Mocha Ice Cream Cupcakes (Rachel Ray)

Thanks Brenna for sharing! This looks so good. :)

 Ingredients

• One 12-count box sugar ice cream cones
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
• One 3-ounce bar semisweet chocolate, plus more for shavings
• 3 cups coffee ice cream, softened
• 1/2 cup chocolate-covered espresso beans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Get ahead
Freeze these mini cakes for up to three days.

Directions:

1. Using a food processor, grind the ice cream cones into fine crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the butter. Divide the crumb mixture among the cups of a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan and press about three-quarters of the way up the sides of each cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon almonds into each cup.
2. In a small, microwaveable bowl, melt 3 ounces chocolate at medium power in intervals, stirring occasionally. Top the almonds with the melted chocolate to cover. Freeze for 10 minutes.
3. Spoon about 2 tablespoons ice cream into each muffin cup. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped espresso beans onto the ice cream and flatten with the back of a spoon. Add another 2 tablespoons ice cream and the remaining almonds and flatten again. Add the remaining ice cream and espresso beans, and flatten. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
4. Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form.
5. Run a knife around the edges of the muffin cups to remove from the pan. Top the cakes with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

• 
  Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat to bring out their flavor.
• 
  Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture up the sides of the muffin pan.
   
• 
  Gently release the cupcakes from the pan with a kitchen knife.
   
• 
  Shave the chocolate with a vegetable peeler.

Pizza Dip (Closet Cooking)

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, grated
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 2 ounces pepperoni, sliced
• 2 tablespoons green pepper, sliced
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced

Directions

1. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream mayonnaise, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano and spread it across the bottom of a pie plate.
2. Spread the pizza sauce on top and sprinkle on the cheese, pepperoni, green pepper and olives.
3. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted, bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Menu Plan 8/8/11 - 8/19/11

Breakfast:

Muffins x2

Cerealx2

French Toast x2

French Toast Sticks x2

Bagels x2

Apple Bread x2

Lunch:

Deli Sandwiches/carrots/fruit/yogurt x2

Chicken salad/celery/fruit/yogurt x2

Pizza Rollups/carrots/fruit/yogurt x2

Chicken Club Wraps/celery/fruit/yogurt x2

Peanut Butter and Jelly/carrots/fruit/yogurt x2

Dinner:

8/8 - http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/07/best-whole-chicken-in-crock-pot.html/broccoli/sweet potatoes

8/9 - Bacon and Ham Quiche/mini blueberry muffins/fruit

8/10 - http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/05/tilapia-with-lemon-butter-sauce-joy.html/asparagus/rice

8/11 - Hamburgers and hot dogs/pasta salad

8/12 - Super Stuffed Shells/salad/bread

8/13 - http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/05/grilled-curried-shrimp-with-mango.html

8/14 - http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/02/crescent-chicken-aimees.html/green beans/ rice

8/15 - Fish Taco's/http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/07/grilled-corn-avocado-and-tomato-salad.html

8/16 - http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/03/chicken-ragu-rachel-ray.html/bread/salad

8/17 - http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/03/unstuffed-peppers-rachel-ray.html

8/18 - pizza

8/19 - Shrimp Po' Boys

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies (Picky Palate)

These are the BEST cookies!!!!

Ingredients:

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 bag Oreo Cookies, double stuff 
 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined.  Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
2.  In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.  Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie.  Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie.  Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough.  Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking.  Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!
Makes about 2 dozen 

Summer Salsa (Taste of Home)

Fresh Summer Salsa Recipe

This is our favorite homemade salsa recipe. It is great recipe to make if you have tons of tomatoes from your garden. 

Also, I recommend wearing gloves when you are cutting up the jalapeno pepper.

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium mango, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Crisco® Olive Oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Baked tortilla chip scoops

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients. Chill until serving. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 4 cups.

Menu Plan July 25, 2011 - July 31, 2011

I am only planning a one week menu plan. I have family in town so the next two menu plans will be different.

Breakfast:

Pancakes

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cereal

Bagels

Lunch:

Pizza

Deli wraps/pasta salad

Mac and Cheese/fruit

PB and J

Cheese quesadillas 

Dinner:

7/25 - Taco's/Homemade Mango Salsa

7/26 - Sweet and Sour Chicken (Aimee's)/rice

7/27 - Baked Ziti/bread/salad

7/28 - Balsalmic Chicken sandwiches/fruit/pasta salad

7/29 -Out for pizza :)

7/30 - Hamburgers/hotdogs/Paula Deens mac and cheese/veg

7/31 - Lunch -Crockpot Chicken/potatoes/carrots    Dinner- meatball subs/veg/fruit

The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 large chicken

Directions

1. Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
2. Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
4. Put prepared chicken on top of the onions in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid.
5. Cook for 4 – 5 hours (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone. Enjoy!