Ultimate Pretzel Bark (with bacon!)

Don't forget to click here to enter to win a $100 Carrabba's Gift Card and to read my review of Carrabba's Italian Grill.

I made a batch of Oreo truffles today for a co-worker and had some leftover chocolate. In my eyes it is a sin to let perfectly good chocolate go to waste, so I did a mental scan of all the stuff I had in my cupboards. I had some pretzel chips, craisens, and almonds, so I knew I could make something very yummy.


So this is what I did:

I poured some pretzel chips into the mixing bowl with the melted chocolate and stirred the mixture up until the pretzels were completely covered with chocolate.

I then poured the mixture out on some wax paper. I spread it out so it would dry in one piece, but it wasn't in a thick clump.

Then I sprinkled craisens on top.

I had toasted the slivered almonds on a cookie sheet in the oven until they were slightly browned. I then sprinkled the toasted almonds on top of the craisens.

Now get this.....I had some crumbled bacon in my fridge that was left over from dinner, so I sprinkled that on top of half of the bark. Oh weird....but yummy!



Then I melted some white chocolate in a baggie, cut off the tip and drizzled the white chocolate over all of the bark. BEAUTIFUL!

Put the bark in the fridge to harden, break it up and serve!

I also made some white chocolate bark with toasted almonds, craisens and broken pretzel chips on top.

Weigh in Week 4 and Mint Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

It was weigh in day today and I was happy with my two pound weight loss. That makes 14 pounds for the month! This week I really need to focus more on strength training. I need to build muscle to really wake up my metabolism.

Enough about that! Today was weigh in day, but do you know what that means? It is also CHEAT DAY!!



For my cheat day I made one of my favorite cakes. A Mint Chocolate Bundt Cake. One slice is all it takes to satisfy me and that is saying a lot! You have got to try this!

Mint Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Ingredients

1 chocolate cake box mix
1 small box of instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sour cream
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. mint extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the pan properly before baking the cake. Using a pastry brush, coat the Bundt pan with solid vegetable shortening. Make sure that you have greased the entire pan thoroughly, including all of the nooks and crannies.

2.Dust the pan lightly with flour. Tap the pan with the palms of your hand to distribute the flour evenly throughout the Bundt pan. Turn the pan over to remove any excess flour. Regrease and reflour any areas of the pan where the flour did not stick.

3. Combine chocolate chips and mint extract in a small bowl. Stir until chocolate chips are covered with extract. Let sit.

4. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat with mixer for 2 minutes. Fold in minted chocolate chips. Pour into prepared bundt pan.

5. Place pan in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Just before the cake is finished baking, place a folded bathroom towel in the kitchen sink. Saturate the towel with steaming water. When the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on top of the towel, pan side down, and let it sit for 10 seconds.

7. To unmold the cake, immediately invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Use care as the cake will be very hot.

If the cake starts to break apart before it's out of the pan, allow the cake to cool in the pan for an additional 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a rubber spatula or plastic knife. Try to unmold the cake again, using the same steam-removal method.

8. Let cake cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Mom's Sticky Orange Rolls

Do you have a recipe that defines you? You know, the recipe that you always get asked to make for the family gathering. Or the recipe that everyone wants after eating at your house?
I think that this is my mom's defining recipe. And she is the Queen of the Orange Roll!

It has been about 9 years since I have made these rolls, because my first attempt was such a disappointment. They were dense and didn't rise very well. They just weren't, well....Mom's.

I went into making these rolls with much more confidence. I've been on a mission to master (well, master is a strong word) ummmmm, become competent in the world of yeast breads. Let's just say that I have been practicing a lot. Mostly with recipes that I have found on many awesome blogs.

Things started out great, but my fears always come when adding the flour. I kept saying to myself: Self control Melody. Don't add too much. This is where you messed up last time! So I added just enough flour until the dough started pulling away from the edge of the mixing bowl. I turned the dough out on the floured surface and I was scared of another failure because the dough was very sticky when I was trying to knead it. I decided that I would just let it rise and see what happens. Well, it turned out to be a very good dough to roll out and the rolls turned out light and fluffy and yes...very "mom"like. PHEW!!!

