Halloween Peanut Butter and Toffee Candy Bark

Happy Halloween!!!

Adapted From: bon appetit

You Will Need:

• 1 lb semi- sweet chocolate chips
• 3 2.1-oz Butterfinger candy bars, cut into irregular 1-inch pieces
• 3 1.4-oz Skor or Heath toffee candy bars, cut into irregular 3/4-inch pieces
• 8 0.55-oz peanut butter cups, each cut into 8 wedges
• 1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
• Reese's Pieces and/or yellow and orange peanut M&M's

Here We Go:

• Line baking sheet with foil
• Stir chocolate chips in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and warm (not hot) to touch
• Pour chocolate onto foil; spread to 1/4-inch thickness (about 12x10-inch rectangle)
• Sprinkle with Butterfinger candy, toffee, peanut butter cups, and nuts, making sure all pieces touch melted chocolate to adhere
• Scatter Reese's Pieces and M&M's over, making sure candy touches melted chocolate
• Chill bark until firm, about 30 minutes
• Slide foil with candy onto work surface; peel off foil
• Cut bark into irrgular pieces

Makes Roughly 30 Pieces

Happy Feasting!

Happy Hour Friday: Hot Spiked Cider

With temperatures quickly dropping, I was in desperate need of something warm. This cider is so easy and quick to make and would make a great treat for Halloween night. Garnish your cider with whipped cream, fresh nutmeg or a cinnamon stick. Whip up a batch of this spiked cider and have a mug while you wait for your trick -or- treaters to arrive!

Source: Rachael Ray

You Will Need:

• 2 quarts apple cider
• 2 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 shots apple brandy
• Whipped Cream
• Sprinkle of nutmeg

Here We Go:

• Heat cider with cloves and cinnamon
• Pour a shot of apple brandy into a mug and fill with cider
• Top with whip cream and ground nutmeg 

Makes 4 Servings
Happy Feasting!

Pumpkin Spice Bread

It is hard to believe that this is the last week of October and I had yet to make anything pumpkin until now. This pumpkin spice bread is so indicative of the season. It carries such an aroma of Fall and it the perfect snack, dessert or even breakfast. This recipe makes two loaves so could be the perfect gift for a friend or neighbor. If you make this bread this weekend your house will be filled with flavors of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg just in time for Halloween!

Source: In Good Taste

You Will Need:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (16-ounce) can pure pumpkin

Here We Go:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree F
• Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans, line the bottoms with wax paper or parchment paper, then grease the paper
• Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl and set aside
• Beat the sugar and oil in a large bowl until blended
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended and then beat in the pumpkin
• Add the flour mixture and stir until just blended
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans
• Bake for about 70-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
• Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes before un-molding to cool completely before serving
• Remove the wax paper before slicing

Makes 2 Loaves
Happy Feasting!

Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

Until the other night, I think the last time that I had eaten a sloppy joe was at summer camp. Man-o-man had I forgotten just how delicious they really are! This recipe is so easy and will make enough to have sloppy joe's for the rest of the week (and don't think we didn't eat every last morsel). I tend to be a baby when it comes to spice and the pickled jalapenos add just the right amount of punch to the BBQ based sauce. Top your joe with shredded cheddar cheese and serve them with tater tots and a side salad and you really might be able to picture yourself back at camp!

Source: Southern Living April 2010 (Given to me by Alexa Stoneburner)

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup bottled BBQ sauce
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno peppers (optional)
• 1 Tbsp liquid from pickled jalapeno peppers (optional)
• 1 package potato hamburger rolls or Texas Toast
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Here We Go:

• Brown ground beef in large skillet, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes, or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink
• Drain well and return to skillet
• Stir in diced tomatoes, ketchup, BBQ sauce, worcestershire and , if desired, the jalapenos and juice
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes
• Serve on toasted hamburger buns or over Texas Toast
• Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and serve

Serves 4
Happy Feasting!

Italian Pasta Bake

Cheesy goodness - this dish is full of it! It is the perfect comfort dish for the season. Warm cavatappi pasta melded with fresh pesto, fire roasted tomatoes, ground beef and fresh asiago cheese make this casserole fabulous. It it the perfect quick solution to a weeknight meal that will feed the entire family, or feed just you and your roommates with enough leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week. Even though the panko breadcrumbs are optional I would highly suggest including them as they give this dish the perfect crunch!

