Crumbs and Chaos

Seasonal Inspiration: 5-26-12

2012-05-25T21:00:00.000-05:00

Fabulous inspiration from last week:

30 Ways to Eat Blueberries from The Educators' Spin On It

Maple Brown Sugar Baked Beans from Michelle's Tasty Creations

No Bake Fresh Strawberry Pie from Edesia's Notebook

Blueberry-Lemon Crumb Bars from Life {Made} Simple

Asian Bowtie Pasta Salad from The Sweet Swiper

Strawberry Sorbet from Cookin' Up Good Times

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Stay a while and chat with other party goers.

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There will be weekly features, pins and stumbling going on to highlight the awesomeness shown here every week.

*If you see something you'd like to pin, please pin directly from the source not from this post.

So let's go, we're ready to be inspired!

5 on Friday: More Inspiration for Memorial Day

2012-05-25T07:19:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we shared some of our favorite C&C recipes for a weekend like Memorial Day. Today we're highlighting a few from around the web.

Coconut Cream Fruit Dip from Dessert Now, Dinner Later

Blue Cheese Coleslaw from Cooking Classy

Fajita Burgers from Closet Cooking

Strawberries with Toffee Sauce from The Kitchen is My Playground

Basil & Mint Lemonade from Taste and Tell

Enjoy your weekend!

Let's Review: Great For Get Togethers

2012-05-24T07:59:00.000-05:00

This weekend is the unofficial start of summer, which is exciting enough itself, but any reason to hang out with people I love and enjoy fabulous food is also exciting. Here are a few of our favorite get together foods:

APPETIZERS:

Creamy Crab & Red Pepper Dip (pictured)

(Crock Pot) Reuben Dip

Feta Dip

Oven Roasted Salsa

MAIN DISHES:

(Crock Pot) Italian Beef Sandwiches
Grilled Pork Chops w/Lime Garlic Cilantro Sauce

Steak & Veggie Kabobs (pictured)

Swiss Bacon Guacamole Burgers

SIDES:

Broccoli Slaw (pictured)

Cream Cheese Corn

Potato Salad w/Bacon

The Best Coleslaw Ever

SWEET TREATS:

Caramel Apple Dip
Chocolate Chip Cheeseball
Chocolate Coconut Bars (pictured)
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Mini S'mores Stackers

SOMETHING COLD & REFRESHING:

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (No Machine Needed!)
PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches (pictured)
Rhubarb Slush
Sherbet Floats

View last year's round up by clicking here!

Are you spending time with family and friends this weekend? What are you taking?

Crockpot Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

2012-05-23T08:19:00.002-05:00

Lately I have been in search of some easy dinners with the fresh taste of Spring. This recipe hit the spot. I had it tagged on Pinterest for a long time but I just finally tried it and I am glad that I did. I put the chicken on a bun but you could use a pita, a wrap or even on top of a bed of romaine lettuce. My husband said it was "top notch" and he would definitely eat it again so that is always a good sign. I can't wait to make this again.

We served this with fresh asparagus.

Crockpot Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

by Emily {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite caesar dressing
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
4-6 hamburger buns

Instructions

Place chicken in crockpot with 1-2 cups water. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain water from crockpot. Place chicken on cutting board and shred, discarding any fat.

Place chicken back into crockpot and add dressing, cheese, parsley, and pepper over top. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot.

Spoon mixture onto bun and top with lettuce.

Recipe adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff.

Oatmeal Toffee Bars

2012-05-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love making cookies in bar form for 3 reasons...

1) I don't have to stand around and wait for several pans of cookies to be done.

2) They make a quick and easy dessert for a crowd.

3) The cookie dough all goes in the oven at once, making it less likely for 7 cookies worth of dough to end up in my mouth.

These bars are crackly on the top, full of toffee and milk chocolate. I used quick oats which I really liked in this cookie, not quite as in your face as regular oats - you can use whichever you have on hand. So completely worth your time to make and share at this weekend's Memorial Day get together. Or you can just make them some afternoon, under bake them a little if you like and enjoy them with a glass of milk. You'll be glad you did!

Oatmeal Toffee Bars

by Becca {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 cup BUTTER, softened
1 1/4 cups BROWN SUGAR
3/4 cup WHITE SUGAR
2 EGGS
2 teaspoons VANILLA EXTRACT
2 cups FLOUR
2 teaspoons BAKING POWDER
1/2 teaspoon SALT
2 cups OATMEAL (regular or quick cooking)
1 cup MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1 cup MILK CHOCOLATE TOFFEE BITS

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Beat together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well.

Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined. Gently stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips and toffee bits.

Press into a greased 10x15 rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cool, but cut while still warm.

Recipe Source: Adapted from a recipe in a Penzey's catalog

You can find us linking up HERE!

A few other crowd pleasing desserts:
{No Bake} Golden Graham S'mores
Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Sugar Cookie Bars

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

2012-05-21T08:10:00.001-05:00

So I've got strawberries on the brain (evidence here and here). Lucky for you. There are few things better than fresh fruit (that's in season) topped with sweet crumbly topping and, of course, a little vanilla ice cream. The simplest desserts are often the most enjoyable. A few minutes of prep time and before you know it your house will smell wonderful.

I had what I needed on hand to make this last week and the crowd I served it to raved and raved. This could be made ahead of time and baked up to be nice and warm right before serving. That's heaven in a dessert dish right there.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

by Becca {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. RHUBARB, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups SUGAR
1 1/2 lbs. STRAWBERRIES, hulled and quartered
3 Tablespoons CORNSTARCH
2 teaspoons FRESH LEMON JUICE
1 teaspoon VANILLA EXTRACT
1/2 cup BUTTER, softened
1 1/2 cups BROWN SUGAR
1 1/2 cups FLOUR
1 1/4 cups QUICK OATS
3 Tablespoons CANOLA or VEGETABLE OIL
1 1/2 teaspoons CINNAMON
3/4 teaspoons SALT

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a medium bowl, place sliced rhubarb and 3/4 cup sugar. Let stand for 15 min.

In a separate bowl, stir together strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar. Let stand for 10 min.

Grab a slotted spoon and transfer the rhubarb to the strawberries and stir together. Toss any rhubarb juice. Stir cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla into fruit until well combined. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.

In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients until large crumbs form. Layer topping over fruit mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes and reduce oven temperature to 325° and bake for another 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

Recipe Source: Food & Wine

On the look out for rhubarb recipes?
Rhubarb Slush
Bluebarb Pie
Rhubarb Crisp
Raspberry Rhubarb Slab Pie

You can find us linking up HERE!

Seasonal Inspiration: 5-19-12

2012-05-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

Fabulous inspiration from last week:

Yes, there were so many great things I had a hard time narrowing it down. So today's list is a little long. But that's okay, more for you to love (and pin). We really enjoy checking out everything you all share each and every week!

Blueberry Coconut Custard Mini Tarts from Baking with Blondie

Grilled Lime Chicken Lettuce Boats w/Avocado Salad and Chimichurri from Bake Up, Little Suzy

White Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Muffins from Something Swanky

Biscoff Pretzel Toffee Bark from Crazy for Crust

Coconut Mocha Frappe from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Goat Cheese & Strawberry Grilled Cheese w/Pepper Jam from DJ's Sugar Shack

Flower Pot Cakes from Back For Seconds

So let's go, we're ready to be inspired!

5 on Friday: Strawberries

2012-05-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

My husband and oldest daughter could eat strawberries day and night...they love them! Ripe red berries, sweet and juicy...we absolutely can not wait to go strawberry picking in a few more weeks. Until then, we'll be thankful that strawberries are on sale at our local grocery store so we can make some of these incredible treats.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberries & Short Cake

Strawberry Nutella Muffins

Strawberries & Cream Bruschetta

Summer Strawberry Salad

Earlier this week, I shared Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes.

What's your favorite way to enjoy strawberries?

S'more Jars

2012-05-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is the last week of preschool this week at our house and I was looking for a cute and simple idea to give the teachers as a thank you gift. I think teachers have such amazing talent and patience and they deserve lots of thanks. I ran across this idea where someone mentioned making the jars and attaching a note that said, "We need s'more teachers like you". I thought it was perfect and I plan to make a couple extras to have on hand to give for special gifts or to just have on hand when we need to make a quick treat at our house.

What, if anything, do you do for your child's teacher at the end of the year?

S'more Jars

by Emily {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups teddy bear shaped graham crackers
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 (quart) mason jar

Instructions

Layer all ingredients in mason jar and attach a label that reads:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 square pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour contents of the jar along with 1/2 cup melted butter into baking dish and press firmly. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Cut into bars.

