Scrumptious Sunday #42 - Features

Apparently I am on a cookie kick!  You'll see why below :-)  And I'm always on a slow cooker kick (especially with hockey season...perhaps you've seen some of the recipes from my Slow Cooker Thursday series, such as Beef Barley Soup and Tuesday Tortilla Soup!).  I am super stoked about the new Crock-Pot that I recently received...there's a review coming next week :-)

Back to those cookies....this weekend I am SURE that oldest and I will be baking special cookies for Santa.  I've also got plans to make special Christmassy Rice Krispie Squares with all the treats that recently arrived from Kellogg's.  But I do need to come up with a good cookie idea...and there were lots to choose from in this week's Scrumptious Sunday! Thank you!

Please go visit all these hard-working bloggers and check out their recipes!

If you are featured, please grab a BUTTON and display it proudly!

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Here are this week's features:

 

34 Slow Cooker Soups, Stews and Chilis from Mommy's Sweet Confessions

 

 

My 10 Favorite Christmas Cookies from Hezzi D's Books and Cooks

 

 

Salted Caramel Coffee Toffee Cookies from The Better Baker

 

 

Chocolate Cookies stuffed with Vanilla Salted Caramel from DJ's Sugar Shack

 

 

Cinnamon Shortbread from With A Blast

 

 

All of these recipes will be pinned to my Pinterest account, posted on Twitter, and shared on Facebook!

Just a reminder, this week's Scrumptious Sunday Link Party goes live Saturday - at 8 pm PST. Can't wait to see what you bring to the party!

Scrumptious Sunday #40 and #41 - Features

Hello my friends...I know that I have been a little slow posting features this month...but I am happy to say that I am now on my Christmas break from work for the next 18 days...so I will be catching up on the blog when time allows (aka...during nap time! LOL).  I know, you get it!

What a month thay December has been.  Busy.  Lots of overtime at work.  Extra fun times at school - like our oldest son's first Christmas concert and first school dance :-)  Well, the dance is tomorrow, but I am pretty excited to go (parents get to go too!).  I am super lucky that my Mom is available to watch the toddler so that I can attend the dance (hubs has to work otherwise he would be there too).

Rather than making you wait any longer, I am super excited to share with you the features from Scrumptious Sunday #40 and #41.  There are some fantastic recipes here, I encourage you to go and check them out!

If you are featured, please grab a BUTTON and display it proudly, you've earned it!

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Scrumptious Sunday #40 - Features

My hubs will love this one:
Chipotle Sloppy Joes from Frugal Foodie Mama

And my sweet tooth is loving ALL of these!

Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from Pamela's Heavenly Treats

Gingerbread Mountain from The Jazzy Gourmet

Bounty Stuffed Snowballs from The Velvet Moon Baker

Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark from Inside BruCrew Life

 

Scrumptious Sunday #41 - Features

This is a great idea for a project with the kids!
Gingerbread Graham Cracker Houses from Pint Sized Baker

Last summer I was into making my own flavoured vodka...this one is perfect for the season!
Peppermint Vodka from Mary's Kitchen

And since I'm on a drink kick (I am enjoying a glass of Lake Breeze Pinot Gris as I work tonight)...this too sounds delicious!
Skinny Pomegranite Margarita from Call Me PMC

This cheesecake looks sinfully good...
White Chocolate Cheesecake from Winnish

And I love Sheryl's tribute to her Grandma :-)  and reminds me of both of my Grandmas
Gooey Cinnamon Rolls from Lady Behind the Curtain

 Stay tuned for the features from Scrumptious Sunday #42...those will be posted very shortly!

All of these recipes will be pinned to my Pinterest account, posted on Twitter, and shared on Facebook!

Just a reminder, this week's Scrumptious Sunday Link Party goes live Saturday - at 8 pm PST. Can't wait to see what you bring to the party!

Warm Gingerbread Pudding Cake

Hello everyone!  You are probably wondering, where did Slow Cooker Thursday go?!  Well, hockey is on hiatus until after Christmas, so we have our Thursdays back, and I've decided to take a break from Slow Cooker Thursday until the new year.  Instead...today you get this FABULOUS cake recipe...please read on, and enjoy!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is almost here.  Are you ready?  I'm nearly there.  My gingerbread kick continues, which is strange because as I've mentioned before, I am not a fan of molasses, which is in every gingerbread recipe I've seen.  However, when I found this recipe for "Warm Gingerbread Pudding Cake" I knew that I needed to try it.  The recipe had me at "Warm" :-)  I found the recipe in one of my favourite cookbooks, "Whitewater Cooks with Friends".  Here is the recipe:

1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature, slightly beaten
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Grease an 8 x 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt.  Mix well.

With your mixer, beat butter and sugar together until well combined.  Add in beaten egg, mix until just blended.

In a glass measuring cup or glass bowl, combine the molasses and warm water.  Stir to combine.

Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the molasses mixture, into the butter mixture.  Mix well.

Pour the batter into your greased dish.  Sprinkle (cover) with brown sugar.

Mix the 1 1/2 cups of hot water with the 5 tablespoons of butter.  Stir to melt the butter.  Very slowly, very carefully pour the water mixture over the cake batter.  Do not be afraid, you dish will look like a whole lot of water...but have faith!

Very carefully, place your dish in the oven.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.  When the top is cracked, the cake is done.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipping cream.

