{ Skillet S'mores }

I have a confession.

These photos have been sitting on my camera for a year. #oops.

I found them when trying to make sure I had all of my 2015 photos downloaded onto my computer. I couldn't just let them go to waste, eh?

So, here we are. Skillet S'mores.

I served these to a group of VERY happy teenage boys, and also, my husband. There was nothing left. Nothing.

This is definitely something I now have in my arsenal. It's so easy, fast, and fun. Not to mention the taste.

Easy, gooey, chocolately. Good.

Amen.

Skillet S'mores

by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1 Tablespoon oil

1 bag milk chocolate chips (I like Hershey's brand for this)

15-20 large marshmallows, cut in half

graham crackers

cast iron skillet (or other oven proof skillet*)

Preheat oven to 450* F

Pour oil into pan and brush with a pastry brush or coat all around with a paper towel. Be sure to coat the bottom and sides well.

Pour in chocolate chips. Top with marshmallow halves.

Bake for 5-7 minutes until marshmallows are toasted.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. This will give allow the heat from the pan to keep melting the chips.

Serve warm with graham crackers, but be wary of the hot pan.

*You can use another type of pan, but cast iron retains the heat for a better all around melt.

Adapted from Dessert for Two

{ Easy Cheese Balls & Dips }

I'm digging back in my archives for this post. WAY back for some of them. You'll notice the difference in photography alone.

Who cares what the pics look like though, because the recipes are still YUM.

I've rounded up some quick, easy, and tasty dips and cheese balls for your party tonight.

I've yet to decide which we will have tonight. I should probably figure that out soon.


1.2.3. Cheese Ball

(recipe)

This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it is a HUGE favorite around here. So, so easy.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

(recipe)

This recipe is from my mom and is equally loved.


Buckeye Cheese Ball

(recipe)

The idea for this recipe started with the above Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball and ended up here, in Deliciousland.

Ranch Cheese Ball

(recipe)

This recipe came from a reader named Donna.


Now on to the dips!


Holy Moses Dip

(recipe)

This recipe came from my friend Lori, but the name is all me ;)


Reuben Dip

(recipe)

My recipe for Reuben Dip.  Sauerkraut is our "lucky" food for New Year's in Ohio.



And finally-

The Big Cheesy Dip

(recipe)

My Bean's favorite dip!

Wishing you a dippy, cheesy new year with many memories, blessings, and good things.

Tina

{ The Big Cheesy Dip }

 The Bean has the Flu.

No, he didn't get the shot. No, I don't want to discuss that. ;)

For the last 4 days, he's been planted on the couch. Whenever he is sick, he pulls the coffee table up next to the couch, adds a few (or 12) pillows, a couple blankets and declares "A nest has been established". Then he barely moves.

The cat must sit with him when he's sick. All. The. Time.

In those last 4 days, I will tell you that we have definitely gotten our money's worth of Netflix Streaming. We've watched The King's Speech, Good Will Hunting, The Adventures of Tin Tin, Sahara, The Decoy Bride, and several episodes each of Mr. Bean, Firefly, Doctor Who, The Vicar of Dibley, and The West Wing. Not to mention all of the DVRed shows we've watched.

And yes, we do have a penchant for watching British shows. Is it any wonder over 1/2 of the suggestions Netflix makes for me are British?

The Bean is doing better. Still achy, dizzy, with a sore throat, and very tired, but no more fever or chills! Yay! 

He's improving. Except when I tell him to do his make-up work for school. Then suddenly he is SO sick. Tragic.

We are not football people at all. In fact, I have no idea who is playing on Sunday. All I do know is that the coaches are brothers. I saw that on the news today at noon. Didn't catch the team names though. Oops.

However, we were going to go to a Super Bowl Party with our Youth Group on Sunday.

We are staying home instead. Keep the flu germs all here in the house.

You know, so I can get it next week.

I was going to take this to the party, but... no.

I made this dip on New Year's Eve.

We very often have a party food, that my mom makes called Hanky Panky (unfortunate name, I know). I asked her to make them for NYE, but she didn't  have any of the cocktail bread required. 

So, I made it into a dip. The Bean L-O-V-E-D it.

Look, I know there are lots of Cheeseburger Dips out there. Many involving ketchup in the dip.

This is not one of those. This is, however, a very unhealthy dip, ie, it's really yummy.

Let me just tell you, there are some things in life that can't be made without the creamy, orange loaf.

This is one.

