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The Hillbilly Chicks

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Festive Rice Krispie Treats

It's been so hot here the past few weeks & our air conditioner isn't working properly. From what I hear, lots of people are having A/C problems right now - maybe because we're overworking the units? Anyway, the last thing I want to do is turn on our oven. So I'm doing easy stove-top recipes that don't really heat up the kitchen.

Rice Krispie treats are so simple to make & they go fast. I wanted to dress them up for the 4th of July, so I decided to do a red, white & blue icing drizzle. They turned out so pretty. I was planning on cutting these into star shapes, but couldn't find my cookie cutter. I'll post a new picture if I find it between now & Saturday.

Find the recipe for Rice Krispie treats here.

Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Red & Blue food coloring

Stir sugar and milk together in a bowl until icing mixture is smooth; beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing mixture is smooth and glossy in appearance. Divide into 3 equal amounts, add red & blue food coloring to desired shades. Drizzle alternately over prepared treats.

Coming up on Friday - I'll share the recipe for a delicious cinnamon walnut coffee cake. It's perfect for breakfast or dessert.

And on Saturday - oh my goodness, wait until you see this perfect warm-weather dessert. I can't wait to share this recipe.

S'mores Truffles

S'mores - what's not to love? A gooey, caught-on-fire marshmallow sandwiched between chocolate & graham crackers...it just tastes like summer. I came across this recipe for S'mores Truffles some time ago & decided to save it for the 4th of July weekend. I love doing something new & surprising with a regular dessert & these truffles don't disappoint. They are just amazing. A mini marshmallow tucked inside chocolate ganache and rolled in graham cracker crumbs. It's as easy as it is delicious. I made a test batch yesterday afternoon while Landon was napping & I'll make another batch for our family cookout on Saturday, maybe adding a little Kaluha to the ganache.

If you love S'mores, be sure to check out this recipe for S'mores Cupcakes.

And coming on Wednesday - easy Red, White & Blue Rice Krispie Treats. Another festive recipe that doesn't require heating up the kitchen.

S'Mores Truffles

Recipe courtesy Sugar Plum
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk chocolate chips (12 oz.)
24 mini-marshmallows
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat; whisk in cream and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Chill saucepan in refrigerator for 1 hour, or until chocolate is solid and rollable; roll into 24 balls, stuffing a mini marshmallow into the center of each. Chill truffles a few minutes before rolling in graham cracker crumbs; chill for a few minutes again so they solidify a little more.

Makes 24 truffles

happy father's day

What a great day...a wonderful church service & a relaxing dinner with the family.  And the best part of the day - just watching my husband be a dad.  Seeing Landon's face light up with joy at the sight of his daddy;  just the sound of Mike's voice gets his head turning.   It's so much fun watching the two of them together.  And they are inseparable.  God is good & we are blessed, indeed.

Pan Fried Onion Dip - Again

Once Landon goes to bed on Friday nights, Mike & I try to catch up on the shows we've recorded - Pawn Stars for him; The Next Food Network Star for me. I decided to make pan-fried onion dip again tonight for a snack. It's so good you'll forget they sell french onion dip in the dairy case. It's really that good - I promise. You can find the recipe here.

The Best Birthday Ever

Today is my 37th birthday. My birthdays have always been great because I've been blessed with a wonderful family. But up until this year, I've spent all of my married birthdays with one thought constantly in the back of my mind...another year older & I'm still not a mom. This year I don't have to think that though. Because on this birthday, I woke up to the most precious face in the world, the sweetest little face that I wake up to every day now. And he's the most amazing gift. Thank you God for our perfect son. And thank you Landon, for completing my life. Mommy loves you!

Red Velvet Cake Balls

For me, Valentine's Day just screams Red Velvet Cake. And it happens to be one of Mike's favorite desserts. I made him Red Velvet Cupcakes last year so I wanted to do something a little different & more unique today. The answer? Red Velvet Cake Balls...little balls of red velvet cake & cream cheese icing dipped in chocolate. OH MY GOODNESS, they are deliciously decadent. They are also easy to make, as you can do one step and then not come back to them for a few hours. This is especially helpful when you have a 5 mo. old that's teething.

Red Velvet Cake Balls
courtesy http://www.bakerella.com/

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 two-pound bag chocolate wafers (I melted in Wilton Chocolate Melter)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (Use your hands, but be warned it will get messy)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (I used a mini ice cream scooper)
4. Chill for several hours. (I chilled overnight)
5. Melt chocolate.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Happy Valentine's Day...

I love you, Mama

I usually don't repost recipes I've done before unless I've changed it or made an improvement. But this is a dish that cannot be improved upon, made perfect by the woman I think is absolutely perfect, who I love so much!