Recipe from Paula Deen.

You can find us linking up HERE!

Chocolate PB Marshmallow Bars

2012-05-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Whew... I am out of breath just saying the name! It does have a long name, but don't count it out because of that. It is fairly simple to make and wonderfully tasting, especially when served warm. I have had plenty of desserts that mix chocolate and peanut butter but I haven't had many that throw marshmallow in the mix. But the marshmallow creme was MY favorite part!

A main ingredient is a Devil's Food Cake Mix so it fills a 9 x 13 inch pan and makes a good sized dessert. As I said before, I think it is best served warm and eaten the day it is baked.

Chocolate PB Marshmallow Bars

by Megan {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 package DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE MIX
1/2 cup BUTTER, melted
2/3 cup MILK, divided
3/4 cup CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
1 jar (7 oz.) MARSHMALLOW CREAM
1/2 cup SALTED PEANUTS
1/2 cup semi-sweet CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry cake mix, butter and 1/3 cup milk until well blended; press 2/3 onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until center is almost set; cool 3 minutes. Combine peanut butter and remaining milk; spread onto crust. Top with small spoonfuls of the marshmallow creme and remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate; press gently into cake mixture (this step is important to ensure that after baking the layers don't fall apart). Bake 18 minutes or just until center is set. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe Source: Kraft Food & Family Magazine

For Peanut Butter Lovers:

Reese's Peanut Butter Banana Bread

(No Bake) Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Peanut Butter Granola

You can find us linking up HERE!

Cream Cheese Corn

2012-05-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Grilling season has begun at my house and while my husband, Jason, loves to do the grilling, I love to find new side dishes to make. As he smoked some delicious ribs a couple of weeks ago, I threw together this simple yet delicious side dish. We don't have fresh corn on the cob yet so I used frozen but I can't wait to try it with fresh. It is sure to be even better. I added a few red pepper flakes when making the recipe and then I let each person add more if they wanted, this way the kids can have it without it being too spicy!

What do you like to serve as a side dish when you grill?

Cream Cheese Corn

by Emily {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 pound corn (fresh or frozen-thawed)
1 Tablespoon butter
3 ounces cream cheese
Red pepper flakes
Ground black pepper

Instructions

In a medium saucepan combine corn, butter and cream cheese.

When it is heated through and cream cheese is melted season with red pepper flakes and black pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Budget Savvy Diva.

You can find us linking up HERE!

SRC: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

2012-05-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Today is reveal day for Secret Recipe Club's Group B. Want to know more about SRC? Read all about it here.

Previous recipes I've made for SRC include: Chocolate Brownie Oatmeal Cookies, (Mini) Chicken Taco Salads, Bacon & Feta Pasta, Bacon Jalapeno Corn Chowder, Cheesy Penne with Spinach and Artichokes, Cookies in a Jar, Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars, Southwestern Chicken Pizza, Sun-dried Tomato Salsa

This month I was introduced to the blog My Hobbie Lobbie, Trisha loves to bake and craft and enjoys collecting recipes (hey me too!). She actually had our blog last month for SRC and choose to make Orange Julius.

A springtime favorite at our house is freshly picked strawberries...so sweet and delicious. A few weeks back I had a strawberry lemonade cupcake at a birthday party, it was so amazing that I couldn't stop thinking about it. So when I saw Trisha had a recipe for a strawberry cupcake, I knew that I wanted to take it just a step further and go lemonade with it!

Although not exactly like the version I had before, this cupcake not only smells incredible, it's a lovely combination of flavors that I would make again and again (thankfully frozen strawberries are readily available!). The frosting is creamy and the perfect complement to the tender lemonade drenched cake.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

by Becca {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2/3 cup Whole Fresh or Frozen STRAWBERRIES, thawed if using frozen
1/2 cup BUTTER
1 cup SUGAR
1 EGG
2 EGG WHITES
1 1/2 cup FLOUR
1 teaspoon BAKING POWDER
1/4 cup MILK, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon VANILLA
Zest of 1 LEMON
1/2 cup FROZEN LEMONADE CONCENTRATE, thawed
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons POWDERED SUGAR

Frosting:

1/2 cup BUTTER, slightly softened
4 oz. CREAM CHEESE, softened
3 Tablespoons STRAWBERRY PUREE (from about 1/2 cup berries)
3 cups POWDERED SUGAR
Juice of 1 LEMON
1 teaspoon VANILLA

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake papers.

