Bacon Bombs

What a week - the news itself was full of awful things.  A city I loved and have spent a lot of time in had been attacked.  And knowing that many of my friends live in and around Boston it was a very worrisome and stressful time.  The weekend couldn't come fast enough - I was very much looking forward to seeing BP and spending some time with him.  I had Friday off, and spent most of the day at BP's house watching the news and waiting for him to get home from work, and when he got home he had a surprise for me.

sweetest man ever

BP found a great treat both of us were dying to make - Bacon Bombs.  It's the perfect snack for when he has poker night and the guys over.  And of course we had to make them before the guys come over so it was time to test them out - you know, to see if they are good or not.  :)  Well that's what we kept saying.  So off I went to get what we needed.  I couldn't wait for these little nuggets of yumminess.  I mean it has things I love all rolled into one - cheese, biscuits and bacon.  You can't go wrong with these bad boys. 

why hello there!!

Let me warn you - it makes a lot.  This is a great treat for when you have a lot of people over.  I made it through a half a batch and BP and I called it quits.  There are some currently waiting in his freezer and fridge ready to go. 

Gooey goodness

These are fantastic.  If you don't feel like using Mozzarella Cheese, switch it out for your favorite kind then.  You can always bake these in the oven if you don't want to fry them as well.  350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden brown and bacon is crispy (you may have to broil to crisp up bacon fully).

Bacon Bombs

 

1 can (8 count) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits

1 1/2 pounds cubed Mozzarella Cheese (one 1" cube per bomb)

2 pounds sliced bacon

toothpicks

Oil for frying

 

1. Cube up cheese into 1" cubes.  Cut each biscuit into fourths.  Place one cube of cheese inside a biscuit quarter and shape biscuit dough around cheese so no cheese is showing.  Make sure it's sealed up nice and tight.  Wrap a piece of bacon around it and secure with a toothpick.  Repeat until all bombs are made. 
2. Heat approximately 2" of oil in large pan to 350 degrees.  Fry Bombs in small batches - don't go far while frying, the oil expands so make sure to stay close. 
3. Once golden in color, remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain.  Serve while warm. 

 

 



Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls......again

I was on baking mode over the weekend, maybe a little too much.  I made Cinnamon Struesel Coffeecake, Chocolate Cake, and then on top of that threw in some Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls because I was dying to make them for BP.  I had to work Saturday morning, but had the rest of the afternoon to myself while BP was out on a guys day.  Perfect time for me to bake away, especially since the rolls take a couple hours from start to finish.  These are definitely a labor of love, but the wait and all the effort is totally worth it, especially if you love pumpkin. 

all frosted and waiting to be eaten

Once baked and cooled, time to ice them and let it set.  I went to bed and BP came back shortly after - and loved what was waiting for him in his kitchen.  He was so excited to try one.  Sunday rolled around and we finally each had one.  I knew BP's love for anything pumpkin was going to make this a good choice on my part, and I was right. 

Since I had baked like a mad woman, we were left with too many sweets.  BP brought a plate of the cinnamon rolls into work with him Monday morning.  Halfway through the day I get an email from BP, the cinnamon rolls were a hit with his coworkers.  They told him if I love to bake they will happily take some off his hands.  Music to my ears :) 

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

I have to admit, I love making things for BP - and this includes making treats for the poker crew when he has the guys over to play.  So far they've gotten some Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, Pizza Bread and Coffee Ring.  So as I was sitting there with BP the other night the talk of me making treats came up and I said that I loved to make treats for his poker nights.  Well his face lit up and out came the cookbooks.  It was so cute to see him flip through the books and pick things out for me to make later (a direct quote from him - Page 111, not for tomorrow night but for at some point).  He found something great online and all I needed to get was chocolate chips and some pecans.  Easy. 

Friday morning rolls around and BP heads off to work.  I sleep in a little longer and then got my butt in gear. Did a load of laundry and ran an errand and then it was time to make the bars.  This recipe is so easy.  It does call for a strange sized pan, so you can either go with a small 8x8" pan or a 9x13" pan - which is what I went with. I love quick and easy things to make - and it's even better when they end up being tasty. 

Yummies

Once the bars were cooled and set I cut them up and put them on a plate for BP and wrapped them up.  It was all ready for him when he got home.  I had sent him a picture of the finished bars and he couldn't wait to try them.  The text I got from him was great - 'the bars are fn awesome'.  Always a great thing to hear and puts a smile on my face. 

