Mini TWIX Brownies w/ Caramel Buttercream

Bite-sized brownies, each with a TWIX Bite in the middle and covered with a Caramel Buttercream Frosting. These are a great dessert for a special occasion or to surprise the kids as they celebrate their last day of school! How can you go wrong with a dessert like this, it's impossible!!!
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Mini TWIX Brownies w/ Caramel Buttercream

Makes: 26

Ingredients:

Brownies:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package TWIX bites

Caramel Buttercream Frosting:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon  salt
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
8 caramels, unwrapped
1 3/4 teaspoons milk
Instructions

Brownies:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat.
Remove from heat and with a rubber spatula, mix in sugar, egg, salt, flour and vanilla.
Fold batter over several times, making sure it is completely mixed, about 1-2 minutes
Let rest for 5 minutes.
Prepare a 12-cup mini muffin tin by spraying it with baking spray.
Using a teaspoon, put 2 teaspoons of batter into your hand and roll into a ball.
Place the ball into one of the muffin cups and press down slightly to fill.
Repeat until all of the cups are filled.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Upon removal from the oven, gently place one TWIX® Bite into the center of each brownie, pushing down so that the brownie comes up around it.
Allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat process, spraying muffin tray each time before filling with batter.

Frosting:
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, cream cheese and salt until smooth.
Blend well.
Gradually add 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar, followed by one tablespoon milk.
After thoroughly mixing, gradually add the second cup of confectioners' sugar followed by the remaining tablespoon of milk.
Beat until smooth.
If the consistency of the frosting is too dry, add a touch more milk. If too wet, add a touch more confectioners' sugar.
In a microwave-safe bowl, place the 8 caramel and 1 3/4 teaspoons milk. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir until caramels are completely melted and mixture is smooth.
Drizzle the melted caramel into the frosting, folding with a rubber spatula to blend.
Do not over mix, you want there to be caramel ribbons throughout.
Frost as desired.

Slow-Cooker Tikka Masala

I love using my slow cooker and I love Indian food... so why not make one of my all time favorite dishes in a crock pot? Working with a slow cooker is always easy and once it's in the pot you can leave it and not worry about it. "Set it and forget it". Put it on in the morning and let it cook all day. The aroma from the spices are just incredible!!! By the time dinner rolls around you will be ready to dive right in.
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Slow-Cooker Tikka Masala

Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 lbs.) - cut into 1.5" cubes
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 (29 oz.) can of tomato puree
1½ cups plain yogurt
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Garam masala
1 tbsp. cumin
½ tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt, or to taste
¾ tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1-3 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. cornstarch
Chopped parsley or cilantro, for topping

Instructions:
Place everything up to the bay leaves in a large bowl. With a spatula, stir to combine everything and make sure the chicken is coated well.
Gently place the mixture in the insert of the crockpot and add the two bay leaves.
Cover and cook for 8 hours on low (or 4 hours on high).
When done, in a medium bowl, whisk together heavy cream and corn starch, then pour the mixture into the crockpot and gently stir. Let cook an additional 20 minutes to thicken up.
Serve hot over a bed of basmati rice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Balsamic Pan Seared Chicken w/ Cremini Mushrooms & Vidalia Onion

Here's a delicious chicken recipe with incredible flavors. I love balsamic vinegar and mushrooms. Putting these together makes a dinner you won't forget. Enjoy!!!
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Balsamic Pan Seared Chicken w/ Cremini Mushrooms & Vidalia Onion

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1½ lb. Bonesless Skinless Chicken Breasts
½ of a Large Vidalia Onion – Thinly sliced
1 Package of Whole Cremini Mushrooms – sliced
½ Cup of Chicken Broth
1 Cup Heavy Cream
3 Tbs. Butter – Divided
½ Cup of Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Instructions:
Saute onions over medium heat in 1 Tbs of butter until they are nice and caramelized – About 15 Minutes. When they are a nice golden brown, remove from the heat and set aside
In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 Tbs. of butter over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the pan. Brown on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside (Note – they will not be all the way cooked at this stage)
De-glaze the pan with the chicken stock. Make sure you get all the chicken bits and butter off the pan. This helps to flavor your sauce
Add the heavy cream and the balsamic vinegar and stir.
Add mushrooms and a little salt and pepper, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes
Add the chicken back to the pan, turn heat back up to medium and saute until the chicken is cooked all the way through. About 10-15 minutes
Remove chicken breasts from the pan and plate. Add the Parmesan and caramelized onions to the sauce and keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted in.
Cover the chicken breasts with the sauce and serve.

Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie

I thought I would share a family recipe for Mother's Day. I can remember as a kid always loving my Grandma Clark's lemon meringue pie. It's still my favorite and to date nobody can make a lemon meringue like my Grandma Clark... Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there... and a very special Mother's Day to my Grandma Clark. Love you xoxo
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Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

Eggs Benedict w/ Savory Bread Pudding

This is the absolute best breakfast ever!!!! Eggs Benedict kicked up 110%. Serving it with savory bread pudding takes it to the next level. If you have never tried this, it's a must. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!!!
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Eggs Benedict w/Savory Bread Pudding

Eggs Benedict
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
6 large free range eggs
1 batch hot hollandaise sauce (see recipe below)
6 slices Honey ham
6 portions of bread pudding (see recipe below)

Bring a deep saucepan of water to the boil (at least 2 litres) and add the vinegar. Break the eggs into 6 separate coffee cups or ramekins. Cut the bread pudding into 6 portions and warm some plates.
Swirl the vinegared water briskly to form a vortex and slide in an egg. It will curl round and set to a neat round shape. Cook for 2-3 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon.
Repeat with the other eggs, one at a time, re-swirling the water as you slide in the eggs. Spread some sauce on each piece of bread pudding, scrunch a slice of ham on top, then top with an egg. Spoon over the remaining hollandaise and serve at once. Serve with steamed asparagus and a oven roasted tomato.

Hollandaise Sauce
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
500ml white wine vinegar
1 tbsp peppercorn
bunch tarragon
3 large egg yolks
200ml melted and skimmed unsalted butter
squeeze lemon juice

Directions:
Boil the vinegar together with peppercorns and tarragon, reduce by half. Strain and reserve (see Secrets for success on storing, below).
Boil a large pan of water, then reduce to a simmer. Using a large balloon whisk, beat together the yolks and 2 tsp of the reduced wine vinegar in a heatproof bowl that fits snugly over the pan.
Beat vigorously until the mixture forms a foam, but make sure that it doesn’t get too hot. To prevent the sauce from overheating, take it on and off the heat while you whisk, scraping around the sides with a plastic spatula. The aim is to achieve a golden, airy foam (called a sabayon), which forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted.
Whisk in a small ladle of the warmed butter, a little at a time, then return the bowl over a gentle heat to cook a little more. Remove from the heat again and whisk in another ladle of butter. Repeat until all the butter is incorporated and you have a texture as thick as mayonnaise. Finally, whisk in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste plus a little warm water from the pan if the mixture is too thick.

Savory Bread Pudding
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups cubed bread
2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded or crumbled
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup 2% milk
pinch salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Heat olive oil in a cast iron pan, and cook onion and rosemary in oil until onion is soft.
Toss bread cubes with olive oil and onions. Exact measurement of bread is not necessary. Place in a well oiled, deep sided, 9 inch square pan. Toss with 1/2 cheese, and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
Beat together milk, cream, and eggs. Pour over bread in pan. It is fine that the bread sticks out of the custard.
Bake for 1 hour, or until browned and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean (except for melted cheese).