VERDICT:
We really enjoyed this cake.  Even me, the not-really-a-fan of molasses, I liked it too!  I loved the harder top layer and the ooey-gooey inside too.  It was quite comforting, and with the melted ice cream all over it...oh yes...very tasty!

Pistachio Cupcakes - Guest Post by Nichi at The Mandatory Mooch

Hello everyone!  My name is Nichi (sounds like Niki) and I blog over at The Mandatory Mooch.  I'm honored to be a guest here today....thanks, Dawn!!  Growing up I was always mooching food off of my dad. Hence my nickname "Mooch". To me there are certain foods out there that you just have to have...therefore, making them a "mandatory mooch" if someone has it.

Today I'm sharing my Pistachio Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting.  I hope you enjoy.  

Please stop on over any time and say hi!!
Blog~Facebook~Pinterest

I also host a weekly linky party Tasty Thursdays.  Hope to see you there.

18 cupcakes:


1 box of yellow cake mix & all ingredients that it calls for
1 box of pistachio pudding mix
few drops of green food coloring 
1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1. Combine cake mix and it's ingredients as packaging instructs.
2. Add in pudding mix and combine well. Mix in a few drops of green food coloring to enhance the pistachio pudding color. 
3. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full with batter.
4. Bake as directed on cake mix packaging.** may need to bake a few extra minutes, the pudding makes batter extra moist
5. Cool and frost.  Top with pecans.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:


1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Blend cream cheese and butter with mixer until creamy.
2. With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowls as needed.  
3. Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium.  Blend until frosting is fluffy.     

Source:  cupcakes "mooched" from www.shewearsmanyhats.com, frosting "mooched" from Martha Stewart 

7 Layer Cookies

A few months ago my oldest son and I entered a cooking/baking competition together through Better Together BC, and while we did not win the competition, we had a lot of fun making the video and baking together, and we still believe that we have a winner of a recipe :-) I've decided to share it with you here today!  These 7 Layer Cookies are so easy to prepare, it's a perfect project to do with the kids.  And it's also great as we plan ahead for our Christmas baking.  With a little preparation at the start by lining up all of the ingredients, this is an easy treat for the little ones to create.  Here is the recipe:

7 Layer Cookies (Source: The Kitchen is My Playground)

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup flaked coconut (I used unsweetened)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Melt butter and pour into 9 x 13 baking pan. Swirl around to ensure full coverage of the bottom of the pan.

Add each of the ingredients in layers, in the order that they appear on the recipe (graham cracker crumbs then coconut then chocolate chips, and so on).

Bake at 325° F for 28-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow the pan to cool completely before cutting into squares. Serve and enjoy!

Makes 24 bars. 

Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #42

Hello everyone! I sure hope this post finds you well.  And not too overwhelmed that we are less than 10 days to Christmas...eeks!

I don't know about you, but there seems to be so much happening all at once.  Important people feeling under the weather, prepping for the holidays, trying to create the magic for the kids and have some extra fun this time of year.

I have 3 days of work left for this calendar year, and I am so looking forward to the break :-)  A few weeks off at home with my children, hubby, extended family...and hopefully a little time to catch up on all things blog!

With out further delay...I am happy to say that Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party is LIVE for this week.  I would love for you to pop over and share some fantastic recipes!

Billion Dollar Bars - Guest Post from Libby from TwirlandTaste

Please join me in welcoming Libby from TwirlandTaste to Addicted to Recipes today!

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After a life as political and charity fundraiser and working in our family lawn, industrial and farm equipment business, I'm writing my second book. It's a book about entertaining, cooking and twirling with a focus on my native Tennessee.  Twirling is living life to the exponential! I adore pearls, champagne, homemade sweet pickle spears, caramel cake, fascinating people, and all God’s creatures, great and small. I’m honored to host the TwirlandTaste blog and through it have met so many wonderful cooks and interesting people from across the country. Please join us on PINTERST and Facebook if you’re so inclined. My sous chef and editor, Senator who is a white lab always by my side, and I always love hearing from you. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy this sweet holiday treat that could even put a smile on old Scrooge’s face.

TwirlandTaste Billion Dollar Bars

 

Bottom Chocolate Layer

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or half semi-sweet)

1/3 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup peanut butter

Melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a pan over low heat; stirring consistently. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13″ baking pan lightly coated with nonstick spray or lined with plastic wrap which is long enough to drape over sides of the pan. Spread mixture and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Nougat Layer

4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups marshmallow creme
1/3 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts (optional)
Melt butter over medium heat in pan; add sugar and evaporated milk; bring to a boil, and cook additional 5 minutes while stirring. Remove from the heat and add marshmallow creme and peanut butter. Pour over the bottom layer and gently spread mixture. If you use peanuts, scatter across the top. Place in the refrigerator for 15 - 30 minutes.

Caramel Layer

1 (14-ounce package) caramel candy
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon butter
Place the unwrapped caramel candy, butter, and cream in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the mixture has completely melted and is smooth. Pour in the pan and quickly spread over nougat layer.  Place in the refrigerator for 15 - 30 minutes.

Top Chocolate Layer

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or half semi-sweet)
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in a pan over low heat, stirring consistently. Pour over the caramel layer and spread. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares. Store in an air-tight container.
NOTE: I usually substitute peanut butter chips for the butterscotch in the top layer or half them in both layers. It’s up to you and insanely delicious either way.