Just a Georgia peach ....
My reasons.....
Well hello there! WOW -- it's been a while, huh? I have totally hated that I've had to disappear on you all for the past several months but I promise I've had two really good reasons! 
Approximately 6 weeks ago, my Dad (who shall hereafter be referred to as KB - LOL!) had an aneurysm/AVM. Truthfully, that fateful Saturday night... we thought we had lost him! I can honestly say it was the 2nd worst day of my life and I hope never to have to experience anything like that again! Fortunately, God wasn't quite ready to take KB and after several brain surgeries and 3+ weeks in ICU at Emory Hospital -- my sweet Dad is doing so very well.
Meanwhile, while KB was vacationing.... hiding.... uh, recuperating in the hospital, my sweet sister and I have been alternating staying with my mom, while trying not to get fired at our respective jobs!
Needless to say, things have been incredibly crazy in our lives! Thankfully, we have had so many friends, family members, old neighbors and my dad's flying buddies -- who have jumped in to help! Not to mention all the texts, phone calls, emails and cards sent to all of us! Simply put -- my family would never have made it through the last weeks without such incredible support and prayers and for that -- I can never say thank you enough!
To close out the story ..... in late March after his discharge from the hospital, KB then spent 3+ weeks in Rehab and yesterday HE CAME HOME! 
Don't they look great?!? Can you tell that they are so happy to be back together?? Anyway, thanks for understanding why I dropped off the face of the earth and please understand that until things settle down -- I won't be posting any new recipes on JAGP simply because I'm never home to cook. (sniff, sniff)
Hopefully soon though ..... 'cause I sure do miss all of ya'll!
Love and tons of thanks from your "Georgia Peach"
Maple-Chili Glazed Pork Medallions - YUM!
About 5 months ago, I found a recipe on www.eatingwell.com and printed it out! Since that time, I've been carrying that folded-up piece of paper in my purse just waiting for the perfect moment to give it a try. Seriously, that recipe has been folded, mutilated and spindled BUT last night.... I remembered it and dug it out of the bottom of my purse and made it for dinner! YES - don't you love it when a plan comes together..... even if it took five months?
Anyway, over the weekend James & I went grocery shopping and we picked up a lovely pork tenderloin. I love pork and the really nice thing about a tenderloin is that you can cut it into 1-inch thick slices (or medallions) and the pork cooks very quickly (and especially if you cover it for a portion of that cooking).... it will be incredibly tender! Mmmm..... love me some pork!
BUT I digress..... so for dinner last night, I made this recipe! Now, I must tell you that I did substitute one ingredient from the original recipe and it still turned out very well. Also, the one pound of pork tenderloin fed two adults and three dogs. LOL -- James is such a sucker... uh kind & generous Daddy that he always takes one slice of meat and feeds it to our three dogs. Oh yes - they do love that man!!
This recipe has a slight kick to it and just a little sweet taste - thanks to the genuine maple syrup in the glaze. Really delicious and is quite perfect served with roasted fingerling potatoes and brussel sprouts..... just sayin'!
MAPLE-CHILI GLAZED PORK MEDALLIONS
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed & cut into 6 medallions
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Mix chili powder, seasoned salt, salt & red pepper flakes in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork.
Heat oil in a large skilet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until golden -- took about 2-3 minutes per side. Add cider, maple syrup and vinegar to the pan. Bring to a boil, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook - turning the pork occasionally to coat. Cook for about 15 minutes until the sauce is reduced to a thick glaze. Serve the pork drizzled with the glaze.
Pretty, affordable and delicious -- hope you'll give it a try! ENJOY!
Just might be perfect: Walnut Brownies with "fudge chips"!
Some brownies are cake-like, some are fudge-y, some are gooey and some are very dense, Some are plain and simple, others have all kinds of things thrown in with the chocolate. As for me -- I'm still searching for the perfect brownie recipe. Yes, I know - it's a trial to keep tasting all the different brownies to see which ones I like the best. LOL!As you guys know..... I've already tried quite a few recipes and the best ones SO far I've put here on the blog. Recipes such as, Rocky Road Brownies, Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes, and one of my all-time favorites Sticky Brownies.
However, the other night I was in the mood to try a new brownie recipe BUT I was completely out of cocoa powder. HOW did that happen? However, all was not lost. I knew that I had two boxes of Baker's undsweetened chocolate in the pantry and actually, I believe that Baker's chocolate makes some of the best brownies.
So, off to the internet I ran.... looking for a new recipe! Anyway, while I was browsing recipes I had an epihany. Remember all that yummy fudge?? Well, I had several pieces of the Chocolate Cheesecake Fudge left over, so I took those extra pieces and chopped them up -- I ended up with small pieces about the size of chocolate chips AND here's what I did.
