**Sunday Social - 4.24**

{A few days late. I meant to do this Monday but our power went out and remained out for 40 hours and then we were under a tornado warning the whole next day. *phew*}

Happy Easter everyone! Or perhaps I should say Happy Zombie Jesus Day! [sorry if that offends, but you know it's true :P] [disclaimer: it's a joke, I promise I'm not being mean]

Only one really great recipe this week on Fantastical:

• Cinnamon Roll Pancakes: These are utterly amazing. You absolutely have to try them. :D

I've gone back to bookmarking sweets. Didn't last very long, did I? Here's what the food blog world had to offer this week:

• Strawberry Cupcakes from Real Mom Kitchen: I love strawberry cake anything. These look absolutely amazing. Oh! And it's Laura's 3 year blogoversary!
• Banana Coconut Upside Down Cake from The Girl Who Ate Everything: Lately I've been on a bit of a coconut cake kick.  But this just ups the ante by a lot. It looks delicious!
• Cream Soups from Finding Joy in the Kitchen: I don't know if you've noticed, but I always thought it was ridiculous to pay $1.25+ for a small can of soup. This recipe will definitely come in handy.
• S'Mores Cake in a Jar from How Sweet It Is: Be prepared to want to lick your computer screen!!
• Magic Peanut Butter Middles from Back to the Cuttingboard: In her post, she says a friend was convinced there was crack in these because she couldn't stop eating them. That is exactly what I want to hear about something I want to bake :)
• Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops from Sing For Your Supper: Two things I really love to hear are: grilled and Hawaiian. This usually means pineapple. There is nothing more magical in the world than grilled pineapple.
• Chicken Egg Rolls from Annie's Eats: Okay..maybe I didn't get ALL sweets this week. I love egg rolls!
• Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie from Tracey's Culinary Adventures: The picture is perfect. It is so perfect!! Go look at it!! NOW :D
• Itty Bitty Cinnamon Roll Bites from Picky Palate: Last week I told you I was obsessed with cinnamon roll-like foods. I wasn't kidding. Hellllllloooo sweet little things!
• Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta from Jamie Cooks It Up!: This looks incredible! I only wish I knew where to find this cooking creme. I can't find it anywhere!
• Apple Fritters from Get Off Your Butt and BAKE!: Rhodes Rolls! Seriously! I love them. They are soooo delicious :)
• Chocolate-Drizzled Strawberries and Cream Pie from Our Best Bites: These ladies really cannot come up with a bad recipe! I don't like the artificial-ish syrups and stuff on pies either. This pie looks amazing.
• Banana Manna from The Purple Foodie: I can't wait to try this one. My daughter loves bananas too much for me to pass up something like this.
• Banana Split Cream Pie from Mel's Kitchen Cafe: I'm not really a huge banana fan, but I love banana pudding and banana cream pie.
• Quick, No-Rise Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls from Alli 'N Son: Another "must look at the picture" recipe.

{Stay Safe and make sure you check out these awesome recipes!}

~Twisted Thursday - 4.21.2011~

So here's what to do...

It's YOUR turn to share one of your favorite recipes!

You can also grab a button for your blog from the right hand side --->

The recipes will probably be pretty scarce over the next 3 weeks. My husband is coming home for R&R and I am road tripping on down to Tennessee tonight from here in up upstate New York. I'll still be cooking at my in-laws, but I'm not sure how much I'll actually be doing and how many new recipes I'll be making.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

These were divine. We had brinner (breakfast for dinner) and I think that these are so good that they could be considered dessert! Thank you Lori @ recipegirl.com/ for this wonderful recipe. It's amazing!

What you need:
For Pancakes*:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups milk
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

*I tripled the original to make 10 to 15 larger pancakes (maybe 5-inch)

For Cinnamon Filling:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

For Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 1/4 tbsp. butter
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

 Directions:

For pancakes: Whisk all dry ingredients together. Then add in wet ingredients, just until moistened. May be lumpy.

For filling: Mix together all ingredients and place in a baggie.

For glaze: heat butter and cream cheese until melted in microwave. Whisk until smooth and then add in powdered sugar and vanilla.
Heat over medium-low heat and spray with nonstick spray, if needed.
Pour some batter into the skillet.
Cut a very small piece of the baggie off. Pipe a spiral onto the pancakes

When the top is bubbly, flip the pancakes.
Serve warm topped with glaze.

This recipe will be linked up at...

 

**Sunday Social - 4.17.2011**

   I hope everyone has had a wonderful week and weekend too! 

This week is full of goodies - you have to check them out!