So here you go...Mama's Biscuits & Gravy.

Butterscotch Crumble Apple Pie

Mike loves apple pie. So when I saw this recipe in our local newspaper's food section on Wednesday, I knew I had to try it. Sweet & tart Granny Smith apples topped with a butterscotch crumble... yum! I put this together Sunday morning while Landon was being such a good baby (he knows Santa is watching). Once I got the pie in the oven, the house will filled that wonderful apple pie aroma. And once I got the crumble on top it smelled even better.

I served the pie warm later that evening with a bit of vanilla ice cream. Mike thought it was one of the best apple pies he's ever had, but it was a bit too sweet for me. If I make this again, I'll reduce the crumble by half to see if that makes a difference.

Butterscotch Crumble Apple Pie
4 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell
Topping (recipe follows)
Whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine apple slices and lemon juice in a medium bowl; toss well
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; stir well.

Add sugar mixture to apple mixture, stirring gently to combine.
Spoon apple mixture into pastry shell. Cover edges of pastry with strips of aluminum foil or pie shield to prevent excessive browning.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and sprinkle topping over apple mixture.
Bake an additional 25 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Topping
1 6-ounce package butterscotch morsels
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt.
Combine butterscotch morsels and butter in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; cook until morsels and butter melt, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; add flour and salt, stirring well. Let stand 10 min. until crumbly.

***I skipped the double-boiler method & melted my butter in the microwave and then adding the butterscotch morsels. After stirring, I put back in microwave for 10 seconds.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

We're having Thanksgiving dinner at mom's tomorrow. For dessert I wanted to do something different & festive. I love pineapple upside down cake & thought a cranberry upside down cake sounded like a pretty good idea. I did take a shortcut with a boxed cake mix, but sometimes that's OK. I popped this in the oven just a little bit ago after putting Landon to sleep. Oh my goodness, that baby boy is such a blessing. I am so unbelievably in love with him and so, so thankful.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake
10 tablespoons butter
1 package fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1 box yellow cake mix

Pan - 9x13, buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the sugar starts to caramelize. Then remove from heat, and pour into your prepared cake pan. Sprinkle evenly with the fresh cranberries.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into cake pan over cranberries. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes, or until the top of the cake has browned and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes.

Blessed & Thankful,

Thanksgiving

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving. Time is flying by & I'm busier than ever. We have so much to be thankful for this year; we've been blessed with the most amazing little boy. Landon is growing fast & will soon be 3 months old. I'm loving every moment of being a mommy - it's the most amazing feeling. I haven't been spending much time in the kitchen, but I'm going to be making a few things for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, take a look at my recipes for a foolproof turkey and delicious stuffing. I'll be back tomorrow with a great recipe for cranberry upside down cake.

Be thankful,

Pumpkin Pancakes

My sister and I both love the pumpkin pancakes that show up on IHOP's menu in the fall. She spent the night with us last night and I wanted to do something special for breakfast this morning. I found the perfect recipe for pumpkin pancakes over at  For the Love of Cooking . The pancakes  are light, fluffy and taste wonderful topped with a bit of whipped cream. I did add 1/3 cup of sugar and about a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to add a little more flavor.

And it makes sense to eat breakfast at home instead of going out.  After tax and tip, we would have spent close to $30 for breakfast for three. Instead we had a great breakfast at home, avoided going out in the cold and saved a lot of money. Perfect!

Cranberry Coconut Squares

One of my favorite things about fall is cooking with cranberries and pumpkin. That's why I was excited when I came across this recipe for Cranberry Coconut Squares. Basically a lemon bar with a cranberry and coconut topping, they are the perfect combination of tart and sweet. My mom and I enjoyed them for breakfast.  If they are a little too tart for you, a dusting of powdered sugar adds a little more sweetness.

Haunted House Birthday Cake

My favorite girl turned 10 years old yesterday. Where does the time go? It seems like yesterday that Mike and I were celebrating our one year anniversary and had to hurry to the hospital to wait for our niece to be born. I know, what an amazing anniversary gift. Ally is the most special girl I know and I'm fortunate that we have such a close relationship. She's got the biggest heart you could imagine - I tell Amy all the time that she's an "old soul". I'm not exactly sure what I mean when I say that, but it just fits. And in her, I have my own mini-me. She's just like me in so many ways - her love of all things spooky, the gleam of mischief in her eyes...I could go on and on.

But I won't. I'm too anxious to show off her birthday cake. She wanted a haunted house theme and I think I pulled it off pretty well here. The look on her face when she saw it actually brought tears to my eyes.

