One Dirty Chick

Get your mind out of the gutter.

Here is the dirty chick I am talking about.

Dirty chick....get it?  I love Peeps, and I especially love them dipped in chocolate.  Sure, you can buy chocolate covered Peeps in the store, but I don't like those ones.  You know why?  The sugar coating is missing!  You are basically eating a chocolate covered marshmallow.  Peeps are not simply marshmallows!  The sugar coating is what makes it a Peep.

These would make cute party favors, especially for classroom parties (guess what the 2nd grade is going to have in April?).

Dirty Chicks are super easy to make.  All you need are Peeps, melting chocolate, and wax paper. 

We used blue chicks because, well, it reminded me of a blue duck, and I've never seen a blue duck before (Did anyone get that movie reference?).  Be sure to follow the directions when you melt the chocolate.  If you overheat it, it will not melt properly and you won't be able to use it.   Take a Peep, and dip the bottom of it in the chocolate.  Gently shake the chick to remove the excess chocolate, and then place the Peep on wax paper.  That's it!  That's all you have to do.  Keep dipping the Peeps until you run out of either supply.  Once you are done, you should have your own little chicken coop.

Not only do I love chocolate covered Peeps...I also love sprinkles (because I have the taste pallet of a child).  I thought the sprinkles added a little more color to this sugar treat.

What do you think?

My Own Lil Bit 'O Trouble

This past Saturday, my daughter and her Girl Scout troop sold cookies at the local mall.  Their booth was located in the food court, which was a primo spot.  It was also located across from the Nestle Toll House cookie stand.  Competing with them shouldn't be a problem -- who wouldn't want to buy cookies from sweet little girls?  I'll tell you who.  My daughter.

Her: "Can I get a cookie?"
Me: "What?  Are you kidding me?  You are selling cookies."
Her: "Come on!  They have the good cookies I like."

She's a great salesman, right?

And the cookies she likes?  It's call the Lil Bit 'O Trouble.  It's a small frosting sandwich -- two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla frosting in the middle, and rainbow sprinkles on the outside.  They also cost just about $3 a pop.  You would think that I have had enough of cookies already, considering I am the Girl Scout cookie mom.  You think wrong.  I decided to make my own version of this cookie, for much less than $3 a cookie.  I must admit to you now that I took the easy way and cheated.

You will need the following supplies: one can of vanilla frosting, a package of ready-to-bake cookies, and sprinkles.

I used the seasonal sugar cookies I found at the grocery store. I also made two packages, for a total of 48 cookies, which would make 24 cookie sandwiches.

Bake the cookies as directed and allow to cool completely.

I love these cookies.  My mom used to call them Magic Cookies because of the designs.  I was excited to find the Disney designs -- we are huge Disney buffs.

Place a glob (that's the technical term) of frosting on the bottom of the cookie, and place another cookie on top.  You should now have a cookie sandwich in your hand, and some of the frosting should be oozing out of the sandwich. 



Take your cookie sandwich and roll the outside of it in the sprinkles.

You now have your own version of the Lil Bit of Trouble.  Pretty crazy that someone charges $3 for these things, right?  I made 24 for less than $5.  The kids at the school's morning YMCA program were very happy to see me with these this morning.



And for those of you wondering....No.  I did not buy her a Nestle cookie when we are at the mall.  She got ice cream.

Come back tomorrow to learn how to make Dirty Chicks (not gonna give any secrets).

Tasty Thursday

Buffalo Chicken Dip....everyone has their own version of the recipe.  I got this recipe from my husband's cousin's wife (did you follow that?) years ago.  She brought this dip to a party, and everyone went crazy for it.  It was so good -- it was like nothing I had before -- and I had to find out how to make it.

I made it, and brought it to a party, and everyone went crazy for it.  People asked me for the recipe, and I'm sure that they now make it, bring it to parties, and people go crazy for their version.

Below is how I make this dip.  My cousin MD (the 2nd one) makes it a different way, and we went head to head one day.  It was like the Pepsi challenge.  Which one did you like better?  I'll admit it...she beat me. 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 lb. cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 block cream cheese, softened
1 jar blue cheese dressing (not the kind that can be found on the shelves -- you have to get the kind in the produce section)
2 cups buffalo wing sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the chicken and wing sauce in a sauce pan over medium heat, until heated through.  Add the cream cheese and dressing.  Cook, and stir until well blended.  Pour into a 9x13 casserole pan.  Spread the shredded cheese over the mixture.  Cook for 35 minutes.  Serve with crackers and celery sticks.

