Hershey's Easy Chocolate Lover's Cheesepie

Why is it that most of the posts on this blog are sweet? Maybe because they are easy to make or maybe because I have a sweet tooth. Maybe because I just can't resist the recipes that bring comfort and make you fat. I don't know but I do know that Hershey's hit the nail on the head with this easy and not so fat free dessert.






The main players on the stage!







Start by beating the cream cheese and the sugar until mixed well. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time beating slow and well after each egg. That's pretty much all there is to the filling. MMMMM I love to taste the filling even if it does have raw eggs in it.

















Add the 1 2/3 cups of chocolate chips and stir until they are incorporated pretty evenly.



















Pour it into the pie shell and spread it to the edges. There is alot of filling in this recipe. I actually put a little in a ramekin because it seemed like too much for the pie shell. I just guessed at the cooking time for the ramekin, but I did bake it in the same way as the big pie after the pie came out of the oven.








Remove it from the oven and let cool!












Add the ganache (I actually made a little extra by adding 2 squares of semi sweet baking chocolate and 2 more Tbls. cream so it would be nice and thick on the pie) and spread it to the edges of the pie and if by chance you get in on your fingers (Oh, was that an accident?) just lick it off! I like to almost lick the bowl clean but I use a spatula instead of my fingers!







I just don't think there is anything I don't love about this pie. It's easy, it's pretty and it is just down right deeeeeeeelish! Try it out. I promise it will become one of your favorites too (Just ignore the calories) :)



Easy Chocolate Lover's Cheesepie
Hershey

3 pkgs. (8 oz) cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups Mini Chocolate Chips
2 Tbls. whipping cream
1 extra serving size graham cracker crust (9 oz)

Heat oven to 450*

Beat the cream cheese and the sugar until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla. Stir in 1 2/3 cups of the chocolate chips. Pour into crust.

Bake for 10 minutes at 450. Without opening the door decrease the temperature to 250* and bake for 30 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven and cool on rack. Cool completely. Cover. Refrigerated until chilled.

Place remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Add the whipping cream. Microwave on high for 20-30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Spread on top of cheesepie. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes. Cover

CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza ala The Pioneer Woman

I've been wanting to try the California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza for a long long time. I finally did it. So to start with, I love this pizza. I wasn't so thrilled with the bbq sauce that I chose-so that said, I still loved it. I will definately add bacon pieces the next time I make this. The Pioneer Woman puts chopped cilantro on top of hers but I didn't do that because we don't care so much for cilantro. It's ok for me but my hubby doesn't like it at all and because I want to feed him and have his opinion of these recipes the cilantro didn't show up.





You'll want to bake your chicken breasts in the bbq sauce and then cut it into bite size pieces. Set it aside until you are ready to make your pizza.





and slice your red onions!







Love the Olive Oil. Use some to oil your pan!







This dough is wonderful to work with. I only let it set about 2 hours. I think next time I will let it set a day or two.








Spread a little bit of the bbq sauce on the crust but not too much!







Add the slices of the mozzerella cheese over the top of the sauce.







Sprinkle on the chicken pieces and the sliced onion. Remember to add the bacon if you love bacon:)






Sooooooooo! Doesn't this pizza just look fabulous. It is really really good. I am not a fan of the bbq sauce that I used though. Oh well, I guess that means I'll just have to keep practicing til I get it right! Right? Oh twist my arm, please twist my arm. LOVE IT!



Recipe: CPK’s BBQ Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
• 1 whole Recipe For Pizza Crust (mine Makes Two Crusts)
• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ½ cups Barbecue Sauce
• Olive Oil, For Drizzling
• Salt For Sprinkling
• 16 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thinly
• ½ whole Red Onion, Cut In Half And Sliced Very Thin
• Chopped Cilantro, to taste
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Salt chicken breasts on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breasts and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and cut into a fine dice. Set aside.
Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.
Roll/stretch out one pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt.
Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.
Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.


Recipe: Basic Pizza Crust
Ingredients
• 1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
• 1-½ cup Warm Water
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ⅓ cups Olive Oil
Preparation Instructions
Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.
Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.
When you are ready to make the pizza, grab HALF the pizza dough (recipe makes 2 crusts) and squeeze the dough toward the bottom to form a nice, tight, pulled ball. You can roll out the pizza with a rolling pin if you’d like, but sometimes it’s just as easy to throw it around and pull and stretch till it feels right. And when the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and spread it with your fingers. Very lightly sprinkle some salt on the crust.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and Easy Pie Crust

I love chocolate chip cookies and I love pie so when I saw this recipe I thought, "Well, why not" It's good but not necessarily my favorite. Give it try. You can't go wrong with chocolate anytime.





I mixed the recipe like I do when I make cookies. I didn't beat the eggs first and then add everything else. Maybe the texture would be different if I did. This batter is just like a cookie dough and seemed to work fine. I have a habit of not always following the recipe but if you aren't sure of your cooking skills, follow the recipe:)





Spread the cookie dough batter into the pie shell and bake!












Bake until it is golden brown on top.













