Breakfast Sandwiches

One weekend a couple of months ago we went to my in-laws cabin. My mother in law made these sandwiches for breakfast and I fell in love. Strange, maybe, but I am not the biggest fan of pancakes and waffles for breakfast and I would much rather have something savory like a breakfast burrito. For some reason I have never thought of making these myself. They are so simple and we have them all the time now. They are so delish!

Breakfast Sandwiches
  *makes enough for 4

6 Eggs
1 roll Breakfast Sausage
4 English Muffins
4 Cheese Slices

1. Make the sausage into patties and fry in a pan until cooked. Remove sausage from pan. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and pour into the frying pan. Let cook until bottom becomes firm and flip over to finish cooking. Cut into 4 pieces.

2. Warm muffins in the microwave. Place the sausage on one side, the eggs on top of the sausage and the cheese on top. Turn your oven on broil and place muffins on a cookie sheet and place in the oven until the cheese is melted. Place the other half of the muffin on top and enjoy!

Caramel Brownie Bottom Cheesecake Bars

I hope everyone had the best Christmas! Ours was so fun! Lots of family, delicious food, and fun presents! 

The recipe I have today is very holidayish. When I was going through all of my baking supplies making sure nothing was close to expiring I found that all of my cream cheese was coming close. I bought A LOT of cream cheese when it was on sale for $1 a block. Like 16 blocks. So in the next few weeks get ready for a few new cheesecake recipes headed your way.

Caramel is one of my favorite flavors and anything with a brownie base has to be amazing. Thats exactly how this turned out. Creamy, sweet cheesecake. A rich brownie base. And some caramel poured over the top. It's rich and so delicious!

Caramel Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
Recipe Source: Cookies and Cups

1 - 19oz pkg Brownie Mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 (14 oz) jar caramel sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. Combine brownie mix, melted butter and 1 egg, and stir until smooth. Spread mixture into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

2. While that's in the oven, beat cream cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, flour and vanilla at medium speed until smooth. Turn the mixer to low and add remaining eggs, one at a time. Add half the jar of caramel sauce and mix until just combined. Pour over the hot crust.

3. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center of cheesecake is set. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Drizzle the remaining caramel on top. Serve.

Chocolate Thin Mint Ice Cream

Are you ready for Christmas?! I am so excited to see my kids open their presents tomorrow! But until then... I found my new favorite chocolate ice cream! Seriously. I honestly haven't ever made chocolate ice cream before and didn't have high hopes cause I've had some really good chocolate ice cream. This was better than all of them. Its rich, but not too rich, its creamy, smooth, a little minty with the cookies. Its worth making even in the middle of winter!

Chocolate Thin Mint Ice Cream
Recipe Source: Life Made Simple

2 cups Heavy Cream
1 cup Whole Milk
3 Tablespoons Dutch-process Cocoa Powder
5oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cups Granulated Sugar
5 Egg Yolks

1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract
1/8 teaspoon Salt
15 Thin Mints or Grasshopper Cookies, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of heavy cream and cocoa powder, whisk until blended. Bring the mixture to a boil then remove from heat and add the chocolate. Stirring until smooth. Then add remaining heavy cream and stir. Pour into a large bowl, scrape the saucepan removing all chocolate. Set a sieve over the bowl. In the same saucepan warm the milk, sugar and salt.

2. In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks lightly. Pour the warm milk, sugar and salt mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Constantly stir the mixture over medium heat with a silicone spatula, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom. The mixture will coat the spatula a little and will reach 170 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat and pour through the sieve into the chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla and peppermint.

3. Place the bowl in an ice bath until cool and then place in the refrigerator to chill about 25-30 minutes. Once chilled pour the mixture into ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Churn for 20 minutes then fold in the thin mints. Store in an air-tight container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Turkey Casserole

My husbands mom makes one thing that he talks about around the holidays and that is this turkey casserole. Turkey and stuffing in one dish. He likes to top his with cranberry sauce to complete the dish, I don't, either way its an easy delicious dish.  Its the perfect way to use your turkey and stuffing leftovers from your holiday gatherings.

Turkey Casserole

Recipe Source: Sandy Bishop

4 cups Turkey, shredded
6 cups Stuffing, prepared
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Evaporated Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soup and milk together until smooth. Layer the dressing, turkey, and soup. Repeat, ending with the stuffing on the top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Have you heard of frozen hot chocolate before? The first time I heard of it was one day on Oprah about 4 or 5 years ago. It was always in the back of my mind. It looked so delicious.

So I finally got around to it and found a recipe. It is sweet, creamy, has the flavor of hot chocolate, and the consistency of a smoothie, not a thick shake. Just another frozen treat for a cold winter day. Ha.

Frozen Hot Chocolate
Recipe Source: Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
3 Tablespoons Hot Chocolate Powder
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/3 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/3 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
4 1/2 cups Ice
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Chocolate Shavings for garnish

1. In a double boiler combine sugar, hot chocolate powder, and butter. Stir until butter is melted and it forms grainy a paste. Add the semisweet and white chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Slowly stir in 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Stir until smooth.
 

2. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cool pour it into the blender. Add the rest of the heavy cream and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, top with sweetened whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.

Mac 'n' Cheese

One of the meals that my kids love to eat and I know they'll finish is macaroni and cheese. Its easy to make when I don't want to plan dinner because I always have all the ingredients on hand. Its cheesy, creamy, so flavorful and not hard to make!

Mac n Cheese
Recipce Source: AllRecipes.com

1 8oz pkg Macaroni
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 12oz pkg Cottage Cheese
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot water to a boil, salt and add pasta. Cook until done and drain.