I made the brownies per the recipe including the yummy walnuts that were called for..... and believe me, you could easily stop there! This recipe is a keeper...... BUT I poured half of the brownie mix in my prepared pan, then sprinkled the chopped-up fudge on top, then poured the rest of the batter on top. Baked it up and WOW! They tasted great and every now and then you would get a little taste of the cheesecake fudge.
The recipe made two dozen nice size brownied and my peeps at office loved them!!
WALNUT BROWNIES (with optional fudge chips)
4 - 1 oz squares of Baker's unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
(3/4 cup chopped fudge - optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave butter and chocolate squares. It took about two minutes - mix well together.
Pour chocolate into mixing bowl and mix in sugar. Next add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and mix well. Add flour and nuts and mix until well-incorporated.
Spread into well-greased 9 x 9 pan and bake for 35 minutes. **If you choose to add the fudge chips (or another candy addition), pour half of the batter into the pan, then sprinkle the chopped up fudge on top, then pour remaining batter on top and spread.
Allow to cool completely before cutting in squares.
ENJOY!!
Dill Egg Salad on Toast Points w/Mozzarella Cheese
Now, I love egg salad and since they had eggs on sale at my local grocery store, I bought 4 dozen. This immediately made me think of making some egg salad and then the whole idea kind of morphed into more of an appetizer for the game. These little babies turned out super yummy and very easy. In fact, for a party these are perfect because you can have everything ready to go a day in advance and then just assemble them in time for your guests.
Check these out? Pretty huh? Oh and the platter they are on is one of my favorites!
The pretty walnut wood and smooth finish always makes me smile and think of the dear friends who gave it to us as a wedding present. 
Now, I know what you're thinking...... that is a strange color for egg salad right? LOL! It is a little different because there is a good bit of smoky paprika in the salad and so the color is a little darker than traditional egg salad. However, the smoky paprika and the dill really kicks the flavor of the salad into high gear!
DILL EGG SALAD ON TOAST POINTS W/MOZZARELLA CHEESE
8 eggs
1-1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
1/2 teaspoon pickle relish
1/2 onion, minced very finely
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
French bread
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil, let boil for 3 minutes. Cover and remove from heat and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water, place in colander and pour cold water over eggs. As soon as you can easily handle them without burning your hands - peel the eggs.
Take eggs and rough chop them -- personally, I used a hand chopper to make it really easy.
Put eggs in a bowl and add mayo, mustard, dill, paprika, relish, onion and salt and pepper. Mash well with a large spoon. Set aside.
For the toast points, you can use French, sour dough or even just plain white or wheat bread - whatever you have on hand. I went a little fancy and used my Cookie cutter to make round toast "points" but you could just as easily take a regular piece of bread and cut into triangles, etc. Anyway, take your bread and put on a cookie sheet and pop into the oven at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Take out of the oven and set on the counter. Now, turn the oven to broil. Put a heaping tablespoon of your egg salad on each of your toast points and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese on the top. Pop back in the oven and broil for about 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
(This recipe will actually make 20-30 appetizers or you could only make 10 large ones like I did and still have enough for a sandwich or two the next day!)
Serve immediately. YUM!
Perfect Trifecta...... Chocolate Cheesecake Fudge
I've been dreaming about that fudge, so yesterday I tried to recreate it and danged if I wasn't pretty darn successful! 
(BTW - love the size of that piece of fudge?? LOL! I cut it big for the photo, then cut it in four pieces to eat since it's so rich!)
So, to make this delicious fudge - I took two different recipes and melded them into one.
This recipe is quite easy to make and even though it was supposed to only "set at room temperature", I went ahead and put my pan in the fridge for an hour. In the past I haven't had the best of luck with my fudge hardening properly, so I wasn't taking any chances. LOL! This stuff set up just fine!CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE FUDGE
1/4 cup butter
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
3 cups miniature marshmallows
6 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Line a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with lightly buttered waxed paper or aluminum foil (I used waxed paper). Set aside.
Put chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave at short spurts until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
Combine butter, sugar, evaporated milk and marshmallows in a heavy 3 quart saucepan.
Bring to a full rolling boil on medium heat; stirring constantly.
Continue boiling for 5-1/2 minutes on medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese until melted.
Add vanilla extract and mix well.
Pour into prepared pan. Now take your melted chocolate chips and pour on top. Take table knife and swirl chocolate into fudge.
Cool in refrigerator for one hour or more. Take out of fridge, pop out of pan, peel off the wax paper and cut into squares.
