Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Hearts

This recipe is from Mommy's Kitchen and oh how wonderful these little Reeses Peanut Butter Cup tasting hearts are! I made them to give to some friends for Valentines wishes and ended up sending all the rest to work with my husband for his co-workers - these were just to good to leave sitting around (I would have eaten them all and that would not have been good - well it would have been good just not good for my waistline). My kids of course absolutely loved these too.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Hearts

2 cups peanut butter (or a 16 oz jar)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3-5 cups powdered sugar
2, 12 oz bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons shortening


In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the peanut butter and softened butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar by the cupful until dough resembles play-doh. It should not stick to your hands at all and you should be able to easily form a ball with the mixture. Sprinkle a flat surface with powder sugar and roll out peanut butter mixture to about a 1/2" thickness (if dough is too sticky to roll out put it back in the mixer and mix in more powdered sugar - I had to do this). Cut out heart shapes with a cookie cutter and place peanut butter hearts onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper. Freeze for 1 hour.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. If needed microwave another 30 seconds until chocolate is completely melted and smooth and almost a runny consistency.

Remove 1 cookie sheet of peanut butter hearts at a time from freezer (it's best to dip them while they are good and frozen). With a large fork place hearts into the melted chocolate, turn over to coat and lift out tapping against side of bowl to shake off excess chocolate, slide chocolate covered hearts onto wax paper covered cookie sheets. Repeat this process until all the hearts are coated then place cookie sheets into the freezer to harden chocolate. Remove from freezer and cut excess chocolate away from the edges with a sharp knife and place hearts into candy boxes or an air tight container.

**I added the pink tinted white chocolate to the tops to make them festive. Just melt some white chocolate, add red food coloring until desired color is achieved, then scoop chocolate into a ziplock bag, snip corner with scissors and drizzle pink tinted chocolate over the hearts and let harden in the freezer before packaging.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

This is another yummy yummy chicken recipe!! My husband really liked this one and so did I. The bacon wrapped around it helps keep the chicken nice and moist and give a great flavor. This is also a great recipe because I usually have these ingredients on hand and it was quick and easy to put together. We had it with spinach salad and homemade crescent rolls.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 strips of bacon for each chicken breast
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, basil, and salt. Coat chicken completely on both sides with mixture. Wrap 2 strips of bacon around each chicken breast and secure with a few toothpicks. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (I use a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked through).

Crockpot Tangy Honey Chicken

This chicken was really good! The chicken, the sauce, everything. We had it over brown rice with roasted asparagus and everyone gobbled it up. So yay for a new chicken and crockpot recipe!

Crockpot Tangy Honey Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crockpot. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours. Remove chicken from crockpot, cut into bite-size pieces and return to crockpot tossing in sauce. Serve over rice.

Au Gratin Potatoes

I adapted this recipe from the "Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes" recipe on allrecipes.com. It turned out very tasty and I love the fact that it is a "from scratch" recipe without processed ingredients. Though it takes a little more time to make than a boxed au gratin potato mix, it is definitely worth it.

Au Gratin Potatoes

4 large russet potatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
fresh ground pepper
4 1/2 tablespoons butter
4 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk (whole milk is best for a creamy sauce)
2 1/4 cups shredded sharp white cheddar
3/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese (a little less than 1/2 cup)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 3 quart casserole dish or a 9x13 baking pan.

Peel potatoes and slice into 1/4" slices or cut the potatoes into quarters lengthwise then cut long potato quarters into 1/4" pieces so that you end up with triangular potato pieces (I like to cut it this way for texture, but the picture above is from a time that I just sliced the potatoes). Place the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil; boil for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Add chopped onion and saute until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Place onion/garlic mixture in a bowl to cool and set aside.

In a saucepan melt 4 1/2 tablespoons butter. Add flour, salt , and cayenne pepper; cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk slowly. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened and come to a boil. Add shredded cheese and parmesan and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Place half of the potato pieces on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the onion/garlic mixture and pour over a little less than half of the cheese sauce. Layer the remaining potatoes,then onions/garlic mixture and then top with the remaining cheese sauce, spreading cheese sauce so that it covers all of the potatoes. Cover with foil that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

While potato casserole is baking combine bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons butter and stir with a fork until well combined. After casserole has baked for 1 hour and 30 minutes remove and sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over casserole. Bake for 5 more minutes or until browned on top.

Hungarian Goulash

This recipe is the real deal. Authentically goulashy with nary a elbow macaroni in sight nor does it have any ground beef in it. Real Hungarian goulash. Yum. I got this recipe from America's Test Kitchen. You can always trust an America's Test Kitchen recipe to turn out fabulous and this one is no exception. The beef is tender and the sauce is flavorful. I'm really glad I put the work in on this one, though man I burned my eyes out chopping all those onions!