Puree strawberries using a food processor. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Add egg and egg whites. Mix well.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

In another bowl, combine puree, milk, lemon zest and vanilla.

Add half of dry ingredients to butter mixture, stir to combine. Add strawberry mixture, mix well and add second half of dry ingredients, stir until just blended.

Divide among cupcake papers. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar. Poke cooled cupcakes with skewer, pour lemonade mixture over cupcakes allowing it to soak in.

Frosting:

Beat together butter and cream cheese.

Add remaining ingredients and beat until completely combined and smooth. (You can add more powdered sugar if you want a stiffer frosting.)

Frost cooled cupcakes.

Recipe Source: for cupcakes: My Hobbie Lobbie, for lemonade syrup: Annie's Eats

You can also find us linking up HERE and Ingredient Spotlight!

Birthday Giveaway Winner!

2012-05-14T08:08:00.002-05:00

Here's a little taste of what's coming your way later today in my Secret Recipe Club post.

In the meantime, we're announcing the winner of our birthday giveaway from last week.

The winner is:

Amanda ThompsonMay 8, 2012 11:43 PM

I subscribe to Crumbs and Chaos via email!

Congratulations! Please contact us within 48 hours to claim your prize.

Seasonal Inspiration: 5-12-12

2012-05-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

Fabulous inspiration from last week:

Strawberry Vanilla Yogurt Cake from Mandy's Recipe Box

Breakfast Nachos from Simple Girl

Caramel and Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Bars from Cook with Sara

Cranberry Strawberry Margarita Punch from What's Cooking, Love?

So let's go, we're ready to be inspired!

5 on Friday: Delicious Ways to Celebrate Mom

2012-05-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day is this Sunday...I've put together a list of delicious treats from around the web that scream 'Mom, I love you!' Now if only my kids were old enough to get in the kitchen and whip something up for me...

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Cheesecake Buttercream from Kitchen Meets Girl

Nutella Banana Cream Cake in a Jar from Whipperberry

Meringue Roses from Shugary Sweets

Frozen Lemonade Pie in a Jar {with free printable} from Our Best Bites

Toffee Mocha Cupcakes from Inside BruCrew Life

What are you making for Mom this Mother's Day?

Milk Chocolate Toffee Brownies

2012-05-10T06:28:00.001-05:00

*This post was previously shared with the readers at Something Swanky.

One thing that my husband and I can always agree on is brownies. He's not a cake lover, but he'll always go for a warm, fudgy brownie. So, imagine my excitement when Food Network magazine's March issue came out - the entire issue dedicated to chocolate. There was an insert booklet with 50 variations on the fabulous brownie. I've only read through said booklet about 4 times. It inspired me to create this version - milk chocolate toffee.

They aren't your usual deep, dark brownie. The chocolate flavor is milder and giving the chopped up Heath bars room the shine. They are delicious warm, at room temperature or topped with ice cream, toffee bits and chocolate syrup!

One thing I loved about this recipe is that all the mixing happens in one saucepan. If you line your baking pan with foil, that's an added bonus with one less pan to wash. Less dishes to do = one happy mama.

Milk Chocolate Toffee Brownies

by Becca {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 stick BUTTER
2 cups MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1/2 cup BROWN SUGAR
1/2 cup WHITE SUGAR
4 EGGS
1 teaspoon VANILLA
1 cup FLOUR
1/2 teaspoon SALT
1 cup CHOPPED HEATH CANDY BARS

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil, grease lightly.

In a saucepan, butter and chocolate chips over low heat. Stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, stir in both sugars. Let cool for a few minutes.

Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.

Stir in flour, salt and 1/2 cup of chopped heath bars.

Spread in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of heath bars.

Bake for 45 minutes, remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Remove from pan as one big brownie and cut into pieces.

You can find us linking up HERE!

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

2012-05-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

Oh...my...goodness! This recipe is so delicious. We have just begun one of my favorite times of the year and that is when the Farmer's Market starts. It started last weekend and with over 40,000 people visiting on opening weekend it was a huge success. My family loves to go listen to the music, walk around, sample some great food and look for things to purchase. My goal this year is to find some great produce and focus on eating things that are locally grown. There are so many choices so I may spend the whole summer find the right vendors and products but that is okay!

