Poppycock

I know Poppycock usually has a holiday feel to it but I couldn't wait any longer to share our version.

Our Caramel Popcorn Recipe (Here)  is similar to this recipe but different enough that it warrants its' own post. Sticky sweet caramel popcorn with salty mixed nuts... do we really need to convince you to try this? 

While it is the ultimate holiday treat, it also is *perfection* to bring to BBQs, game nights, sleepovers, and those relaxing nights at home!

Poppycock

Ingredients

24 cups popped popcorn

4 cups mixed nuts

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 225. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, set aside. 

Place popped popcorn in a large bowl. Make sure to pick out any unpopped kernels. Sprinkle with the nuts. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

Remove from heat and add in vanilla and baking soda. BE CAREFUL! It will sputter and foam up as you stir it in. 

Carefully pour the hot caramel over the popcorn and stir gently to coat evenly. Spread onto the prepared cookie sheet. 

Bake at 225 for one hour, stirring every 10 minutes. (This is a bit of a pain but it's what makes the popcorn crispy and sticky instead of soggy!)

Remove from heat and let cool, stirring every once in a while to break it up. 

Serve immediately or store in airtight containers. It lasts for a couple of days on the counter before going stale. It is best the day of/day after making it though. 

If you are looking for a bake sale or gift idea - look no further. Poppycock is a family favorite around here and friends and family love getting it... for Christmas or anytime! 

Skinny Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Shake

I've been having way too much fun coming up with skinny shakes lately. There are so many flavor combos I want to try. This one came to me while I was looking through some of our old blog posts. I came across our post about healthy cookie dough bites - see HERE. 

As I am fond of peanut butter, I decided to turn those healthy cookie dough bites into a shake. (And when I say "fond" of peanut butter I mean I want to marry it.)

This turned out really good. 

Like... *jazz hands* good.

So rich and creamy and VERY peanut buttery. Perfect for breakfast or dessert. This recipe may be a little more in calories than our other skinny shakes BUT that doesn't mean it's not healthy. It is choc full of protein, gluten free, no added sugar, and it has peanut butter - which is delicious. 

You do have to prep your shake ahead of time so everything can freeze, but other than that it is super simple.

Skinny Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Shake

Ingredients

Cookie Dough Bites

2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter, light

3 Tbsp raisins or craisins

1 Tbsp roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 tsp vanilla

Shake

1/2 cup 0 fat, plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter, light

1/3 cup 1% milk

ice

Directions

Prepare Cookie Dough Bites - In a blender or food processor, blend 2 Tbsp peanut butter, raisins, peanuts, and vanilla until no big lumps remain. (Because you are doing such a small amount it can take a little while as you have to stop and scrape down the sides often.)

Roll this mixture into 12 small balls. (It helps to wet your fingers in a dish of water to prevent sticking. If you find it is just too sticky - place in freezer and chill 20 minutes and then roll into balls.FYI - the balls are approximately 1 tsp each)

Cover the balls and freeze until solid.

Prepare shake ingredients - Place Greek yogurt and peanut butter in a dish and freeze until solid.

Prepare shake - Place frozen Greek yogurt and peanut butter into a blender (or food processor). Add in the milk and a few ice cubes. Process until smooth. (Add a bit more milk or ice to get to your desired consistency.) 

When you have reached the desired consistency - throw in 6 of the frozen cookie dough bites.

Pulse the mixture only 4 or 5 times. Just enough to break up the cookie dough bites a little bit.

Serve immediately with the remaining cookie dough bites on top. (Recipe makes 2 servings.)

Per serving, according to Myfitnesspal - 260 calories, 22 carbs, 15 fat, and 15 protein.

The cookie dough bites are a great snack on their own as well. Be sure to check out our previous post - 2 No Bake Cookie Dough Bites That Are Good For You.  The peanut butter bites are there as well as a tasty German Chocolate Fudge Bite recipe. 

I love it when healthy and delicious come together. 

Crunchy Chewy Peanut Butter Bars

Sue here. I decided I had better share my recipe for these tasty crunchy, chewy, peanut butter treats seeing as how Jo keeps forgetting too. 

