Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I made these last night for cousin's pizza and movie night. I realized after I made them that the last time we got together I made peanut butter and chocolate cookie sandwiches. I really need to branch out.




Homemade Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Source: Baking Bites

approx 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, chopped (or dark chocolate chips)- I used semi sweet chcolate chips
1/2 cup creamy organic/natural peanut butter
1/2 cup crunchy organic/natural peanut butter
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
generous pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Set 2-dozen mini muffin/bonbon wrappers on a baking sheet (I couldn't find the mini wrappers so I used the regular sized muffin wrappers and came out with 12 peanut butter cups).

Melt approximately half of the dark chocolate, using a microwave-safe bowl and cooking it in short (30 second) intervals, stirring frequently, until smooth. Use a spoon to pour a little chocolate into each muffin wrapper. Use a small, very clean brush to paint the chocolate up the sides of each wrapper. Alternatively, you could add extra chocolate and swirl it around, pouring out the excess later, to coat the inside of the wrapper.

Chill candy shells until set, about 20-30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter(s), confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla. When the mixture has come together, heat it in the microwave (again in short intervals, stirring frequently), until it is very, very soft. Working carefully with the hot filling, transfer it to a pastry bag (or plastic bag with the tip cut off) and pipe a generous amount of the filling into each prepared candy cup. Chill again for approx 30 minutes, or until set.

Melt all remaining chocolate and, when the candy fillings have set, fill each muffin wrapper up with chocolate. Chill until set.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Makes 2 dozen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to pop in and say Happy Thanksgiving! My parents are in Long Beach with the Strombergs and we are heading to Rob's parents in Los Altos in a half hour or so. Alright, that's all the time I have. Need to blow dry my hair!

Weekend at the Beach vs. Wine Tasting

A couple weekends ago we graciously declined a date with our friends to go wine tasting because we were going to the beach house. We invited our friends Paul and Amy and their twin boys Ben and Matt. I saw a picture of the wine tasting event and even though I had fun at the beach, I was a bit jealous – they looked like they were having fun! But then I thought to myself, “can my friends say they had twin boys wrestle them to the ground and fart on them on more than one occasion?” I think not. Oh, and in their parent’s defense, the boys always say “excuse me” each time.

Boy's wrestling





Matt & Buddy



Boys and Buddy squeezing his way into the picture oh so sly-ly



Rob finally has cartoon watching companions.



Paul's famous German Meatballs and Potato Dumplings




Beautiful Sunset

Goat Cheese and Potatoes - Need I Say More?

I made this recipe a week or so again and it was mmm mmm good. But, if you ask me, anything that has the ingredient of goat cheese is doomed to be good.

Goat Cheese and Herb Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Spicy Louisiana Potatoes

2 ounces goat cheese
2 oil-pakced sun dried tomatoes, rinsed under water, patted dry, finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped basil
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
4 (1/4 pound) skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 teaspoons reduced calorie mayo
1 1/2 pounds baby spinach, rinsed (I didn't use spinach)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a nonstick bakin gpan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the cheese, tomatoes, scallion, basil, and thyme in a bowl, mashing with a fork, until blended. Place breadcrumbs in another small bowl.



3. Cut a pocket into the side of the chicken breast about 2 1/2 inches long. Place 1/4 of the goat cheese mixture inside each slit. Lightly press the pocket closed with a fork. Brush the top side of each breast with the mayo. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, coated-side down into the bread crumbs. Transfer coated-side up to the baking pan.
4. Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile place the spinach in a large steamer basket set in a saucepan over 1 inch boiling water. Cover tightly and steam until the spinach just wilts, about 3 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a platter, ten top with the chicken. Again, I didn't do this step.

4 Servings
Calories: 284
Fat: 12 grams
Fiber: 5 grams

Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds red bliss potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the potates with cold water to cover by 2 inches in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil.



Cook 7 minutes. Drain the potatoes, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the onion, oil, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, salt and pepper.



Arrange on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until the potatoes are tender and crips around the edges, stirring once, about 30 minutes.

Serving size: 2/3 cup
Calories: 127
Fat: 2 grams
Fiber: 3 grams



Both recipes out of the Weight Watchers Simply Delicious Cookbook

What's in a Name?

I won't go into why but I googled surburban chic today mainly to see if my blog comes up (it does) and found something interesting. Before I go into that, I have a confession. A few people have said to me, "I like the name of your blog, Suburban Chick, so cute!" I never corrected them, but my intent was for my blog to be Suburban CHIC not CHICK, pronounced "sheek". To me it was an oxy moron. There isn't too much glamour to the word Suburban or those who choose to live in the 'burbs. Chic can be defined as "attractive and fashionable", "style and elegance" or "stylishness or modishness." Anywho, people liked "chick" so I didn't correct them. I liked that they liked it - even though it was not my original intent.

