Amaretto Bread Pudding

One night we had a dinner party but forgot dessert so we took what we could find and made this amazing dessert.

• 1 loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, ends removed
• 2 tbsp of butter, melted
• 4 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 2 cups of skim milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp amaretto
• 1/4 cup amaretto

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line bread on a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 mins on each side until lightly toasted
3. Beat eggs with skim milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and 1 tbsp of amaretto
4. After bread is done, break up into small chunks and put in a 8 in greased baking dish
5. Reduce oven to 350 degrees
6. Drizzle bread chunks with butter and a 1/4 cup amaretto and mix until well coated
7. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread, making sure each piece of bread is soaked
8. Let sit 5 minutes and then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
9. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping
10. Enjoy!

Appetizers for New Years

For New Years, why not party with a bunch of appetizers.  Here are some of my favorite appetizer recipes:

Fiesta Spinach Dip:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 pkg fiesta ranch-style dip mix
• 1 - 13 oz can of artichoke hearts
• 1 - 10 oz pkg of chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 - 8 oz can of water chestnuts

1. Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, and fiesta ranch mix and set aside
2. Drain the artichoke hearts and chop finely
3. Drain and rinse the water chestnuts, chop finely and add into a large mixing bowl with the  artichoke hearts
4. Drain well the spinach and mix with the artichoke hearts
5. Mix the mayonnaise/sour cream mixture with the water chestnuts, artichoke hearts, and spinach
6. Serve with your choice of bread, crackers or chips
7. ENJOY!

Orange-Glazed Smokies:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 pkg of little smokies

1. In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour, orange juice, mustard, and vinegar and cook until thickened
2. Add smokies and heat until fully heated
3. Serve with toothpicks and enjoy!

Bean Dip

• 1 cup refried beans
• 1 cup spicy hummus
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Heat beans until soft, then mix in hummus, sour cream, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and taco seasoning and mix until combined
2. Top with chopped cilantro
3. Serve with chips and enjoy!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Dreamsicle Pudding

Here is a recipe that is absolutely amazing.  It tastes just like a dreamsicle popsicle.  Take this recipe to a potluck for an instant hit but make sure to bring copies of the recipe.  Every time I take this anywhere, I am bombarded with requests for the recipe.  It is delicious and easy to make.

• 3 oz box of cooked vanilla pudding (do NOT buy the instant pudding, it does not work)
• 3 oz box orange jello
• 3 oz box of cooked tapioca pudding (do NOT buy the instant pudding, it does not work)
• 11 oz can of mandarin oranges
• 12 oz cool whip
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups milk

1. Cook together in a sauce pan on medium heat the orange juice, milk, orange jello mix, and both pudding mixes
2. Cook until the mixture is thick
3. Pour into a mixing bowl and refrigerate at least 1 1/2 hours
4. Mix in cool whip and mandarin oranges and ENJOY!

Tip: I like to make cooked mixture the night before and then mix in the oranges and cool whip before taking to a party or serving at home

Triple Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

These brownies are amazing and festive for the holidays! I took a basic homemade brownie recipe and added a twist of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and candy canes. You can make this recipe without the candy canes for a Triple Chocolate treat! These were a huge hit at my office for a birthday celebration. Take them to a Holiday party, they will be a big hit! 

• 1 cup butter, melted 
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar 
• 1 tbsp vanilla 
• 4 eggs 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 
• 2 candy canes, crushed into small pieces 

1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees 
2. Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla until well blended 
3. Add eggs and mix well 
4. Mix together flour, cocoa powder and salt and then mix with the butter/sugar mixture 
5. Fold in chocolate chips and candy canes pieces 
6. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 40 minutes 
7. Let cool on a wire rack 
8. Serve and enjoy! 

Candy Bark

One of my holiday favorites is Peppermint Bark.  Candy bark is easy and fun to make and you can make your own flavor varieties.

My peppermint bark:

• 1 bag of milk chocolate chips
• 1 bag of white chocolate chips
• 2 candy canes, broken up into small pieces
• Parchment

1. Melt on a double boiler the milk chocolate and pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
2. Melt the white chocolate on the double boiler and pour over the milk chocolate
3. Swirl the 2 chocolates together on the top layer
4. Sprinkle broken candy cane pieces over the chocolate
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
6. When chocolate is solid, break up into smaller pieces and enjoy.
7. This makes a great homemade present too!

Other candy bark varieties:

• Chocolate and peanut butter with cookie crumbles
• Dark and white chocolate peppermint
• Fruit and nut - top chocolate with your favorite nuts and dried fruit
• Confetti bark - top with your favorite holiday sprinkles (the kids love it!)
• Smores bark - top milk chocolate with graham cracker crumbles and mini marshmallows