Chocolate Chewies

(please don't mind the pool of cooking spray!)

I saw the recipe for these and decided that I had to try them.  And soon.  I had never heard of a chocolate chewie cookie, but I like chocolate and I like chewie so it sounded like a good match.  They were super easy to make.  And yummy delicious!

Ingredients:
12 oz. powdered sugar
2 oz. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
7 oz. chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together.  Add dry ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Turn mixer onto low and add one egg white at a time (the mixture will appear very dry until the last egg white).  Add vanilla and turn the mixer onto medium-high and beat for 2 minutes.  The batter will be quite thick (think brownie batter).  Optional:  Fold in pecans.
3. Spoon the batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets and place in the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven.  Let cool completely on baking sheet before removing.

Source: BakeSpace.com

WW's 5 Ingredient Pineapple Updside-Down Cake

Not too long ago I had friends over for Tuesday Night Dessert instead of Tuesday Night Dinner.  I did this bcause 1) I'm broke right now, 2) I had ingredients to make desserts, and 3) my house needed a reason to be cleaned.  While going to recipes in my email I came across this one...  I love cake.  I love pineapple.  I love pineapple upside-down cake.  So why not try the "diet" version.  It was so good!  You'd never know it was a weight watcher's recipe.

Points Value:  3
Serves: 10
Prep Time:  7 minutes
Cooking Time:  40 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 pound canned pineapple slices (rings) in juice, reserve 1/4 cup juice
1/4 pound unprepared vanilla cake mix, about 1 scant cup
1 large egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Melt 2 tbs butter in a 9" round, flameproof, aluminum pan over medium-low heat (make sure to cover entire pan bottom); sprinkle sugar over top.  Carefully place pineapple rings (use 7 rings) in a single layer in bottom of pan.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook until pineapple caramelizes, flipping once, about 2 minutes per side; remove pan from heat.
3. Melt remaining 2 tbs butter on stove top or microwave.  In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat egg with remaining melted butter.  Add cake mix and reserved pineapple juice; combine well.
4. Pour batter over pineapple; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.  Allow cake to cool for about 15-20 minutes; when still warm, loosen sides with a knife and invert cake onto a serving plate.  Slice into 10 pieces and serve.  Yields 1 slice per serving.

Dump Cobbler

They call this a dump cake for a reason.  And for being a dump, man is it good!

Ingredients:
canned pie filling (or 2)
yellow cake mix
butter

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350F.  Spray your baking dish.  Dump your pie filling (I used cherry) into the dish.  Depending what size your pan is you may need 2 cans.  Dump, evenly, the box of yellow cake mix over the top.  Slice chunks of butter and randomly put it on the cake mix.  Put it in the oven for, oh, about 20 minutes.  I really don't know how long.  Pull it out when the cake mix is a lovely golden yellow and the pie filling is bubbling around the edges.  Let cool for a few minutes, if you can.

My favorite part is the "crust" aka the cake mix.  YUM!

Slow Cooker Cola BBQ Pulled Pork

To go along with the Shredded Beef, I also had Pulled Pork.  I wanted an easy recipe, that wouldn't be time consuming for me, and that would pretty much cook itself.  Hence the slow cooker.  This recipe fit all the criteria...

Ingredients:
1#-3# Boneless Pork
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 (12 oz.) can coke (do NOT use diet)
Your favorite BBQ sauce, amount to taste

Instructions:

1. Sprinkle port with salt and pepper, place in slow cooker.  Pour can of coke into the slow cooker, cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.
2. Remove meat and allow to cool enough to handle.  Shred the meat apart into bite-sized pieces.  Discard coke from slow cooker and return meat.  Cover with BBQ sauce to your desired taste (some like the meat dryer, others dripping with BBQ sauce).
3. Heat though and serve on your favorite sandwich bun.

Tasty Kitchen

Shredded Beef

A couple months ago I had friends over for dinner.  I decided on pulled/shredded meat sandwiches.  So, for the beef, I took a PDub recipe for her beef brisket and converted it into a marinated shredded beef.

Ingredients:
2 cans beef consomme
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cup soy sauce
5 cloves chopped garlic
2 tbs liquid smoke
10 lbs beef brisket (or I used a cheap cut for shredding)

Instruction:

1. Combine first five ingredients in large bowl/pot/pan.  Place beef in the marinade.  Cover tightly with foil.  Marinate in refrigerator for 24-48 hours.  When ready to cook, place in slow cooker on medium (or high).  Cook for about 8 hours.
2. When fork-tender, drain majority of liquid (reserve for later use) and shred with 2 forks.  Add liquid back to shredded beef if needed.
3. Serve with rolls.  Barbecue sauce may be used.
4. You can store i fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for use at a later date.  Remove and discard any separated fat.

The Pioneer Woman