If you are opposed to a little Velveeta, this recipe is NOT for you. 

Scroll down. Banana Muffins. Goooooooooood. (No Velveeta involved).

This is a super simple recipe.

Just brown up hamburger & sausage with onion, dice up some Velveeta, plunk in a crock pot, add a lil milk. Done.

Serve with Tortilla Chips or Fritos (Scoops are best).

I severed this with a round loaf of Rye Bread, but it's much better with chips. Of course. 

This is a hearty dip, great for Super Bowl (and lots of other) parties!

Get your game on. Go, fight, win.... um, one of those brothers. I feel like awkward holidays await them, as the one flashes his Super Bowl ring and the other seethes in the corner. 

Maybe not, maybe they are fabulously well adjusted and will hold no grudges.

Whatever.

Happy Snacking!

The Hopefully Flu Free Tina

The Big Cheesy Dip

By Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1/2 pound ground beef

1/4 to 1/2 pound ground Italian Sausage *

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (optional)

1 pound Velveeta, diced

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk **

Fry the burger, sausage, and onion in a skillet. Do not salt (the cheese and chips will add plenty of salt to the flavor).

When fully cooked, drain any excess grease and transfer to a Crock Pot. Add the velveeta & milk.

Allow to cook on LOW, for about an hour.

Crock Pot times vary greatly, so check it occasionally, and stir if needed.

*You can add more or less of the sausage, depending on the flavor you want.
**You can add more or less milk depending on how thick you want the dip.

{ Reuben Dip }

 I know there are several different "lucky" foods for New Year's Day. Here in Ohio, however, the lucky foods are these:

Pork & sauerkraut

The tradition comes from Ohio (and surrounding areas) being historically rich in German immigrants.

Eating Sauerkraut on New Year's Eve is a long-standing tradition in Germany. It is believed that eating Sauerkraut will bring blessings and wealth for the new year. Before the meal, those seated at the table wish each other as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of Sauerkraut.  (info from German Food Guide).

I know many people don't like sauerkraut. I, however, am not one of those.

I especially love a good Reuben Sandwich. Yum.

I was not always this way. When I was a kid, each year my mom would cook up a big pot of the foul smelling stuff on New Year's Day. Usually, she'd throw in some kiełbasa or some spare ribs.

Then, worst of all, she and my dad would... EAT IT.

Gag. 

As a kid, this was just nasty.

It wasn't until I was in my 20s that I began to appreciate the stuff.

Now, I love it. I don't eat it often, but I do really enjoy it. Like I said, especially as a Reuben Sandwich.

So, for New Year's Eve this year, I'm making up a mess of Reuben Dip.

It's easy, it's creamy, it's tasty.

Do like.

I realize this only gets me my kraut, and not my pork, as is called for in the German tradition.

I suppose I'll just have to eat some bacon for breakfast.

Oh, the tragedy!

There are many versions of Reuben Dip out there, however, this is mine.

Reuben Dip 

by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1- 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened*

1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 cup sauerkraut, well drained

1/2 cup sour cream*

1/4 cup thousand island dressing*

4 oz corned beef, chopped (I use the packaged corned beef, but you can get it from the deli as well)

*low fat/fat free work fine

Preheat oven to 350 F

Mix the cream cheese, sauerkraut, sour cream, dressing in a bowl. Stir until well blended. Work in the beef and cheese.

Pour into a well greased baking dish.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the sides are bubbly and it it hot throughout.

You can also cook this in a crock pot on low for a couple hours. I prefer the baked though. 

 Serve with cubed rye bread or on cocktail rye. You can also hollow out a round loaf, like I did here.

*Please note this dip does not reheat well, if it won't all get eaten, you may want to 1/2 the recipe

 I put a bowl in mine, but you can spoon the dip right into the bread if you wish!

The Bean, of course, does NOT like this.

Darn kids. Maybe when he's in his 20s.

With him, I highly doubt it though!

*
 So, I'm calling curtains for SBB in 2012.
Thanks for reading this year!

I hope you have a wonderful, blessed, lucky, and prosperous 2013- sauerkraut or not!

Tina

{ Nutella Spread & Nutella Cupcakes }

 Blame my friend Darla.

It's all her fault.

These recipes are a direct result of her doing.

You can't blame me, I don't even like Nutella.

Well, they are also a result of my failure, but we won't talk about that.

Alright, fine, we will. The other night, I had an event with my youth group. I decided to make Darla's recipe for Nutella Cream Pies. Then, I, uh... burnt them.

