Top Seven Dessert Bar Recipes

Tis' the season of graduations, school end parties, end of season little league parties, pool parties, you name it!  For my 'Best of the Web' this week, I couldn't just choose one bar recipe...so I went for seven!

They are all courtesy of Pillsbury and look delightful......especially this Lemon Blueberry Pretzel Cheesecake recipe....salty and sweet all in one bite.  Can't go wrong!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Cinco De Mayo is one of my favorite party days...I just adore Mexican food and would eat it 5 days a week if the rest of the family was up for it.

My 'Best of the Web' for this week, in honor of Cinco De Mayo, is this slow cooker Enchilada Soup by Pillsbury.

photo and recipe courtesy Pillsbury

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"BOTW" Hard Strawberry Lemonade Smash

In honor of the temperatures reaching into the 80's this upcoming weekend here in Northern California, I'm going with Bon Appetite's Hard Strawberry Lemonade for my "Best of the Web" pick of the week.

Can't go wrong with this one!

photo and recipe courtesy Bon Appetite

Muddle 3 hulled strawberries in a cocktail shaker. Add 2 ounces white rum, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 1 ounce simple syrup. Fill with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Fill a highball glass with crushed ice. Strain strawberry mixture into glass. Garnish with a strawberry, and serve with a straw.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/04/strawberry-lemonade-smash#ixzz2QpD46YU6

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'BOTW' Stout Floats

I have a new love for something thick, rich and dark....Stout.  I admit, I've always been a Coors Light kinda girl...and still am, BUT I am loving my Guinness or any sort of chocolate tasting stout.  I can normally only consume one, cuz when you're used to light {very light} beer, stouts feel heavy and rich.....or at least it does for me.

So check this week's 'Best of the Web' by Bon Appetite!  

Stout Floats.

Oh yeah.

photo and recipe courtesy Bon Appetite

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'BOTW' Chorizo and White Bean Stew

As I sit here on the plane on my way back from NYC, I'm tired and hungry. I refuse to eat one more package of pretzels. Instead, I'm scrolling food sites and am becoming even more hungry.....smart, right?!

I'll skip dinner tonight, but I am so trying this recipe some time very soon. 'Best of the Web' Bon Appetite's Chorizo and White Bean Stew. Served with some sliced crusty bread and butter. Oh yes!



Photo and recipe courtesy Bon Appetite

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo or Italian sausage links
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sprig thyme
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
5 ounces baby spinach (about 10 cups)
Smoked paprika (optional)

Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add onion, garlic, and thyme sprig. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5-8 minutes. Add beans and broth and cook, crushing a few beans with the back of a spoon to thicken sauce, until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add spinach by handfuls and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Slice chorizo and fold into stew; add water to thin, if desired. Divide stew among bowls; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Nutritional information
4 servings, 1 serving contains:
Calories (kcal) 570
Fat (g) 33
Saturated Fat (g) 9
Cholesterol (mg) 65
Carbohydrates (g) 41
Dietary Fiber (g) 11
Total Sugars (g) 4
Protein (g) 29
Sodium (mg) 1640
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com

For more farm life posts, visit http://www.TheWifeOfADairyman.blogspot.com

For more farm life posts, visit http://www.TheWifeOfADairyman.blogspot.com

For more farm life posts, visit http://www.TheWifeOfADairyman.blogspot.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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'BOTW' Spinach Fettuccine with Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes

The combination of sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and pasta are right up there at the top of my favorite flavor combinations.  I love the sweetness of the sundried tomatoes and when combined with pasta, salad or a warmed dish, they're just the best.

This week's 'Best of the Web' belongs to Whole Food's recipe for Spinach Fettuccine with Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes.  So simple to make.  An elegant dish and goes perfect with a glass of red wine on a Friday night.....what do you think?!

photo and recipe courtesy Whole Foods

Spinach Fettuccine with Artichokes and Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 medium artichokes, trimmed and hearts sliced, or 1 (4-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 pound fresh spinach fettuccine, cooked until tender, drained (1/4 cup pasta water reserved)
• 6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese 

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender. Add artichokes, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook until artichokes are tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until just thickened. Stir in reserved 1/4 cup pasta water, tomatoes and thyme then add pasta, salt and pepper and toss well. Transfer pasta to bowls, garnish with cheese and serve.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:370 calories (70 from fat), 8g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 55mg cholesterol, 570mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 14g protein

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Sexy Valentine's Day Dessert

Are you looking for something sweet and easy for Valentine's Day?  Who really wants to go out to dinner on Valentines Day?  But being stuck in the kitchen is not an option either, right?!  Well, here's a dessert that can be done ahead of time {like the day before} and is super sexy to boot!   Dripping cherry ice cream cone covered with creamy chocolate, oh yeah.  Sign.  Me.  Up.

This week's 'Best of the Web', Chocolate Dipped Cherry Ice Cream Cones by Bon Appetite.

photo and recipe courtesy Bon Appetite

Chocolate-Dipped cHERRY iCE cREAM CONES

INGREDIENTS

·         3 pints premium cherry ice cream.....I like Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia!

·         8 sugar cones

·         1 11.5-ounce package bittersweet chocolate chips.....I prefer milk chocolate

·         1/4 cup vegetable oil

·         2 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

·         1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted almonds

PREPARATION

·         Spoon some ice cream into 1 cone, packing gently to fill. Dip large (1/4 cup) round ice cream scoop into bowl of hot water. Scoop large mounded ball of ice cream onto cone, pressing gently. Stand cone in small glass; place in freezer. Repeat with remaining cones and ice cream, placing each cone in individual glass. Freeze 2 to 8 hours.

