Creamy, Dreamy Oreo Dessert

This is one of the most loved desserts I've ever made.

I'm sure I got the inspiration from somewhere--perhaps my Kraft book??--but I have made it my own way for the last, oh, say dozen times.

It is so incredibly simple, has 4 ingredients, and can be whipped up in no time. The hardest part is allowing it to sit in the fridge for a couple hours to soften the cookie bits.

This dessert is so creamy and LIGHT {texture wise--definitely not in calories!} that it is a perfect complement to a heavy meal.

Creamy, Dreamy Oreo Dessert

Me

Inspired by Kraft

4{8oz} blocks of cream cheese

1 liter whipping cream {use the highest % of fat. I use 35%}

1/2 to 1+1/2 cups icing sugar

Either a package of  Mini Oreo cookies, or a regular pack you break into pieces. In the pictures above, I've just broken Oreo cookies into pieces. 

1. In a bowl, mix the blocks of cream cheese one at a time until smooth.

2. Starting with 1/2 cup of sugar, blend into the cream cheese. Keep adding sugar until it is just a little bit too sweet. Set aside.

3. Next, you'll want to whip your cream until it gets to the "hard" stage. A little bit before it turns into butter :D {I don't add any sugar to my cream...that's why I over-sweeten the cream cheese mixture. In the end, it all works out!}

4. Now, using a third of your whipped cream, gently fold it in your cream cheese mixture. Continue until the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture are fully incorporated.

*Don't beat! Otherwise, you will lose all that fluffiness you just whipped into the whipping cream!*

5. Fold in the Oreo cookies/pieces. Transfer into a trifle bowl and decorate with more cookies/pieces!

You can either eat it right away, or chill in the fridge until you are ready to eat. It's all a matter of whether you want your Oreos to be crunchy or soft. I've always taken it to church, so mine sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Either way, I hope you enjoy!!

I had buttered chicken for my first meal in my new apartment...one of 3 I've made for myself :P

See, I do eat real food...once in a while {I ate leftovers for at least a week! I really have to find me a cookbook for 1 person meals} :D

On a side note...it was really, really, really good. I didn't mind the leftovers. :)

Monday Moments: My Love of Cookbooks:::Betty Crocker:::

Now, I have a lot of cookbooks. My mom tells me I have too much; I say you can never have too many books and in my humble opinion, cookbooks are in a class all on their own. I love reading through cookbooks. My Nana Jane started me going when she gave me the Taste of Home Annual Cookbook for Christmas when I was 14.

{Source}

{{{Those brownies on that gorgeous cake stand {{love those too and anything yellow :)} are SO good. Those were the first things I made from my cookbook :D}}}}

It was my favourite gift that year! I curled up on my bed and read the different entries. I loved looking at the pictures. Ooohing and aahhing over the many delicious looking and sounding recipes...and skipping over the ones that sounded...oh, groossss!!! not so appetizing. I read it cover to cover and then savoured my favourite parts: read anything to do with baking delicious desserts :)

Since that Christmas on, I have acquired a great deal of wonderful cookbooks. Mostly on baking because I like to cook by throwing in a little bit of this and that :) And, the fact that it's only me eating supper isn't a huge motivator to cook...especially since I've always been accustomed to making enough to feed a crowd of at least 10. I love to bake though, and I really want to cook/bake through my books. And where else to chronicle my journey but through this here ol' blog of mine?

These cupcakes are a classic. I love this recipe because you dump everything in your mixer, mix, bake, and frost. Very simple. And delicious...as long as you don't over-bake them ;)

Chocolate Layer Cake

Betty Crocker Cookbook

2+1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1+2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1+1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1+1/4 cups water

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of  2 round pans {8 or 9 inch} with shortening {I've used butter} and lightly flour.

2. In large bowl, beat all ingredients with a mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.

3. Bake pans for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pans for 10 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack.

4. Fill and frost with your choice of frosting!

*Make sure you just use the baking time as a guideline. Use your eyes and nose to test for done-ness. The cake/cupcakes can get very dry if you don't pay attention. Also, make sure you know where your hotspots are in your oven. I always rotate my baking halfway through cooking time to ensure an even baked goodie.*

Snickerdoodles

Now, my personal choice of cookies is chocolate chip. I could eat those ALL day. But, my boss and friend, Silvana, tries to stay away from chocolate because they're a trigger for her migraines.

I've been varying my baked goods to include some non-chocolate items. These snickerdoodles fit the bill.

They are crispy around the edges and have puffy, soft centers. They've got big butter flavour {use the best butter!} and the perfect amount of sweetness and spice. I've tried several different recipes from different cookbooks and can't say I've noticed too much of a difference. However, this is my favourite recipe because it doesn't include shortening, but is all-butter. :D Oh, and I just love Joanne Chang's cookbook, Flour, which this particular recipe is from. I've tried several of her spectacular goodies--bannana bread, and most recently Milk Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies as well as her Ginger-Molasses Cookies--and I'm totally in love.

Snickerdoodles

Flour by Joanne Chang

{My changes in Blue}

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1+1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/2 for coating

2 eggs

2+1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp kosher salt {I just use table salt}

2 tsps cream of tarter

1/4 cup ground cinnamon

{For my coating mixture, I just use about 1/4 cup of sugar and a couple heaping teaspoons of cinnamon. I don't like keeping extra sugar mixture around, but make more each time I make a batch of these cookies.}

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1+1/2 cups sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stop the mixer a few times and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle to release any clinging butter or sugar. Beat in the eggs on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bowl and paddle again to make sure the eggs are thoroughly incorporated.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tarter. On low speed, slowly blend the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture and then mix just until the flour is totally incorporated and the dough is evenly mixed.

3. For the best results {Although, they do taste just fine if baked right away, if you have the time, follow this step!} scrape the dough into an airtight container and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight, or  for 3-4 hours before baking. When ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F {I like to keep my temps at 325 degrees. For my oven, this just seems to work better.}

4. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 sugar and the cinnamon. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons {I use a small ice cream scoop} into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll to coat. Place the coated balls of dough on a baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.

5. Bake for 15-18 minutes {I let mine bake for 12-15 minutes}, or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and lightly soft in the center. Let cool on the bvaking sheet on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.

6. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. The unbaked dough may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!!

Monday Moments: Baby Showers

Sarah's and Tosha's baby shower. The theme was owls.

Food:

Oreo truffles in the form of pops...delicious!!

Silvana made the sandwiches--she's a fantastic cook. Her buttered chicken? Absolutely love!

The food table was so pretty...and yummy!!

Nancy's Spring Rolls.

{First time I heard Nancy say she would make spring rolls for church, I was like...wha??? Was she going to shape the [bread] rolls into something that would remind us of spring? A flower? Rain drops? Even when I saw them at our potluck the next Sunday, I didn't recognize them as anything I'd eaten before. But, I tried them {Alberta has opened my horizons on food ;} and love'em.}

Vanilla and Chocolate cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and garnished with M&M's.

Another angle on the food...

Isn't this a pretty blanket!?

Pretty Baby Girl clothes... 

The diaper cake turned out really cute! And, of course, you can never start to early on one's book collection! :D

T and Baby Hailey {10 Months ago...yup, I'm very late posting these. At least they're up before the kiddos turned ONE! :}

Diaper cake!

Sarah's Mom, Anne, made the wooden blocks and also the silliute above. She does impressive work! Check her Etsy shop, theRUBBERpress. The above were made specifically for the shower, but I'm sure you can find things you love on her site.

Timeless Treasures: {Amazing} Scenes of the West--British Columbia & Alberta

Homemade Chicken Burgers

I love cooking new things and making up my own meals--either a new creation or a fabulous re-make on an old. Cooking, in my opinion is SO much more forgiving than baking. You can throw in a pinch of this and a pinch of that...or a cup of this and a cup of that...for most dishes, there is no difference if you alter the recipe {whereas, with most baking recipes, precision and accuracy are encouraged for yummy tasting and looking desserts :D}

Anyway, a friend of mine is headed back to the Island {Victoria, BC} with her husband and kids for vacation, and last night was the only time we could fit in a visit before she leaves--on Friday morning! They live about an hour and half from town, so it was [past] supper time before I made it out to their hobby farm.

Since she had ground chicken, I suggested we make chicken burgers.

Tosh mixed the chicken, bread crumbs, 1 egg, fresh garlic, minced onion, and some herb&garlic seasonings--before shaping into patties and placing on a heated pan that had a little bit of oil.

She sliced up some avocado...

and tomato for hers...

I kept it simple with just a bit of mayo and pickles :D

Tosh thought pickles sounded good too...

and mustard!

And, instead of using bread, I put mine on a bed of lettuce and Tosh wrapped hers in lettuce.

Really, you can put whatever you want on your burger...it will taste good, no matter what!

I love the drive out to their place. The scenery is breath-taking, whether summer or winter. Yesterday we had dark clouds most of the day and a little bit of rain. In the midst of a dark and angry sky, this little puff of cloud was snow white. It made me smile so I had to stop and take a picture! Good thing the roads out there aren't too busy!