NO DATE, NO BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER DATE SNOWBALLS

NO DATE, NO BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER DATE SNOWBALLS

(Recipe from Dishing up Romance) 

 

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup peanut butter - creamy

5 tablespoons dark corn syrup

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup finely chopped dates

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

2 cups crushed vanilla wafers (approx. 40-45 cookies)

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar



Place the first three ingredients in a medium sized saucepan, and using medium low heat, stir to incorporate. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa, again stirring to blend.

In a large bowl add everything except the confectioners sugar. Pour the chocolate mixture over top and work with your fingers to form into a pliable dough. If the dough is too dry, you can add no more than 2 tablespoons of hot water, one tablespoon at a time, and blend.

Form the dough into 30 one-inch sized balls, then roll each ball into the confectioners' sugar twice to coat generously.  Instead of using the confectioners' sugar, you can also roll these balls into cocoa, cinnamon-sugar or shredded coconut.  Place each ball into a mini cupcake liner and place on a serving platter.

These Snowballs are a big hit at every party.

LOVE'S DREAM SONG

Sandra Leesmith

Today, instead of a recipe, I'm giving you a recipe for love. Yup, you heard me right! My friend, Sandra Leesmith has a brand new release titled Love's Dream Song.

 



LOVE'S DREAM SONG

Autumn O’Neill came to Arizona on an archeological dig hoping to find out what happened to the ancient Anasazi tribes, but her true desire was to discover her own Navajo roots. It didn’t help that the dig was located on Jess Barron’s ranch and that the handsome rancher scorned his own native American heritage and believed Autumn was part of a drug ring operating on his land. When the dig is compromised and danger threatens their lives, Jess and Autumn can no longer fight their attraction for each other. They both come to understand that finding answers means listening to the voices of their ancestors and the longings of their hearts.

 

Link to Amazon:Click here to purchase

Author bio: link for my website: http://www.sandraleesmith.com 
Sandra Leesmith <http://www.sandraleesmith.com/> writes romance designed to warm the heart and make you smile. Sandra loves to play pickleball, hike, read, bicycle and write. A retired teacher, she lives in Arizona with her husband. During the hot summers she and her husband travel throughout the United States in their motorhome, where she enjoys the outdoors and finds wonderful ideas for her next writing project.

Asian-stryle Shredded Chicken

Last week while looking through the freezer, I found two packages of chicken legs and thighs that I'd purchased two months ago. Now that I was a vegetarian, I knew I wasn't going to eat them, and even though hubby's not a fan of dark meat, I set out to camouflage the chicken, and I actually succeeded. Here's the recipe.

I used a large crockpot and put the frozen pieces in, turned the dial to high and covered it waiting for it to defrost. Three hours later, I had achieved my goal.

Taking a large tray, I removed the chicken pieces and using two forks pulling away from the bones, I shredded the chicken away from the bones, then returned it back into the pot where the juices from before still remained Turn the heat to low.

At this point, I could have added vegetables, but honestly, I was looking for something short and sweet and to the point. :-) Of course, making it special was also on my mind, so I decided to turn this dish into an Asian meal.

In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients together and blend making sure it's thoroughly mixed.


2 large cloves garlic, diced
1/4 teaspoon ginger paste
3/4 teaspoon red pepper to give it a little zing
1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup of water
1-2 tablespoons sherry-to taste.

Pour the liquid over top of shredded chicken and stir, allowing the flavors to mingle and become friends so when you serve this over white rice, you'll feel pretty good when the compliments fly!

 

More great recipes in Carolyn's Romancing the Chef's Toque series. Dishing Up Romance, One Menu at a Time and Catering to Love all have my original recipes.  

 

Bon Appetit!

PESTO-PACKING MAMA'S FISH

Here's an easy meal for you to prepare. As a pescatarian, a fish-eating vegetarian who's always on a diet, I try to come up with recipes that are easy and aren't too many calories. I love cod. It's a white fish that has a mild taste so you really have to season it to taste good. Here's what I did.

1 pound white fish
6 ounces of prepared pesto
2 medium sized tomatoes sliced thinly
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper - to taste
Granulated garlic and onion

Cut the cod in 4 equal serving pieces and place in a baking dish that's been coated with oil. Season each piece generously with the salt and pepper, granulated garlic and onion.

 Spread the pesto over each piece covering all four corners. Add the sliced tomatoes. I cut each piece in half and layered it over the fish.

Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and top it off with the mozzarella.

Bake in a preheated oven of 375 degrees until it flakes with a fork, 20-30 minutes.

I served this over garlic and olive oil spinach.