This recipe reminded me of the Farmer's Market with its fresh ingredients and simple flavors. I love that you can add any types of veggies that you want. I used one of my new favorite products, quinoa but you could also use rice. The flavors were perfect, the instructions are simple and you can adapt it to your favorite vegetable...what could be better than that. I also love that it is served cold and it very refreshing. I added chicken to make it a more complete meal, but you could definitely leave that out and turn it into a side dish! This recipe serves 4 large portions for a meal.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

by Emily {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

Salad

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked
1 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped or grated
1 cup grap tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup black beans
1-1 1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped

Dressing

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Combine dressing ingredients and add to salad. Chill & Serve.

What is your favorite thing about the Farmer's Market in your area?

Individual Meatloaf Cups

2012-05-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

I think that I have only made meatloaf once before this, and while I really liked it it just isn't something that crosses my mind to make on a regular basis. BUT.... I have been seeing meatloaf cups for a while now and I think, what a great idea. It cuts the baking time and makes it easier to serve and more fun for the kids.

I just threw together what I had and created these. They were so delicious and everyone loved them. I did shred the carrots and green peppers because I like the idea of using them, but don't like the idea of biting into a big chunk. Just keep in mind that if you are going to shred them, use short strokes other wise you will end up with long stringy pieces that will be ugly and messy.

Individual Meatloaf Cups

by Megan {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 lb. GROUND BEEF
1 EGG
1 Tablespoon GARLIC POWDER
1 teaspoon ONION POWDER
1/2 teaspoon THYME
1/4 teaspoon NUTMEG
1/2 teaspoon KOSHER SALT
1/4 cup CARROTS, shredded
1/4 cup GREEN PEPPER, shredded
1/3 cup CRACKER CRUMBS
1 Tablespoon TOMATO PASTE
12 (1/2 inch) CHEESE CUBES

Instructions

Preheat over to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. I used my hands to really mush it together. Then place a small scoop in each of 12 greased muffin cups (this will not use all of the meat mixture). With your finger, make and indent in the middle of each one. Place a cheese cube and use the remaining meat mixture to cover each top. Gently pressing to make sure it is inclosed (You can see in the picture that my cheese escaped!). Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until meat is cooked through and cheese is melted. ENJOY!

Beef...it's what's for dinner...
{Crock Pot} Everyday Company Beef
Steak Salad
Taco Pockets
Steak & Veggie Kabobs

You can find us linking up HERE!

Individual Chocolate PB Trifles

2012-05-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Alas, it was my Mother-in-law's birthday and I was in charge of the dessert. I spent some time trying to decide what the perfect dessert would be. I knew she loved peanut butter and chocolate so when I came across the trifle idea on Pinterest, it literally screamed her name. ONE PROBLEM.... I don't own a trifle dish! Becca suggested clear plastic cups and it dawned on me that this would be the perfect dessert for a jar! Just like Dark Chocolate Brownies I made last year! They ended up being absolutely delicious and she loved them! <whew!>

I will say that I made a few changes and would maybe do things a little differently next time. Originally it calls for a boxed brownie mix. It was late and I was too lazy, so I figured I would just grab some brownies from the bakery at the store. They were out, so I ended up with brownie cookies. Maybe a little less fudgy and a little more chewy but they worked great! I also ended up buying a bag of the miniature peanut butter cups. They worked well, but there are also some other options. I personally don't love the chocolate peanut butter ratio in the tiny peanut butter cups, BUT they are sold in bags and wouldn't require any upwrapping or chopping. It also would look really adorable with a few of them as your topping. You could also go the regular sized route if that's what you have or all you can find. Keeping in mind of course that there is a lot more peanut butter in those and you would still have to do the unwrapping and chopping. I don't think that any of it really makes a huge difference because it is the flavors you are after. But I thought you would like to know you had a few options!

Individual Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle

by Megan {Crumbs and Chaos}

4 cups BROWNIES, chopped
2 cups MINIATURE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, chopped + 12 halves for topping
1/2 cup PEANUT BUTTER CHIPS
2 1/2 cups cold MILK
2 small packages INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING MIX
3 teaspoons VANILLA
1/2 cup CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER
12 ounces COOL WHIP, thawed

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Fold in 8 ounces of cool whip.

