Crock Pot Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Peas and Bacon

Posted on June 13, 2018 by sparecake

This is basically the spaghetti squash/crock pot version of spaghetti carbonara, and it’s totally good! It’s one of those semi-rare crock pot recipes that you can’t just plop in and come back to in 8-10 hours, but I’ll give some tips for adjusting the timing a bit at the end.

So many peas, my mom is hating this from afar!

Ingredients:

  • 1 spaghetti squash, about 5 pounds
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 slices of bacon, diced
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

Stab the spaghetti squash all over with a fork. Place the squash and the cup of water in the crock pot. Cover, and cook on high for 3 hours.

While the squash cooks, cook the bacon. You don’t need to get it fully crispy – it will cook further in the crock pot.

When the 3 hours are up, remove the squash from the crock pot, leaving the water in the crock. Cut the squash in half. Working around the seeds, scoop out the spaghetti strands and put them back in the crock pot.

Add the bacon, peas, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook an additional 45-60 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan, then cover and cook an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese has had a chance to melt. Serve with a bit more cheese, if desired, and enjoy.

 

If you want something you can do within an hour and a half after you’re home from work, you can cook the squash the night before, and combine the squash, bacon, peas, cream cheese, salt and pepper in the fridge overnight. The next day, cook for a full hour, then add the cheese and cook the remaining 15 minutes. I recommend combining them in a separate bowl, rather than the crock pot crock. While you could keep the mixture in the fridge in the crock (I actually checked the crock pot website and they’re ok with crocks going straight from the fridge into the heater part) it will add a fair amount to your cook time if the crock needs to come from cold to hot as well.

Once it’s made, leftovers nuke back up just fine.

Crock Pot Creamy Spaghetti Squash with Peas and Bacon

From Cooktop Cove.

  • 1 spaghetti squash, about 5 pounds
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 slices of bacon, diced
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

Stab the spaghetti squash all over with a fork. Place the squash and the cup of water in the crock pot. Cover, and cook on high for 3 hours. While the squash cooks, cook the bacon.

When the 3 hours are up, remove the squash from the crock pot, leaving the water in the crock. Cut the squash in half. Working around the seeds, scoop out the spaghetti strands and put them back in the crock pot.  Add the bacon, peas, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook an additional 45-60 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan, then cover and cook an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese has had a chance to melt. Serve with a bit more cheese, if desired, and enjoy.

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BBQ Chicken Pot Pie

Posted on June 6, 2018 by sparecake

Combining everything good, with not-a-ton of hands-on time? Sign me up! This makes a lot of food for a single person to eat alone, but I have enjoyed the challenge.

Ingredients:

Chicken Layer:

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 3/4 cup smoky flavored BBQ sauce
  • 1 (8.6 ounce) can BBQ beans (the recipe is adapted from one by Bush’s baked beans, and they do have those smaller sized cans)
  • 1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted corn

Cornbread Layer:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 cups coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Around 2 hours before you want to eat, preaheat your toaster oven (or real oven) to 400 degrees. Seal the chicken breasts in foil (one large packet is fine), and place on a pan. Cook for 50 minutes.

When the chicken is most of the way cooked, combine the butter, eggs, honey, and buttermilk from the cornbread in a medium bowl and whisk well to break up the eggs.

Add the cornmeal, salt, and baking soda and powder and whisk well to break up any chunks of cornmeal. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Set aside.

When the chicken is cooked through, transfer to a medium bowl and shred using 2 forks.

2 of the 3 already shredded.

While you shred the chicken, preheat your oven (if it’s not already warm) to 350 degrees. Stir in the BBQ sauce, beans, and corn.

Spread the chicken mixture evenly in a 9×13″ casserole dish.

Whisk the cornbread mixture up again quickly, then pour evenly on top of the chicken mixture.

Bake 30-40 minutes, until the cornbread is cooked through. Mine looked golden, but was still pretty jiggly at 30, and had set up and was done at 35.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the hot cornbread, then serve.

BBQ Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from Bush’s Beans and the Gluten Free on a Shoestring Cookbook.

Chicken Layer:

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 3/4 cup smoky flavored BBQ sauce
  • 1 (8.6 ounce) can BBQ beans (the recipe is adapted from one by Bush’s baked beans, and they do have those smaller sized cans)
  • 1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted corn

Cornbread Layer:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 cups coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Around 2 hours before you want to eat, preaheat your toaster oven (or real oven) to 400 degrees. Seal the chicken breasts in foil, and place on a pan. Cook for 50 minutes.

