Chocolate Rum Balls

Oh my gosh, we cannot believe that it’s October already, September seemed to pass in an instant!  Guess that getting back into the groove of school and of course coming down with the crud from all those new germs, and being sick for over half the month had something to do with it.  Here we are though, on the mend and Autumn is in the air so back on our game and hopefully back to some delicious cooking…because honestly all that was made last month were pots and pots of Cheaters Chicken Soup!  We did add some variety when we then morphed the Cheaters Chicken Soup into Jalapeno Popper Soup and Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup.  Honestly, soup and scrambled eggs were our diet for the month.  Getting us back into the swing of cooking was two part, a friend asked us to bake some special treats for a party she’s having and it’s Secret Recipe Club time!  Thankfully this month we could accomplish both tasks at the same time as our assigned blog, Danielle’s Mostly Food and Crafts had some wonderful sweet treat recipes to choose from.  Seriously, key lime pie bars, truffle fudge, zeppolle, and brownie biscotti all sounded and looked amazing but in the end we decided on Danielle’s rum balls, because honestly, who can resist a good rum ball?

We stayed pretty true to Danielle’s recipe, really only changing the sugar we rolled the balls in to finish as she used sanding sugar and we used confectioner’s.  How did they turn out?  Well just amazing, we wouldn’t change the recipe a bit!  Check out Danielle’s blog for all her wonderful recipes and crafty fun. 

Chocolate Rum Balls (adapted from here)

• butter for greasing pan
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt 
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dark rum
• Confectioners sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12x17-inch rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease with butter and set aside.  Place the butter & chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 50%, stopping and stirring each minute, until the butter and chocolate are melted.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 eggs then whisk in the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in your chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour.  Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until top is shiny and a cake tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Break up the brownie into small pieces and transfer to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or the bowl of a food processor. With machine on low speed, pour in the dark rum, and mix until crumbs start to come together to form a ball.  Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in confectioners sugar to coat. This recipe makes 4 dozen rum balls.  Refrigerate the rum balls uncovered, until cold, about 2 hours. Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Egg-in-the-Hole 
Baked Teriyaki Chicken Wings 
Baked Jalapeno Popper Dip 
Chipotle Stuffed Mushrooms 
Sriracha Deviled Eggs
Grilled Pizza Sandwich
Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Mascarpone Soup 
Hearty Bacon, Turkey & Vegetable Frittata
Chicken Satay with Sunbutter “Peanut” Sauce
Asian Pork Chops
Mango Salsa 
Pomegranate Molasses Salad Dressing
Beef Keema  
Roasted Grape Tomato, Garlic & Poblano Ragu
Mexican Feast: Cream of Ancho Chile Soup, Roasted Poblano Burger with Chile de Arbol Guacamole & Pork Crusted Baked Poblano Fries
Zesty Zucchini Skillet
Garlic Seafood in Coconut Milk
Lamb & Eggplant with Chiles
Fijian Ceviche
Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancakes   
Chicken Burgers with Spinach & Mushrooms 
Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

Check out the new SRC blog for more exciting recipes from past reveals

An InLinkz Link-up

No-Bake Energy Bites

It seems like forever ago, a friend, Alison, posted a recipe on Facebook for these No-Bake Energy Bites and we thought they would be a hit with Maisie.  That thought was immediately confirmed when Alison shared some of the ones she made with Maisie and she begged to make them that very night!  We have made these bites numerous times and they’re still a requested favorite.  They are simple to make and hold up well in her lunch and gym snack bags. 

The original recipe came from Maggie’s blog, Smashed Peas & Carrots, where she states “You can substitute almost anything for any of the ingredients to work around food allergies, special diets, etc. Soybutter, almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter, etc all works in place of peanut butter. You can use creamed or liquid honey, or agave nectar or even maltitol syrup in place of the honey. If you do not like or cannot eat coconut try some type of crushed cereal, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, granola, cocoa powder...the possibilities are really endless. If you cannot find ground flaxseed you can buy it whole and grind it yourself in a coffee grinder or magic bullet or you can substitute any other dry ingredient in it's place. Yes, the mini chocolate chips can be regular sized or carob or you can use raisins, cranberries, goji berries, or crushed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, whatev) of some kind.”  We have stuck to the recipe below because it’s a winner in Maisie’s book but if you try other options, let us know what you did and how they turned out!