ENJOY!!
A well-kept secret in Atlanta!
To begin the story, James & I became empty-nesters (the first time) back in September of 2011 when Schmoo left to go to college. We decided at that time that we would go out to dinner every Friday night, but we wouldn't "just" go out to dinner -- we would go to a "new" restaurant every Friday. Specifically meaning that we would try a restaurant that we had never been to..... well, with the size of Atlanta..... this has been quite easy! LOL!
Every Friday. I browse through the Zagat Dining Book for Atlanta and find us a new place to eat. It's been so much fun and so far, our success rate for great restaurants has been about 70%. Not to mention that James & I
Anyway, for those of you who know me well -- you know that I live about 23 miles from my office. In Atlanta, that type of commute is really no big deal.
Anyway, I've been working at K-C for almost 10 years and I've been driving the same basic route for all that time. In all that time, I know I have driven by this restaurant at least 2,000+ times and never really given it a second look. I have seen the name and the "neon" sign and just assumed it was some kind of sports bar! Guess what..... I was SO wrong!! In looking at the Zagat recommendations a couple of weeks ago, I realized that the "HI-LIFE Restaurant" is actually a very nice restaurant and had excellent reviews.
Gorgeous huh? WHO knew? <shrugging shoulders>
So, to all my Atlanta friends and family..... take the short drive to Norcross (at the intersection of Holcomb Bridge Road and Jimmy Carter Boulevard) and try out this restaurant. The service was fast & friendly and the food was phenomenal. James had soup, salad and he ordered the crab-stuffed Salmon, while I ordered the Seared Scallops with Wasabi mashed potatoes... and of course, I had dessert!
What's dinner without dessert?? NOT complete in my world. I had the home-made key lime pie and it was scrumptious!MAN -- what a well-kept secret in between Roswell and Norcross and seriously, the restaurant has been around for almost 10 years. <slapping my hand against my head>
Check out this link: http://hiliferestaurant.com/
If you live in Atlanta -- hope you'll give it a try! This would be a perfect spot for a romantic dinner, anniversary dinner or family celebration!
Super simple... but hearty & satisfying: Beef & Bean Casserole
Look at this? It was printed in 1976 and is just wonderful! I have so enjoyed reading all the different entries AND it was only $5. You gotta love that. 
So last night I browsed through the old cookbooks and decided to go very old-school with this yummy recipe! Incredibly easy and I had everything I needed in the fridge or the pantry. Super affordable and I even had left-overs for lunch today.
BEEF AND BEANS CASSEROLE
1-1/2 lbs ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons worcestershire
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
7 oz. catsup
7 oz. bbq sauce - I used Baby Ray's, but your favorite will do
1 - 28 oz can pork and beans
1/2 cup chinese noodles
Brown onion, pepper and celery in butter. Add beef and cook until completely browned. Combine all the rest of the ingredients except the chinese noodles and mix well. Pour into a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Pull out of oven and sprinkle on the chinese noodles and bake for 5 more minutes. Serves 8-10.
NOTE: The recipe said (1) it freezes well, but we didn't have any left over to freeze - LOL and (2) it could be used as a meal or as a great side dish.
ENJOY!
Got brown bananas?? Gonna love this: Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding w/Brandy Sauce
This was quite easy and tasted really great. Sorry the photo isn't better but my photo-guy was otherwise occupied. LOL!
Hope you'll give this a try!!
CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD PUDDING W/BRANDY SAUCE
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
5 cups cubed (day old) bread
3 ripe bananas - 1 mashed and 2 sliced
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Brandy Cream Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons Brandy
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Add one mashed banana. Stir in bread, sliced bananas and chocolate chips. Bake about 45 minutes. Serve warm with sauce
Sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and water. Heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. Add heavy cream and vanilla and stir. Now add cornstarch and cook/stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in brandy and cook for 1 minutes. Sauce may be made in advance and reheated just before serving.
Too good to be "just a veggie" ---- Green Bean Bundles
I'm back now and have I got a doozy of a recipe for you all to try! This is an absolutely yummy veggie recipe and I guarantee that if my mom had made these way back in the day, I would have eaten these green beans instead of hiding them under the table! LOL!
This is a simple recipe that can actually be put together earlier in the day and then popped into the oven while you're putting the rest of your dinner together. In my case, we had my mom & dad over for dinner a week or so ago and while James was grilling the ribs - I prepared these delicious babies, plus some other side dishes! YUM is all I can say!!