·         Place bittersweet chocolate and oil in small glass bowl. Microwave on medium-high until chocolate is melted, stopping occasionally to stir, about 1 1/2 minutes. Let stand just until cool, about 10 minutes. Place white chocolate in another small glass bowl; melt in microwave on medium-high, stopping occasionally to stir, about 1 minute.

·         Place nuts on plate. Working quickly and tilting bowl of bittersweet chocolate to form deep pool, dip ice cream end of cone into chocolate, turning to coat. Gently shake cone, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into bowl. Immediately roll bottom half of chocolate-dipped scoop in nuts. Dip fork into white chocolate; drizzle lines over top of cone. Place cone in glass; return to freezer. Repeat with remaining cones. Freeze 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cones in foil; keep frozen.

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Healthier Caramelized Onion, Gruyere & Bacon Dip

I could snack my way through the day without really eating a full meal...especially on party days like this upcoming Super Bowl Sunday.  I also like to cut calories when at all possible without giving up on flavor.  Check out what I found for the 'Best of the Web' for this week!

Cooking Light's, Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Dip.  Lower in fat, I'm confident this dip will leave you completely satisfied without sacrificing any flavor...

Serve with your favorite crusty bread, crackers or chips.

photo courtesy Cooking Light

Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Dip

Ingredients

·         Cooking spray

·         3 1/2 cups chopped onion 

·         2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded and divided

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided

·         1/3 cup canola mayonnaise 

·         1/3 cup fat-free sour cream 

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon black pepper

·         3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled 

·        Directions

1.     1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2.     2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan lightly with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

3.     3. Reserve 2 tablespoons cheese. Combine remaining cheese, caramelized onion, 1 tablespoon chives, and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives.

Amount per serving

·         Calories: 101

·         Fat: 6.8g

·         Saturated fat: 1.9g

·         Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g

·         Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g

·         Protein: 4.2g

·         Carbohydrate: 5.3g

·         Fiber: 0.7g

·         Cholesterol: 12mg

·         Iron: 0.2mg

·         Sodium: 236mg

·         Calcium: 97mg

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'BOTW' Lazy Sunday Easy Onion Frittata

I love eggs in the morning and when sauted onions are involved...they're even better.  I love this super easy Onion Frittata by Bon Appetite.  Perfect for a lazy Sunday.  Serve with a side of bacon and some buttered whole wheat toast with raspberry jam, OH My, come to mama.

photo and recipe courtesy Bon Appetite

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'BOTW' Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

Thanksgiving is just six days away......my favorite holiday of the year, by far, because all that's involved with it is eating, drinking, spending time with friends and family and reflecting and giving thanks for all the blessings we have in our lives.

My 'Best of the Web' for this week are these adorable marshmallow hats created with chocolate covered marshmallows, striped shortbread cookies, melted chocolate chips and some frosting.  Something to keep the kids busy while you're cooking the stuffing.

Picture and directions courtesy Spoonful.com

What you'll need

·         24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies

·         12-ounce package of chocolate chips

·         24 marshmallows

·         tube of yellow decorators' frosting

How to make it

1.     Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.

2.     Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.

3.     One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.

4.     Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.

5.     Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

Evergreen Enterprises 3FP40023 Handpainted Turkey Plate (Google Affiliate Ad)

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Personalized Pumpkin Pie ~ "BOTW"

My "Best of the Web" this Friday is this personalized pumpkin pie.  Your kids will totally get into this and they may even eat some of it because it also involves chocolate chips!

photo and recipe courtesy Family Fun Disney

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz. pkg. refrigerated piecrust
• 1 16-oz. can packed pumpkin
• 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips {optional}

Directions

1.     Heat the oven to 375 degrees, then begin making the turkey handprint for the pie. Trace your child's handprint on a piece of lightweight cardboard, then cut it out to create a stencil. Place the stencil over one of the circles of pie dough and cut around it, adding turkey feet to the bottom of the hand.

2.     Place the cutout on a nonstick baking sheet. Brush with water and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

3.     Next, place the remaining circle of pie dough in a 9-inch glass pie pan. Press the crust firmly against the sides and bottom of the pan. Crimp the edges.

4.     In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and apple pie spice. Mix until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips, if desired.

5.     Pour the mixture into the piecrust and bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean (except for melted chocolate).

6.     Place the baked turkey cutout in the center of the pie and allow the pie to cool before serving. Makes one 9-inch pie.

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'BOTW' Ideas for leftover Halloween Candy

Halloween has come and gone and all that's left is five pounds of candy that you don't want your kids to eat, right?

What do you do?

Do you tell them to pick out 10 things and confiscate the rest?
Do you turn it in to your local dentist that is hosting a candy buying program?
Do you set it out on the front porch for the Halloween Candy Fairy to snatch and leave a present in return?

Or, do you bake with it?

My 'Best of the Web' for this week will, hopefully, help you to decide...

Photo and recipes courtesy of Babble.....check out the great baking ideas here!

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Last Minute Halloween Dinner~Mummy Dogs

Halloween night is hurried, busy and non-stop evening for most families.  Definitely a good idea to fill the tummies with something other than all the candy that's laying around before the trick-or-treating begins.  I found this Pillsbury recipe online today that I know my kids would love.....

Mummy Dogs.

recipe and photo courtesy Pillsbury

Super easy to make and great finger food to serve.  Pair it with some 'Witches Brew' punch and some carrot sticks and dip and you're ready for a night of trick-or-treating.

Mummy Dogs

Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet

2 ½ slices American cheese, quartered (2.5 oz)

10 large hot dogs

   Cooking spray

   Mustard or ketchup, if desired

Directions: 

·         1 Heat oven to 375°F.

·         2 If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations    to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.

·         3 With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).

·         4 Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like "bandages," stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for "face." On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray.

·         5 Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on "face."

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