No-Bake Energy Bites  (from here)

• 1 cup oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter  (or other nut butter)
• 1/3 cup honey  
• 1 cup coconut flakes  
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed   
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate bits  
• 1 tsp vanilla 

In a medium bowl, mix everything above together until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Cheese Cake Fudge

At one of the local farmer’s markets, there is a vendor who sells fudge, and one of the flavors she sometimes carries is Carrot Cake Cheesecake.  Well, Eammon just adored her fudge so we worked to replicate the recipe at home as a treat over the holidays.  Yes, another holiday recipe which only took us 4 months to finally post!  We dissected the farmer’s market fudge layer-by-layer and noted that the fudge was the cheesecake flavor and the bottom crust, even without any carrots, tasted like carrot cake.  So, we researched all sorts of recipes to finally come up with this one which is indistinguishable from the farmer’s market one he loved.  Though there are a few steps to the recipe, it is simple to execute and the results are worth the time.

Carrot Cake Cheese Cake Fudge

For the carrot cake base:

• 1 sleeve  Ritz Original crackers
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk 
• 1 tsp. vanilla  
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp.  ground nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

For the Cheesecake Fudge:

• 3 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter  
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 7 oz. Marshmallow Fluff (1-1/2 cups)
• 1 - 3.4 ounce instant cheesecake pudding mix, DRY

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and grease with butter or coconut oil.  Arrange the Ritz Crackers in a even layer on the bottom of the baking dish, breaking some to fill in all the gaps and overlapping as needed.  In a medium saucepan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once the mixture is at a FULL boil, cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, cocoa,  nutmeg & walnuts.  Pour the mixture over the crackers and bake for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool while making the fudge.

In a medium saucepan combine the white chocolate chips, butter, salt and condensed milk and heat until melted and smooth. Add the dry pudding mix and stir until the mix dissolves and is smooth.  Add the Marshmallow Fluff and stir until melted and smooth. Pour the melted fudge over the crust and use an offset spatula to smooth. 

Refrigerate until set.  Carefully remove the fudge from the pan and peel back the foil.  Using a sharp knife which has been heated in a bowl of hot water and then wiped dry, cut the fudge into small squares.  Clean the knife between each cut with a dish towel and reheat it as necessary.   Store the fudge at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Peppermint Bark

For some reason we have numerous recipes with pictures, which we never got posted to the blog.  Amazing how life, with all its ups and downs, makes time on the computer less and less available.  Need to try harder to get more recipes up so, we’re going to try and get all these older recipes posted and of course all the new and delicious ones too. 

This peppermint bark is super simple and a must-have around the holidays.  Yes, we had it back in December and here it is April and we’re just getting it onto the blog!  What’s really nice is that there’s no real cooking involved, it’s all chocolate, so fun to do as a family activity or with the kids.  Messy fingers all around to be cleaned up by hungry mouths. 

Peppermint Bark

• 12 ounces high quality white chocolate, discs, morsels or bars broken into pieces, divided
• 6 ounces high quality dark chocolate, discs, morsels or bars broken into pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, or oil of your choice, divided
• 4 oz. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Line a baking sheet with a Silpat, aluminum foil, or parchment paper.  Place half of the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl along with 1/2 a teaspoon of the coconut oil.  Melt in 15 second increments, stirring well after each heating.  Heat and stir until smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so no scorching occurs.  Pour the smooth chocolate onto the prepared pan and using an offset spatula, spread to a thin layer.  Place the pan into the refrigerator until the chocolate is ALMOST set, about 15 minutes.  While the first layer is in the refrigerator, heat the dark chocolate along with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil in the same manner as the white chocolate.  Spread the dark chocolate over the almost set white chocolate and smooth with the offset spatula.  Again place in refrigerator to allow the dark chocolate to ALMOST set.  Repeat the process with the remaining white chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil.  Once you spread the final layer of white chocolate and smooth, sprinkle on the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips and press them gently into the melted white chocolate. 

Refrigerate the bark until completely hardened. Once hardened, remove from the pan and peel off the Silpat, aluminum foil or parchment. Break the bark into pieces as large or as small as you want. If you choose to cut into squares, allow the bark to warm to room temperature.  Take a very long, sharp knife and allow it to warm up in a bowl of hot water.  Wipe the water off the knife and then use it to cut the bark.  Between each cut, wipe the knife and reheat it in the water as necessary.

