Cherry Cordial Fudge Covered Brownies

You are probably shocked to know that I still have more from my trip to recap! I was there for over a week, and I did something each day, so...lots and lots to share!

My youngest cousin is 14-years-old (soon to be 15)! Although I wasn't there when she was born, we have been in her life, pretty much ever since the day she was born. When my family moved out to California, my aunt (her mom) moved into an apartment right next to us (since both our families were house shopping). They found a house in the same area and my family found a house about 45 minutes away. If you are from California, you know, that is not far at all! And we always saw each other. So, I have seen this girl grow up :) She was as cute as a button as a kid and now is as sweet as can be as a teenager, which says a lot because she is a TEENAGER.

I moved out to Texas when she was 9 :/ Because of that, I haven't gotten to keep up with her like I'd want. Thankfully she has a cell phone now, where I can text her :) But whenever my sister and I go back to visit family, I always try to make a day to spend with her or see her! And do whatever it is she wants to do, that her mom probably won't do with her (nothing crazy). She decided she wanted to go to Pink's Hot Dogs. We drove to Hollywood and waited for over one hour to just order our hot dogs and cheese fries :) And ate them up, because we were starving. I have to say they are delicious and the ladies that work there are super nice, which is a lot because they have to service so many people. They let you switch out hot dogs for polish sausages or turkey dogs (in my case, since I do not eat beef.....ever wondered why I never post beef recipes...that's why).

After hot dogs my cousin wanted to go to get cupcakes and chose Sprinkles, but she's been to Sprinkles before and so have I. I told her, they were overrated and not the best cupcake. I suggested we go to Georgetown Cupcakes, since they are AMAZING. Although they are a national chain -- they aren't in too many places, but they are in Los Angeles.  And that is what we did (after getting lost for a good 20 minutes). All the while, catching up and talking about teenage things (that I like to keep up with, so she knows I'm here to talk about anything because I love her :) She really liked Georgetown Cupcakes, more than Sprinkles of course, especially this oreo cheesecake cupcake they have....oh my gosh...so so so drool worthy.

Since her birthday was coming up, we ended the night at the mall...hahaha..so high school right? And I took her shopping so she could pick out some outfits that she wanted.

Day 5 of my Valentine's Day Countdown! We are almost there people! We had our program interviews for potential applicants mid-January and we had a potluck dinner while they were here. Since, I knew I was going to make desserts for this countdown, I decided to make this and the Red Velvet M&M Cake Mix Bars early. That way, I had something to bring, there wouldn't be any left overs at the house where the hubby and I would be tempted to eat them (because we would), and I would have two recipes for this countdown already done. This recipes was inspired by my Hot Chocolate 3-Muskateers Fudge Brownies :) Remember this is no fudge brownie...these are fudge on top of fudge brownies!

CHERRY CORDIAL FUDGE COVERED BROWNIES

Adapted from Cookies & Cups

INGREDIENTS

Preheat Oven to 350F Degrees

1 box of fudge brownie mix (family size), baked according to package directions
2 c. chocolate chips
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
10 oz. bag of mini hot chocolate 3-Muskateers bars, chopped
1/2 c. of mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

Line a 7 3/4 x 11 3/4 or 9x13 baking dish with aluminum foil. Grease aluminum foil with butter, shortening or cooking spray. This will help when removing bars from baking dish, allow for cooling, and easier, cleaner cutting into squares.
 
Bake brownies according to package directions (I like a thick layer of brownies, so I get family size, but if you want a thin layer, you can get a regular boxed brownie mix). Allow to cool completely.

While brownie is cooling, in a double broiler, combine chocolate chips and condensed milk. Continue stirring, until chocolate chips are melted. Allow to cool slightly but not thicken.

Then evenly sprinkle half of the cherry cordial M&Ms on top of the cooled brownie.  Pour fudge over the the M&Ms. Using a greased spatula, spread fudge evenly over brownies and M&Ms.

Press the remaining M&Ms into the fudge layer. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow fudge to set (overnight is best for cutting into squares, but 1 hour is the best to have the fudgiest fudge brownie...if that makes sense).

