Chocolate Banana Smoothie

This year, like many others out there I have resolved to loose weight. I have signed up at my local gym for some good old fashioned exercise and since I don't want an ounce of my blood, sweat and tears to go to waste I have also tried to eat a little healthier. This recipe I found in a Weight Watchers online recipe board and found it to be a delicious and filling breakfast. When I have this in the morning, I hardly miss my regular breakfast.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
(164 Calories)

• 1 packet Swiss Miss Sensible Sweets diet hot cocoa mix
• 1 small ripe banana, sliced and frozen
• 2 tsp. fat-free non-dairy powdered creamer (like Coffee-mate Fat Free Original)
• 1 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda or Truvia)
• 1 cup crushed ice or 5 to 8 ice cubes

1. In a tall glass, combine cocoa mix, powdered creamer, chocolate chips, and sweetener. Add 1/4 cup very hot water and stir until ingredients have dissolved. Add 1/2 cup cold water and stir.
2. Transfer contents of the glass to a blender. Add frozen banana slices and ice. Blend at medium speed until completely mixed. Pour into your glass and enjoy!

Almond Roca Cookies

I was in the search of the perfect cookie recipe to complete my holiday cookie tray this year, and I found something that sounded spectacular on Food Network. This cookie isn't a soft, chewy cookie so don't make this if that is what you are looking for. This cookie is more of a crisper cookie, but delicious nonetheless.

Blue Ribbon Almond Roca Cookies
(Makes 3 Dozen)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 package toffee bits
• 1 cup coarsely ground almonds
• 4 ounces milk chocolate
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2) In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sugars together on medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and then the toffee bits. Mix until just blended; do not over-mix.

3) Place ground nuts in a small bowl. Using hands, roll balls of dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch balls, then roll in the ground nuts. Place on cookie sheets several inches apart. Bake approximately 22 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

4) Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and place in freezer or refrigerator until chocolate is firmly set.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I LOVE everything "buffalo chicken" but when I went to one of my friend's BUNCO parties and tried this dip I had found a new favorite. This dip is very easy to make and everyone loves it. The dip is much better warm, so if you are able to serve it in a crockpot - that is the best way. I like to serve this with Ritz crackers, but you can also do pretty much any kind of cracker or even celery sticks.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm.

2) Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly.

Oreo Truffles

These delightful little bites of goodness have been called lots of things: Oreo Balls, Deer Poop, Etc. Not wanting to associate things that taste so good with Poop, I call them Oreo Truffles. I had these for the first time at a party and I found myself begging the maker of these for the recipe so I could feed my new found addiction.



Oreo Truffles

2 Packages (8 oz each) Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Package Oreo Cookies, finely crushed
2 Packages (16 Squares Total) Semi-Sweet Almond Bark, Melted

Instructions

1) Mix Crushed Cookies and Cream Cheese until well blended

2) Shape into 1-inch Balls (approximately 48). Refrigerate balls for 1 hour to harden

3) Dip in Melted Chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden.

4) Once hard, store in tightly covered container in refrigerator

Easy Chocolate Cake Glaze

I found this recipe when looking for something to top the Chocolate Amaretto Bundt Cake that I was making for a party. The combination was excellent and I feel like you could use this with most cake recipes. It is the perfect thing if you are looking for something other than a thick frosting. With cakes that are particularly rich, sometimes you want something light to top it off with - and this is the perfect thing.

Easy Chocolate Cake Glaze

1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 tspn Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1) In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the Sweetened Condensed Milk and Chocolate Chips.

2) Cook, stirring constantly until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Do not allow it to bubble.

3) Remove from heat and add Vanilla.

4) Cool slightly before drizzling over a cake

Chocolate Amaretto Bundt Cake

One of my favorite flavors is almond, so I always try and find recipes that showcase this flavor - especially dessert recipes. When I needed to make a dessert for a New Years party, I found this great recipe that I wanted to try. I found this fantastic recipe in the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, which has tons of great dessert recipes in it. Seeing as I bought a bundt pan for this occasion, I predict that you will be seeing a lot more bundt cake recipes...

Chocolate Amaretto Bundt Cake

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 tspn Baking Soda
1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
4 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
6oz Semi Sweet Chocolate, Melted
1 Cup Milk
3 tspns Almond Extract
1 tspn Vanilla Extract
4 Tbspn Almond Flavored Liquor

Instructions

1) Preheat the Oven to 350. Grease and Flour a 10 inch Bundt Pan

2) Sift the Flour and Baking Soda together, set aside

3) With an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the Butter, Sugar and Brown Sugar until fluffy. Add the Eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the Chocolate and mix well. Add the Flour mix in thirds, alternating with Milk and the Extracts. Beat after each addition until smooth

4) Mix in the liquor and Pour batter into the prepared pan

5) Bake 45-50 minutes until cake is baked through. Cool in a pan for 20 minutes. Then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack completely.

6) Drizzle with Easy Chocolate Cake Glaze or Dust with Powdered Sugar

Taco Dip

I find that one of my most requested appetizers, especially during football season is my taco dip. This is a classic seven layer dip that I came across, but have added and subtracted my own layers as time went on. I add ground beef to this because I am not a big fan of refried beans, so I feel like mixing it with the beans makes it taste better to me. I never bring any of this home with me from a party - just an empty pie plate.

Sevenish Layer Taco Dip



1 package of Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (16 oz) Refried Beans
1/2 # Ground Beef, Browned
1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 container (16 oz) Sour Cream
1 jar (16 oz) Salsa of your choice
1 can Diced Tomatoes (with chilies if you like a kick)
1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 Bunch Green Onions, Chopped
1 Small Head of Lettuce, Shredded
1 can (6 oz) Black Olives, Sliced and Drained
2 Cups Shredded Cheese (Mexican Blend is my Favorite)
Sliced Jalapenos (Optional)

Directions:

1) Brown Ground Beef in a skillet. Drain and Mix with Refried Beans. Spread the Mixture onto a large serving platter (I usually use a deep pie pan)

2) Mix the Sour Cream and Cream Cheese together in a medium-sized Bowl. Spread over the Refried Beans

3) Top the layers with Salsa, Tomatoes, Green Pepper, Green Onions and Lettuce. Then top with Cheese. Garnish with Olives and Jalapenos.