Easter Basket Brownies

Easter is upon us. I'm all about the chocolate mini eggs. After the success of the Cream Egg Cheesecake I wondered what else I could do with all these yummy little Easter treats. The Easter Basket Brownie was born!

A fudgey brownie with a mini cream egg sunk in the middle of each one and topped with mini egg cream cheese frosting. I used Betty Crocker products for this cause they're quick (I've got Easter eggs to fill yo!), I had them in my pantry, and I enjoy them, but if you want to use your favourite brownie recipe go for it. I've made them from the box once and from scratch once and both were delish.

They're decadent, they're chocolately, they're Easter Bunny approved! Make these to take to your family Easter Dinner or on Monday to "help" your kids "get rid of" their chocolate haul.

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Easter Basket Brownies

1 box Betty Crocker Chocolate Lover's Brownies
water, oil and eggs according to package directions
1 tsp vanilla
18 cream filled eggs
18 mini chocolate eggs
1/2 c crushed mini eggs
1 can Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Pop the cream eggs into the freezer.
2. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
3. Grease an 8" x 12" pan.
4. Prepare the brownies according to package directions and add the vanilla.
5. Pour into your pan and spread to make sure it's even.
6. Sink the frozen cream eggs into the pan evenly spaced.
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the brownie part comes out mostly clean.
8. Mix the crushed mini eggs into the frosting.
9. Once the brownies have cooled, cut them into 18 squares and top with a spoonful of frosting and a whole mini egg.

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enjoy,

Amanda

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites

I write the school newsletter for my daughter's preschool. It's a labour of love. Every issue I include a recipe from one of the families that go to the preschool. I put a call out a couple months ago for a newsletter recipe and my friend Laurie sent me this. As soon as I read it I ran out and got waffle pretzels, Rolos and pecans. Then they sat in my cupboard... until today. (Not sure why but perhaps the fact my kids have been trading the flu back and forth for 2 months might have something to do with it!)

I was looking for a little sweet snack to send into work with my husband on night shift, those poor guys need a little sugar around 3am to make it through, and that's when I came across the Rolos in the cupboard. I'm not even joking here, 5 minutes later they were done. No mess, no dishes to wash, and even though they went in the oven, I'd hardly call this baking. SO freakin' easy! And did I mention delicious? Yeah, they're good. Thanks Laurie!

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites

Waffle Pretzels
Rolos or other Chocolate Caramel candies (Caramilk Secrets would be awesome)
Whole Pecans

1. Place as many waffle pretzels as you'd like on a parchment -lined baking sheet.
2. Top each pretzel with a chocolate caramel.
3. Put in a preheated 350˚F oven for 2-3 minutes or until the candies are just softened.
4. Remove from the oven and immediately press a pecan into the melty candy.
5. Pop in your mouth and fall in love.

Potato Skin Nachos

Don't you just love when two of your favourite foods join forces to become a super-awesome ninja snack? Last week I wrote an article for amotherworld.com (<-- click the link when you're done reading here!) about how we're feeding our kids crap. This recipe may seem like total hypocrisy when you read it, all I can say in my defense is: don't share this with your kids! In fact, don't share this with anyone! Eat it all yourself! Muh ah ah ah!

Okay, that's out of my system. Thin, crispy-fried potato rounds are smothered in cheese and bacon and are served with a spicy ranch sour cream dip. I have no idea where I got this idea but it's been bouncing around inside my head for a while. After I made it the first time I did a little research and found some restaurants that serve versions of this. Mine are better. Trust me. (I have nothing but women's intuition and my taste buds to base that claim on, let's just go with it.) These pop-in-your-mouth potato skin treats are an awesome Saturday-afternoon-watching-the-game kind of snack. It comes together quickly and is satisfying without being too heavy or filling.

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Potato Skin Nachos

4 medium potatoes, washed, dried and sliced into 1/8"-1/4" rounds
1 tsp seasoned salt
5 strips bacon, cooked
1 c shredded marble cheddar
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 c grape tomatoes, quartered

Spicy Ranch Sour Cream

1/4 c sour cream (I use light)
1/4 c ranch dressing
1/8 - 1/4 tsp smoked chipotle powder (depends on how spicy you like it)


Instructions:

1. Preheat oil (any kind except Olive oil) to 200˚F.
2. Deep fry the potatoes for 2 minutes and then remove from the oil. Increase the oil temperature to 375˚F and return the potatoes to the oil. Cook until golden brown and crispy.
3. while potatoes are frying, mix together the sour cream, ranch dressing and chipotle powder in a bowl.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oil and spread out on a few sheets of paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with the seasoned salt.
5. Arrange the fried potatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle on 3/4 of the cheese. Top with the bacon and the remaining cheese.
6. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
7. Top with chopped scallions and grape tomatoes and a side of the ranch sour cream dip.

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enjoy!

2nd Blogoversary GIVEAWAY - Winner!