GREEN BEAN BUNDLES
1 bag frozen whole green beans
Approx. 5 bacon slices, cut in half
1 stick of butter
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 tsp of garlic salt
Wrap a handful of green beans in half a slice of bacon (I put about 10 green beans in each bundle). Continue until all your green beans are used up. Melt a stick of butter and stir in brown sugar. Add teaspoon of garlic salt and whisk vigorously. Pour over bundles. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then put under the broiler for 5 minutes. Take out and serve immediately.
Perfect for a fancy meal or just dinner with the family.
ENJOY!
Luscious & Chocolate... not for the faint of heart: Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Chocolate Ganache
If you like chocolate - you are going to LOVE, worship and adore this cake!
Oh my -- this baby is decadent and sinful and oh so delicious!!
(Shaking and clearing the cocoa fumes out of my head).... SO, to backtrack a bit..... James asked me earlier in the week if I would bake a cake for him to take to his office on Friday! Of course, I said yes! A whole office of guinea pigs, uh I mean taste testers?? Seriously, I love trying new recipes out on unsuspecting friends.
Anyway, I scoured the internet looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe. Interestingly enough, I found lots and lots of recipes that started with a cake mix. Now, I'm not a foodie snob or anything like that -- I love a good shortcut when it comes to cooking, BUT I really wanted a made-from-scratch cake to send with James ..... so I kept digging until I found this recipe!
It takes a litle time to whip this up because you really do need to: (1) bring your eggs/butter to room temperature before you start, (2) give the cake the full 65-75 minutes to bake, 3) let the cake cool for the full 15 minutes before you slide it out of the pan and (4) let the cake cool completely before you make the ganache! Like I said - a little time is needed, but oh the reward is GREAT!
OH and as you read the ingredients, do not think I have lost my mind because YES.... there is a total of 24 oz of chocolate chips AND a cup of cocoa in this cake!! Mmmmm..... I told you it was decadent!!
CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE
For the cake:
1 cup cocoa powder, plus 1 additional tablespoon for dusting
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup boiling water
2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
1-½ teaspoon baking soda
1-¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
2-½ sticks butter
2-½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
5 whole eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-½ cup sour cream
1-½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the ganache:
6 ounces, semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons Butter
½ cups heavy whipping cream
Be sure to have all ingredients at room temperature.
Preheat over to 325 degrees F. Grease a pound cake or bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder, tap out excess.
In a bowl, combine the 1 cup of cocoa powder and the 7 oz chocolate chips. Add boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and blended. Set aside.
Over a sheet of wax paper, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low, add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Increase speed to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure to stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next one. Again, make sure to stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, beating just until blended and no lumps of flour remain. Slowly pour in the chocolate-cocoa mixture and beat until no white streaks are visible, stopping mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are about an inch higher than the center. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached to it, 65-75 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, at least 1 hour. (I actually let mine cool overnight.)
Near the end of the cooling time, make the ganache.
In a heatproof bowl, combine chocolate and butter. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and butter, whisk until they melt and the mixture is smooth.
Pour ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the ganache to drip down the sides. Let the cake stand until the ganache is set, at least 15 minutes
Two last notes:
(1) I always hold my breath when it is time to "shake" my cakes loose from the pan, but I promise you this cake actually "slid right out" of the pan with no sticking whatsoever! YAY! I greased my pan with crisco and then dusted well with the cocoa powder. Worked like a charm!
(2) This cake is so incredibly moist and rich. Makes a very decadent (beautiful) dessert and can easily serve 16 given how rich each slice is.
Lime-Mustard Marinated Chicken -- Easy, Tender & Scrumptious!
Seriously, there are tons of ways to use this chicken and as usual -- while it's cooking in the oven, you can prepare the rest of your meal. Shoot, while my chicken was baking, I even whipped up some great cookies. I love recipes like these cause you almost always have all the ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry. Plus, how many times have you forgotten to take the chicken out to defrost and panicked when you got home???
Anyway -- give this a try, I'm sure you will love the tangy taste of this marinade! It's a new twist on our old friend the chicken breast!
LIME-MUSTARD MARINATED CHICKEN
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons sweet-hot mustard
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Salt/Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with Pam spray. Lay your frozen chicken breasts on the pan and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Put into the oven for 8 minutes. Then pull out and turn over chicken and bake for 8 more minutes.
While chicken is baking, mix all remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Once the chicken has cooked for 15-16 minutes, pull out and pour oil/lime mixture over the chicken. Put back in the oven for 35 minutes. At that time, turn the oven to broil and cook the chicken for an additional 5 minutes until browned.
Take out of oven and serve immediately.
YUM!! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!! )
Lemon Coconut Cookies - refreshing & totally delish!
I will admit that I adapted the recipe just a little bit because my family really likes a strong lemon flavor.
