Oreo Truffles

This recipe is ridiculously easy, and extremely delicious. These are great for parties because they are easy to make and taste great. I have received many compliments on these, and they're so simple to make!

Ingredients:

1- 8oz. block of cream cheese (allow to soften)
1 package of Oreo cookies
Your preference of chocolate, melted. (I typically use White chocolate, and I found that both Baking chocolate squares and chocolate chips work equally well for this recipe).

Instructions:
Mix the cream cheese and cookies together (crumble and smash up the cookies) until you have kind of a mess of oreo cookies mixed with cream cheese. This is not the cleanest recipe, and I always find myself messy, because I prefer to mix the cookies and cream cheese by hand.

Once you have thoroughly mixed the cookies and cream cheese together, roll into balls about teaspoon sized. Dip the ball into the melted chocolate. Allow to cool (I usually refrigerate them for about 3 hours) before serving.

Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (approx 2 cans)
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/3 cups BBQ sauce (I used Bull's Eye-Hickory Smoked)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• hot pepper sauce
• salt and pepper
• 6 sandwich buns
• shredded cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a deep pot (I used a stockpot) with the onion, garlic, and just enough chicken broth to cover. Add the BBQ sauce, vinegar and a few drops of hot sauce and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer unit the chicken is cooked through (approx. 15-20 mins).
3. Remove chicken from the sauce and shred with two forks. While you're working on this, bring the sauce back to a boil, and boil uncovered, until reduced by half (approx 15 mins).
4. Season with pepper, and add the shredded chicken back into the pot and heat through.
5. Spoon the mixture onto some sandwich buns and enjoy. May also add some shredded cheese, if you choose.
   

Meatloaf

I wanted to make dinner tonight for myself and Greg (my sweet boyfriend!). He has raved about his mama's meatloaf to me in the past, and since I've never made meatloaf before I wanted to give it a shot. I got this recipe from my sister, who I believe got it from her dear friend who is an amazing cook. It was a huge hit at the dinner table tonight :) I served it with twice-baked potatoes (which I also just posted). I would imagine you could sneak a few more veggies into this dish. Just decrease the portions of each, and finely dice them.

Servings: 4
Cook time: 1 hour 15 mins
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 18 saltine crackers, crushed
  
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  
• 1/2 small onion, diced
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (divided into [2] 1/4c. portions)
• 1/2 cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the beef, crackers, bell pepper, onion, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and 1/4 cup of brown sugar into a large bowl and mix well. (You gotta get down and dirty with this one and use your hands, but WASH THEM FIRST, please! I'm a nurse, what can I say...)
2. Place into a greased baking dish forming the mixture into a loaf shape. (I used an 8x8 dish, and formed a square). Bake for 1 hour.
3. Remove from oven and drain off the grease, being careful not to dump the loaf out of the dish!
4. Stir the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and ketchup together and pour on top. Bake for an additional 15 mins. If you have a meat thermometer, you want to make sure the thickest portion of the loaf reaches at least 150 degrees.
5. Remove from oven again, and let stand for approx 10-15 mins. Serve and enjoy!

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 baking potatoes
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 cup milk (or as needed)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 egg yolks (beaten)
  
• shredded cheese and bacon bits to top

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes for 1 hour or until soft, and allow to cool. Or, the super fast and easy way... cook them in the microwave in four minute intervals, flipping over after each one. Tonight, I halved the recipe, and it took 12 mins total to cook my potatoes for this first round.
2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, gently scoop out the cooked portion and place in a mixing bowl. Try to keep the skins intact and set them aside. Add the butter, salt, pepper and sour cream to the potato mixture. Mash well, and add enough milk to make a fairly stiff mixture. Add the beaten egg yolks and mix well.
3. Place potato skins on a baking sheet and spoon potato mixture into the skins. You probably won't use all the skins. For instance, I cooked 2 potatoes, which gave me 4 skins, but after adding the mixture back into the skins I only used 3, cause I liked them to be pretty full.
4. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top and bake for approx. 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve with bacon bits on top :)

Adorable Magnets

These magnets are easy to make, and you can personalize them in so many ways. Here's what you'll need:

• clear glass gems {flower section at Hobby Lobby}
• cute scrapbook paper
• adhesive magnet strip or pre-made magnets
• ceramic glue (if you use non-adhesive magnets)
• Mod Podge
• Q-tip
• scissors

TIPS: Get paper with bright vibrant colors with a good amount of contrast. Pastels don't show through as well. Black and white patterns work best, but regardless of the colors, the contrast is key. Also, try to get the larger gems. You can find the small gems at any craft store, but I know Hobby Lobby carries the larger ones. (Approx. an inch in diameter) Lastly, whether you buy a strip of magnetic tape or pre-made round magnets, note the strength of the magnetic force. It is measured on a scale of 1-10. Initially I bought a strip that said it was 3 on the scale, and it held the weight of a single sheet of paper but not much else. So then I bought pre-made round magnets that were a 6 strength, and they are strong and work great!

Steps...

1. Decide where you want to place your gem on the scrapbook paper, and trace around the edges.

2. Cut the paper along the inside of your trace marks to insure paper doesn't stick out around the edges.

3. Apply the Mod Podge to the backside of the glass gem.

4. Place on the paper. Don't worry that you can see the white Mod Podge--it will dry clear.

See, in just a few minutes it is clear.

5. Now, if you bought a roll of magnet strip, cut it down to fit the back of your gems. Remove the white adhesive paper and stick to the gems. If you bought pre-made magnets, you'll have to glue them on with some industrial strength glue (I recommend E-6000).

That's it! Super cute and super easy. And there are so many possibilities in the design. I see some really cute holiday magnets in my future!