Tag Archives: Chocolate

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups are what dreams are made of.  I’ve made these multiple times, and each time is harder and harder to not eat the entire batch myself!  If you love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, you are going to want to try these.  Personally, I think they are better than the store-bought version.  They are rich and creamy, perfectly sweet, and super easy to make.  And they are healthy-ish 😊 An absolute crowd pleaser when you are looking for a light dessert or something sweet to share.  They WILL disappear quickly.  I brought some to a potluck at work, ended up sharing the recipe, multiple people told me they made them for their families, and planned to make them again.  So that’s what I’m hoping to accomplish when I share the recipe with you today! The recipe can be found here. Start by adding 12 muffin liners to a muffin … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  Do you plan to celebrate with your significant other, kids, or perhaps host a Galentine’s Day celebration?  We like to do something every year but it’s never the same thing.  Some years we go out, some years we stay in, and some years we postpone until we can figure out what we want to do.  Whatever you end up doing (or not doing), I hope you enjoy it! One tradition of mine is to ALWAYS make a beverage or 2 and a dessert or 2 to celebrate during the month of February.  I try to make simple recipes that don’t take a lot of time or ingredients and are something anyone could whip up at home.  Here’s what I have for you this year: Strawberry Pink Hot Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Martini Love Letter Pastries Strawberry Puff Pastry Hearts   Now let’s walk through how to make each recipe: STRAWBERRY PINK HOT … Continue reading

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The Harry Potter books are something I grew up reading and then fell in love with the movies as they came out in theaters.  To this day, we have a Harry Potter marathon at our house some weekend during the winter months to enjoy the films.  If you have about 20 hours of free time, I suggest you do the same 😊 Kidding!  We don’t watch the movies in one sitting but it is fun to watch them consecutively and within a few weeks of each other to get the full effect.  The one thing I struggle with is snacks and beverages.  I want something themed to go along with our viewing but don’t always plan ahead.  This year, I am planning way ahead.  We’re going to enjoy various versions of Butterbeer (IFYKY) and a few themed snacks.  Here’s what we’ll be enjoying! Copycat Hot Butterbeer Copycat Cold Butterbeer Copycat … Continue reading

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Look no further for fun and festive martinis that are packed with seasonal flavors and are delicious to drink!  I have 4 recipes to share with you today.  All are great for holiday parties or family gatherings because they are simple to make and don’t require many ingredients, and you probably have most of the ingredients at home already.  Here are the recipes: Espresso Martini Snickerdoodle Martini Mint Chocolate Martini Salted Caramel Martini   ESPRESSO MARTINI This martini tastes just like boozy espresso and it’s phenomenal…if you like coffee! Start by making the instant espresso, and let it cool completely.  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add the vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and simple syrup.  Shake vigorously then strain into a martini glass.  Enjoy! This recipe is for ONE cocktail and can be found HERE. SNICKERDOODLE MARTINI This martini tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie.  It’s perfectly sweet with a hint of spice. Start by combining 2 Tbsp of … Continue reading

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I’m sure you are familiar with the ever-popular Peanut Butter Blossoms in cookie form, but have you ever tried them in bar form?  If not, you are in for a treat!  The cookie versions are incredible, but they are a little time consuming to make because you must roll out the dough into individual cookies before baking.  The bars don’t require any extra work yet taste identical.  I highly recommend giving them a try! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Also use the preheating time to unwarp the Hershey Kisses. Add the softened butter, peanut butter (I like to use creamy), sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until well combined.  Add the egg, milk, and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until … Continue reading

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Salted Caramel & Chocolate Pretzel Bars are an amazing treat that is the perfect combination of sweet and salty!  The recipe is very basic and simple to make, any only requires 4 ingredients.  These no bake bars are perfect for any occasion! The recipe can be found here. Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Add ¾ bag of chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl.  Make sure to use good quality chocolate!  You don’t want to skimp on the chocolate in this recipe because it’s one of few ingredients and it’s a main ingredient.  Heat the chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth.  Pour onto the parchment paper and spread in an even layer.  You can use a spoon or offset spatula to do this.  You want the chocolate to almost reach the edges of the pan. Add the pretzels on top of the chocolate and lightly press down to … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is a few short days away.  Do you have plans or know how you’re going to celebrate?  A lot of people have set traditions each year and like to go out to dinner or prepare a fun meal at home with their friends and/or loved ones.  We prefer staying in and making a meal at home.  We feel less rushed, it’s fun to cook together, and we can make something special to celebrate the holiday.  Two things I like to focus on when creating new Valentine’s Day recipes is desserts and cocktails.  Both will enhance your dinner and make the event more memorable and are required to complete the meal (in my opinion).  So, let’s walk through my new recipes and hopefully something will catch your eye to prepare for Valentine’s (or Galantine’s) Day! I’m going to start with the cocktails because 1) they are easy to make, 2) they are delicious, and 3) you need … Continue reading

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Chocolate Peppermint Trifles are a wonderful no bake dessert for the holidays!  Think layers of cookie crumbs, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and crushed candy canes…it’s delicious!  It’s a simple recipe that takes about 15 minutes to make and then sets in the fridge until ready to serve.  I like to serve mine in 4-8oz trifle containers, but you could divide the pudding between 8-4oz containers to stretch it further. The recipe can be found here. Start by adding the Oreos to the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse into fine crumbs then divided between 4 8oz trifle dishes (or 8 4oz dishes) and use the back of a spoon to press into the bottom.  If you don’t care for mint flavoring, you can use regular Oreos for the base. Add the milk, chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, and peppermint extract to a large mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine and set aside.  The mixture will become thick.  Same as before if you … Continue reading

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bars are one of my top 10 favorite desserts.  They are essentially cream sandwiches you make on a rimmed baking sheet.  A combination of chocolate and peanut butter makes up the flavors in the cookie with a hint of sea salt sprinkled on top.  The filling is basic vanilla ice cream.  However, you can use any ice cream flavor of your choosing.  Chocolate ice cream would make the perfect chocolate extreme dessert.  Salted Caramel ice cream would pair nicely with the chocolate/peanut butter cookies.  You get the idea!  Make this dessert your own. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.  Generously spray an 18×13 rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Please do not forget this step or you will have quite a hard time removing the bars! Melt 2 sticks of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. … Continue reading

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Any recipe that is “no bake” is pretty amazing.  The recipes are typically simple to make and often don’t take a lot of time (just plan ahead so the pie has time to chill).  My favorite “no bake” recipes are for dessert.  You can make some delicious bars, pies, etc. without ever turning on your oven.  So, if you aren’t a baker or don’t have a lot of experience baking, these pies are for you! The recipes I want to share with you today are for 4 different No Bake Pies.  A little variety, something for everyone.  I think these pies are rich in flavor and will be a crowd favorite so whip up one or two for your next gathering! Here are the recipes: No Bake Butterfinger Pie No Bake Heath Bar Pie No Bake Mint Pie No Bake Pistachio Pie   First up is No Bake Butterfinger Pie.  … Continue reading

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