dozen) was a VERY time-consuming process, but so very worth it! If you're looking for some "salty-sweet goodness" (thanks, Sarah, for the description), then add these to your cookie list.

Toffee Millionaires
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped chocolate-covered toffee bars plus 1/2 cup coarsely chopped chocolate-covered toffee bars (about 10 ounces total)
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. 
2. Whisk to combine flour and salt into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add brown sugar; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix just until combined. 
4. Using plastic wrap, press dough into prepared pan. With plastic on dough, chill 45 minutes.
5. Pierce dough all over with a wooden skewer. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until golden brown and center is firm, about 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat finely chopped toffee bars and cream in a saucepan, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until smooth. 
7. Pour over shortbread in pan; sprinkle with coarsely chopped toffee. Let cool slightly. Cut into squares. Let cool completely.

Rum Balls

A dear, dear friend of mine (who happens to be a drinking buddy) nicknamed me "boozy cubes" awhile back. At first, I wasn't sure whether to be offended, complimented, or find a placement in the in-between gray area, but after thinking about it, I embraced my alcohol-y  nature and decided it was a good fit! Plus, Sarah (the BC-nickname originator) is a superb friend who would only leave the best compliments for me ;-)

In keeping up with tradition of my booze-loving nature, I decided to make rum balls for our MOMS Club cookies exchange. I was trying to decide what to make last week (looking for a super-easy, super-quick recipe since trying to do those in conjunction with Lindsay's party was going to be craaaaaazy). They were up my alley - chocolate, liquored up, and simple! - so I gave them a whirl.

Now, I had partied Friday AND Saturday night, so by the time Sunday rolled around, i was NOT looking for any booze to creep into my diet. I took a little nibble of the rum balls and maybe it was my poor, pathetic liver screaming, "HELP!" but I could have sworn they were a shot in a cookie. I took them trepidatiously, hoping not to offend anyone with their awfully liquored nature, but to my surprise, everyone was surprisingly accepting. No one felt they had any overly-boozey aftertaste. I was SHOCKED! They were delicious, but I seriously thought they were way too rummy.

Since we got the okay from several parties, I'll post the recipe. I thought they were delish...just had a potent rum taste to them! So, if you partake, be forewarned and enjoy :)

Rum Balls
Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum
Coarse sanding sugar, for rolling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in chocolate mixture, then fold in flour. Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until top is shiny and a cake tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Break up brownie into small pieces; transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With machine on low speed, pour in rum, and mix until crumbs start to come together to form a ball.
4. Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in sanding sugar to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate, uncovered, until cold, about 2 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Rum balls can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Rum Balls - Martha Stewart Recipes

Mar. 17 - Honey Chicken Skewers

The nearly-70 degree grilling weather trumped any plan to do something green or Irish in nature for the St. Patty's holiday. I've been wanting to do the skewers, but hate waiting until Scott gets home from work (usually around 6:30 p.m.) to get dinner STARTED. I like to eat as soon as he walks through the door - not wait for him to make it?! He was off today for Lindsay's dance class (it was parent observation day), so we took advantage of both the weather and the fact that he was home to make the honey chicken skewers and some roasted veggies.

Before I delve into the specifics, I'm super excited - I learned how to turn on our grill! For the past ten years, Scott is in charge of "outdoor cooking," while I've been in charge of anything indoors. I've always wanted to learn how to grill, but never challenged the unwritten rules. But 2010 is bringing in some changes in the way I cook (remember my ribs?!?), so I asked him to teach me how to turn on the grill and some of his basic "grilling principles." You might all laugh at me - but I'm so naive when it comes to this!

So, anyways, back to the meal! I made the honey chicken skewers and then roasted some corn and broccoli to accompany the chicken. The corn was just frozen kernels and then I bought some fresh broccoli from Wegmans today. I drizzled them with a little olive oil, some balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper, then roasted them in the oven for about 25 minutes on 450. They turned out really well - crisp and flavorful...although the corn was a tad overdone (the broccoli, however, was perfect!). The honey chicken skewers were super easy - here's the recipe:


Honey Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and pepper
bamboo skewers

Directions

1. Place twenty 8-inch wooden skewers in water to soak. Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, honey, and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.
2. Slice the chicken lengthwise into twenty 1/2-inch-thick strips. Thread each strip onto a wooden skewer. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Lightly oil the grill. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, basting with the ketchup mixture during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Lindsay LOVED the fact that she could eat these chicken pieces right off of the bamboo stick - finger food is always a hit in our house! The boy thought the chicken was good - very light with it being cut up that small - and suggested it accompany corn on the cob in the summer. He was still starving after dinner (I only made 10 skewers - 4 for each of us and 2 for Linds), but if he had two or three cobs to eat with the skewers, then he'd fill up quickly. I'd suggest making the full 20 skewers for a family of 3 or 4.

We also agreed that while the ketchup sauce was good, you could also get the same tastiness from some good ol' Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. It might not have been the recipe that kicked ass, rather the skewers and smaller portions (i.e. how it was cooked). All in all, it was a fantastic dinner (finished off well with some Girl Scout cookies, courtesy of our niece, Caroline, and a few Coronas and lime)...but a few small changes could have made it perfect!

Brickle Drop Cookies

We're heading toward yet another snow storm and are stranded, car-less, at home. After putting Luke down for a nap, I figured we might as well bake some cookies or else we'll head into our gazillionth game of Memory. I'm so tired of chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, etc. and when I was at the grocery store yesterday, I came across some Heath Bits O' Brickle Toffee Bits, which are absolutely delightful little mix-ins for cookies. I wound up using the recipe on the back of the bag for Brickle Drop Cookies. I love me some toffee, and how could toffee cookies not be great?! They turned out perfectly (I can attest to that by the 3 or 4 I've eaten already today). Here's how the kitchen looked after Lindsay and I created our masterpieces:

 The mess was worth it, though - here's the recipe!

Brickle Drop Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl until blended. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in brickle. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (Took mine more like 13 minutes.) Cool slightly. 

Yield: about 6 dozen cookies.

 From Hershey's Kitchens.