I know, I know, but people, I have failures in the kitchen too. O.F.T.E.N.

I still had more cookies to bake (which I did, which I DIDN'T burn), but it wouldn't be enough.

Then... Light Bulb.

And yes, I totally just typed that in Gru's voice.

I decided to just alter her filling recipe a bit and make.... Nutella Spread.

Here's what I did:

Nutella Spread

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
3/4 cup Nutella

pinch of salt

Beat the butter until smooth, add in the sugar, then add the vanilla and marshmallow spread, along with the pinch of salt. Lastly, mix in the Nutella. Beat until whippy and smooth.

Serve with Graham Crackers, and cookies like Oreos & Vanilla Wafers. In the photo you'll also see some of the surviving Nutella cookies from Darla's recipe, which are delish- and remember folks, I don't even LIKE Nutella. They have a very light Hazelnut flavor, but a rich chocolatey one.

Now, fast forward two days, and I get a request from one of my Youth Grouppers for Nutella Cupcakes (I always bring treats on Sunday Nights). 

Nutella Cupcakes

I used a boxed chocolate cake mix and beat a 1/2 cup of Nutella right into the batter.

Then, I made a Nutella Marshmallow Buttercream

Nutella Buttercream
Recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers*

2 sticks of butter- softened

4 cups of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of Nutella
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate,
melted, and cooled to room temperature 

First make the buttercream, by beating the butter for 3 minutes. Then slowly add in the sugar and salt. Splash in the vanilla and heavy cream and beat for about a minute, then add the marshmallow fluff. Add in the chocolate and the Nutella and beat. If it's too thick, add in a bit more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time. Beat unti light and fluffy.

*Adapted from  Darla's Perfect Vanilla Buttercream 

Swirl on to cupcakes & top with sanding sugar. I used pure cane sugar on these.

I actually liked these cupcakes as well. The hazelnut is light here, as well. You can totally taste it, but it's not overpowering. Our youth minister really liked them. I'm not sure how many he ate, but I know it was more than 2!

One of the kids said they tasted like fudge, and hey, that's never a bad thing!

Either of these recipes would be excellent for the upcoming holidays. Great for parties and get togethers.

So, failure sometime equals success. You just never know, do ya!

Tina

{ Super Bowl Snacks }

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Today I'm rounding up some recipes that I think would make good Super Bowl snacks.

I hear that the big game is this Sunday.

Also, I hear there are two teams playing it in. However, I had to google to find out who they were.

Not a football fan? No, I'm not.

(Oh, google says its the New England Patriots & the New York Giants. I assume that is right. It's google after all, and the google knows).

So, I'm not a footbal fan, BUT, I am a PARTY fan! Woot!

I think we are actually going to go to a Super Bowl party on Sunday.

We were promised board games and commercials. They'd better be there, or I'm demanding my money back. Even though I'm not paying. I will want money back.

I'm totally waffling on what to make myself.

I might do this Buffalo Chicken Dip that my friend Steph made for New Year's Eve.

Or maybe I'll make these whoopie pies shaped like footballs.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Another option my Snowflake Crunch Popcorn, but with the teams colors.

Google tells me they both have Red and Blue (and white/silver/whatever). Use the red and blue M&Ms instead of just the blue. Now, I KNOW it's not the perfect blue of the team- but... it'll work. If you are a big fan and HAVE to have the right color, M&Ms does sell the darker blue in specialty stores like Party City, etc.

Snowflake Crunch Popcorn

These Ranch Crackers are sure to be a hit Ranch Snackin' Crackers

Do you want to make friends fast? Then make this Chocolate Chip Cheeseball

If you want a savory cheeseball, try this one that takes minutes to make 1.2.3. Cheeseball!

Need a dip? Okay! Try this one Holy Moses Dip.

A favorite get together snack around here is this Pull Apart Pizza Bread. yum.

You just CANNOT go wrong with a batch of  Caramel Corn...

That is, unless you bake it at 200 degrees Celcius , like my long time New Zealand friend Pam. LOL!

Love ya, Pammy!

Maybe you'd like to delve into making some of these Peanut Butter Patties.

They are quick to disappear!

Or, even better, how about these 3 ingredient Oreo Truffles!

There's a few of my suggestions! Are you having/going to a party?
What are you planning to make?

Go Team! I really hope that the ....

oh never mind. I really don't care who wins!

But if you are into football, I hope YOUR team wins!

Have fun :)

Tina

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