Now that I have had a victory, I think I will make these more often and maybe become the East Coast version of my wonderful mom!

Oh! To enter my giveway click here. Giveaway ends on March 4th at 10pm Pacific time.

Sticky Orange Rolls

Ingredients:

For dough:
2 packages of dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
9 cups flour, divided
2 cups warm milk
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons salt

For orange sauce:
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
Grated rind of 1 orange

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl or mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 4 cups of flour, milk, shortening, sugar, eggs and salt: beat for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. (I usually stop adding flour when the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl).

Turn dough onto a floured board: knead lightly. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2-3 hours.

Punch dough down: divide into 6 equal parts. Roll each into a circle. Spread orange mixture on each circle and cut each circle into 8-10 pie shaped wedges. Roll each wedge from wide edge to tip and place on baking sheet with point side down. I like to space them pretty close together so that the edges stay soft.

Let dough rise until doubled and bake in 375 degree oven for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

When cooled drizzle with a glaze of orange juice and powdered sugar.

To freeze uncooked rolls: Place rolls on baking sheet and freeze. When frozen, place in freezer bags and keep frozen until needed. To bake: Place on greased baking sheets and thaw, covered for 5 hours or until doubled in size. Bake as above.

Hershey With Almonds Pie

This is how I show my love.....chocolate. This is rich, creamy and decadent love.

Hershey with Almonds Pie

3 Big Hershey with Almonds bars (you know, the ones that are super sized)
12 oz. of Cool Whip
Oreo cookie crust

Melt the chocolate bars and let cool slightly. Fold 12 oz. Cool Whip into melted chocolate. Mix until it is fully combined. Pour into prepared Oreo cookie crust. Place in freezer and let set for at least 4 hours.

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Pretzel Scotchmallow

I grew up in Southern California. I now live in the East. Do you know one of the things I miss?

I miss going to the mall with my parents and them saying that they "need" something at See's Candies. Have you ever tried See's? Oh....it is perfection!

We would go in the bright white and black shop and choose a piece of chocolate to take home. When I was much younger, I would always get a chocolate or butterscotch lollipop. But as my taste buds matured and I branched out, I discovered the Scotchmallow. Chewy caramel and fluffy marshmallow enveloped in thick dark or milk chocolate. Heaven!

So, since I don't get to See's very easily anymore, I decided that I better learn to make my own scotchmallows.

What you need if you want to make the whole recipe: (100 +)

I just made the caramel and made the pretzel scotchmallows, chocolate caramel pretzel bites, and with the extra caramel I cut it in bite size pieces and wrapped them in wax paper. This caramel goes a long way!

caramel ingredients

small pretzels (1 bag)

2 bags of big marshmallows cut in half (stood them up and cut with scissors through the middle)

(5 bags) chocolate candy coating like Wilton or melted chocolate chips

Decorations to put on top

Here is how it is done:

1. Make a batch of this caramel.

2. Pour it into (2) 9"X13" glass casserole dishes and put in refrigerator to cool completely.

3. Place pretzels on wax paper on cookie sheet.

4. Cut a piece of caramel to fit on top of the the pretzel. The caramel is soft, so the pretzel is needed to corral it and keep it from spreading as it softens.

5. Place a cut marshmallow on top of the caramel topped pretzel.

6. Repeat with as many pretzels and marshmallows as you need.

7. Place cookie sheets in freezer or fridge to firm up again.

8. Melt chocolate until smooth in a deep bowl. I use my Pyrex 4 cup class measuring cup.

9. Use a toothpick to pierce the top of a marshmallow and pick up the candy. Dip in the melted chocolate. Don't worry about getting the top completely covered.