Enjoy!!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudge

Another ~off our usual eating plan~ treat which we made for this Christmas season.  Chocolate fudge is wonderful but the addition of some spiciness just makes it all that much better.  The fudge isn’t too hot or spicy but rather just has a nice little kick.  Make and enjoy!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudge

• 18 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 tsp. instant espresso 
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. dark chili powder 
• 1/8 tsp.ground cayenne pepper 
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, or use a square silicone pan, unlined.  Melt the chocolate, condensed milk and marshmallows in a heavy pot.  Remove from the heat and stir in the espresso powder, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne, salt & vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.  Chill for 2 hours or until firm.  Remove the fudge from the pan.  Remove foil if used.  Cut the fudge into squares. 

Enjoy!!

Fried Fudge

Totally off our regular eating plan, but we decided that some Christmas treats were in order this year.  The first of these sugary treats was some super smooth, chocolaty Fried Fudge.  The fudge isn’t actually fried, it’s just made in a fry pan, thus the name.  Simple to make and delicious to eat.  Make it with or without nuts, it’s up to you!

Fried Fudge

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 oz. condensed milk
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts, quartered
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 

In a heavy fry pan, mix the sugar, butter &  milk together and then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for six more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat & add the chocolate chips and nuts. Stir until fudge begins to form and then quickly add the vanilla, stirring to incorporate. Using a tablespoon, drop the fudge onto a Silpat or wax paper. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Special Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fluff Frosting ~ Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free

Today is a triple special day, it's my A-Maisie-ing Maisie's eighth birthday, it’s Improv Cooking Challenge reveal day AND after weeks of neglect I'm finally adding a new recipe to the blog. How appropriate is it that this month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker challenged the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choosing using the specified ingredients of cake & frosting! She must have known that it was my girl's day and that she adores cake and frosting.

Of course Maisie with her allergies, I had to make her special treats gluten, egg & dairy free...but still delicious. These cupcakes were a big hit with my girl and since I made them just for her, I only frosted one and then wrapped and put the extras in the freezer to be thawed, frosted and enjoyed another day.

Special Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fluff Frosting ~ Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free

• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• 1/4 cup coconut cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 5 TBS. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting:

• Marshmallow Fluff
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

Using a food processor, combine the dates, almond milk, coconut cream & vanilla bean paste, pulsing until you have a smooth and creamy paste. In a separate bowl whisk together the rice flour, corn starch, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt. add the wet to the dry ingredients. Beat the mixture by hand for two minutes. Portion the batter into 4-6 cupcake liners.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. To make frosting, stir together the desired amount of Marshmallow Fluff and flavor to taste with cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Pipe frosting onto cupcake and decorate with sprinkles.

Enjoy!

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

• September 2013 Macaroni & Cheese: Creamy Mac & Cheese, Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free
• August 2013 Vanilla & Chocolate: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Vanilla Coconut Frosting
• July 2013 Peaches & Herbs: Peachy Cola Ribs
• June 2013 Fish & Chips: Salt & Vinegar Crab Cakes
• May 2013 Cinnamon & Sugar: Cinnamon Bun Cookie Bars
• April 2013 Bacon & Eggs: Mini Bacon & Swiss Quiche Cups
• March 2013 Carrots & Peas: Mom’s Beef Vegetable Soup
• February 2013 Hearts & Flours: Three Ingredient Fudgy Nutella Brownie Bites
• January 2013 Bananas & Nutmeg: Baked Bananas
• December 2012 Chocolate & Marshmallows: White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark
• November 2012 Sweet Potatoes & honey: Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp
• October 2012 Oatmeal & Raisins: S’mores Granola Bars
• September 2012 Zucchini & Brown Sugar: Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar
• August 2012 Tomatoes & Peppers: French Fries Hash Browns
• July 2012 Corn & Butter: Fritos Crusted Pollock
• June 2012 Cherries & Almonds: Dried Cherry Almond Tart
• May 2012 Strawberries & Cream: Strawberry Soup
• April 2012 Peanut butter & Jelly: Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
• March 2012 Potato & Cheese: Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole
• February 2012 Ginger & Carrots: Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
• January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream: Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart
• December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries: Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter
• November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese: Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
• October 2011 Caramel & Apples: Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Vanilla Coconut Frosting

Summer is flying by and here we are again, the third Thursday of the month and it's Improv Cooking Challenge time again. Like last month I'm still out of sorts as I'm still without a computer, thus still taking pictures with my iPhone and blogging on my iPad.