2. In a large bowl, stir together macaroni, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake about 30 minutes.

Better Than... Christmas Cake

One of my favorite cakes is the Better Than... Cake. So recently when I saw a Pepperminty version I had to make it. AND I will tell you, it might just be better than the original! Its sweet, spongy, chocolatey, with a touch of peppermint, and lightened just a bit from the whipped cream on top. This is going to be the only thing people will talk about on Christmas, its that good!

Better Than... Christmas Cake
Recipe Adapted From: Something Swanky

1 box Devils Food Cake Mix, made this way to make the cake more dense, cooled
1 1/4 cups Half and Half
3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 1/4 Teaspoons Pure Peppermint Extract

14.5 oz sweetened condensed milk

1 jar Smuckers hot fudge sundae sauce

1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer

1 cup crushed Oreos

8 oz Cool Whip

Andes Peppermint Chips for topping (approximately 1 1/2 cups)

Crushed Oreos for topping (approximately 1 cup)

- See more at: http://www.somethingswanky.com/better-than-christmas-poke-cake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=better-than-christmas-poke-cake#sthash.1YlmToXf.QU1XeNLQ.dpuf

• 1 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 14.5 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar Smuckers hot fudge sundae sauce
• 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 1 cup crushed Oreos
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• Andes Peppermint Chips for topping (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• Crushed Oreos for topping (approximately 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Once the cake has cool, use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke 20+ holes in the cake.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the peppermint dairy creamer. Pour over the cake, trying to fill in the holes.
3. In the same bowl, whisk together the hot fudge sundae sauce and 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer. Mix in 1 cup crushed Oreos.
4. Pour and spread the fudge mixture over the cake as evenly as possible.
5. Spread the cool whip over the fudge. Sprinkle on the Andes candy bits and crushed Oreos (as much or as little as you want).
6. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, until the sweetened condensed mixture has soaked into the cake and it's thoroughly chilled. Cut and serve.

- See more at: http://www.somethingswanky.com/better-than-christmas-poke-cake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=better-than-christmas-poke-cake#sthash.1YlmToXf.QU1XeNLQ.dpuf

1 - 14.5oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 jar Smuckers Hot Fudge Sauce
2 cups Crushed Oreos
1 - 8oz tub Cool Whip
1 1/2 cups Andes Peppermint Chips

1. Once the cake has cooled use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes about 25 holes in the cake.

2. In a small bowl whisk together half and half, granulated sugar, and peppermint extract. In another small bowl pour the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the half and half/sugar mixture, whisk until combined. Pour over the cake, filling in the holes.

3. In the same bowl combine the rest of half and half/sugar mixture, hot fudge sauce and 1 cup of the crushed Oreos. Spread the mixture evenly over the cake. Spread the cool whip on the cake. Sprinkle the Andes Peppermint Chips and the Oreos on top.

4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours for the sweetened condensed milk to soak into the cake.

• 1 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 14.5 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar Smuckers hot fudge sundae sauce
• 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 1 cup crushed Oreos
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• Andes Peppermint Chips for topping (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• Crushed Oreos for topping (approximately 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Once the cake has cool, use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke 20+ holes in the cake.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the peppermint dairy creamer. Pour over the cake, trying to fill in the holes.
3. In the same bowl, whisk together the hot fudge sundae sauce and 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer. Mix in 1 cup crushed Oreos.
4. Pour and spread the fudge mixture over the cake as evenly as possible.
5. Spread the cool whip over the fudge. Sprinkle on the Andes candy bits and crushed Oreos (as much or as little as you want).
6. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, until the sweetened condensed mixture has soaked into the cake and it's thoroughly chilled. Cut and serve.

- See more at: http://www.somethingswanky.com/better-than-christmas-poke-cake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=better-than-christmas-poke-cake#sthash.1YlmToXf.QU1XeNLQ.dpuf

• 1 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 14.5 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar Smuckers hot fudge sundae sauce
• 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 1 cup crushed Oreos
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• Andes Peppermint Chips for topping (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• Crushed Oreos for topping (approximately 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Once the cake has cool, use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke 20+ holes in the cake.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the peppermint dairy creamer. Pour over the cake, trying to fill in the holes.
3. In the same bowl, whisk together the hot fudge sundae sauce and 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer. Mix in 1 cup crushed Oreos.
4. Pour and spread the fudge mixture over the cake as evenly as possible.
5. Spread the cool whip over the fudge. Sprinkle on the Andes candy bits and crushed Oreos (as much or as little as you want).
6. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, until the sweetened condensed mixture has soaked into the cake and it's thoroughly chilled. Cut and serve.

- See more at: http://www.somethingswanky.com/better-than-christmas-poke-cake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=better-than-christmas-poke-cake#sthash.1YlmToXf.QU1XeNLQ.dpuf

S'mores Fudge

I feel like fudge is a holiday tradition and since its freezing cold outside I figured I needed something to remind me of summer and keep with tradition at the same time. I found it. This fudge is smooth and creamy, lightened with the marshmallows and a little crunch from the graham crackers. A perfect combination to remind you of summer in the middle of winter.

S'mores Fudge
Recipe Source: SteaknPotatoesKindaGurl.blogspot.com

3 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 - 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup Butter
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups Mini Marshmallows
2 cups Graham Crackers, chopped

1. Line a 9-inch cake pan with lightly greased tin foil. In a double boiler combine chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, butter and vanilla extract. Cook, stirring frequently until smooth.

2. Fold mini marshmallows and graham cracker pieces into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Spread into prepared pan and press into an even layer.

3. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until cold. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Sawdust & Embryos and Peppermint Patties

Today's the day I am over at Sawdust and Embryos!!! I have a sweet, creamy, pepperminty patty for you! Go see the next thing you need on your holiday baking list!