When the chicken is most of the way cooked, combine the butter, eggs, honey, and buttermilk from the cornbread in a medium bowl and whisk well to break up the eggs. Add the cornmeal, salt, and baking soda and powder and whisk well to break up any chunks of cornmeal. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Set aside.

When the chicken is cooked through, transfer to a medium bowl and shred using 2 forks. While you shred the chicken, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Stir in the BBQ sauce, beans, and corn.

Spread the chicken mixture evenly in a 9×13″ casserole dish. Whisk the cornbread mixture up again quickly, then pour evenly on top of the chicken mixture. Bake 30-40 minutes, until the cornbread is cooked through.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the hot cornbread, then serve.

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Lemon Bliss Bundt

Posted on May 31, 2018 by sparecake

This blog post started off roughly, as both my camera battery and the overhead lights in my kitchen were dead, so pardon any even-worse-than-usual pictures, but I couldn’t wait any longer to try this cake! And luckily batteries and bulbs were good to go by the time it came out of the oven. (But then another down-turn in luck for this post, as I put in the date for it to post yesterday, but hit ‘save draft’ not ‘schedule’. Whoops.)

This cake is tasty but mild, until you douse it with a lemon glaze that soaks lemon flavor all the way through. Even then, though, it’s the optional lemon icing that really provides the seriously lemon-y zing, even though it’s only got a fraction of the lemon juice of the glaze.

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • zest of 2 medium lemons

Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Icing (optional):

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

If you get 2 lemons you should be good for all the juice you need, but if they’re only ~50 cents, it can’t hurt to buy a third to make sure you have what you need without running back to the store.

To make the cake, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the baking powder and flour in a medium bowl and set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Especially if you’re using a hand mixer, give it a few more minutes than you initially think, until the color has lightened.

Had to buy a new hand mixer that morning, mine died back in Wyoming!

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each.

Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating until combined after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest.

Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan well, then gently transfer the batter to the greased pan and smooth the top. Bake 45-60 minutes, until the cake passes the toothpick test. (Mine was done at 45.)

While the cake bakes, combine the lemon juice and sugar of the glaze. Heat, in the microwave or over the stove, just enough to dissolve the sugar without cooking the lemon juice. I microwaved 30 seconds, stirred well, then microwaved another 20. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.

When the cake is fully baked, run a thin knife between the cake and the pan to help it separate. Invert onto the cooling rack, and remove the pan if the cake comes out. If the cake doesn’t come off, let it rest 5 minutes, then try again, giving it up to 10 minutes before you really start prying/jiggling.

Didn’t come out 100% perfectly, but I’ve done worse…

Once the cake it free from the pan, brush the glaze all over the still-hot cake, on both the top, outside, and inside. As the glaze is absorbed into the cake, add more until it has all sunk into the cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely.

Once the cake is cooled, in a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar and salt. Beat in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, adding just as much of the additional tablespoon as necessary to create a thick glaze.

Drizzle over the cake, then serve or let sit for an hour to let the glaze set before serving.

Lemon Bliss Bundt

From King Arthur Flour.

Cake:

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • zest of 2 medium lemons

Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Icing (optional):

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

To make the cake, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the baking powder and flour in a medium bowl and set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating until combined after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest.

Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan well, then gently transfer the batter to the greased pan and smooth the top. Bake 45-60 minutes, until the cake passes the toothpick test.

While the cake bakes, combine the lemon juice and sugar of the glaze. Heat, in the microwave or over the stove, just enough to dissolve the sugar without cooking the lemon juice. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.

When the cake is fully baked, run a thin knife between the cake and the pan to help it separate. Invert onto the cooling rack, and remove the pan if the cake comes out. If the cake doesn’t come off, let it rest 5 minutes, then try again, giving it up to 10 minutes before you really start prying/jiggling.

Once the cake it free from the pan, brush the glaze all over the still-hot cake, on both the top, outside, and inside. As the glaze is absorbed into the cake, add more until it has all sunk into the cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely.

Once the cake is cooled, in a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar and salt. Beat in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, adding just as much of the additional tablespoon as necessary to create a thick glaze. Drizzle over the cake, then serve or let sit for an hour to let the glaze set before serving.

 

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Chocolate Chip Chocolate Frosted Flake Cookies

Posted on May 16, 2018 by sparecake

Hello from my new kitchen! I’ve moved to Ohio for a new job running a historic farm – if that’s something you’d like to follow along with you can check it out over here (haven’t started work yet, so for now it’s mostly moving stuff).