I posted this pic on YCB's Facebook page and was floored by the response.  It's the most views I've had for a photo I've posted ever - over 150 at this point.  Amazing considering there are only 43 of you out there that follow my Facebook page. 

So the bars were a hit with the poker crew.  Everyone loved them, and one comment that was passed along to me was 'loved them, but it's no coffee ring'.  That made me laugh so hard - that coffee ring is one of my favorite things to make and am floored at the response it always gets from people. 

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

 

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 

topping:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 11x7" baking dish.  Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  Add flour and oats, mix until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and mix until distributed evenly.  Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Bake 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through, or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack for 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips and let stand for a couple of minutes until chips are almost completely melted.  Gently take a spatula and spread chocolate evenly over the top.  Sprinkle with nuts and let stand until fully cooled.  Cut into bars.

**If you want the extra oomph - toast the nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes or until you smell the nuts.  When you smell them, they are done**

Easter Treat for BP

Easter was here over the weekend, and I can't have Easter without making a Coffee Ring.  Now, BP has never had it before, and my trying to explain it to him (or anyone for that matter) never does this any justice.  It's something that not a lot of people have had before so people usually picture something completely different when I mention it.  I've posted about this many times in the past, but I keep posting about it because it's one of the things I truly love to make the most.  Family recipes are the best things for me to make - so much love and history behind them. 

Friday rolled around, and after a long day of cleaning BP's house and multiple loads of laundry, I wanted to get my bake on.  BP had some guys over for poker and it was the perfect chance for me to get my bake on.  Big Red now has a new home at BP's house, and he got some good use making the dough.  By the time it was ready to roll out and form the ring, the guys were deep into playing.  Once I started baking away, the smell of the ring made their way downstairs.....and the guys kept telling BP how good it smelled.  I had no idea I was torturing them upstairs until one of them came up to get some coffee and made a comment.  Well at that point the second ring was in the oven and the first one was cooling....little did the guys know that I would offer them some when they were both ready to be frosted.  Finally it was time to frost them - and when they were done (complete with fun sprinkles) I texted BP the following picture......

Ba-zing!

......quickly I heard all the guys make comments about how good it looked.  I went downstairs and asked if they wanted some - I mean there was no way BP and I would eat 2 rings by ourselves.  They all quickly said yes so I went to cut it up and heat up the slices for the guys.  Before I knew it they were all upstairs ready to eat - and everyone loved it. 

Easter Sunday we had lunch with BP's dad - and of course he had to get some as well.  BP was in love with the coffee ring, and when he tried to explain it to his dad at lunch he had a hard time too. Bottom line, his dad was excited to try it out.  After some great laughs and an amazing lunch, we handed off the coffee ring to BP's dad and off we went.  Later we got a text saying how good it was.....it was official - BP and BP's dad approved (along with the guys from poker night).  Needless to say I look forward to making this when the holidays roll around, but now that BP and his dad have experienced it I'm really looking forward to making it again. 

Banana Cream Pie

Finally some good news - I got a great job! I happily took a position doing PR at a physical therapy office.  It was a process getting this job - after I went through 5 rounds of interviews,  I learned that I finally had it.  It's a great office and the people I work with are amazing.  I look forward to going to work in the morning.  Nerdy, I know, but come on now, this shouldn't be something new at this point right? 

Last week was my first week and BP sweetly let me focus on getting myself into the swing of things and focus on work.  And to make it up to him, I asked him what he would like for me to bake for him over the weekend.  I thought it was going to be another chocolate pie, but he switched it up and asked for a Banana Cream Pie.....always keeping me on my toes he is.  I had to dig out all of my cookbooks that are still packed away to find my Martha Stewart's 'Pies and Tarts Cookbook' - the recipe I needed was in there......and of course the cookbook was in the last tote I looked in. 

Cookbook in hand, over to BP's for the weekend.  I couldn't wait to bake the pie for him......but BP kept me on my toes yet again and surprised me with us going to dinner with his dad (I asked BP to not tell me when I would meet his dad until we were on our way to him - his only responsibility was to make sure I looked presentable and not tell me until the right time).  Dinner was great and his dad is amazing - I can see where BP gets some of my favorite qualities about him. 