Like I said, I lost to her in the challenge.  I'm up for another one.  I think I can take her.  It would be like our version of the Iron Chef.  What do you say?

Why The Name Buttercream Queen?

This is why.  This is a cake I made two years ago just because.  It's a yellow cake covered in buttercream spaghetti, and topped with chocolate truffle meatballs.  The sauce is thinned rasberry jam.

This was Megan's birthday cake when she turned 6.  Her birthday is in May, and she asked for a Rudolph cake. 

So...that's why the name Buttercream Queen.  It's actually Buttercream B*tch because I won't let my family eat the homemade icing I make. 

I've been toying with the idea of making some money on the side -- all of which would be donated to Autism Research -- from my love of baking.  I just don't know where to start.  I thought I would start with the name, but I don't think Buttercream B*tch would look good on a business card.

Any thoughts?  I would love to hear them.

Dear Friday....

Dear Friday,

Thank you for finally coming.  I have been waiting for your arrival.  Please give Sunday a call and tell her to take her time.  I would like to enjoy my time with you, and with Saturday.

Thanks again.  See you in a week.

Love,
Reen

I (hate) New York

Yeah....today would normally be Tasty Thursday, but I have New York on my mind.  I blame it on Bono and the boys.  If they had not recorded "New York" for their 2000 album "All That You Can't Leave Behind", I would not have it on my iPod.  But, they made it, and it's on my iPod, and I heard it last night while I was working in the kitchen.
I love U2.

I hate New York.

Sorry to offend anyone (I'm looking in your direction Parkwood), but I do.  It's an okay place to visit, but I don't want to stay there.

I hate New York sports teams.  I hated sitting in Citi Field last year to watch the Phillies beat the Mets.  There is a reason that place is called Flushing.  I hate Jorge Posada.  He pees on his hands (look it up) and has big ears.  I hate the Giants -- and not because they just won the Super Bowl.  I really have no opinion of the J-E-T-S.  Truth be told, I tend to root for them, but I think it is only because of Rex and his foot fetish.

It's the town that never sleeps, and you know what?  It needs to.  Take a look in the mirror New York.  You don't look so pretty at 4 in the morning.

I hate taxi cabs.

I hate piles of garbage laying on the sidewalk.  I hate having to walk around them.  I hate the way they smell.

I hate seeing rats walking around on the subway platform while I was waiting for the train.  I hate the fact that no one seemed bothered by the rats.

I hate the fact that you are forced to overpay for everything in New York.

I hate that John Lennon stepped outside the Dakota one December day.

I hate that bird that crapped on Megan as soon as we walked off of the bus last year when we visited New York for the day.  She never got pooped on by a bird in Pennsylvania.

I hate that American Doll store on 5th Avenue.  I LOVE that Megan hates those dolls.  Wait...there is one thing I like about that store.  The bathrooms.  Very nice.  If you happen to be in that area, and need to use the facilities, stop in there.

I sound very bitter, right?  I blame this all on Bono.  I love U2.  I hate New York.

Long live Philadelphia (Roxborough in the house....holler)

Tasty Thursday

If you remember, I wrote about how I wished I learned how to cook my mom's spaghetti.  Since that never happened, I found a recipe in an old church cookbook and adapted it to fit my family's taste.  It's really easy because I use the crock pot....fill it up, turn it on low, leave for work, and come home to a homecooked meal.  I'm going to share it with you.  If you try it, let me know what you think of it.

Crock-Pot Spaghetti Sauce

3 large cans crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. sugar

salt

pepper

1 tsp. butter

Pour all the ingredients into the crock pot, and give it a good stir.  Turn on low, and cook for 8 hours.  Take the lid off for about 1/2 hour so the sauce will thicken.  If you want to add meat, it can be added in with the above ingredients.  I *highly* recommend you use  Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners.  These will save your life.

That's it.  Super easy, and super good.  Plus it makes a lot, at least it makes a lot for us.  I sometimes make this and freeze the results so we have sauce whenever we need it.

Oh...and that "old" cookbook I was talking about.  It's the book called " Our Best Home Cooking...A Collection of Recipes Fom St. Martin of Tours Community".  I can't find a year listed, so I'm not sure how old it really is.  This is my go-to book.  Gotta love church cookbooks.

Until next time......