O-O-REO!

Ready for something awesome?

Something that will make your taste buds dance and sing?

Something so rich you will need a gallon of milk to survive the next bite?

Oreo Truffles
AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 32 oz package Oreos
2 bags chocolate chips {can also use 16 oz semi sweet baking chocolate}

Crush 9 Oreos into fine crumbs using a food processor or a ziploc bag and a rolling pin. I used the rolling pin. Set aside. Crush the remaining 36 Oreos into fine crumbs {again using whichever method you prefer} and put in a large bowl with cream cheese and mix until there are no more loose crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll Oreo/cream cheese mixture into 1 inch balls {I bought some latex gloves for this part, made it a LOT easier} and place on a baking sheet covered in wax paper. Insert a toothpick into each ball and refrigerate {or freeze} for an hour.

Now, the original recipe is what I followed for dipping them in chocolate. It was a nightmare. That's what reviews are for though! Everyone said to add 1 Tbsp shortening to thin the chocolate and make it easier to get a nice, even coating. Melt chocolate and shortening using a double boiler {don't have one? put a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water. make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl} until completely melted and smooth. Using the handy toothpicks, dip each truffle in chocolate, roll in reserved Oreo crumbs and place on wax papered baking sheet.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes, remove toothpicks and Voila! Gourmet lookin' {and tastin'} truffles! Store covered in fridge and eat at your own leisure. I've got a plate of 'em next to me with some Grey's Anatomy on Netflix

Bon bons and a chick flick ;)

♥ K8

Lemon Cheesecake Pie

I've been dying for a great slice of cheesecake, but being Rexburg, there is none to be found.

So I found a great recipe in a cookbook I got at Ross for $11.00 4 years ago:

4 Ingredient Cookbook

The recipe in the book had cherry pie filling for the topping, but I'm not a huge cherry pie filling fan.

Mine is topped with...

Yup.

Strawberries.
{we're drowning in strawberries over here}

Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients:

1 {8 oz} package of cream cheese softened
1 {14 oz} can sweetened condensed milk {NOT evaporated milk}
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 graham cracker crust {I buy mine pre-made}
1 can cherry pie filling {or 8 medium/large strawberries}

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into graham crust and chill for 3 hours.

To serve: Top with cherry pie filling or sliced strawberries. You can also use any pie filling or fresh fruit. This would also make a great filling for a fruit tart!





♥ K8

More Strawberries

I don't have pictures of the recipe right now, but I'll throw some up here later.

We have a little garden behind our town home that husband has been meticulously caring for all spring/summer. Our landlord started it and then moved out leaving behind large strawberry plants.

These strawberry plants are ridiculous. We HAVE to pick strawberries every day or they rot. It's not just one or two berries a day either.


Every 2 or 3 days we have a FULL gladware container!

I've been trying to eat them and use them as much as possible before they go bad, but we still end up giving quite a few away to friends and neighbors.

I wanted ice cream yesterday, but all we had was boring vanilla with no toppings. So I got creative.

Strawberry Ice Cream/Milkshakes

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries rinsed and de-stemmed
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups vanilla ice cream

put it all in a blender and blend until all the ice cream is pink. If you want chunks of strawberries, put the ice cream in first with the strawberries on top and pulse on low until combined. It'll be like soft serve ice cream, but you can put it in the freezer to harden it back up. If you want milkshakes, add milk until you get the consistency you want.

If you live in Rexburg and want some strawberries, be our guest! I'm getting sick of 'em!

♥ K8

Strawberries 'N' Cream

It's June (almost July) and that means Strawberry Season!

Strawberries are so versatile and delicious. They're in my top five fave fruits.

You can put them in salads, jams, pies, cakes, ice cream, white meat marinades, smoothies, just about anything.

And they're pretty!

This is one of my favorite summertime desserts and its really pretty simple to make and inexpensive.

Whats better than cheap and easy?

Cheap, easy and TASTY!
Grilled Strawberries with Custard
makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

16 medium to large strawberries, washed and de-stemmed
cinnamon and sugar
wooden skewers

While strawberries are still wet, roll them in cinnamon sugar and place 4 deep on a skewer. Grill on medium heat for 45-60 seconds each side.

Custard Ingredients:

2 cups vanilla ice cream
4 egg yolks

Heat ice cream in saucepan on stove until hot. Beat egg yolks. Slowly temper egg yolks with ice cream. Return to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat (about a 4) until thickened.
**NOTE** if you cook it too hot it turns into vanilla scrambled eggs. not good. if you temper it too fast it turns into vanilla scrambled eggs. not good.

Pop strawberries off skewers into bowls and ladle custard on top. I like to sprinkle a little nutmeg on top for "prettiness".




♥ K8

Sweet Tooth Tuesday

Ever have a craving for something so sickly sweet you just smell it and you have a cavity?

Yeah. Me too.

That's how I feel about Cinnabon. I call my dentist and let him know I'm about to eat a Cinnabon and he pencils me in for the next morning.

I don't have a recipe for Cinnabon, but I have something pretty darn close that is faster and easier to make.

Cinnabon Tortillas

Flour tortillas
Butter
Sugar
Cinnamon
Mini marshmallows

Generously butter one side of a tortilla and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, top with marshmallows and roll up taquito style. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds.
You can experiment to find your ideal balance of sugar and cinnamon, for me I like more cinnamon than sugar.

CAUTION: filling will be HOT and eating more than one will result in a destroyed diet.

Devour.

You're welcome.

♥ K8