Finally, time to make the pie.  I miss baking - my new place doesn't really allow me the luxury of baking anymore.  Mainly because my roommate keeps all of her stuff out all the time and she works the night shifts so when I want to bake she is sleeping - and her room is right off the kitchen.  So all of my baking is mainly done at BP's. 

Nothing like a pie covered in
fresh whipped cream
 

Side shot of pie once cut - yes that's
a lot of whipped cream

BP has this pie all to himself, Banana Cream Pie is not my thing.  But the Peanut Butter Ice Cream we got last night is :)  So he had the pie and I had ice cream.  Lovingly got the thumbs up from him, and a text today saying that the pie is even better today. 

Banana Cream Pie

makes one 9" pie

 

1 Premade Pie Crust (I used a Nilla Wafer Crust)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

4 large egg yolks

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

3 ripe bananas, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Directions

1. Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add egg yolks, and whisk until smooth. Bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup milk to yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Pour mixture into pan with hot milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and is very thick, about 6 minutes.
2. Pour milk mixture through a large-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add butter, and stir until melted. Fold in bananas. Pour into crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
3. Make the topping: Beat together cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over filling. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, shape topping into peaks.

Snow storm, cookies and pudding

This past week was a roller coaster to say the least.  Still looking for a job, constantly searching, setting up interviews and endlessly hearing 'I'll call you on Friday and let you know'.  I even got a 'Either way you have a job here and I will call you tomorrow night'.  Needless to say it's been a little frustrating when they don't or when I call them they never return my call.  And wouldn't you know it, there was a snowstorm that was coming right in the middle of the week. 

Now, being from Massachusetts a little snow never bothered me.  But here in the DMV area, the mere mention of snow and things shut down - literally.  Schools get let out early and the government closes for the day.  So prepping for the snow, I went to BP's to whether the storm.  Now I'll admit it, Wednesday morning when we woke up, snow was coming down and the roads were not in the best conditions.  And everything was closed.  Everything.  So for us it was a day of movies and TV, and I made some Iced Pumpkin Cookies.  BP is a lover of anything pumpkin - and luckily he always has some canned pumpkin in his pantry.  Needless to say these cookies went over extremely well with him. 

Not the prettiest icing job but damn tasty

 Some of you have been with me from the beginning of this blog, and I've mentioned a couple times about how the easiest things (i.e. instant pudding and instant rice) give me the most trouble.  Give me the hardest recipe and I can make it with ease.  But if you give me something that's instant, I can't do it.  It never comes out right.  In fact, my sisters have banned me from ever making instant pudding ever again.  But I was really in the mood for pudding and had to make it on my own.  I mean how hard can adding 2 cups of cold milk to a packed of instant pudding and whisk for 2 minutes be???

Yep - it didn't set at all and it's runny - instant
pudding = FAIL

Apparently I still can't make instant pudding......it never set right and was runny and not thick like it should be.  Clearly the easiest things I still can't make, but I had to share with you guys.  It still makes me laugh that I can't make instant pudding.  Pudding from scratch, yes.  Pudding from a box, no.   

I'm back - update and Chocolate Pie

Things have been hectic to say the least.  Let's get everyone updated.  Work was crazy.  I was working long hours and hardly getting paid.  OK - it was more like not getting paid at all.  I had worked so hard and was getting nothing in return.  Time to look for a new job.  Throw in moving on top of that and that's what has been going on with me.  So now I'm all settled in and looking for a job. 

But as a Valentine's Day treat, BP and I went away on a mini vacation to Atlantic City.  It was my first time there (not BP), but it was a great little get away.  Great food, gambling, and time with the most loving and caring man ever. 




BP's win - not really, it was
a cashout since he couldn't play anymore without
putting more money in - it was for 5cents

My first big win







2 Peas in a Pod

 

 



So after our little mini vacation, I finally got to bake something.  BP had asked for 'my loving hands to make him a chocolate pie',  How could I say no to that?!  It had been a while since I had baked something, and the idea of it sounded great.  Plus this was an easy recipe - and a low carb, low sugar, gluten free recipe.  And I have to admit, this Chocolate Pie  is really tasty for something that's a diet dessert. 

 

Yum

Disclaimer: We couldn't find what we needed for the crust so we went with a premade Graham Cracker Crust.  But it was still yummy.  Highly suggest this is you are gluten free or on a diet.  It will curb your sweet tooth cravings.