This time of year I seem to start relying on my crockpot more and more. By the time I get home from work and take Scamp for a walk in the little remaining daylight, the last thing I want to do is cook dinner. I just want to relax and hang out with Mike! That is when recipes like this one come in handy. It’s fun and unique, but all the work is done in the crockpot. When it’s time for dinner, all you have to do is cook a pot of pasta, stir some broccoli into the sauce, and you’re done! And it tastes amazing! When I made it a few weeks ago, I couldn’t stop eating the chicken out of the crockpot as I was waiting for the pasta to cook. It was so juicy and flavorful! We served this sauce on top of pasta the first night, then on top of the rice as leftovers the following day. Both ways tasted great. You could also reduce the liquid slightly and use this recipe to make shredded chicken for sandwiches. I’m pretty sure that will be on our menu in the near future!

Chicken and Broccoli Sauce

Ingredients:

1 onion, minced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp minute tapioca
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
12 oz broccoli florets, cut into 1 inch pieces (4 1/2 cups)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 oz), plus extra for garnish

Directions:

Combine the onion, 1/4 cup tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp oil, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer to the slow cooker along with the broth, wine and tapioca. Stir together. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is tender, 4-6 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred into bite sized pieces. Microwave the broccoli with the remaining Tablespoon of oil, until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir the chicken and broccoli into the sauce and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

from Slow Cooker Revolution

This is one of those recipes that I saw on Pinterest and made as soon as I possibly could. It’s so cold and snowy here in Michigan and this hearty and filling stew made the perfect dinner on a busy weeknight. I actually made it awhile ago but it got lost in the shuffle of Superbowl and Valentine’s Day recipes. Now that we’re back to regular days and cold weather, I’ve been thinking more and more about this stew.

This recipe is about as easy as it gets – just dump everything in the crockpot and turn it on. It’s healthy and filling and it tastes great. We ate this for days (it makes a lot!) and I even froze some for future lunches.  I’ve got some stew meat hanging out in the freezer and I can’t wait to make this recipe again.

Slow Cooker Beef Barley Stew

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs beef stew meat
1 cup pearl barley
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
5 medium carrots, chopped
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
48oz. beef stock – more if needed
5 sprigs of fresh thyme – leaves pulled off the stem
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Stir all ingredients together in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. If it looks as though there is not enough liquid, stir in some extra water or beef stock.

adapted from Nutmeg Nanny

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I’ve got one more chocolatey dessert to share with you before Valentine’s Day. This recipe has been on my “to make” list for over a year. I first saw it on Smitten Kitchen and it’s actually the reason I bought my springform pan! I have no idea why it took me so long to finally make (meanwhile, that springform pan came in pretty handy for a number of other recipes!), but as soon as I took my first bite, I knew this recipe was worth the wait.

The cake is made with browned butter which gives it a great deep flavor. The chunks of pears and bittersweet chocolate combine perfectly to add a subtle extra sweetness to the already rich cake. For some reason it seems a little more “upscale” than my usual desserts, like it needed a special occasion for me to make it. I finally ended up making this cake after Mike came home from a business trip a few weeks ago and it was the perfect homecoming cake. Served with plenty of lightly sweetened whipped cream, we both loved this cake, and it didn’t last long in our house! If you’re invited to dinner at our house in the near future, you just may see this cake pop up at the end of the meal.

Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room-temperature
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 pears, peeled and diced
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl whip the eggs on high speed of an electric mixer (using the whisk attachment) until pale and very thick. This will take 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter and cook until the butter stops sizzling and begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the butter from the heat and keep warm.