This month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker challenged the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choosing using the specified ingredients of vanilla & chocolate. Now those ingredients sound easy enough, I mean who doesn't love vanilla and chocolate? My problem in choosing a recipe though is that I'm not eating either ingredient right now and Eammon doesn't need to eat either ingredient so I limited myself to recipes that would appeal to my Maisie. In the end it was Maisie who led me to make Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Vanilla Coconut Frosting.

In the end neither Eammon nor I tried even a morsel of the treats but by the way Maisie and her friends devoured them, I can say that they were a huge success.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats with Vanilla Coconut Frosting

• 1/2 cup plus 3 TBS. Earth Balance Buttery Spread, divided
• 10 oz.. Mini marshmallows
• 1 cup dark chocolate peanut butter
• 5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2TBS. Coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Grease an 8-inch square pan and set aside.

Add 3 TBS. buttery spread and the marshmallows to a microwave safe bowl and heat for two minutes on high. Stir to combine and stir in the peanut butter. Heat for an additional 30-40 seconds and then working quickly, add the Rice Krispies and stir to combine well. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and chill until set.

Once the bars are set, cut into squares but keep them close and together. To make the frosting, combine the remaining 1/2 cup buttery spread, powdered sugar, coconut milk and vanilla bean paste and whisk together until creamy. Drizzle onto the chilled bars.

 

Enjoy!

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

July 2013 Peaches & Herbs: Peachy Cola Ribs
June 2013 Fish & Chips: Salt &Vinegar Crab Cakes
May 2013 Cinnamon & Sugar: Cinnamon Bun Cookie Bars
April 2013 Bacon & Eggs: Mini Bacon & Swiss Quiche Cups
March 2013 Carrots & Peas: Mom’s Beef Vegetable Soup
February 2013 Hearts & Flours: Three Ingredient Fudgy Nutella Brownie Bites
January 2013 Bananas & Nutmeg: Baked Bananas
December 2012 Chocolate & Marshmallows: White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark
November 2012 Sweet Potatoes & honey: Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp
October 2012 Oatmeal & Raisins: S’mores Granola Bars
September 2012 Zucchini & Brown Sugar: Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar
August 2012 Tomatoes & Peppers: French Fries Hash Browns
July 2012 Corn & Butter: Fritos Crusted Pollock
June 2012 Cherries & Almonds: Dried Cherry Almond Tart
May 2012 Strawberries & Cream: Strawberry Soup
April 2012 Peanut butter & Jelly: Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
March 2012 Potato & Cheese: Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole
February 2012 Ginger & Carrots: Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream: Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart
December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries: Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter
November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese: Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
October 2011 Caramel & Apples: Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

 

 

Andes Peppermint Snowball Cookies

It’s one of my favorite times of the month, it’s Secret Recipe Club time!  This month I was assigned a blog that I have been following F.O.R.E.V.E.R., Katrina’s Baking and the Boys!  Katrina bakes copious amounts of crazy delicious treats for her four boys and husband and everything, and I do mean everything, is delicious looking, drool worthy in fact.  Since Katrina is a baker, I just had to bake and let me tell you, choosing a recipe was beyond difficult because…like I said, everything is drool worthy so I wanted it all.  When I saw her recipes for Andes Peppermint Crunch Shortbread Cookies and Peppermint Snowball Cookies, I knew I had found my recipe.  Katrina made two different, but similar, cookies, both using a shortbread cookie recipe, like a Mexican wedding cookie.  I adore Mexican wedding cookies as they’re so buttery, tender and delicious and I also love mint so I knew this would be a winner.  In both of Katrina’s versions she stirred in Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips but it was how she finished the cookies that differed.  One version she topped the cookie with some of the melted peppermint candy and in the second “snowball” version. she rolled the cookies in powdered sugar.  Katrina stated that she liked the snowball cookies a little more but preferred the stronger mint flavor of the drizzle.  She suggested for a more minty flavor in the snowball cookies, to up the amount of chips so I listened to her and did just that.  Though I actually had both versions of Andes Baking Chips in the house, I chose to use the dark chocolate Andes Crème De Menthe Baking Chips in my cookies.  Also, because I was upping the amount of chips in the cookies, thus upping the sweetness, I changed Katrina’s cookie base somewhat, completely eliminating the sugar. 