Using 12- 6oz jelly jars, begin layering with brownies, then peanut butter cups, a few peanut butter chips, and pudding. Repeat layers ending with brownies, peanut butter cups, chips or any combination of those. Top with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cup halves. Refrigerate until chilled.

Recipe adapted from: Taste of Home

Some other great Chocolate PB combos:

Peanut Butter Brownies

Chocolate PB Explosion Cookies

Reese's Cheesecake Brownies

Peanut Buster Caramel Bars

You can find us linking up HERE!

Our Little Birthday Giveaway!

2012-05-06T20:19:00.001-05:00

You may have missed it last when we quietly celebrated our 2nd birthday with Fried Ice Cream. Sometimes life gets chaotic and we get a little behind on what we'd like to post. The plan was to say thanks to our fabulous crowd of C&C readers by giving away something we really loved...but we couldn't fit that all in one box, so we settled on a $50 Target gift card instead. Waaaay easier to mail and you can choose whatever you love. Target is, after all, one of our very favorite places to ~~spend money like there's no tomorrow~~ shop.

Here's how to enter (LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH THAT YOU DO):

1. Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of those that we've shared here on C&C, if you don't have a fave, let us know one that you'd like to try really soon! (required entry)

2. Follow us on Twitter.

3. Follow us on Pinterest.

4. Tell us how you get our daily posts (RSS, subscribe by email or have us show up in your Facebook feed).

*This giveaway will end on Saturday, May 12th at 6 pm CST. This giveaway is not being provided by Target, but by Crumbs and Chaos because we think our readers are really great!

Seasonal Inspiration: 5-5-12

2012-05-04T23:00:00.000-05:00

Fabulous Inspiration from last week:

{Cilantro-Lime} Mexi-Corn Dip from Kitchen Meets Girl

Bulk Brownie Mix from Country Momma Cooks

6 Layer Taco Dip from Peanut Butter and Peppers

White Butter Cake from Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Teacher Appreciation Cards from Shaken Together

So let's go, we're ready to be inspired!

5 on Friday: Cinco de Mayo

2012-05-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a delicious week - (Crock Pot) Pork Carnitas on Tostadas, Fried Ice Cream, Beef Empanadas and Banana Chimis. We are crazy about Mexican food! If you're still trying to plan a Cinco de Mayo menu, here are a few more options from our archives...

Fish Tacos

Oven Roasted Salsa

Quesadillas "Qdoba Style"

Wonton Tacos

Tres Leches Cake

This post is linked to Friday Favorites

What's your favorite Mexican food?

Banana Chimi

2012-05-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

The last recipe we are sharing with you this week is another dessert. I was introduced to this one by a very good friend of mine, Emily. She has learned a lot about great Mexican food from her mother-in-law and makes the best tacos I have ever had. This is a dessert that they enjoyed at a local Mexican restaurant and recreated at home.

These are simple to make and easy to eat. You can dress it up however you like, it's an enjoyable twist on a banana split. I sprinkled mine with cinnamon and sugar after I took it out of the oil. Making these would be an extremely delicious way to end your Cinco de Mayo celebration this weekend!

Banana Chimi

by Becca {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

BANANAS
SMALL FLOUR TORTILLAS
OIL for frying
ICE CREAM
CHOCOLATE SYRUP

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.

Warm tortilla in microwave until pliable. Wrap banana in a tortilla, secure with toothpicks. Trim off ends of banana if it sticks out of the edge of the tortilla.

Make sure oil is hot enough by testing with the end of a wooden spoon. If bubbles form around the end of the spoon after you put it in the oil, it's hot enough to fry the tortillas.

Using tongs, place tortilla wrapped banana in oil. Fry until crisp and golden, about 30 seconds on each side.

Top with ice cream and chocolate syrup and serve immediately.

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Beef Empanadas

2012-05-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

It has been 3 years since I lived in the NJ/NYC area. However, my taste buds (and stomach) have never forgotten the savory little pastry that I was introduced to... The Empanada! We had them a few different times and they always came from very authentic restaurants and had the most amazing flavors. I have always wanted to try them and now was the time.

I started doing a little research on empanadas and discovered that they are an extremely popular food world wide and come with a variety of different fillings. I know that these may not be a true Mexican food or the Mexicans may use different fillings, but I found a version that sounded delicious and went with it.

I cut a corner by using pie crust instead of empanada dough because I didn't have time to search local grocery stores that may carry them and I also didn't have time to make the dough myself, but that of course is a very good option and there are plenty of recipes for that around the web.