Add the sugar to the eggs and whip a few minutes more, just until it begins to lose volume. Stir in the flour mixture and brown butter, alternating between the two and starting and ending with the flour. Using a spatula, gently fold the batter until the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the pear and chocolate chunks over the top and bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back to the touch, 40 to 50 minutes.

from Smitten Kitchen

It doesn’t get much better than this chocolate topped peanut butter pie!  We absolutely loved this dessert. Mike isn’t usually too big a fan of peanut butter desserts, but even he talked about how much he liked this pie.  I made it for a get together with friends a few weeks ago and it got rave reviews. The peanut butter filling is creamy and mousse-like, just like you’d expect from a peanut butter pie. Add in the chocolate cookie crust and the chocolate topping and you’ve got a chocolate and peanut butter combination that tastes amazing! Best of all, it really wasn’t that hard to make! I’m pretty sure this is a dessert that will be making an appearance at our get togethers again and again.

*Note: Pay no attention to the drippy chocolate in the pictures. I had to cut into the pie a little early, before the chocolate had time to completely set, to make sure I had good light for pictures.

Chocolate Topped Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:
9 oz chocolate teddy grahams
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream

Topping
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
chocolate chips for garnish, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325.

For the crust: In a food processor, finey grind the chocolate teddy grahams and the chocolate. Add the butter and pulse until well incorporated and moist clumps form. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whip 1 cup of the heavy cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Evenly spoon the filling into the cooled crust. Place the pie in the refrigerator to set while making the topping.

For the topping: Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. IN a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 1/2 cup of cream just to a boil. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter. Let stand for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth and all the chocolate has melted. Pour the chocolate topping evenly over the pie. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 4 hours. After about 30 minutes in the refrigerator, garnish the edges with chocolate chips, if desired.

From Simply Suppers

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As I warned you on Facebook, I’ve got a few fun dessert recipes to share with you this week! With Valentine’s Day approaching, I couldn’t resist making some fun treats for the occasion. These red velvet brownies not only taste amazing, but definitely look the part of a Valentine’s Day dessert. They’re soft and dense and fudgy, with the great flavor you’d get from a traditional red velvet cake.  The brownies taste great on their own, but the cream cheese icing really puts them over the top. Everyone seemed to really like these, and Mike and I both discovered that they taste even better straight out of the refrigerator. Give these fun red velvet brownies a try for Valentine’s Day this year – you’ll be glad you did!

*Note: looking for a more traditional red velvet recipe? Try these red velvet cupcakes!

Red Velvet Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 oz. liquid red food coloring
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 T. butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a 9x9 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang so you can lift out the brownies when they're done. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

In a large saucepan over low heat, stir together butter and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar and eggs. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and food coloring. Sift flour and baking powder over mixture and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched and a tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on rack.

For the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil and cover with the frosting. Cut into bite size squares to serve.

from A Farm Girl's Dabbles

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1. Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
2. Kielbasa Balls
3. Stovetop Popcorn
4. Creamy Chicken Taquitos
5. White Chicken Chili
6. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
7. Bagel Chips
8. Turkey Pesto Sliders
9. Chipotle Turkey Chili
10. Pizza Bites

1. No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares
2. Bugs Bunny Chocolate Chip Bars
3. Easy Fudgy Brownies
4. Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites
5. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
6. Chewy Brownies
7. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
8. Texas Sheet Cake
9. Monster Cookies
10. Layered Brownies

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As soon as I tasted these pretzel rolls (warm out of the oven of course!), I was left wondering why in the world I had waited so long to make them. My friend Katie, who has given me lots of good recipes already, told me about these awhile ago, and yet I waited months before making them. Please don’t make the same mistake I did, because these are good!

They are actually quicker to make than most breads. There isn’t a lengthy rise time, and yet somehow they end up light and fluffy.  They have a traditional pretzel taste, and the coarse salt on top makes them look quite authentic. These are great on their own or eaten with a steaming bowl of soup. I also think they would make great sandwich rolls. I want to make them slightly smaller and try them out as slider rolls! I think that would be so cute for a Superbowl party idea. No matter what you make them for, I’m sure you’ll love them. And good luck not devouring them as soon as they come out of the oven!

