Home-made Mounds Bars

Mounds Bars


Makes about 15 pieces

Adapted from Salty Sweets



•3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

•1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt (or another flaked sea salt)

•2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

•10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Spray with nonstick spray.



In a medium bowl mix together the coconut, salt, and condensed milk until combined. Press mixture into prepared pan and spread into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Freeze for 15 minutes, or until slightly hardened.



In a small microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate in 15-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between every burst, until smooth.



Remove coconut mixture from pan. Cut into 1-inch bars. Dip the coconut bars in the chocolate, turning to coat with a fork. Let excess drip before placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place mounds bars in fridge until chocolate has set. Bars can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes


From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 30 (Note: I halved this recipe and it was very easy, 30 of these cupcakes would surely be the death of me)



•Ingredients:

•42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped

•2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature

•1 cup sugar

•1 tsp vanilla extract

•4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

•1 cup sour cream

•Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.



2. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.



3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.



4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Frozen Mocha Pie

Frozen Mocha Pie


Adapted from CHOW

Serves 8-10

Crust:



•30 chocolate cookie wafers

•4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled

Filling:



•1 quart coffee ice cream

Ganache Topping:



•4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

•1/2 cup heavy cream

•1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the cookie wafers until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse again until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand. If you don't have a food processor, place the cookie wafers in an airtight zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin or mallet; transfer crumbs to a bowl and mix with melted butter.



Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch spring-form pan and, using a cup or your hands, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake 10 minutes then set on a cooling rack. Let cool completely.



Once crust is cool, place in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill. Take ice cream out of the freezer and place in fridge for 30 minutes to soften.



Meanwhile make the ganache: place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour cream over chocolate and let stand until chocolate has softened, about 5 minutes. Add butter and stir mixture until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.



To assemble, remove coffee ice cream from the fridge and transfer to a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or a spatula, stir the ice cream so that it is spreadable (but not liquid-y). Quickly spread the ice cream into the chilled crust in an even layer. If the ice cream looks melted, place back in freezer until solid before proceeding. Pour the warm ganache over the ice cream and tilt pan to cover evenly. Transfer pie to a flat surface in the freezer and chill for at least 3 hours.



Pie can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Fall To-Do List

Texas Reds Festival Oct. 7-8
Tx Ren Fest
Houston Zoo
East Tx
Galveston Weekend

Mom's Soup Recipes

Tortilla soup

Shredded chicken, (baked with tony cachere's, shredded and all juices reserved and put into pot)
Cans of corn
Cans of Rotel
Cans of Ranch style beans
Corn tortillas
Taco Seasoning

Put all into pot and boil until done. Add corn tortilla strips in last ten minutes.

Beef Soup

Ground beef (boiled)
Ranch dressing dry mix
Ranch style beans
Cans of corn
Taco seasoning
Rotel tomatoes

Put all in pot, simmer.

Chicken and dumplings


Beef vegetable soup

Ground Beef
potatoes, cut up
carrots
corn
one jar of picante sauce
barley

Houston:
zoo, arborteum, nasa, market square/disc green, st arnolds, bayou park, play, galveston, rodeo

San Antonio/Austin:
alamo/riverwalk, missions, zoo/park, la villita, landa park, schlitterbahn, gruene hall, float the river, state capitol, barton springs, congress ave

Dallas:
aquarium, dealey plaza/ 6th floor museum, botanical gardens, pioneer plaza, thanksgiving square, majestic theater, fantasy landing, farmers market, city hall, stockyards

Weekend trips:

austin, galveston, dallas, san antonio

Longer trips:

chicago, nyc, philly, boston, europe, carribean, mexico,