The cookies were flakey, buttery, chocolate, minty two bite deliciousness and for us, leaving out the sugar in the cookie base made for a perfect amount of sweetness and balance.  Check out Katrina’s versions or make mine, all three versions make a perfect holiday or anytime cookie.      

Andes Peppermint Snowball Cookies (adapted from here)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 10-oz. bag Andes baking chips
• Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 375F.

Using a stand mixer cream together the butter, vanilla & salt until fluffy.  Blend in the flour until fully incorporated.  Stir in the Andes baking chips.  Using a small cookie scoop portion out the cookie batter (you can also roll the batter into walnut sized balls) and place onto a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets, placing cookies 1-inch apart.   Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool for a couple of minutes and then remove to a wire rack, placing the cookies close together.  While the cookies are still warm, dust with confectioners sugar. 

Enjoy!

My previous Secret Recipe Club Recipe Posts: 

Paradise Mango Curried Shrimp 
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake 
Loaded Potato Soup
Lemon Almond Biscotti 
Creamy Mints 
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken 
Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings 
Fried Green Tomatoes 
Chicken Satay Noodle Salad 
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 
Candied Popcorn
Fruit, Nut & Poppy Seed Chicken Salad 
Broiled Sushi 
Health(ier) Peanut Brittle 
Crunchy Fudgy Heart Bites 
Texas Chicken with Lime Butter 
Pork Belly Soup with Collard Greens 
Thin Mint Irish Coffee 
Levain Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies 
Welsh Cakes 
Nutella Crêpes 
Cilantro Lime Chicken 
Holy Guacamole 
and
Home Style Chicken Curry

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark

About a month ago I posted the following status on Facebook:  “The older I get, the less I enjoy, crave or even want chocolate. What's up with that?”   Most people commented that I must be sick or crazy and stated that they had the complete opposite problem.  I honestly don’t know what it is with me but I just haven’t been in a chocolate mood.  So when I saw that this month for the Improv Cooking Challenge our hostess Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker asked the participating bloggers to make any recipe of their choice using the two given ingredients of chocolate & marshmallows, I have to say, I was uninspired.  Though I could think of a way to use chocolate in a savory recipe, like my Fruit & Nut Turkey Chili, I just couldn’t work the marshmallows into anything savory.  I looked through dozens and dozens of sweet recipes and though lots of them looked interesting and good, they just left me cold and I couldn’t be bothered to make them. 

I almost decided to skip the challenge this month but I’ve been participating in the Improv Cooking Challenge for the past 14 months and I just didn’t want to break my streak.  In the end I decided to make a simple candy bark in flavors that Eammon would love and using ingredients that I had in the house.  Eammon adores both milk and white chocolate and as I had white in the house, that was the way I went.  I always keep marshmallows in the pantry as Maisie loves them as a little treat and as I was using white chocolate I decided to use the pretty pastel colored ones.  I also wanted something crunchy and chewy in the bark so after a raid on the panty, I chose to add some cashews and dried cranberries.  

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cranberry Cashew Bark

• 1 lb. good quality white chocolate
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roasted cashews

Prepare a baking sheet, covered with either a Silpat, or aluminum foil.  Slowly and carefully melt the white chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave being careful not to scorch the chocolate.  Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, mix in the marshmallows, cranberries and cashews and immediately pour onto the prepared pan.  Spread and smooth the mixture as needed.  Refrigerate until the chocolate is set and then either cut or break into pieces.

Enjoy!

My previous Improv Cooking Challenge entries:

November 2012  Sweet Potatoes & honey: Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Honey Garlic Lime Shrimp 
October 2012  Oatmeal & Raisins:  S’mores Granola Bars   
September 2012  Zucchini & Brown Sugar:  Zucchini with Onion & Brown Sugar 
August 2012  Tomatoes & Peppers:  French Fries Hash Browns 
July 2012  Corn & Butter:  Fritos Crusted Pollock 
June 2012  Cherries & Almonds:  Dried Cherry Almond Tart 
May 2012  Strawberries & Cream:  Strawberry Soup 
April 2012  Peanut butter & Jelly:  Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars 
March 2012  Potato & Cheese:  Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
February 2012  Ginger & Carrots:  Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing 
January 2012 Lemon & Sour Cream:  Ponderosa Lemon & Sour Cream Tart 
December 2011 Eggnog & Cranberries:  Eggnog Popovers with Cranberry Butter 
November 2011 Pumpkin & Cream Cheese:  Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
October 2011 Caramel & Apples:  Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies