Thursday, March 22, 2012

Seven Layer Bars

Yummy!  Quick to make and addictive to eat!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C butter
24 crushed graham crackers
1 1/3 C flaked coconut
1 C chocolate chips
1 C butterscotch or peanut butter chips
1 C chopped nuts (walnuts or pralines work best)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (I prefer Eagle brand)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt butter in 9x13 pan.  Add graham crackers and spread over bottom of pan.  Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch/peanut butter chips, and nuts.  Pour condensed milk over the bars, then sprinkle the coconut.
2. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Kelli's Orange Barbecue Chicken

This tastes like summer to me. Me and the rest of the kids absolutely love this chicken anytime, anywhere. But it especially tastes amazing in my parent's backyard with a campfire going. 

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C Zesty Italian Dressing
1 lb chicken
1/4 C BBQ sauce
2 T orange marmalade

DIRECTIONS:
1. Marinate the chicken with 1/4 C dressing.
2. Mix rest of dressing, BBQ sauce, and marmalade.  Brush on while grilling chicken.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Godiva Chocolate Pecan Caramel Cookies

When Kyle cooks, he doesn't care about using real food or not: unless I am standing over him forcing him to choose good ingredients. As such, he sometimes finds recipes that he loves that I do not approve of (but, to be nice...because I have to...I eat them. HA!) These are his FAVORITE cookies. Hard to blame him.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces chopped dark chocolate (recommended: 2 (1.5 ounce) Godiva Dark Chocolate Bars)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
18 pieces chocolate or vanilla caramels (recommended: Godiva chocolate or vanilla caramels)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugars and butter together until fluffy, using either an electric mixer or by hand. When mixture is light and fluffy, add egg, and beat to incorporate. Add vanilla and beat to incorporate.
3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients slowly to butter mixture and mix to thoroughly combine until a soft dough is formed. Stir in chopped chocolate and pecan pieces until blended.
4. With a (2-ounce) ice cream scoop, scoop cookie dough and place 1 caramel into the bottom of each cookie, using extra dough to cover the caramel so that it is not visible. Lightly press each cookie onto the sheet pan or baking sheet, in rows of 3 by 4. Repeat until no dough remains. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden on top. More baking time may be needed, depending on your oven.