10. Have some wax paper laid out on another cookie sheet.

11. Use another toothpick to help free the candy and place it on the waxed paper to harden.

12. Dip a spoon in some chocolate and use it to cover the top of the marshmallow.

13. Decorate immediately if you are using sprinkles so the chocolate doesn't harden.

14. Store in the refrigerator.

This looks like a lot of steps, but believe me. They are worth it! It's nice too, to be able to use one recipe to make a variety of things. I'm going to make the caramel one more time to make this awesome gooey popcorn.

Happy candy making!!!!

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bites

I just love this basic caramel recipe.

Caramel

1c. Karo syrup
1c. Brown sugar
1c. White sugar
1 stick of butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Put ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium heat and stir until melted and combined. Bring to a boil and stir for five minutes. Be careful to keep stirring so that it doesn't start to burn on the bottom of the pan.

Here is a variation on these chocolate caramel pretzel rods. Instead of rods, I sandwiched the caramel between two of the "snap" pretzels that look like rectangles.


I put the caramel in a squirt bottle for condiments to make it less messy.

After loading the pretzels with caramel, put on a top pretzel and place the cookie sheets in the fridge to set up for at least 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate and dip the pretzel sandwiches and place on wax paper and set.

This batch of caramel will make A TON of pretzel bites! You can also use it to make gooey popcorn balls.

And see those other candies with the red, white and green candy discs on top? I'll show you those in a day or so. They are worth the wait!

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies

I started off innocently wanting to make Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies, but I had a "drizzle" relapse and ended up making Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I am off the wagon, but if the result is making these soft, thin mint tasting, cookies..... I never want to get back on!

Make these for your Christmas cookie platters and they will be sure to please!



Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 7 minutes or until cooked through. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 5 dozen cookies.

Drizzle Instructions:

1/2 bag of Hershey's mint chocolate chips
1/2 bag of White chocolate chips

1. Place mint and white chips in individual sandwich zip bags. Place mint chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove bag and squeeze the bag to melt the chips. Place in microwave for another 15 seconds and squeeze until the chips are melty. If the chips are not completely melted, microwave for 15 seconds until all the chips are melted.

2. Cut a small hole in the corner of the zip bag and drizzle chocolate over the cooled cookies. Place in fridge to harden. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with with the white chips.

Be sure to visit my review blog, Cheat Day News and Reviews, for my review of Pepperidge Farm New Petite Treats and the recipe for my guilt free, deconstructed apple pie. Leave a comment for your chance to win a $150 spa gift card!

Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods

I decided to repost this awesome treat since many of us are starting to plan the special homemade gifts we would like to give for holidays. Your friends and family will sing your praises when you make them these!

I have had some questions about the Candy Quick that I used to cover the pretzel rods. Candy Quick is a big hunk of chocolate that is great for melting. I found mine at Wal-Mart above the chocolate chips. It is in red packaging. You could also use any other chocolate to cover the pretzels such as chocolate chips or Wilton candy melts which is found at craft stores. If you use chocolate chips or the Wilton candy melts, I would buy two bags to be safe.

Also, if the chocolate seems kind of thick after it is melted, you can add a tablespoon of vegetable oil or shortening to thin it out. Just add the oil or shortening, put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and then stir. If you want it thinner, add a bit more.

I hope that clears up any questions! :)




Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods

Things to get:
Pretzel rods (recipe makes about 50!)
Whole package of Chocolate candy quick (found at Wal-Mart)
Vanilla candy melts to drizzle (optional)
Caramel ingredients

First make a batch of caramel:

1c. Karo syrup
1c. Brown sugar
1c. White sugar
1 stick of butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk


Put first 5 ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium heat and stir until melted and combined. Bring to a boil and stir for five minutes. Be careful to keep stirring so that it doesn't start to burn on the bottom of the pan. Take caramel off the burner after 5 minutes.

Put the hot caramel in a deep container. I used my Pyrex 4 cup measuring cup.

Prepare a couple cookie sheets lined with wax paper.