For the cake I used an 11x15 pan with two boxes of cake mix. After covering the entire cake with a milk chocolate frosting, I got to work on the decorating. Here's how I did it...

Grass - coconut with green food coloring
Walkway - candy corn path filled with Halloween sprinkles
Graveyard - PF Milano cookies with a pretzel fence
Pumpkin Patch - candy corn pumpkins
Ghosts - Peep Ghosts
Jack-O-Lanterns - Candy from the baking aisle
Haunted House - a perfect find from the greeting card aisle

For the pumpkin patch in front of the cake, I spread a bit of leftover frosting to make the "grass" stick and added a few pumpkins. For the pumpkins lying down, I cut the candies in half.

Mike and I had so much fun doing the decorating after Landon went to sleep last night and the cake was a huge hit today. Give this idea a try for Halloween, adding your own special touches. You'll be surprised at how well it turns out.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Now that I'm a mom (I'll never get tired of saying that!), one of my fears is that Landon will grow up to be a picky eater. I hope that's not the case & plan on introducing him to all sorts of interesting dishes. Of course, when it comes to vegetables, I already have one picky eater. The only green vegetable Mike likes is green beans. Forget spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc. But I do try to sneak these in on him when I can...remember the time I added spinach to my chicken parmesan? Anyway, I was watching TV the other day & saw the Sneaky Chef (Country Crock) adding cauliflower to macaroni & cheese. At once I knew that would be the way to get Mike eating this vegetable that I love. I went searching for a recipe and came across this one by Rachael Ray. And he really liked it - enough to eat two helpings. Try this out & let me know what you think.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente then drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower.

While the pasta is working, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Have Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

One Pot Sausage & Peppers

With a new baby in the house, I am really appreciating the ease of one pot and slow cooker meals. I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, but I still want a hearty meal. This sausage & peppers recipe couldn't be simpler. It's a stove-top version of a slow cooker recipe I found at the McCormick website. I served mine mixed with cheese tortellini, but any type of pasta would work well. Or you could put the pot on the table with a basket of rolls to enjoy hoagie-style.

Sausage & Peppers
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbs. EVOO
2 bags frozen pepper & onion medley, thawed*
1 can tomato puree
6 oz. tomato paste
3/4 cup water
One half package McCormick Slow Cooker Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
Red pepper flakes

Heat EVOO in dutch oven. Add sausage, cooking until browned. Remove from pot & drain on paper towels. Drain grease from pot. Add sausage & pepper/onions back to pot, along with tomato puree, tomato paste, water & seasoning mix. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Stir well & cook over med. heat for about 15 minutes.

*I like to use fresh peppers, but they are ridiculously expensive here right now. I thawed my frozen peppers & onions in a colander lined with paper towels to absorb the moisture.

Grilled Raspberry & Nutella Sandwich

I found this wonderfully delicious sandwich over at Doughmesstic. It's absolutely delicious & so very easy. Slather some bread with Nutella, add some fresh raspberries & prepare just like you would a grilled cheese. Mom & I had these for breakfast yesterday & I fell in love...it's like a little bite of Heaven. If you love Nutella, you will love this sandwich.

Pasta Salad

It's such an amazing feeling having a new baby in the house. Our lives have changed completely and we're loving every minute.

My mom is spending a few days with us to help out with Landon. I knew Mike's parents would be dropping by yesterday too, and I wanted something quick and easy for lunch, something that would allow everyone to help themselves. We got a sliced ham, all the makings for sandwiches and I made pasta salad early yesterday morning. It's easy to make and very economical - I had everything I needed on hand.

Pasta Salad
1 lb. box elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions & rinsed in cold water
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 English cucumber, large dice
1 green pepper, large dice
1 red pepper, large dice
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine pasta & vegetables, mixing well. Add packet of HVR dressing mix, Italian dressing & sugar, mix well. Allow to chill 2-4 hours before serving.

*Good add-ins would be sliced black olives, diced pepperoni, maybe some cheese.

Coming tomorrow...
Nutella-Raspberry Paninis

And Baby Makes Three (part 2)

Baby Landon is here. He was born on Thursday, August 27th at 5:50pm. He weighs 6 lbs., 3 oz., and is 18 3/4 inches long. We are so, so happy.

And Baby Makes Three

The Dempsey house is full of activity as we prepare for the arrival of our son. We're adopting a baby boy. Baby Landon is due September 20th, so we have lots to do and could not be more excited! My baby shower is next Saturday, so I'll be posting some pictures on Sunday.

Then I'll be back soon with lots of baby pictures, updates on our wonderful little blessing, and lots of great recipes.