Hungarian Goulash

3-4 lb beef roast (chuck or chuck-eye is good), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
salt
1/3 cup sweet paprika (really important to use sweet paprika for an authentic taste)
1, 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 large onions, finely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon crushed bay leaves
1 can beef broth
1/4 cup sour cream
black pepper to taste

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Place beef cubes in a bowl and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile place drained red peppers, paprika, tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons vinegar into a food processor or blender and process until smooth, scraping sides to make sure all the paprika gets mixed in. Scrape this mixture into a bowl and set aside.

In an oven safe dutch oven (I use an enamel covered dutch oven) combine oil, onions, and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook over medium heat, stirring for about 8-10 minutes, or until onions are softened but not browned. Stir in paprika mixture and cook for about 2 minutes. Add beef, carrots, and bay leaves. Stir until beef is well coated. Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the pot. Cover pot and transfer to the oven.

Cook for 2- 2 1/2 hours or until meat is almost tender, stirring every 30 minutes. Add enough beef broth so that the surface of the liquid is 1/4 inch from the top of the meat (don't stir the broth in). Return to oven and cook until a fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Stir in sour cream, season with black pepper and serve over buttered egg noodles.

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

Ooh ooh! This hot fudge is so so good! We had it for dessert tonight on top of Costco's Kirkland vanilla ice cream (that stuff is the best!). Mmmmmm....


Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

1, 12 oz package chocolate chips, can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet or dark (about 2 cups)
1 , 12 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan combine chocolate chips, milk, butter, and powdered sugar. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Take off heat and allow to sit for 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla and allow to cool and thicken a few minutes before serving over ice cream.

*I stored my leftover sauce in a canning jar in the fridge. To reheat simpley remove lid and microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until sauce is hot.

Montly Menu Plan (Feb 1st - March 14th)

I'm finally getting around to doing another menu plan. As always my menu is very subject to change (sometimes I want to make something different or try a new recipe suddenly) but I like writing it out to have a blueprint to work from. "FFY" means fend for yourself night which means leftovers, breakfast, going out, whatever. Recipes I am looking forward to trying in the next six weeks are the Bacon Wrapped Chicken, Hungarian Goulash, and Pineapple Coleslaw. I'll keep you posted on all the good ones.


Feburary

1. Chicken Enchiladas (freezer meal), Refried Beans, and Corn; FHE Treat: Ginger Snaps
2. Broccoli Cheese Soup and Potato Rolls
3. Turkey Sloppy Joes on Potato Rolls, Red Potato Salad, and Grapes
4. Beefy Macaroni and Broccoli
5. FFY
6. Pizza
   
7. BBQ Meatballs (freezer meal), Parmesan Smashed Potatoes, and Roasted Asparagus
8. Chili (freezer meal) over Baked Potatoes, and Caesar Salad; FHE Treat: Brownies
9. Chicken Spaghetti and Green Beans
10. Crockpot Ham and Navy Bean Soup and Cornbread
11. Hungarian Goulash, Egg Noodles, and Buttered Peas
12. Pizza
13. FFY
14. Valentines Day! Spaghetti and Meatballs, Caesar Salad, and Hot Fudge Pudding Cake with Ice Cream
15. Lentil Stew and Bread Sticks; FHE Treat: Peach Cobbler
16. Chicken a la King (freezer meal) and Quick Carrots
17. Taco Night
18. Crockpot Honey Sauced Chicken, Brown Rice, and Veggies
19. Pizza
20. FFY
21. Bacon Wrapped Chicken, Spinach Salad, and Crescent Rolls
22. Beef Enchiladas (freezer meal), Spanish Rice, and Corn; FHE Treat: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
23. Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and Wheat Rolls
24. L's Freezer Meal (from my freezer meal swap)
25. Pistachio Pesto Penne, No-Knead Artisan Bread, and a Green Salad
26. Pizza
27. FFY
28. Crockpot Russian Roast, Rice and Veggies

March

1. Spaghetti and Meatsauce (freezer meal) and Salad; FHE Treat: Chocolate Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Frosting
2. Chicken Cordon Blue (freezer meal), Wild Rice Pilaf, and Veggies
3. Crockpot Pulled Pork on Wheat or Potato Rolls, Pineapple Coleslaw, and Potato Chips
4. M's Freezer Meal
5. Pizza
6. FFY
7. Oven Chicken and Quick Carrots
8. Nachos (freezer meal) and Salad; FHE Treat: Scotcharoos
9. Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole or Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole, Rice and Veggies
10. J's Freezer Meal
11. BBQ Meatballs (freezer meal), Mashed Red Potatoes, and Veggies
12. Pizza
13. FFY
14. Guy's Mac and Cheese, Homemade Applesauce, and Veggies