Dip pretzel rod in caramel, about 3/4 of the way and let it drip off any excess caramel. Then lay the rod on the cookie sheet.

Repeat with remaining pretzels.

Put cookie sheets in the fridge to help set up caramel.

Once caramel is set, lift up each pretzel rod off the wax paper and mold caramel around the rod since it will puddle on the sides as it cools.

Prepare the cookie sheets again with new pieces of wax paper.

Melt chocolate in a deep container and dip caramel covered pretzel rods.

Place chocolate covered pretzel rods on cookie sheets and place in fridge to set up.

In a zip lock baggie, melt the vanilla candy melts in the microwave. When completely melted, cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle the chocolate on the rods.

Place back into the fridge to set up.

Tip: I ran out of pretzel rods before I ran out of caramel and chocolate. So I put the caramel in a greased glass 8x8 and made some yummy soft caramel squares. I also put some dry roasted peanuts in the leftover melted chocolate and spooned in out on wax paper for some yummy peanut clusters. I'm just like the Indians. I don't let anything go to waste. Especially chocolate!


Well, I hope these turn out for you. They are a lot of work but so very worth it! Enjoy!

Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich

This was the result of having a cookie attack and having some cream in my fridge that I didn't want to go to waste. Yeah....that's right.....it was just sitting there....and I HAD to use it. I wouldn't want it to go bad or anything. So I made some ultra creamy, deliciously dreamy, peanut butter chocolate chip ice cream. So good!

Oh! And look what I did last week.

I made over 150 Oreo truffles for a wedding reception. Call me sick, but I really enjoyed making these.

Back to the ice cream sandwiches.

I got the cookie recipe from Risa at Baked Perfection and the ice cream from Katrina at Baking and Boys. Thanks guys!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 package vanilla instant Jell-O Pudding (not prepared)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, package of vanilla pudding mix, and dash of cinnamon. In a second larger bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Recipe makes between 4 and 5 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

¾ cup smooth peanut butter

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 2/3 cups half-and-half

Pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups mini chocolate chips

Puree the peanut butter, sugar, half-and-half, salt, and vanilla in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After churning, stir in chocolate chips.

South Dakota

As if that is your real name.......

Yes, South Dakota is the real name of this amazing simple yet unforgettable dessert. The only reason I can think of for this ridiculous name is that it reminded someone of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Now I've got that song stuck in my head from Doris Day's movie Calamity Jane. I am a big fan of classic movies and musicals and this is one of my favorites. Enjoy this little tribute:


Funny name aside, this is an all time favorite dessert of my growing up years and now. I remember helping my mom in the kitchen, breaking up the angel food cake and sneaking a few morsels here and there. Ahhhh, memories.....

I better stop now before I post a video from "Cats!" Enjoy!

South Dakota

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

3T. sugar

2 T. water

4 eggs

1 c. heavy cream

1 large angel food cake

Melt chocolate chips, sugar and water on low heat and let cool. Add four egg yolks, one at a time and beat well after each addition. If you are afraid of using raw egg yolks, this step can be omitted. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture. Whip cream and also fold into chocolate mixture.

Break angel food cake into medium sized peices and spread 1/2 in 9 x 13 dish.

Spoon 1/2 of the chocolate mixture over 1st layer.

Top with remaining angel food cake peices and pour remaining chocolate over top.

Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Can be cut into squares or made individually in parfait glasses.

Oreo Cake

This week we celebrated my husband's birthday with this delicious cake. I usually ask him what he wants for his birthday cake, but this year I already knew what I wanted to make. I showed him this delicious Oreo cake with chocolate frosting I wanted to make for him that I found on Julia's blog called Dozen Flours.

You know what he said? He said, "I don't want chocolate frosting." Are you kidding me???? He actually was more in the mood for the frosting that I use on my Butterfinger cake. So, since it was his birthday, I decided that I better make an effort to make what he wanted. But, I still wanted to try that Oreo Cake, so I had to make some changes.