These are a fun Easter treat as you can shape them into eggs and decorate them however you like. BUT, these are also great for any time of the year. 

Instead of shaping them you can just press them into a pan and cut into squares. 

They are pretty versatile... and delicious. 

Plus, FYI, they sell really well at bake sales. 

From start to finish in about 15 minutes. 

Crunchy Chewy Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups Cornflakes cereal

2 cups Rice Krispie Cereal

1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Directions

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in both cereals and peanuts. Stir to combine.

Let mixture cool for a minute or two - until cool enough to handle with bare hands. Spray your hands with cooking spray - or coat with a bit of butter to prevent sticking. 

Scoop out enough mixture to shape into whatever shape you like. IE: 3D eggs. Or press into a pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. 

FYI - you need to work fairly quickly as these harden pretty fast as they cool off. One batch made 24 egg-sized balls. 

You can also press into a pan and cut out using cookie cutters....

Decorate as desired...

If you are going to dip the bars in chocolate then you will want to let them cool completely and firm up before dipping. We just drizzled ours with some melted, colored melting wafers. 

*Warning*

You will want to make sure you have someone to share these with before making them or you will most likely devour the whole batch.

Not even kidding here people. They really are that addicting. 

Place some parchment paper squares in an egg carton and you have a really cute way to serve them for Easter!

Be sure to visit Carole's Chatter for some fabulous links to more food and fun!

Crockpot Sweet & Spicy Nuts

Sue here..again.

Wow, two blogs in a row for me. I'm on a roll.

This is another of the recipes I made for my daughter's birthday a few days ago. I found this recipe in the Taste Of Home Special Edition magazine titled "Summer Slow Cooker Meals". Let me tell you -- this is sooooo addicting. I made it with peanuts but I cannot wait to try this with cashews. 

So good. 

Everyone loved this. Even my hubby and Jo who are anti-spice freaks thought this was delicious. 

This is an ideal snack for teenagers and adults. Maybe not the healthiest BUT definitely one of the most flavorful. Just be sure you make enough for everyone!

Crockpot Sweet & Spicy Nuts

(From Taste Of Home Magazine - Summer Slow Cooker Meals)

Ingredients

3 cups salted peanuts

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp hot water

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 Tbsp Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 tsp chili powder

Directions

Spray a 1 1/2 qt slow cooker with cooking spray. 

Place peanuts in slow cooker. 

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over peanuts. 

Cover and cook on high for 45 minutes. 

Stir.

Cover and cook 45 more minutes longer.

Stir.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the peanuts on the prepared cookie sheet to cool -- this takes several hours. I stirred every 30 minutes or so just to keep the peanuts from sticking in one big clump. 

See how simple that is?

Jo and I were thinking these would be great sprinkled on top of a salad or a stir fry.

Oh, one thing, I was worried these were going to be too sticky as they didn't seem to be drying. Turns out I just needed to have more patience. They take several hours to fully dry out. Don't get me wrong...you can eat them while they are still sticky...but, if you want them to be dry and look pretty in a serving dish...make sure you give them enough time. 

You could even make them the day before if you wanted to. 

Good luck not eating them all!

Don't forget to visit Love Bakes Good Cakes and Memories By The Mile and Hun...What's For Dinner? and Carole's Chatter for some fun and tasty links!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Overload

Yep.

It's as sweet as it looks.

And as delicious.

And as peanut buttery and chocolaty as you could imagine.

I like to call it a soft, chewy, chocolaty, peanut buttery, bit of heaven.

*drool*

I asked one of the girls at work what she wanted for her birthday treat. She replied "something with chocolate and peanut butter"...this was as "chocolate and peanut butter"-y as I could come up with without risking putting everyone into a sugar coma.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Overload

Ingredients

Bottom Layer

1 box fudge brownie mix (and ingredients to prepare)

1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

1/3 cup peanut butter chips

Peanut Butter Layer

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup marshmallow creme

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup icing sugar

Top Layer

6 oz Swiss chocolate, roughly chopped

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp corn syrup

9 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 X 9 pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Prepare brownie according to package directions. Stir in peanuts and peanut butter chips.

Bake at 350 until brownie is cooked - be careful not to over bake. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp.

