My 1st Weekend Alone…

This weekend was the opening of pheasant season along with the opening weekend of white tail bow hunting out in Kansas. So, needless to say the Great White Hunter was headed east before Friday’s work day was even over. But, what this meant for me was my first weekend home alone. Some may think this wouldn’t be that big of a deal but the reality is I’m a scaredy cat. That’s right people you heard it here 1^st I’m a nervous, horror movie thinking big sissy la la when it comes to being home by myself. And to top it all off it was the 1^st time alone at The Great White Hunter’s, I mean our house. Plus my whole family, mom, dad, sister, everyone, was in Florida which really equals a million bigillion miles away. (Side note – I’m making up a lot of my own words today please don’t judge.)

The 1^st night alone wasn’t a big deal, just every little noise I heard I rose up in bed ready to take on the bad guy that had quietly snuck in the double locked front door. Let me tell you thought I’m pretty sure I could have kicked some major butt with all the adrenalin that was shooting through my veins.  Well, when the sun rose on Saturday morning it was time to get to work. When most wives are left alone by their husbands to go hunting they hit them where it really hurts, the pocket book. This would give most wives the perfect opportunity to go shopping shopping shopping. Well, being the new wife that I am and ignorant to most wifely things I cleaned. That’s right I did the laundry, including the Great White Hunter’s, and I cleaned the house. Well, that’s until the vacuum officially died on me and my fabulous sister-in-law Tanya reminded me that maybe shopping was a better idea. So, Saturday afternoon was spent shopping. The shopping was not just for fun stuff but also baking goodies. On my weekend home alone I experimented with a few recipes that I would like to share with you. Let me warn you though the only individual that has currently tried either recipe is me and let me just say I wouldn’t tell if you my cooking was really bad or not.  Cmon’ you guys know me better then that.  And, actually while we are being honest here I haven’t tried the pie yet. Ok ok, I’ve tried all the layers of the pie I just haven’t officially tried them all together. I will update everyone once someone other than me has tried both items. So, here goes nothing…

Chocolate Raspberry Thumb-Prints

What You Need

2 cups flour

1 tsp.  baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

4 squares  BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar, divided

1   egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup red raspberry jam

HEAT oven to 375°F.

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in cream cheese. Add 1 cup sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture. Refrigerate 15 min.

ROLL dough into 1-inch balls; coat with remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Press your thumb into center of each ball; fill each indentation with about 1/4 tsp. jam.

 

BAKE 8 to 10 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 1 min. on baking sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.



Delicious! Well, at least I think so...



Triple Layer Mud Pie

What You Need

3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

1/4 cup  canned sweetened condensed milk

1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)

1/2 cup  chopped PLANTERS Pecans, toasted

2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

2 cups  cold 2% milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Side Story – Being the new domesticated person that I am I bought a graham cracker crust for my Mud Pie. I read the directions on the inside of the pie crust lid where a little elf told me that before filling the pie crust I must put it on a cookie sheet. A little confused but trying to be a domesticated diva I took the little elf’s advice. I placed the crust opening side down on a cookie sheet………..and I watched it completely break into pieces. This is where the cussing began. I really didn’t want to have to go buy another crust but I need a crust to make a pie. When ding for once in my domesticated life I had a solution. I crumbled up the rest of the once was a KEEBLER crust, melted butter, mixed the two together and walah a “homemade” crust. I did get a snap shot of the “homemade” crust but realized I didn’t get a picture of the crumbled pre-crust.

MIX chocolate and condensed milk; pour into crust. Sprinkle with nuts.

BEAT pudding mixes and 2% milk with whisk 2 min.; spoon 1-1/2 cups over nuts. Stir half the COOL WHIP into remaining pudding; spread over pudding layer in crust.

TOP with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 3 hours.

All of the layers were amazing, so I'm hoping all of them together are even better.

Ok, I really can’t take the credit for this so THANK YOU Kraft Foods for your fabulous Holiday dessert  website that has amazing, yet super easy, recipes that can make even this former single girl look domesticated.