And the winner is...

Danielle! Email your address to me Danielle at bestmomontheblock@gmail.com.

I'd like to thank everyone who subscribes to my blog, likes my facebook page, follows me on twitter and tries my recipes, the past 2 years have been so fun for me! This next year will bring tons more recipes, photos and giveaways!

Thanks for reading,

Sundried Tomato and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

 

As much as I love chicken, sometimes I get bored with it (kinda like Glee... OMG simmer down gleeks and put away your pitch forks!). We were having company the other night and I'm trying my hardest to keep my grocery bill down this month so I looked in the freezer and found two chickens which is plenty to feed 4 adults and 4 kids. Chicken is really versatile, it takes on the flavours of whatever you pair with it, but for the most part I'd say we have it the same 5 ways all the time (that's what happens when you have ankle-biters). I considered beer can chicken *yawn*, or cutting it up and grilling it *double yawn*. 

Not sure what I was doing with it,  I opened the fridge... and that's when inspiration hit me (and a precariously placed jar of olives cause no one puts anything way properly in this house), garlic and herb cream cheese! Immediately I added sundried tomatoes in my head and imagined shoving the whole mess under the skin next to the meat. I know you're thinking "Whaaaaa?" Just go with me here.

If you take a wooden spoon and work the handle under the skin, you create a wonderful little pocket in which to shove flavour (lemon slices, thyme, pesto...). You can even work the spoon handle over to the drumstick and thigh with a little flick of the wrist! I used a small spatula to push the cream cheese concoction into the pocket (and when I was done I realized piping it in with a pastry bag probably would have been easier and less messy!) and then used my hands to squish it around to make sure it was evenly distributed.

Next I did my favourite trick to keep chicken really moist, shoved it full of celery! Again, ya gotta trust me, it works like a charm! Then I coated the whole thing in buttah. I cook with butter, don't be scared. If margarine or olive oil is more your thing, go for it. I like the flavour the butter imparts. Then I sprinkled on a little kosher salt and some fresh cracked black pepper. This is what I got...

 

 ... are you drooling?

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Sundried Tomato and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

1 whole chicken, giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 container of garlic and herb cream cheese (about 2/3 cup)

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

3-4 stalks of celery

1/4 c or 1/2 stick of butter

salt and pepper

1/2 c chicken stock

1. Preheat your oven or grill to 350˚F.

2. Using the handle end of a wooden spoon, work the spoon under the skin of the breast and drumstick & thigh to separate being careful not to tear or poke through.

3. Combine the tomatoes with the cream cheese and using a spoon or a piping bag, push the cheese mixture into the pocket between the skin and the meat.

4. Cut the celery stalks to size and shove them into the cavity of the bird making sure to fill it.

5. Spread the butter all over the exterior of the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6. Place in a pan and add the chicken stock.

7. Roast covered for approximately an hour* and then remove the cover and cook until the skin is golden brown.

8. Allow to rest covered on the carving board for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken. Cook until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink.

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enjoy!

Meatballs and Marinara

There is just something so comforting about a plate of spaghetti and meatballs isn't there? And man-o-man did I ever need some TLC this week! The flu hit our house pretty hard. My little germ magnet, Emily, brought the flu home with us from our trip to Great Wolf Lodge (a 2 year old getting sick at a water park... why didn't I see THAT coming?) and passed it on to me. I very rarely get sick so it hit me like a ton of bricks. After I had it it went to my 4 year old and then the baby. Needless to say it's been a rough week of laundry, carpet scrubbing and bathroom bleaching.

When I was finally feeling well enough to eat something other than toast I wanted my favourite dinner, spaghetti and meatballs. I know what you're thinking, meatballs are time consuming to make, what with the mixing, kneading, rolling, frying in small batches, etc... Pfft! Who needs all that, I've simplified the whole process to make it fast and less messy and greasy! (And less painful, I never fail to burn myself when splattering grease is involved.) You can make these as spicy or mild as you like and serve them with whatever kind of pasta your family likes.  Buono appetito!

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Meatballs and Marinara

for the meatballs:

1/4 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp cream (I use half and half, but heavy or light would work)
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp hot pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 lb lean ground beef

for the marinara:

2 med carrots, diced small
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced small
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c tomato paste
1 16oz can of diced plum tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl mix the bread crumbs, egg, cream, parmesan, hot pepper flakes, garlic and salt and pepper until combined.
2. Add the ground beef and mix using your hands jut until everything is incorporated. (Over-mixing makes tough, dry meatballs)
3. Roll meatball mixture into 1" balls (or use a 1" scoop) and place balls on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 20-30 minutes.
4. In the meantime, sautée the carrots, celery and onions in a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth and simmer over medium heat for another 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
6. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer over low heat.
7. When the meatballs are done. remove from the cookie sheet and add to the tomato sauce.
8. Serve over cooked pasta of your liking and top with parmesan cheese.

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enjoy!