Prepare peanut butter layer: In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter, marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla. Slowly beat in the icing sugar until well combined.

Spread over cooled brownie.

Prepare chocolate top layer: In a microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate, butter, and corn syrup for 20 seconds. Stir. Heat in 20 second intervals - stirring well in between - until smooth.

Spread evenly over marshmallow layer.

Evenly sprinkle with the chopped Reese's cups.

Let chill until set.

I must warn you. This is not for the faint of heart.

People *cough* Sue *cough* who don't like sweet things will run away screaming.

That's okay though...it just leaves more for the rest of us....

Be sure to stop by Chef In Training and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Hungry Little Girl and The Mandatory Mooch and Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons and A Peek Into My Paradise and Carole's Chatter for some fun and tasty links!

"Cuban Lunch" Candies

 

Sue and I seem to be on a roll with super easy recipes the last couple of weeks.

Here is one that, while it sounds weird, is really good.

You may or may not remember the chocolate bars they used to make years ago.

Years...and years....and years...ago.

They were called Cuban Lunch and they came wrapped in a red paper covering. They were very tasty. This super easy candy is named after those bars. I don't really remember if they taste exactly like the bars or not as it has been so long since I had one. These candies are addicting though.

Definitely a "must try".

 

 

"Cuban Lunch" Candies

 

Ingredients

2 cups peanut butter chips

2 cups butterscotch chips

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups ripple potato chips, crushed

1 1/2 cups salted peanuts

 

Directions

Spread mini cupcake liners out on a cookie sheet. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium/low heat, stir together peanut butter & butterscotch & milk chocolate chips until melted and smooth.

Stir in crushed potato chips and peanuts.

Using a small cookie scoop (or spoon) carefully scoop approx 1 - 2 Tbsp into into each cupcake liner.

Let sit until set. (Can put in the fridge to speed process.)

 

These easy recipes are not helping me lose weight. 

Seriously.

I mean, you can make these delicious little tidbits in about 2 seconds. *Sigh*

FYI - these ship very well. You can also store them in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week. (Probably more but they always disappear so I can't tell you how much longer.) Just let them come back up to room temp to serve so they are not too hard.  

Don't be weirded out by the crushed ripple chips.... I bet no one will be able to identify them in there. The just add a really nice crunch and saltiness to go with the sweet.

 

Visit Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons and My Turn (for us) and The Rustic Pig and Carole's Chatter for some great links!



Snickers Ice Cream

 

One of my favorite chocolate bars of all times is Snickers. All that caramel and peanuts and chocolate and nougat just make me happy from the inside out.

They even have a Snickers Ice Cream Bar now.

I know, right?

I think they are trying to kill me.

Anyway...I used that as my inspiration to create this ice cream. I was happy with the results - very Snicker-y. I just have to learn how to swirl in the caramel a little better.

I am NOT a pro caramel swirler.

At all.

It's sad really.....

 

 

Snickers Ice Cream

 

Ingredients

2 cups whipping cream

1 vanilla bean

3 egg yolks

1 cup icing sugar

1 cup half & half

1 Tbsp whipped cream vodka (I used Pinnacle), optional

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/3 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup dulce de leche

 

Directions

Pour the whipping cream into a medium saucepan. Cut the vanilla bean in half vertically and scrape out seeds. Place seeds and bean pod into cream.

Heat cream until it is almost boiling. Remove from heat and cover. Let steep for about 20 minutes. Remove bean pod and either discard or save for another use.

Place back over low heat while you prepare yolks.

In a medium sized bowl, beat egg yolks with icing sugar until thick and pale. Slowly pour hot cream mixture into yolks, beating the entire time. (Do this slowly so you don't curdle the eggs)

 Pour the mixture back into the pan. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove pan from heat.

Stir in the half and half and whipped cream vodka (if you are using). Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until completely cool. At least 2 - 3 hours.

When your ice cream mixture is cooled, place in ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions. When you remove it from the ice cream maker, pour into a 9 X 13 pan.

 

 

Freeze for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips, peanuts, and dulce de leche.