The finished pie. I didn't add the pecans to the pie because my kids would rather not have nuts. I just sprinkled them over the top for those who wanted them. If I was making the pie for just me, I would definately add the pecans. I liked this recipe but I am not convinced it is one of my favorite pies. There are so many that I would choose over this one so, I will most likely not make it again. You decide for yourself!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Recipe from Nestle

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought.
2 large eggs
1/2 C flour
1/2 C white granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C real butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark works best, you might find milk too sweet)
1 C chopped pecans (you are welcome to make it without nuts)

Vanilla ice cream, or sweetened whipped cream for serving (a must! I prefer ice cream)
optional: chocolate sauce (honestly, doesn't really need chocolate sauce, but it looks pretty!)

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack or serve slightly warmed. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.



Easy Homemade Pie Crust





My mother was such an amazing pie maker. Her pie crust recipe is very easy, uses basic ingredients and I have never had it not work for me. It is flaky and yummy. Sometimes I just make pie crust with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled over it to make a fun little treat. My kids love the left over cinnamon and sugar crusts whenever I make pies. Try this recipe. It really is easy.

Easy Pie Crust

For a single pie

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold water

Mis the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until little pebbles like peas. Add the water and mix with a fork. Do not over mix. Roll out on a slightly floured counter top. Bake at 425* for 9-10 minutes or until brown.

Homemade BBQ Sauce with Pulled Pork

I love this BBQ sauce recipe. My sister adapted the recipe from my mother's baked beans and the ingredients that she used to make the sauce. I had it on pulled pork at Susan's house and fell in love with it. I made it for my kids and they fell in love with it. The best thing about it is that there are no preservatives in it like the stuff you buy at the store.





The ingredients are pretty basic! Most of everything you will probably just have on your shelves already.






Mix all of the ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. (I use a little liquid smoke instead of the tabasco-just because that's what I had on hand. I like it with the liquid smoke) Remove from heat and serve. You can refrigerate what you have left over and use it another day.





The end result in all it's heavenly splendor!!! If you like BBQ sauce on anything this recipe is for you! MMMMM! so good and so easy:)


Homemade BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 Cups Ketchup
1/4 + 2 Tbls. Molasses
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tbls. Worchestershire Sauce
few shakes of Tabasco or 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke

Mix together, bring to a boil and serve.
Can refrigerate unused sauce.


Pulled Pork (easy)

Pork Boston Butt Roast (use a Boston Butt because it pulls best)
Shilling Pork Rub

Dry the roast. Rub with the Pork Rub all over. Bake 300* for 7-8 hours (depending on the size). Don't let the juices burn up. Add a little water if necessary. When cooked, remove to a plate and cover for 10 minutes. Shred with forks. Remove any large pieces of fat or gristle. Enjoy!

The Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake

This really is the best strawberry, or raspberry in this case, shortcake that I have ever had. But then you can't go wrong with angel food cake and cream cheese. I hope you will try this recipe. It's easy and it is so so good.








Mix the cream cheese, the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Mix in the whipped cream. MMMMMM!







Layer in your pan, the cake, the cream cheese mixture, the cake and the cream cheese mixture.






I used raspberries because I had them in my freezer and strawberries were just way too expensive. I think any kind of fruit would be delicious. In fact, I can't wait to try it with peaches:)



Add the sweetened fruit to the top and then top with whipped cream. I made the cake the night before but I added the whipped cream right before I served it. It was yummy and creamy. Love It!






I love this recipe. In fact, everyone I know that has eaten it loves it. I think it would be beautiful in a trifle bowl. Any way you dress it up, it is just plain wonderful.



The Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake

1 angel food cake torn into pieces
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powder sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 8 oz tub cool whip or 3 cups whipped cream
strawberries or any fruit you love
1/2 cup sugar to sweeten the fruit

Whip the cream.
Mix softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the whipped cream. In another bowl mix the fruit with the 1/2 cup sugar. Layer in a 9x13 pan, half the cake pieces, half the cream cheese mixture, the other half of cake pieces and top with the remaining cream cheese mix. Add the sweetened fruit to the top. Top with whipped cream. Let sit several hours or over night. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I chose to do this recipe because I was hoping it was one that some of you might try and write about. Most people love a little chocolate chip cookie dough and so these are a perfect little treat. The chocolate covering just kicks it up a notch. The dough, of course, is made with no eggs so you don't have to worry about getting sick. Try them out. They are easy, fun and so so yummy.





After mixing the dough together, just roll them into little balls about the size of two bites. Put them onto wax paper. After you get them all rolled, put them in the freezer for 30 minutes. I left mine a little longer but you don't want them to be frozen all the way.









I used the Wilton melts because they are so easy to use and taste really good. You can use any kind of chocolate or almond bark.














Use a skewer or toothpicks to dip the balls with. I also tried a fork but the toothpicks were my favorite. Make sure you stab them in far enough to hold the ball and not let it fall into the chocolate. I also tapped it a little to get some of the excess chocolate off. (I know, I know! What the heck was I thinking to take off the excess?)








You can leave them plain or add sprinkles to dress them up. You could add nuts or coconut too. The problem is that because the dough is frozen the chocolate sets really fast so you have to sprinkle them immediately.







I love cookie dough and I love chocolate. This is a wonderful little treat that is easy to make and just makes me SMILE! Best of all, you don't have to worry about those pesky raw eggs. LOVE IT! Enjoy:)



Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
Makes approx. 3-4 dozen.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 oz dark chocolate candy coating
Directions:
Beat butter and sugars and in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add soymilk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
When dough is firm enough to handle (it may help to lightly flour your hands), form dough into 1" balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or in microwave according to package directions. Using forks or a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap fork on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week (though good luck making them last that long).