The only change I really had to make was that instead of the white cake mix, I went for the Devil's Food Cake mix so that there would be a real contrast of flavors between cake and frosting. I also thought this cake would be great with my Cookies and Cream Frosting, but again....I had to honor the birthday boy's wishes!

I also was able to use the cake stand that was my Grandma's. It is so pretty with the scalloped edge and the floral etching. But my favorite thing about it is the little peice of tape on the base with her name, written in her own handwriting. I miss my Grandma....

Oreo Cake

For the cake:

Enough Oreos to equal 2 1/4 cups of chocolate cookie crumbs (about 24)
1 package (18oz) of devil's food cake mix with pudding in the mix
1 cup water (room temperature)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray two 9" cake pans with Pam for baking or grease with shortening and dust evenly with flour, tapping out the excess. Set the pans aside.

Grind the cookies in a food processor and process them until you have a fine crumb. You'll need 2 1/4 cups of crumbs total.

Place the cake mix, water, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bowl and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 2 minutes. Add the cookie crumbs and mix on low for 15 seconds or so until all the crumbs look evenly distributed.

Pour the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops. Bake both pans in the oven, side by side, and bake about 25-30 minutes until a cake tester in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans and invert onto the rack. Then invert each cake again so they continue to cool right-side-up. Allow to cool completely 30 minutes more.

For the frosting:

1 cube butter or margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Whipped Topping

Melt butter and mix with powdered sugar. Fold in whipped topping.

For assembly:

Slice each cake horizontally (if desired) so you have 4 layers of cake. Place a little bit of frosting on the bottom of your cake plate to keep the bottom layer from moving. Place one of the cake slices cut side up on the plate. Top with some frosting and smooth to about 1/2" from the edge. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 layers. Then frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the cake with reserved cookies, cookie crumbs or any way your heart desires.

This cake needs to be refrigerated. Enjoy!

Now....what am I going to make for MY birthday cake at the end of this month?

Incredibly Impressive Ice Cream Pie

Mmmmmm.......Ice cream pie!

Need I say more? Not really, but I will anyway.

This is one of my mom's signature desserts. You know...the one that us kids would ask for on our birthdays, when company came over, for Christmas dinner or pretty much any occasion that called for a special dessert.

I loved when she made this at Christmastime with peppermint stick ice cream on top and chocolate on the bottom. It was so pretty and festive for the holidays.

You know....I never liked fruit pies growing up and I think that this Ice Cream Pie is the reason. In my book, ice cream trumps fruit any day of the week!

Do you have a "signature" dessert or other type of food that you are known for? I'd love to know! In the mean time......I give you:

Ice Cream Pie (Makes 2 pies)

What you will need:

2 chocolate cookie crusts

(2) 1/2 gallons of ice cream (I usually put chocolate on the bottom and a different flavor on top)

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup whipping cream (not whipped)

Spoon 1/2 the container of chocolate ice cream in each pie crust. You might need to let the ice cream sit on the counter 5 minutes or so until it is soft before you scoop it into the crust. Put pies into the freezer to harden.

While pies are in the freezer make your chocolate sauce by putting your chocolate chips and whipping cream in a heavy sauce pan. Melt the chocolate until smooth and then let mixture cool to room temp.

Take pies out of the freezer and drizzle chocolate sauce over the 1st ice cream layer. Place back into the freezer to harden chocolate sauce.

When sauce is hardened, remove pies from freezer and spoon 2nd flavor of ice cream on top. I like to mound it more in the center so that it is kind of "dome" like. Drizzle with remaining chocolate sauce. Place in freezer to harden.


When hardened you can put it in a large Ziplock freezer bag to store. Your second pie can keep really well in the freezer until you need it. (if it lasts that long)

This time I put cookies and cream on my first pie and Moose Tracks on my second pie. I had some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on hand so I chopped them up and put them between the layers and on top of the Moose Tracks pie. It was delicious!

From my family to yours.....I hope you like it as much a we do!