Enjoy,
Chika 

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Puppy Chow

Not only did I not tell you what I got for my birthday but I forgot to tell you one major change. I dyed my hair! I rarely do anything with my hair -- cut or color. I usually follow the same pattern: don't cut my hair for about 2 years, get annoyed with how long and heavy my hair gets and chop it off :) But this time, I was craving something different. I have been seeing this ombre hairstyle floating around and it caught my eye. But being of a darker skin tone -- the bleached blonde ombre was just not something that would look good on  me and would be too drastic of a change.

After doing a little research I found a picture of someone who did a black to dark brown ombre. It looked really cute and like something that would fit me well. I love it! I read a lot about this look being high maintenance but so far it's been great. I do think it looks nicer with curled hair, so I try to do that more often (in fact I just bought my first curling wand). I know some people curl their hair with a hair straightner but it just does not work for me....I find the curling wand really easy to use and it make much nicer curls and waves!

On to the last puppy chow recipe of my Day 4 Valentine's Day countdown :) Since I had some strawberry cake mix left from the Strawberry Puppy Chow, I decided to make a similar version of puppy chow. All I kept thinking about was the dark chocolate covered strawberry cake balls I made. And voila -- there you have it -- chocolate covered strawberry puppy chow! These were different from the dark chocolate covered strawberry cake balls, which had a subtle hint of strawberry. Instead the puppy chow had a strong flavor of strawberry with a subtle hint of chocolate. I think this puppy chow would look really cute if mixed half-and-half with the Strawberry Puppy Chow.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY PUPPY CHOW

Slightly adapted from from Your Cup of Cake 

INGREDIENTS

5 c. Rice Chex cereal
1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. strawberry cake mix
1/4 c. powdered sugar
Valentine's M&Ms

DIRECTIONS

In a large tupperware (or mixing bowl with lid) measure out 5 c. of Rice Chex cereal. In a separate bowl, sift and then whisk together strawberry cake mix and powdered sugar -- set aside.

Microwave chocolate chips until melted, be careful not to burn the chocolate. If the microwave just does not work for you, you can try a double broiler.

Pour chocolate over Rice Chex cereal. Then using a spatula fold the chocolate into the Rice Chex cereal, until well coated. Dump strawberry-powdered sugar into the tupperware and seal with lid (alternatively you can use a large ziplock freezer bag -- which is easier for clean up). SHAKE....put on some music...dance with it...but SHAKE IT LIKE A SALT SHAKER ;) Just keep shaking....

Once Rice Chex cereal is well coated in strawberry-powdered sugar mix, dump onto large cookie sheet and let cool. Mix in Valentine's M&Ms and serve :)

Enjoy,
Chika

Chocolate Raspberry Hugs Cupcakes

Let the recapping continue. Weird fact before I begin. I probably "start" a post like 10 times, only to delete it and try again.  I obviously do not usually write about it, but today I was kinda irritated by the non-flow (is that a word...non-flowingness....I should probably not be in grad school...haha) of my post :/ BUMMMMM-ERRRR...that's pretty much how I sound in real life. Hahaha...I've probably convinced half of you that, you would never want to meet me in person ;)

Okay, well the day after my birthday dinner with the fam bam (i.e., my actual birthDAY) -- was very full. I started the day attending  a baby shower thrown for my cousin. Fun fact: she is due any minute now....and I'm just waiting to hear about her new baby girl :) It was a sweet shower, with yummy food and quality time with my cousins. It was super cute, because they knew it was my birthday so they surprised me (after my cousin cut her baby shower cake) with an ice cream birthday cake.