Pretzel Rolls

Yield: 12 rolls

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons warm milk
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter , melted
4 cups all-purpose flour
kosher salt or pretzel salt
2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup baking soda

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 1/3 cup of the warm water with the yeast and let stand until foamy. Add the remaining cup of warm water along with the milk, sugar & melted butter and swirl to dissolve the sugar. Add flour and mix on med-low speed until it forms a nice a firm, pliable dough ball.

Separate the dough into 12 equal pieces. Cover dough with plastic wrap and a damp towel and let sit for 10 minutes. Form the dough into rolls and arrange on a lightly floured surface about an inch apart and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the rolls rest for 30 minutes. In the meaintime, preheat the oven to 425° and lightly oil 2 baking sheets.

In a large stockpot, bring the cold water to a rolling boil and add the baking soda. Drop two rolls into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds, turning once. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, being careful to let the excess water drain off into the pot. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

Bake the rolls on the upper and middle racks of the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, shifting the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Let rolls cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

from Food.com

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How cute are these pepperoni pizza puffs? They were a big hit around my house and would be absolutely perfect for get togethers with friends. I’m even posting them earlier than I planned just so you can make these for your Superbowl party next weekend!

These pizza puffs are like light little biscuits with pizza toppings baked right into them. I used the traditional toppings of pepperoni and mozzarella cheese and added in some chopped peppers as well. They were great like that, but I’m also interested in trying all sorts of mix-ins like pineapple, bacon, or sausage! They taste a little like the pizza bites I posted awhile ago, but these are much quicker and easier to make. They taste good on their own, but make sure you serve them with pizza sauce for dipping because that makes them taste like little bite-sized pizzas! I’m a fan of anything that tastes like pizza and these are certainly no exception.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Yield: 18-24

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 oz pepperoni, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Pizza sauce

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly grease 18-24 mini muffin cups. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder and baking powder. Stir in the milk and egg, then add in the mozzarella and pepperoni and mix together. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Briefly stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the pizza puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

from Rachael Ray

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I can’t get over how good this queso blanco dip is. This is another Pinterest find and another recipe that is here to stay. This white cheese dip is just like what they serve at Mexican restaurants, and it tastes so good! It’s cheesy and just a little bit spicy and perfect served with chips.  The recipe comes together in minutes in the microwave and you only need to dirty one dish. Feel free to play around with the recipe and adjust the spiciness, but I happen to think it tastes great as is! I served this for a girl’s night a few weeks ago and used a mini crockpot to keep it warm, which worked great. Just make sure to give it a stir every once in awhile. Everyone seemed to really like it and I’m sure I’ll be making it for future events!

Queso Blanco Dip

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb White American Cheese (I found Land O'Lakes brand at my deli counter), cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup diced green chiles
2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 ounce pickled jalapeno juice
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cold water
pinch of cumin

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring after every minute. The mixture will seem watery at first, but will combine into a runny dip once all the cheese is melted. Serve immediately with tortilla chips for dipping. Store leftover dip in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.

from Pennies on a Platter

I love to make muffins. They’re so quick and easy, and they almost always come out tasting amazing. You can’t really beat warm muffins out of the oven. I love to make a batch on the weekends and then freeze them for lunches throughout the week. A few weeks ago I was leafing through my new cookbooks and ran across this recipe for chocolate chip muffins. Of course I had to make them! They turned out soft and fluffy and with the perfect amount of sweetness. They taste great, but you actually realize you are eating a muffin rather than a cupcake. I love the addition of chocolate chips too. Mike would have preferred blueberries, but since I made him muffins he can’t complain too much, right? We both really liked these and I’ve already started thinking up different variations to try in the future!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups (15 oz) all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups plus 3 Tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Directions:

Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position and pre-heat the oven to 375. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners (use fewer muffin cups if you want larger muffins).

In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar on medium-high spead until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with 3 additions of yogurt. Stir in the chocolate chips

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in a center muffin comes out with moist crumbs, 20-25 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.

from The Cooks Illustrated Cookbook