The one I made is from a blog called From Argentina with Love. After spending some time on the site I discovered a handful of other empanada fillings that I can't wait to try and also discovered that empanadas are a perfect food to freeze. Just follow the recipe up until the egg wash stage, then flash freeze on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes and then bag them up for use at a later time. Just thaw, add the egg wash, and bake.

These would be a fantastic appetizer or party food but I used mine as a meal and served them with Mexican rice and actually used Sriracha Sauce for dipping (because it is what I had on hand!). The added spice was fantastic but I also think you could use any salsa for dipping.

Beef Empanadas

by Megan {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 lb GROUND BEEF
1 Tablespoon BUTTER
1 ONION, diced small
1 1/2 Tablespoons SMOKED PAPRIKA
2 teaspoons CUMIN
1/2 cup green olives, diced small
4 EGGS, hard-boiled and chopped
SALT and PEPPER, to taste
CRUSHED RED PEPPER, to taste
2 packages PIE CRUST, should be 4 crusts total
1 EGG, beaten
WATER, to seal edges

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Saute until they start to become translucent, then add the beef. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the beef has cooked through, then taste for salt and pepper, and stir in the paprika, cumin, and crushed red pepper and mix well. When finished stir in olives and chopped eggs.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface roll out pie crusts, using a pastry cutter or small bowl, cut circles about 5-6 inches in diameter (you should be able to get 16-20 rounds). Put a spoonful of meat filling in the center of the dough round.

For sealing, you'll need a small glass of water. Moisten the edge on the top half of the round with a little water on your finger. Fold the dough over until the edges almost meet and seal with your fingers by pressing down. Then fold the edge back up on itself and press to seal (you could use a fork for this step).

Beat an egg in a cup and cover the top of each sealed empanada with a brush so that when they bake, they have a shiny, golden shell. Spread flour lightly over several cookie sheets, and place the finished empanadas on top. Put the empanadas in to bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until sizzling and very golden brown on top. Take out and eat very carefully while hot!

Recipe adapted from: From Argenina with Love

You can find us linking up HERE!

Fried Ice Cream

2012-05-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRUMBS AND CHAOS! As we enter our 3rd year of blogging, we want to get into the mood for celebration by sharing with you a very special dessert! Stay tuned later this week for a little birthday giveaway.

A few weeks ago, my dad took my boys and me out for dinner. He chose a local Mexican restaurant and after stuffing ourselves with tacos and tostadas and a cheese crisp, we decided that on this rare occasion we were going to get dessert. I asked a few of the employees and got a hands down recommendation for the fried ice cream. How could I resist that?

So knowing that we were going to be doing a Cinco De Mayo week and it would include our birthday I knew this was the dessert for such an occasion. It is not the fastest process because of the multiple freezing times, but the actually cooking happens in a flash and I'm sure you won't be disappointed! It has a wonderfully warm and chewy crust the oozes with ice cream. We served ours topped with honey, whip cream, and strawberries. I also think it would be wonderful drizzled with chocolate syrup or with a variety of fruits. Just like an ice cream sundae the possibilities are endless!

Fried Ice Cream

by Megan {Crumbs and Chaos}

Ingredients

1 quart VANILLA ICE CREAM
2 cups CORN FLAKES, crushed
1 cup FLAKED COCONUT
1 Tablespoon CINNAMON
2 EGGS
1 Tablespoon MILK
2 quarts OIL, for deep frying

Instructions

Make 5 scoops of ice cream, approximately 1/2 cup each. Place on a pan or baking sheet lined with waxed paper and freeze for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl add crushed corn flakes, coconut and cinnamon. Stir together. Set aside. In another shallow bowl, beat egg and milk together, set aside.

Remove ice cream from the freezer and roll and press the corn flake mixture around the ice cream, packing it together as if making a snowball. Then roll the ice cream ball into the egg mixture then back into the corn flake mixture. This makes for a thicker, chewier crust. Return to the freezer for at least one hour or until the ice cream is VERY hard.

Heat oil in a heavy pot until the temperature reaches 365 degrees. Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer and carefully drop into the hot oil. Deep fry for ONLY 20-30 seconds. Remove from the oil and place on a dish or in a bowl. Top with you favorite toppings.

Recipe adapted from: Simply So Good

You can find us linking up HERE!