My favorites this week on Fantastical:

• Fiesta Chicken & Rice: This one was like a breath of fresh air after all my failed recipe tries over the last few weeks. I can tell it will be a regular.
• Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies: I know these sound really weird...to some, gross, but I can assure you, if you like bacon and you like chocolate chip cookies, you'll love these cookies!
• BBQ Beef Sandwiches and Sweet Coleslaw: I love pulled pork, chicken and beef sandwiches and I don't eat coleslaw much anymore because no one else in the family likes it, but since my husband is deployed, I have free reign to make all my favorites. The sandwich was so good and it seems like my daughter is now on the coleslaw bandwagon :)

This week in the rest of the blog world:

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew from Mommy Hates Cooking: I think that every recipe I've ever found for beef stew is complicated or ends up tasting horrible. I was so excited to see this one pop up. While you're there, make sure you check out Kristy's other recipes! She has a GREAT collection.
• Vegetable Lasagna from Pioneer Woman: I actually really enjoy vegetable lasagna and didn't have a recipe for it before this one :) I cannot wait to try it out! Also if you haven't heard, Ree Drummond is going to have a show from her ranch on Food Network!!
• Baked Buffalo Wings from The Comfort of Cooking: DROOL. My husband has me hooked on buffalo and I've started to get a little out of my comfort zone and eat wings...uhh NOM.
• Sparkling Summery Sangria from Sing For Your Supper: Summer is upon us! It's soooo close. This looks picture perfect for a nice summer day.
• Honey Nut Bars from My Baking Addiction: I'll be honest, this was perfect timing on the day I was craving Pay Day bars :)
• Pretty Layered Overnight Salad from Jamie Cooks It Up!: My husband's aunt makes something similar that I still need to get the recipe for. I absolutely love this salad!
• Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken from Beantown Baker: Mmm. I have never made a whole chicken before. But I adore Thanksgiving for the turkey and it tastes similar to chicken, so why the heck haven't I done this yet??
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie from Finding Joy in My Kitchen: I really like the concept of making chocolate chip cookies into different things...that are much larger. :)
• Sticky Pecan Bites from Tracey's Culinary Adventures: Maybe it's because I am a sucker for anything that resembles a cinnamon roll, but these look amazing!
• Caramel Brownies from Annie's Eats: Just the picture. Just LOOK at the picture.

Just a little note: I assure you readers the world will not be coming to an end. I know it was strange to not see my list of the week full of sweets :) I hope you all check out all these recipes and blogs.

This post is linked up @

Friday Favorite Finds

BBQ Beef Sandwiches & Sweet Coleslaw

I unfortunately got a bad batch of meat from the Commissary (go figure) and it did NOT want to cooperate, but this recipe was great nonetheless. You can find the original on My Baking Addiction! There are tons of really great recipes there. Mostly sweets, which in my opinion, makes it all the much better :)

 

For BBQ Beef Sandwiches
What you need:

• 3 1/2 lbs. beef chuck roast
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp and 1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

Place the roast in a slow cooker with water. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Shred the beef. Remove fat as you shred.

Remove 1/2 cup of broth to reserve for later, if your beef needs more liquid.**I have asked Jamie (the original poster) if the rest of the broth needs to be drained or not...so I will update when I hear back :))

In a medium bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients together. 

Stir into shredded beef. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Adding reserved broth, if needed.

Serve on mini buns topped with coleslaw (recipe follows)

For Sweet Coleslaw:

What you need:

• 1 (16 oz.) bag coleslaw mix
• 2 tbsp. diced onion
• 2/3 cup Miracle Whip
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds (I omitted)

Directions:

1. Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a bowl.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in another bowl until combined.
3. Pour dressing over coleslaw mix and toss to coat.
4. Chill for at least 2 hours.

This post is linked up at...

Strawberry Banana Smoothies

I am not a big fan of "plain" yogurt...and I had a little vanilla...but I also had a little blueberry yogurt so I subbed plain yogurt for 6 oz. blueberry and 4 oz. vanilla.

What you need:

• 16 oz. crushed ice
• 2 oz. strawberry juice (I used Naked Red Machine juice)
• 8 strawberries, rinsed, hulled
• 1 1/2 banana
• 6 oz. blueberry yogurt
• 4 oz. vanilla yogurt

Directions:

Blend in blender :)

Adapted from Food.com member Frozen Fusion, PA's Strawberry Banana Smoothie recipe.

Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bacon + Chocolate = EPIC.

Now to some, this sounds kind of gross. But I assure you...it's not. The bacon ends up around the texture of raisins and salty and sweet is a great taste combo :)

What you need:
For the Candied Bacon:

• 8 slices center cut thick bacon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

For the Cookies:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 whole egg
• 1 whole egg yolk
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place bacon on foil-lined baking sheet. I did mine on one with a lip to prevent any grease from smoking up my kitchen and setting off my alarm. Sprinkle with brown sugar on top.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, turning halfway through. Let cool and then chop. Reduce oven to 325.
Sift flour and baking soda.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugars.

Then add vanilla, egg and egg yolk, beating until light and creamy.

Add flour and baking soda, slowly.
After the mixture is well combined, stir in bacon and chocolate chips.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet, drop dough by the tablespoon and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are brown. Let cool for 1 minute on pan and then remove to a wire rack.

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything