365 Days of Slow Cooking Cookbook WINNER announced!

(Image Credit)

 I decided to announce the winner a little early.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my giveaway!

The winner is . . . 

AN Petersen who said . . .  "I follow on Facebook!"

Please contact me within 72 hours or a new winner will be selected!

Super Easy Microwave Rocky Road Fudge

Most people are pretty particular with their fudge.  

I didn't even like fudge up until a few years ago.  All I care about is good flavor and that it is smooth and creamy.  I don't care for a grainy fudge or a fudge that gets crusty on the edges. 

Some might think that a difficult fudge recipe that requires slaving over the kitchen stove and cooking the fudge to a particular temperature is going to be a much better fudge than a super easy microwavable version, but I don't think that is true one bit.  I'm sure a lot of it depends on what you grew up eating, but don't think just because this recipe is so easy that it won't be that good.   

In fact, I thought this was DIVINE.  Seriously DIVINE.  This was the first time I added nuts to fudge and I loved it.  I loved the added crunch they gave and I loved that they helped cut through the richness of the fudge itself.  The flavor is outstanding and the texture is exactly what I prefer.  I can see myself making this all year long, whenever I get that chocolate craving.  Afterall, you can have a batch made in less than 5 minutes.  

There is a very good chance this is going to become my new go-to fudge recipe.

P.S.  I used my favorite Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips.

This will be my last holiday recipe for you guys and I will be back after Christmas.  I hope you all have a great holiday and are able to spend it surrounded by family and friends.  

Super Easy Microwave Rocky Road Fudge

adapted from: Very Best Baking
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. mini marshmallows

1 1/2 c. pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped

Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil or parchment paper and grease lightly; set aside.  Combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a large, microwave-safe dish.  Microwave for one minute, then stir.  Continue microwaving for another minute, stirring every 30 seconds just until the chips are completely melted.  Stir in the vanilla and then fold in the mini marshmallows and chopped nuts.  Press mixture evenly into prepared baking dish.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (at least a few hours or until set up).  Lift from pan and cut into pieces.  

Jenn's Notes: I used milk chocolate chips and pecans.  I followed the instructions exactly and my fudge turned out amazing.       

Candy Cane Biscotti

I am a HUGE fan of this biscotti.  

I knew I would like it, but I had no idea I would like it SO MUCH!  

It's so incredibly yummy! It's soft and chewy and buttery and rich and tastes almost like a sugar cookie.  My other biscotti recipe produces a crunchy cookie, which I thought all biscotti was supposed to be crunchy.  This candy cane biscotti turned out softer, a lot softer.  In fact, mine isn't crunchy at all?  It was kinda crunchy the first night, but after dipping in the white chocolate and storing it in an air-tight container overnight, it got really soft and I LOVE IT!  

 This is good enough that it will make an appearance on my neighbor's cookie plates this year (am I the only one that hasn't done that yet) right next to these red velvet cookies!  Most people think of biscotti as a cookie you would dip in a hot drink, but this biscotti is the kind you will want to eat on its own or maybe I should say eat A LOT of it on its own.   

I consider it mandatory to dip this biscotti in the white chocolate and garnish with extra candy canes.  I was worried the candy canes I added for garnish would be too crunchy and ruin the whole thing, but those got really soft too and they aren't crunchy either.  They just add even more yummy peppermint flavor.  

Not only does this biscotti TASTE INCREDIBLE, but it is so cute and festive too.       

Candy Cane Biscotti
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 c. crushed peppermint candy canes, 
   plus more for garnish
12 oz. white almond bark, chopped    
   (or any white chocolate bar - not chips)




Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and beat just until incorporated.  Use a wooden spoon to stir in 2/3 cup of crushed candy cane pieces.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.  Shape each into a log that is roughly 9-inches by 1 1/2-inches.  Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3-inches apart (I just shaped mine on the baking sheet).  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the logs are light golden brown and cracked on top.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the logs cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.  

Working with one log at a time, cut it into 1/2-inch slices on the diagonal using a serrated knife.  Transfer the biscotti to the baking sheet, cut side down.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the biscotti are light golden brown and crisp on both sides (mine were really soft when I removed them from the oven, but they firmed up once they cooled).  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.

Place the chopped white almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for a minute or two, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted.  Dip half of each biscotti cookie into the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off before transferring to a sheet of wax paper.  Garnish with extra crushed candy canes while the chocolate is wet.  Let the chocolate set, then store in an airtight container.  Makes about 3-4 dozen.  

*Tip: to crush candy canes, place them in a zip-top bag and pound them with a rolling pin until they reach your desired size.

Jenn's Notes: I made a half a batch and I formed the dough into one large loaf, rather than two and I ended up with 8 pieces, about 4 inches long each.  For the half batch, I crushed 3 regular candy canes for the 1/3 cup that you add to the dough and one regular candy cane for garnish and I used 3 squares (6 ounces) of white almond bark.  I LOVE this biscotti.

adapted from: Tracey's Culinary Adventures, originally from: Land O' Lakes

365 Days of Slow-Cooking Cookbook Giveaway and Review plus Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Giveaway is now CLOSED
Click HERE to see the winner!

(Image Credit)

I couldn't let Christmas come and go without giving one of my favorite followers a gift.  One of MY favorite gifts to get is a new cookbook and that is what I am sharing with one of you.

I have been using my slow cooker more than ever lately and I have been searching for some good recipes.  That is where this book comes in.  It is perfect for any type of cook whether you are a beginner or an experienced cook.  We could all use a few extra hours in the day, but since that isn't going to happen, we can save a little time by letting the slow cooker "cook" dinner for us.

After reading the first few pages of this book, it was obvious that this girl knows what she is doing when it comes to using a slow cooker.  The front of the book is full of tips to get your food to turn out perfect every time.  I have heard a lot of complaints that food in the slow cooker doesn't have any flavor or it's too runny and there is a tip for how to prevent each of those problems. If you don't already own a slow cooker or are looking to buy a new one, she will even help you decide which type and which size will work best for your family.    

She cooks things in the slow cooker that I didn't even know was possible.  Like bread?  Did you know you could "bake" a loaf of bread in your slow cooker?  Next time I have brown bananas, I will be trying her Brown Sugar Banana Bread.

The book is divided up into Appetizers, Beverages, Breads & Spreads, Breakfast, Beef Dishes, Poultry Dishes, Pork Dishes, Pasta Dishes & Sauces, Sides & Salads, Soups/Stews/Chili and Desserts!  The recipes are easy to follow, all of the ingredients are common things you have used before and might even have in your pantry and while not every recipe has a photo, there are still a lot of photos throughout the book.

I have tried four recipes out of the book so far and I have liked all four and would make all four again.  Next on my list is her Apple Butter!

Overall, I think it is a great cookbook and I can't wait to "cook" my way through it.  If you are still looking for a last minute gift idea for someone, I think this would be a great choice! You could even pick up a slow cooker to give along with the book! Now, that would be an amazing present, if you ask me.

The Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup turned out good.  I like big, bold flavors, so I ended up adding some extra spices.  I also like a super chunky soup, so next time, I will add more rice.

Stay tuned to see the rest of the yummy dishes I have made out of this great cookbook.    

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

adapted from: 365 Days of Slow Cooking
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 c. water

1 c. diced carrots

1 c. diced celery

1 1/2 Lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pkg. Rice-a-Roni Long-Grain & Wild Rice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. unsalted butter

2 c. milk

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and Rice-a-Roni (with seasoning packet) in a large slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Remove chicken from slow cooker; using two forks, shred.  Return to slow cooker.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, to form a roux.  Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.  Add salt and pepper.  Stir roux mixture into slow cooker; cook on low for an additional 15 minutes or until thickened.  Serves: 6-8

Jenn's Notes:  I cut the recipe in half and I added an extra 1 1/2 cups of water after reading reviews that the soup was too thick.  I also added some lemon pepper, onion powder and Italian seasoning, because I felt like it needed a little something extra.  I wished I would have added the entire box of Rice-a-Roni to my half batch, because there didn't end up being that much rice and I like a chunky soup.  I used one large frozen chicken breast and I cooked for 5 hours.      

**TO ENTER THIS COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY**

Sorry, giveaway is open to U.S. Residents Only

1.  Mandatory Entry: You must be a follower of Eat Cake For Dinner via GFC (Google Friend Connect), E-mail, Facebook or Pinterest.  All are found on the right hand side of my blog.  Leave me a comment and let me know which way you follow.

2.  For a 2nd Entry:  Leave me a separate comment and let me know what your favorite thing to cook in the slow cooker is. 

**If your name does not link me to a blog, make sure to leave me your e-mail address, so I can contact you if you win!  Good Luck!**

Giveaway is open until Tuesday, December 25th and winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 26th.  Winner must contact me within 72 hours or a new winner will be selected.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review, but all opinions expressed here are my own.  I provided the giveaway copy and it will be shipped by me.

Eggnog Coffee Cake

Did you guys notice my profile picture?  I mean MY actual picture and NOT a picture of a cupcake.  

This is a HUGE milestone for me.  My very first picture on the internet. WOW.  I am always behind the times with social media and the newest and greatest gadgets.  You would think I was an old-timer (no offense) and not a twenty-something chick.  Just when I am getting comfortable with something, it changes.  That is why I prefer leaving things the way they are.  Afterall, I do still have the FIRST GENERATION iPhone.  Is that considered vintage :)  

I think I might have been one of the last people in the world that didn't have a Facebook account and I finally signed up this past February.  Then, someone told me that I really needed to update my profile to show a picture of myself.  People need pictures in order to connect with you and no one can relate to an "avatar" icon.  A few months went by while I contemplated this.  That was my next step, but did I really want my picture out on the internet for everyone to see?  Then, I finally realized . . . who cares?  Everyone's pictures are out there for the whole world to see, what is the big deal?

I logged in, updated my pic and stared at it for a few minutes before I finally dared click the "save" button.  OMG - I did it!  I opened up my blog to now see a girl and not a cupcake.  Okay, I guess it wasn't so bad.  One step at a time, I am slowly getting up to speed with the world around me :)      

Now, onto the Coffee Cake.

It turned out yummy.  The cake is very heavy and dense and it's loaded with eggnog flavor, not only because of the eggnog (duh), but from the nutmeg and rum extract too.  The best part is that you prepare the cake batter the night before and keep in the fridge overnight.  That way, when your kids (or DAD if you are in my family) wake you up super EARLY Christmas morning and you are still half asleep, you don't have to worry about missing some ingredients.  All you have to do is preheat the oven and bake the already prepared cake!

Eggnog Coffee Cake

adapted from: Mandy's Recipe Box
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 c. eggnog

1 container (8 oz.) sour cream (I used plain yogurt)

1 tsp. rum extract

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Streusel Topping

1/3 c. sugar

1 Tbl. all-purpose flour

1 Tbl. butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Grease a 9x13-inch rectangle pan; set aside  Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add the eggnog, sour cream, rum extract and eggs and beat until well incorporated.  Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until blended.  Spread evenly in prepared pan.  In a small bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients and mix with a fork until crumbly (I used my hands).  Sprinkle streusel topping over batter.  Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes and top with eggnog glaze.  

Eggnog Glaze

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1-2 Tbl. eggnog

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and eggnog until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.  Drizzle over coffee cake.  

Jenn's Notes: I cut the above recipe in half and baked in a 8x6-inch pan.  I used non-fat yogurt instead of sour cream and I made the full eggnog glaze recipe for the 1/2 batch, because I like lots of glaze.  The only thing I would do different next time, is to add the streusel topping in the morning, right before I bake it, because the sugar dissolved overnight and didn't end up being crunchy.  I would prefer it to be crunchy, but that is just my personal taste.  

One Pan Roast Chicken with Vegetables in an Hour

OMG . . . I ate brussels sprouts . . . and I am STILL alive!

They were actually, dare I say, GOOD?

Heck, I didn't even know they were called a brussels sprout and not a brussel sprout.  Spell check kept telling me I spelled brussel wrong, which made me have to look it up and learn that wasn't even what they were called! Ha ha.

They reminded me of a cross between cauliflower and broccoli.  I WILL be eating them again, no doubt about it.  Anyone have any good recipes? 

I'll admit, if it would have been up to me, I would have just omitted them from the dish, but "The Mr." made me try them and good thing, because we both ended up liking them.  I also tried shallots in this dish for the first time and they were good, but next time I'll use a regular onion since they are a lot cheaper.  

This whole dish was delicious. It's fancy enough for Sunday dinner, yet quick enough for a weeknight dinner.  The vegetables were the star.  It took about 25 minutes of prep. work and about 35 minutes to bake.
There you have it . . . now eat those brussels sprouts!

One Pan Roast Chicken with Vegetables

slightly adapted from: Cook's Country
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

3-4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, cut in half

12 oz. carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks, halved lengthwise

12 oz. brussels sprouts, halved

1 lb. red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks, unpeeled

1/2 lb. shallots, finely chopped

For the Veggies
1/2 Tbl. vegetable oil
1/2 Tbl. melted butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried thyme 
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Herb Butter for Chicken
3 Tbl. melted butter
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Wash, dry and prepare vegetables as directed above and place in a large bowl.  Combine all ingredients for the veggies and add to the bowl.  Toss together until evenly coated.  Spread out onto a large jelly-roll pan.  Put the brussels sprouts in the middle of the pan and surround them with the remaining veggies.  That way, they will be mostly covered by the chicken and will cook at the same rate as everything else.  Place chicken breasts on top of the veggies in the jelly-roll pan.  Combine herb butter ingredients for chicken and brush over each piece, getting under the skin and the top of the skin. Roast in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until chicken registers 160-165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.  Remove from oven and move chicken to the side of the pan.  Toss veggies with the drippings in the pan.  Serves: 3-8 people, depending entirely on if they eat one chicken breast half or two halves each.  

Jenn's Notes: The only thing I would do different next time is to try a regular onion instead of shallots, since they are a lot cheaper.  The veggies were the star of the dish.  The flavor was amazing and they were all cooked perfectly.  The chicken was juicy and had good flavor.  I will make this again!

Red Velvet Cookies with Green Mint Chips

A few years ago, one of our local grocery stores was changing into another grocery store.  They had all kinds of amazing sales for the "Grand Opening".  One of those deals was Guittard Chocolate Chips, any flavor, for 99 cents.  For real, 99 cents.  Before that, I had only ever used the cheapest chocolate chips available.  My friend, Nicole, introduced me to Guittard and I have never looked back.  I picked up 30 bags or so of different chips.  

Out of all those bags, I got ONE bag of Green Mint Chips.  I had no idea what I wanted to make with them, but did it really matter?  They were 99 cents.  They sat in my freezer up until the other day.  I had a great idea for some cookies.  I needed something festive for the holidays and what screams Christmas more than red and green?  

They turned out SO STINKIN GOOD!  I am not lying here.  These are one of my new FAVORITE cookies.  The cookie is so soft and chewy with a light chocolate flavor and the mint flavor from the chips is outstanding.  The flavor reminds me of something I used to eat growing up, but I can't quite place it.  If you are a mint lover, like I am, you have got to make these cookies and I promise you will love them.  If you are not a mint lover, add all white chocolate chips instead and I promise you will love them too!

Please make these to add to your cookie plates this year :)

Oh . . . and bring me a plate while you are at it!

P.S. Luckily my local grocery store carries these mint chips all year long.  Even though these cookies are red and green, I am going to bet you will want them all year long!  I know I will.

Red Velvet Cookies with Green Mint Chips

adapted from: Cooking Classy
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 Tbl. cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

7 Tbl. unsalted butter, room temperature

6 Tbl. shortening

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbl. red food coloring

1/2 c. white chocolate chips

3/4 c. green mint chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, shortening and sugar until very pale and light and fluffy; about 4 minutes.  Add the egg and egg yolk and mix well.  Add the vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring and mix until fully incorporated.  Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Stir in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips.  Roll about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dough into a ball and press 6 green mint chips into the top, being careful not to flatten cookie.  If cookie does get flattened, roll back into a ball.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Bake for 8-9 minutes, they will look underdone.  Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

Jenn's Notes: I ended up adding a few extra drops of red food coloring, because after I added the dry ingredients, it didn't look as red as I wanted.  I baked my cookies for 9 minutes and they were perfect.  I did chill my dough for a few hours before I got around to baking them.  These cookies are so soft and chewy and the flavor is outstanding.  I got exactly 3 dozen cookies.  I think they are best when eaten within 3 days.