Source: Simply Scratch

You Will Need:

• 1 pound Ground Sirloin
• 1 {16 oz.} box Cavatappi Pasta
• 1 cup Basil Pesto
• 1 {15 oz} can Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce
• 1 bag Fresh Baby Spinach
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and minced
• 1-1/2 cups Freshly Grated Asiago Cheese
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs {optional}
• Olive Oil

 Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with kosher salt
• Add pasta and cook to just shy of al dente
• Reserve a cup of pasta water
• To the pasta add the pesto and Asiago cheese and mix
• Meanwhile; over medium heat cook the ground turkey and garlic until the turkey is fully cooked, about 8 minutes
• Add the entire can of tomatoes and stir
• Place all the spinach on top of the simmering tomato and turkey mixture; reduce heat and cover to cook the spinach about 2-3 minutes
• Next, add the pesto pasta to the tomato mixture and toss
• If desired add a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce
• Immediately add the pasta to a lightly oiled baking dish
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese
• For more texture; sprinkle with a cup of panko bread crumbs and drizzle with a little olive oil, this step is totally optional
• Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until the top is golden (about 20-25 minutes)
• Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving

Serves 6-8
Happy Feasting!

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken with Vegetables

I love when Fall has officially arrived and you can spend the weekend in jeans, boots and a light sweater. I am happy to say that has become my weekend routine. With temperatures quickly dropping, I have been feeling the need to make hearty, warm soups and slow cooker favorites. This thai chicken is so flavorful and filling. With tender chunks of chicken, carrots, peppers and onions this curry is perfect for a crisp October night. Serve it over brown rice with garlic naan for an even more satisfying meal.

Adapted from: Food.com

You Will Need:

• 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp red curry paste
• 2 tsp curry powder 
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 medium green pepper, quartered and sliced
• 1 medium red pepper, quartered and sliced

Here We Go:

• Whisk coconut milk, flour, curry powder and curry paste in slow-cooker until smooth
• Whisk in garlic and salt
• Add chicken, onion, and carrots
• Stir to mix
• Scatter red and green peppers over top
• Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours until chicken and vegetables are tender; stir occasionally

Serve 4
Happy Feasting!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

It doesn't get much better than a peanut butter and chocolate combination. Cookies, cakes, pies or brownies - I love them all! These blondies are so easy to make and I can almost guarantee that these will be your new favorite dessert (at least for this week)! Creamy peanut butter and melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate chips make these cake like blondies pretty much perfection . I will say, that my husband and I think they are best served warm. Make it an extra special treat and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Source: Two Peas & Their Pod

You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Here We Go:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Grease a 9x13-inch pan and set aside
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter, until creamy and combined
• Set mixture aside to cool
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Add the eggs, one at a time, to the peanut butter mixture, mixing well after each addition
• Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine
• Pour the mixture into the prepared dry ingredients, and stir until batter is smooth
• Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for sprinkling on top
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and lightly press them into the batter
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned
• Remove blondies from oven and place them on a wire rack to cool
• Once cooled, cut into squares and serve

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

I started my new job last week (hooray!) and before I headed back to the grind I decided that I should make a few slow cooker favorites while I had time to be at home and supervise the slow cooker. Yes, I said supervise the slow cooker because we all know that after you throw the ingredients into the pot there isn't much left for us to do but wait.

My husband loves Mexican food and jumps at the chance to eat it as often as possible. I made these tacos for him last week and he adored them. They are juicy, tender and full of Mexican flavor. We topped them with fresh avocado, monterey jack cheese, salsa and sour cream although feel free to doctor up your tacos to your own preference.

Source: Gimme Some Oven

You Will Need:

1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 cup beef stock

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (If you like spice, use two)

1/2 large sweet onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

Flour tortillas

Taco toppings (avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce etc.)

Here We Go:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat
• Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl
• Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly
• Once the oil is hot, place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side
• Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker
• Leave the pan on the heat, and add in the beef stock to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan
• Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk into the pan sauce
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly
• Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker
• Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours
• Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker, and mix into the shredded beef.
• Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings

Makes 8-10 Tacos
Happy Feasting!