The maintenance guy in my new building is super helpful, so to say thanks I made these cookies. I took inspiration from potato chip cookies, but then went in a sort of different direction, and I definitely think it works. A good combo of sugars!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chocolate frosted flakes (I’m not sure if these are a Walmart exclusive, but you should definitely be able to find them there if not elsewhere)
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.

First use of this hand mixer – last one died in WY, after traveling with me from DC to Greece and Turkey. A solid life.

Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and beat until just combined.

Mix in the cereal and chocolate chips. (By now this is a bit thick for a hand mixer, so stir by hand if necessary. A stand mixer should be able to do it just fine.) Cover the bowl and refrigerate 1 hour, or however long it takes you to go get fingerprinted for your new job.

Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease or line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop the dough onto the pans, spacing widely.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until browned around the edges.

These pretty huge ones needed 15 minutes, I did smaller ones too and they still needed 12+.

Let cool briefly on the pans, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The taste of these is great immediately, but I preferred the texture once cooled.

Chocolate Chip Chocolate Frosted Flake Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chocolate frosted flakes
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and beat until just combined. Mix in the cereal and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and refrigerate 1 hour.

Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease or line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop the dough onto the pans, spacing widely. Bake 12-15 minutes, until browned around the edges. Let cool briefly on the pans, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

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Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake (gf optional)

Posted on May 2, 2018 by sparecake

The blog where I read this recipe made it quite clear that she had had a bad experience using a springform pan for this recipe, and not to trust them. I foolishly thought that my (actually sort of tart-pan-ish, removable bottom) pan would be fine – it held water without leaking, after all! But no, when the heat was on, my overconfidence proved unfounded, and just a physics-defying amount of syrup leaked out. A big day for proving the value of silicone oven liners, anyway! It’s possible that I am cursed when it comes to upside-down cakes?

Burnt syrup – turned the oven up as soon as the cake was out to make dinner, this came out later.

So, step one for this cake is finding a 10″ single piece cake pan. It’s all downhill from there!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, gluten-free or regular (I used the King Arthur all-purpose gf flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Grease and flour a 10″ cake pan well, then set aside.

Bring the syrup to boil over high heat in a saucepan. Once it reaches boiling (which comes with a dramatic level of bubbling up), reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to roughly 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

It may seem like nothing’s happening for a long time, and then BAM boiling!

While the syrup cooks, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and you can start working on the batter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until fluff, about 3 minutes.

Add the liquid ingredients and the dry ingredients in alternating additions to the sugar mixture in thirds, beating after each addition.

When the syrup has reduced, pour it into the prepared pan.

Arrange the apples in a circular pattern to cover the bottom of the pan, overlapping as necessary, and being careful not to burn your fingers.

Gently transfer the prepared batter over the apples and spread evenly.

Bake until golden and passing the toothpick test, about 90 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack at least 45 minutes. Flip the cake out onto a plate/platter, and serve with vanilla ice cream/whipped cream as desired.

Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake

From Valerie’s Keepers.

  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, gluten-free or regular
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Grease and flour a 10″ cake pan well, then set aside.

Bring the syrup to boil over high heat in a saucepan. Once it reaches boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to roughly 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

While the syrup cooks, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and you can start working on the batter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until fluff, about 3 minutes. Add the liquid ingredients and the dry ingredients in alternating additions to the sugar mixture in thirds, beating after each addition.

When the syrup has reduced, pour it into the prepared pan. Arrange the apples in a circular pattern to cover the bottom of the pan, overlapping as necessary, and being careful not to burn your fingers. Gently transfer the prepared batter over the apples and spread evenly. Bake until golden and passing the toothpick test, about 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack at least 45 minutes. Flip the cake out onto a plate/platter, and serve with vanilla ice cream/whipped cream as desired.

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Tuna Burgers

Posted on April 25, 2018 by sparecake

Some really easy patties that taste great and seem like they’re probably decently healthy. I quite liked the texture of these – sort of creamy inside (although if that sounds gross to you, just ignore it, there’s probably a better word to use there…). I’ll definitely be making these again, and why not, they come together so quickly!

Totally a balanced meal. Totally.

Ingredients:

  • garlic – 2 cloves, chopped + sauteed
  • shallot – 1 clove, chopped + sauteed
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach
  • 2 5 ounce cans cans tuna, packed in water, drained
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons mustard
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • dash each salt and pepper

Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the garlic and shallot for a minute or two until softened. Add the spinach and continue to cook until wilted.

Transfer the cooked vegetables to a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.

Use your hands to shape the mixture into 4 patties.

Heat some more oil in the pan, then cook the patties until browned on each side, 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve on a bun, on a salad, or with whatever sides you desire. Yum!

Tuna Burgers

From Guaca-Molly.

  • garlic – 2 cloves, chopped + sauteed
  • shallot – 1 clove, chopped + sauteed
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach
  • 2 5 ounce cans cans tuna, packed in water, drained
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons mustard
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • dash each salt and pepper

Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the garlic and shallot for a minute or two until softened. Add the spinach and continue to cook until wilted. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine, then use your hands to shape the mixture into 4 patties. Heat some more oil in the pan, then cook the patties until browned on each side, 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve on a bun, on a salad, or with whatever sides you desire. Yum!

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Gochujang Roasted Butternut Squash

Posted on April 11, 2018 by sparecake

A friend sent me this recipe, and then also told me what she used the resulting squash in, and I gotta say…her recommendations work very well! What didn’t work were the proportions in the original recipe, but we can always fix that, and will!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang (gluten-free if necessary)
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce (ditto)
  • 1/2 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, sliced 1/4” thick*
  • scallions, thinly sliced
  • flaky sea salt

*The original recipe said a whole medium sized squash, but with a half a large one I found it was baaaarely enough sauce to cover the large half that we had, so I don’t think a whole one, even a somewhat smaller one, makes sense.

Optional serving suggestion:

  • bag of random Asian style salad mix from the store
  • 2 mandarins or 1 large orange, peeled and separated into segments

Max squash amount!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil (optional, but gonna simplify your cleaning).

Combine the sesame seeds, oil, gochujang, and soy sauce in a large bowl or ziplock.

Add the sliced squash and stir/shake to coat. Lay the squash out, in a single layer, on the lined sheet.

Bake, rotating half-way through, 25-30 minutes until browned. Sprinkle with scallions and salt, and serve.

If desired, cut the squash into bite sized pieces and stir, along with the orange pieces, into the salad mix, using the dressing that comes with the salad.

Gochujang Roasted Butternut Squash

Adapted from Bon Appetit.

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, sliced 1/4” thick
  • scallions, thinly sliced
  • flaky sea salt

Optional serving suggestion:

  • bag of random Asian style salad mix from the store
  • 2 mandarins or 1 large orange, peeled and separated into segments

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Combine the sesame seeds, oil, gochujang, and soy sauce in a large bowl or ziplock. Add the sliced squash and stir/shake to coat. Lay the squash out, in a single layer, on the lined sheet. Bake, rotating half-way through, 25-30 minutes until browned. Sprinkle with scallions and salt, and serve.

If desired, cut the squash into bite sized pieces and stir, along with the orange pieces, into the salad mix, using the dressing that comes with the salad.

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Chipotle-Stuffed Chicken

Posted on April 4, 2018 by sparecake

I’ve mentioned several times before that chipotles in adobo are one of my favorite things, flavor-wise, and here they meld wonderfully with cream cheese, which mellows the spiciness, and bacon, which is just…good. I made this twice and learned things I’d recommend both times, so the pictures may not always line up perfectly, but you’re getting the steps to make the very most delicious chicken!

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chipotles in adobo
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 12 pieces bacon

Fish 1-2 chipotles out of the can of adobo. If you want mild heat, scrape as many of the seeds out of it as possible, if you want hotter leave them in. Finely mince the chipotles, then stir the minced pepper and 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce into the room temperature cream cheese until well mixed.

Next, pound the chicken breasts flat. Either put them in a large ziplock or wrap in saran wrap and hit with a meat tenderizer(/can of beans/anything else solid you can hit with) until the chicken has been thinned to under 1/2″ thick. The second time I made this the pieces of chicken were so unreasonably large that I wasn’t able to get the chicken thin enough, which made it a nightmare to roll, so oversized chicken isn’t a plus in this case.

Lay out 3 slices of bacon, then place one of the flattened pieces of chicken on the bacon, laying the chicken and bacon both lengthwise in the same direction.

Spread 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture on the chicken.

Roll up the meats, starting and ending with the loose bacon. Tie the roll shut with 2-3 pieces of kitchen twine, then repeat with the remaining bacon and chicken.

Absurd giant chickens!

Heat a large pan to medium-high on the stove. Cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, (meaning 4 sides, not just 2, to get this cooked through,) until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is cooked through. You could theoretically bake these, but I think the bacon’s crispier on the stove.