Anywho, I found on the google page that Suburban Chic is actually a terminology that I didn't know about or maybe I did on some subconscious level. Maybe all of you knew this except me?

Urban Dictionary says Suburban Chic means:

Usually used to describe women past their prime who lives in smaller towns, or suburbs, but think that they are hip, and dresses real smart. The fact is however that you clearly can tell that they'er not from a big city, and that they don't really follow the newest trends.

Example:

Look at that woman, she really think she is hip

yes, she is so suburban chic

Say Hello to Our Little Friend

Well, this is a first.



Yes, we have a plant growing out of our sponge. This is reason number 23 that I hate sponges. Apparently niether Rob or myself have been using this sponge so it is now resting in peace in our garbage can.

Buddy & His Birthday Gift

We love you Buddy!

Happy Birthday

happy birthday to you
happy birthday to you
happy birthday dear BUDDY
happy birthday to you

You know you are a redneck from a small town when…

1.) The aerobics instructor holds an 8.5 by 11 piece of paper during step class which I can only guess is a cheat sheet.

2.) The "Police Blotter" takes up half of a page in the newspaper.

3.) You will find the following disturbance in said blotter "A 20-year old female sat on her mother after the mother got mad at her for eating all of the food in the house."

4.) In the same newspaper edition, you will find the following quote in a story about a home where a fire broke out: "The house was drier than a popcorn fart."

Garlic Lovers: Come in

I went back and forth on this blog entry - I wasn't sure if I wanted to post it. Are you intrigued yet? I bet you are wondering "Wow, I wonder what it could be." Really, it's not that exciting. I like to try new recipes and also try to make stuff semi-healthy so I blew the dust off my 2004 Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success cookbook and gave this recipe a whirl. I think it was pretty good, as far as healthy recipes go.



Pan Seared Chicken with Garlic Sauce

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon olive oil
12 garlic cloves, halved
1 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth, divided

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with herb mixture.
3. Heat oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 2 minutes on each side. Add garlic and 3/4 cup broth. Place pan in oven. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until chicken is done and garlic cloves are soft.
4. Remove pan from oven. Transfer chicken to a plate; keep warm. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth to pan. Mash garlic with a fork. Cook garlic mixture over medium heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated; stir. Serve garlic sauce over chicken.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 152
Fat: 2.7
Fiber: 0.6

I realized later that I didn't have an oven proof skillet. I prepared everything on the stove in my non-ovenproof skillet then poured it into a pan to put in the oven (be careful - its hot). Then I put the broth mixture back to the original skillet.

Happy Halloween!

Boo! Did I scare ya? Yes, Halloween is over, but this is my offical Halloween Post. We waited until the last minute and carved the pumpkin yesterday. We decided to try to not do anything fancy because fancy usually ends up looking anything but. So I said to Rob, lets just do triangle eyes and nose with a big grin. He drew the little face in all but 5 seconds and wa-la ~ I think it was our best pumpkin ever! Yes, its simple but I thought it was very cute. If there was a "Happiest Pumpkin Face" award we would have won it.




While Rob was carving the pumpkin he was giving me a hard time b/c I was the one who "wanted to carve the pumpkin" but while he was carving, I was "playing on the internet, again". I explained to him I was google-ing how to roast/toast pumpkin seeds. I had never done this and thought it would be kind of fun. It seems the main ingredient was seasoning salt which I didn't have. I looked a little further and got a recommendation from a board I frequent to add garlic powder. They assured me salt would do (instead of seasoning salt) so I lightly coated the seeds with olive oil, dashed a little salt and garlic powder and was about to put them in the oven (350 degrees by the way) when out of the corner of my eye I saw my spice carousel. I walked over to it and gosh darnnit I had seasoning salt! So I sprinkled a little bit of that on as well realizing these may turn out to be a wee bit salty. I was told to leave them in the oven until they were golden brown so I set the timer for 10 minutes. Around the 6.5 minute mark I smelled something burning. Next time I'll try 5minutes. I gave them to Rob to try and he didn't really like them but then they grew on him and he liked them. Yeah!



My parents came over because they do not get any trick or treaters where they live and wanted to get in on the festivities. They too enjoyed the seed appetizer - double yeah! We ended up getting Indian takeout and watching the Ghost Adventures and Most Haunted shows on the Travel Channel that we had in our DVR.

I think I smell a new Halloween tradition.