 Another fun fact (are these even fun for you?): before the pizookie platter birthday cake obsession, I would always insist on having a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake. Why? Because the cake of an ice cream cake (the half cake-half ice cream kind), for some reason, taste differently than a cake not topped with ice cream. Sadly it was so hot in California (yes, in January) that the cake melted by the time they came....whomp whomp...BUT I am totally a person who believes in the thought that counts :) And it made me smile and feel special! Another reason why I LOVE my family. The rest of my birthday-day....to be continued....(dun, dun, dunnnnnnn.....::not a very good cliffhanger::)

So, it is now Day 3 of my countdown to LOVE (or as other people like to non-awkwardly say...Valentine's Day). The hubby stumbled upon these seasonal raspberry Hershey's hugs. Usually you see chocolate covered strawberries, but I have also seen chocolate paired with raspberrry so I thought why not try to incorporate that into a dessert. Plus I wanted to try out this really cool recipe I found for incorporating jam into buttercream, and I happened to have a bottle of raspberry jam that I mistakenly picked up for strawberry jam that I needed to use! AND I hadn't made cupcakes in FOREVER....so it was like a win, win, win... :)

Photograph taken by the amazing Helen

Anther photograph taken by the amazing Helen :)

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY HUGS CUPCAKES

Cupcake concept inspired from Bru Crew Life

Buttercream adapted from Your Cup of Cake

INGREDIENTS

Preheat Oven to 325F

CUPCAKES
1 box of Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake (or equivalent substitute)
1 c. of water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs, room temperature
18 raspberry Hershey's hugs

RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
1 1/2stick of butter, softened
2/3 c. raspberry jam
3-5 c. powdered sugar, sifted
heavy cream (if needed for thinning)
Sprinkles
18 raspberry Hershey's hugs

DIRECTIONS

For the cupcakes:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment -- sift in cake mix (I hate lumps). Then add in water, vegetable oil and eggs. Mix on low speed until ingredients are combined.

Line a cupcake pan with liners. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes (on bottom rack) until inserted toothpick comes out clean. I bake cupcakes at a lower temperature on the bottom rack, but for the same amount of time, because it creates fluffier cupcakes. 

Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes. Then insert, point facing downward, one raspberry Hershey's hug into the center of each cupcakes, pushing down until flush with top of cupcakes (see above picture).

For the raspberry buttercream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream butter and raspberry jam until creamy. Add in sifted powdered  sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. You want buttercream to be stiff enough to hold shape when pipped. If too much powdered sugar is added, add 1 tbsp. of heavy cream until desired consistency is reached.

Pipe buttercream onto cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired, and top with a raspberry Hershey's hug.

Enjoy,
Chika

Dark Chocolate-Strawberry Cake Balls

Keeping with my promise, I wanted to recap my birthday week. The first day that the hubby and I landed, we went to a birthday-sushi dinner! Of course, I would get sushi! Sushi in California is just a whole other level compared to sushi from Texas. So whenever I go, I like to get my fill. We actually had to have dinner the night before my actual birthday, because the hubby had a conference to attend -- which began on my birthday. I forgave him, only because he took me to Cali with him :) I had such a fun dinner. My family always puts a BIG smile on my face. My niece especially. She is old enough now to understand selfies and photobombing -- so there was a request made that we do one of each. I even did a selfie with my parents, because they are cute like that!

For the past couple years, for my birthday, instead of a cake, I have requested a pizookie platter. I love BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse Pizookie! And I always get it half double chocolate and half chocolate chip cookie. And like a good family, they each take a picture with me in front of my "cake." I thought I would spare you from the corniness since I probably already overloaded on you with dinner. Although it was a pizookie platter, it was eaten up that evening-- just like a true dessert family would do. I really had such an awesome night filled with lots of laughs and love for my family-birthday dinner. It just reminded me, even more, how much I miss them!

So, it is now Day 2 of my countdown to love....Valentine's Day! I wanted to make desserts that just exuded Valentine's. You know what is everywhere around Valentine's day? Chocolate covered strawberries! I love chocolate covered strawberries. That pseudo feeling of being healthy because your eating strawberries with that little kid inside of you smiling because you know its a dessert...I mean its COVERED in chocolate! Well, I wanted to make cake balls. Because, if I can toot my own horn....TOOT....I think I make amazing cake balls. I think they look good and taste good. Which says a lot because I have seen some "professional bakeries" that make cake balls which have chocolate pooled at the bottom ::yuck::. So, I decided to make a twist on the chocolate covered strawberry by doing a cake ball version. The hubby described it has a dark chocolate cake ball with a subtle hint of strawberry!