Also, you will need a couple of hours because the cookie dough must be refrigerated for at least 2 hours (overnight is great).... so be sure and plan ahead so you won't be up until midnight on a work night! I mean.... not that I was or anything.... just sayin'.
LEMON COCONUT COOKIES
¼ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
Juice of one whole lemon
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cups powdered sugar (for rolling)
Preheat your oven to 300°F.
Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice, and beat until well mixed.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in the coconut. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour (or even overnight), until the dough is firm enough to handle.
Roll the dough into 1 - 1/2 inch balls, roll in the powdered sugar and place 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes until the edges are set. Move the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
ENJOY!
Tender and delicious: Orange Marmalade Pork Tenderloin
This recipe could actually swing either way! For James - I used Polaner's sugar-free orange marmalade, but you could easily use a regular orange marmalade in your dish. The taste is excellent and the little bits of orange skin in the marmalade was a really nice texture added to the outside of the pork tenderloin.
Another thing I really liked about this recipe was (once again).... while the meat cooked, I had plenty of time to prepare my side dishes and even a quick dessert!
Check this out --> just a gorgeous piece of meat!
ORANGE MARMALADE PORK TENDERLOIN
3 lb pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Kosher salt - to taste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and light spray your pan. Clean and rinse your tenderloin and put in the pan, fat side down. Sprinkle the entire piece of meat with the Kosher salt.
Put the orange marmalade in a small bowl and microwave for approximately 45 seconds or until more of a liquid consistency. Now mix garlic, onion powder, thyme, pepper and soy sauce in and stir well.
Once well mixed, pour the mixture onto the meat and pat it down with the back of a spoon. Pop into the oven and cook for approximately 45-50 minutes - until a meat thermometer measures 165 degrees.
Pull out of oven and let sit for 5-8 minutes, then slice and serve.
I served our pork tenderloin with pasta, sauteed mushrooms and brussel sprouts. YUM!!
Rocky Road Brownies - just incredible!
During a commercial, I slipped into the pantry, but I had nothing yummy and chocolate to nosh on. SO, I quickly glanced around the pantry and guess what caught my eye? A half bag of marshmellows. Hmmm... not chocolate but I suddenly knew I wanted to do something with chocolate AND that bag of marshmellows. With the commercial break quickly coming to an end, I dashed back to my corner of the couch -- you know, the little section that the dogs let me have -- and I dove into the internet looking for a fun recipe.
I stumbled onto a new website and this particular recipe and decided to give it a try. The website is The Savory Sweet Life and Alice has a really nice food blog - easy to read and her recipes sound great. As for this one? I can vouch that it is yummy!
SO, during halftime, I hurried into the kitchen and whipped up these brownies. I popped them into the oven and LONG before the Broncos lost to the Ravens in OT, these brownies were ready and cooling on the counter!
Oh my - don't these look fabulous? Oh yeah - and they taste great too!! The brownie is dense, it is not cake-like at all..... and the topping is crunchy and gooey. The almonds bring a really nice taste to the mixture. Oh my.... you are going to want to try these!!
Mmmmmm..... just delicious!!
ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine marshmallows, almonds, and chocolate chips then set aside.
In a mixing bowl (with your paddle attachment), mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla until blended. Add one egg at a time mixing/beating well. Add flour, cocoa, and salt and mix the batter until fully incorporated. Spray an 8×8 square pan with non-stick spray. Spread brownie batter inside the pan as evenly as possible.
Now evenly distribute the marshmallows/chocolate/almond mixture all over the top of the brownie batter. Using the back of a clean spoon, gently press down the topping mixture into the batter just enough so the topping is slightly packed down.
Bake for 30 minutes or until done. Marshmallows will have a slight crisp edges. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Brownies slice really nicely if you allow them to completely cooled.
Low-carb and delicious ..... Cheesy Spinach Beef Bake
CHEESY SPINACH BEEF BAKE
2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
10 oz package, frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained well
4 oz. can mushrooms, drained
16 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper, to taste
Brown the hamburger and onion, then drain the fat. Mix all of the ingredients (except the cheese) ina bowl and stir together. Now mix in 8 oz of the cheese and pour everything into a 2-quart, lightly greased casserole dish. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes - until hot & bubbly. Pull out of the oven, sprinkle on the last 8 oz of cheese and pop back into the oven for 5-8 more minutes. Take cout when cheese has completely melted and serve hot.
I mean seriously, can it get easier than that??
This will probably now be one of my easy-cheesy go-to dinners. ENJOY!
(P.S. -- I know this isn't the greatest of photos, but James was busy and couldn't help me .... so you got my up-close and personal shot!) LOL!
Bio Link