 

 

Freeze again for another 30 minutes to an hour. Once it is semi-firm you can now scrape it into a bowl with a lid for storage. I did it in the 9 X 13 pan first so I could make sure the add-ins would be evenly spread throughout. You can, of course, just fold them in after it comes out of the ice cream maker. (I just find I always have big clumps of add-ins that way.)

 

 

Sooooo tasty!

I used the new Eagle brand Dulce de Leche - not quite the entire can. It worked great.

 

 

My other favorite chocolate bars are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Wunderbar (If you have never heard of a Wunderbar you have totally missed out. The bar consists of a chocolate layer filled with an inner caramel sub-layer wrapped around a center of peanut butter and pieces of nuts.Besides, there are some small rice flakes in there as well, but you hardly realize them among the nuts. So on the one hand, the bar is smooth, and on the other, it also contains a crunchy and chewy experience.)

I can't wait to turn those bad boys into ice cream!

 

Be sure to visit My Turn (for us) for some great links!

Salted Peanut Butter & Honey Ice Cream in a Chocolate Cake Tart

 

I was trying to pass this off as a breakfast food to my coworkers. I made it for one of their birthdays last week. They weren't buying my argument.

I said peanut butter and honey were legit breakfast foods. The chocolate cake was the hard sell.

In the end I was defeated. I had to wait until almost lunch time to have a piece.

*sigh*

I think the best part of this creation is definitely the ice cream. The salt and sweet go sooooo amazing together. I thought peanut butter as an ice cream might be a little odd but...nope...I'm happy to say I was 100% wrong about that. A scoop or two of it in an ice cream cone will definitely satisfy.

 

 

Salted Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream

in a Chocolate Cake Tart

 

Ingredients

Cake

SEE HERE for my recipe

 

Ice Cream

2 cups whipping cream, divided

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 egg yolks

1 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1/8 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups half & half

 

Toppings

1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup salted caramel/chocolate sauce (I used store bought)

 

Directions

Cake - Prepare cake per instructions in recipe in 2 - 10 inch indented tart pans. (They need to have the indent so when they are flipped out of the pan there is a cavity to put the ice cream in.) Feel free to use a cake mix if you don't want to do from scratch! When cakes are baked and have cooled for a few minutes, invert them onto wire rack to cool completely. Chill in fridge until ice cream has been made.

Ice Cream - heat one cup of the whipping cream and the brown sugar in a saucepan until simmering, whisking constantly.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add a little of the hot cream and whisk to combine. Add a little more at a time until totally combined. (Do this slowly so you don't curdle the eggs.) Pour mixture back into pan, place back over medium heat, and continue to stir until thickened (about 5 - 8 minutes).

Remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in remaining whipping cream and half & half. Chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

Place in ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions.

To assemble dessert: Place the 2 cake/tarts on serving dishes.

 

 

Fill with softened peanut butter & honey ice cream, spreading to fill cavity.

 

 

Sprinkle the crushed peanuts around the outside of the tart.

 

 

Drizzle with the salted caramel chocolate sauce. (If you can't find salted then just use a regular caramel OR chocolate sauce for drizzling.)

 

 

You must work fairly quickly once the ice cream is ready in the maker. It is fairly melty and will melt fast. Make sure you have a flat space in your freezer to hold the 2 desserts. If it is not flat you risk the ice cream sliding out over one side.

 

 

Eeeek! See that pic above? Almost had a disaster. It's okay though I caught it and quickly rearranged things so it would sit flat.

Let freeze until solid, at least several hours. Once it is frozen you can wrap well with plastic wrap and keep for several days in the freezer. We ate one at work the next day and the other was kept for almost a week until our mother brought it to a function. They were both delicious.

PLEASE NOTE - I did not use all of the ice cream!!! I just scooped about 1 1/2 cups into each cavity. You don't want to over fill it or it will spill over. Save the leftover ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer to enjoy later. OH, YEAH, and don't be tempted to leave out the 1/8 tsp of salt from the ice cream. It is essential to the flavor.

 

 

It's amazing on its own too!

 

 

It make take a little time and effort but you end up with a treat that you can serve on its own...or in a delectable, fancy schmancy dessert.

Totally worth it.

 

Head over to Six Sister's Stuff and Carole's Chatter for some great food and crafting links!