DARK CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE BALLS 

A For the Love of Dessert Original Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

FOR CAKE
1 box of dark chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
3 eggs
1 c. of water
1/3 c. of vegetable oil

16 oz. container of Pillsbury strawberry frosting
8 oz. of candymelts or chocolate bark
1-2 tsp. vegetable oil
Valentine's Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

Making the Cake balls (pops):

Make cake according to package instructions. Let cake cool completely (I usually cool over night). Once cooled, cut the edges off the cake (as well as top and bottom layers of the cake--the crusty part). In a large bowl using a food processor or your hands, crumble the cake into fine bits (I use my hands). Add slightly less than 1/2 of the strawberry frosting. Mix well. If too dry add a tablespoon of frosting at a time. You do not want it too moist because the cake ball will fall apart.  

Roll into 1 1/2 inch round balls. Place in refrigerator until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

Dipping the cake balls (pops):
In the meantime, melt either chocolate bark or candy melt according to package directions. This is my secret, once the chocolate is melted I stir in the vegetable oil. This makes the chocolate have a smoother and shinier coating :)

Now, I am going to tell you how I get perfectly dipped cake balls but if you have your own method that works-- you are more than welcome to do it that way -- this is just whats worked best for me.  

Once chocolate has melted, take the cake balls and while holding the top half, dip the bottom half into the chocolate, then dip a cake pop stick into the chocolate (about 1/2 inch) and push into the center of the cake ball until about, no more, than half way through. Let cool. This will make it much easier to dip the rest of the cake ball. Otherwise I have found that the cake balls get stuck in the  chocolate or falls off the stick.

Once cooled, dip the top of the cake balls and a little part of the bottom, that was already coated into the chocolate. Shake off excess chocolate. Garnish with sprinkles (while chocolate is still wet). Allow to cool by sticking into flower foam. Once dried, holding the cake ball with one hand, gently twist the cake pop stick with your other hand and pull out. If you would like cake pops- leave on stick. 

Also see: No Bake Cake Batter Truffles for "My Little Cupcake" method. 

Enjoy,
Chika

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

How was your Christmas morning. I was excited to share with the hubby the presents I got him (i.e, the video games). BUT for the first time, I did not get the hubby what he wanted. And I could tell. He usually loves it and starts smiling, this time, he kinda half smiled. And was more excited about the things I put in his stocking-- seasonal food items that I thought he would enjoy. He really liked the Pepperidge Farms Caramel Apple Cookies I got him. He ate those up. And I loved the deep fryer I got (to make doughnuts and tempura) and the new clothes! Can't wait to wear them! Finally got some Chevron pattern outfits! It was a nice Christmas.

He really thought I got him paper ;)

I have never been a huge fan of peanut butter. Wait let me correct that. I love peanut butter in desserts but I just have not been one to eat peanut butter independently. Like how I eat Nutella ;) I know a ton of people who can just eat peanut butter by itself...I am not one of those people. But that has all changed. I have discovered dark chocolate peanut butter! mmmm...that I can eat by itself, but what I love more? Is to scoop animal crackers into it and EAT! Who knew that dark chocolate peanut butter existed?!? I did not. Weird thing is, the hubby did and said he tried it a long time ago? WHAT?!? Well, I am glad I found it and then stumbled on this recipe for dark chocolate peanut butter bites! They were so easy to make and so yummy to eat! Trust me, if you haven't had dark chocolate peanut butter...do so...quickly!

DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BITES

Adapted from Uni Homemaker

INGREDIENTS 

Preheat Oven to 325F Degrees 

2 c. of dark chocolate peanut butter (I used Skippy but you can also use Peanut Butter & Co. brand)

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

1 c. holiday chips

DIRECTIONS

Line a mini-cupcake pan with liners (24 mini-wells in each tray). Set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together dark chocolate peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Once smooth, scrape down sides of bowl and stir in flour. Remove from stand mixer and fold in holiday chips. 

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, spoon batter into each mini baking cup. Sprinkle extra holiday chips on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes (on bottom rack of oven) or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake these bites -- they will taste very dry if you do. Allow to cool before eating.

Enjoy,

Chika