Once cooked, remove from the heat and brush the remaining adobo sauce from the can over the crispy bacon.

My serving suggestion is to pair with cornbread and something green!

Chipotle-Stuffed Chicken

  • 1 can chipotles in adobo
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 12 pieces bacon

Fish 1-2 chipotles out of the can of adobo. Finely mince the chipotles, then stir the minced pepper and 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce into the room temperature cream cheese until well mixed.

Next, pound the chicken breasts flat. Either place chicken in a large ziplock or wrap in saran wrap and hit with a meat tenderizer(/can of beans/anything else solid you can hit with) until the chicken has been thinned to under 1/2″ thick.

Lay out 3 slices of bacon, then place one of the flattened pieces of chicken on the bacon, laying the chicken and bacon both lengthwise in the same direction. Spread 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture on the chicken, then roll up, starting and ending with the loose bacon. Tie the roll shut with 2-3 pieces of kitchen twine, then repeat with the remaining bacon and chicken.

Heat a large pan to medium-high on the stove. Cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove from the heat and brush the remaining adobo sauce from the can over the crispy bacon.

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Caramel Icebox Pie

Posted on March 28, 2018 by sparecake

If you check out the ingredient list for this pie, you’d probably think it’s going to be really tasty. Well, congrats, you’re basically a future-teller, this thing is great, and you can find out yourself for real quite easily! Although it’s simple, this one does require a long chill time, so be sure you start it early enough.

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 2 cups crushed chocolate wafer cookies
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt
  • 10 ounces salted caramel sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

To make the crust, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crushed cookies, sugar, and butter in a medium bowl, stirring until well mixed.

Pour the cookie mixture into a pie dish and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Once the crust has cooled, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl, and beat until well combined.

Add in the caramel sauce and beat again.

In a separate large bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the caramel mixture by hand.

Gently pour the filling into the pie crust, then refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.

Consider serving with chocolate sprinkles, more caramel sauce, and/or whipped cream.

Different lighting = different color.

Caramel Icebox Pie

From Bake or Break.

Crust:

  • 2 cups crushed chocolate wafer cookies
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt
  • 10 ounces salted caramel sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

To make the crust, first preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crushed cookies, sugar, and butter in a medium bowl, stirring until well mixed. Pour the cookie mixture into a pie dish and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Once the crust has cooled, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Beat until well combined, then add in the caramel sauce and beat again. In a separate large bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold the whipped cream into the caramel mixture by hand. Gently pour the filling into the pie crust, then refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving. Serve with any of chocolate sprinkles, more caramel sauce, and/or whipped cream.

 

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Root Beer Fudge Cake

Posted on March 21, 2018 by sparecake

This cake combines two good flavors, without being super strongly either, for a nice blend. The frosting is quite sweet, but the cake isn’t, for another good balance. What makes it sort of magical is adding vanilla ice cream. When eaten with ice cream, the root beer flavor comes out much more strongly and it it tastes just like a root beer float!

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 2 cups root beer (do not use diet root beer)
  • 1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs

Frosting:

  • 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup root beer
  • 2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

 

  • vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a bundt pan well and set aside. (We had an angel food cake pan, close enough in this case.)

Combine the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted.

Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled root beer mixture until well mixed.

Gently combine the root beer mixture and the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

Ok more a square than your normal bowl, but work with what you’ve got!

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt and bake 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until it passes the toothpick test.

Cool in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack or platter.

To make the frosting, combine all the ingredients in a food processor, pulsing in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, this isn’t a time you can substitute in a blender, just use a mixer and beat until smooth.

One way or another, make it happen!

Spread the frosting in a thick layer over the cake, and let set before briefly before serving.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, and store leftovers well wrapped at room temperature.

Root Beer Fudge Cake

Marginally adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

Cake:

  • 2 cups root beer (do not use diet root beer)
  • 1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs

Frosting:

  • 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup root beer
  • 2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

 

  • vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a bundt pan well and set aside.

Combine the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted, then add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled root beer mixture until well mixed. Gently combine the root beer mixture and the flour mixture, stirring until just combined, then pour into the prepared bundt. Bake 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until it passes the toothpick test. Cool in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack or platter.

To make the frosting, combine all the ingredients in a food processor, pulsing in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, this isn’t a time you can substitute in a blender, just use a mixer and beat until smooth. Spread the frosting in a thick layer over the cake, and let set before briefly before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, and store leftovers well wrapped at room temperature.

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