Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

I don't normally like to share recipes so close together, but since it is Labor Day weekend, I thought it would be ok to post an absolutely delicious dessert recipe that is so super easy to make, and will have your guests asking for more. This is one of my desserts that is requested at every family gathering, and there is never any left over for me to bring home. Which kind of sucks, because then I have to dig around for some late night sweets that aren't nearly as good as this.

(I ran out of pecans, so had to improvise here. The chocolate chips should be mixed in with the cream cheese, and the ball should be covered in the chopped pecans. Or, for those with nut allergies, omit the pecans altogether and put it together as pictured. Either way is oh, so tasty!)

Ingredients:

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter (no substitutes), softened
3/4 to 1 cup powder sugar (start with 3/4, add more if needed)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

In medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in powder sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap, then chill again for 1 hour.

Roll the cream cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving.

Serve with graham cracker sticks (plain or chocolate).


Wishing you all a happy Labor Day Weekend! Will see you all again on Tuesday :)

Buffalo Chicken Salad

I love salad. My husband does not. He thinks it's a waste of caloric space. When I want a salad for dinner, I have to think of creative ways to sell him on the idea of just having salad for dinner. That means adding meat. And spice. So this Buffalo Chicken Salad is perfect to satisfy my craving, yet make hubby feel like he's had a real manly mean. We will be taking this to the Labor Day party we have been invited to this weekend. I will also be taking a delicious dessert. One I only make for these kinds of outings as it is very hard to resist sticking to one helping. I'll be posting that one tomorrow :)

Ingredients:

1 bagged salad
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 8oz bag shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 bottle of Frank's Creamy Buffalo Sauce
8oz ranch dressing

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix everything together.
Serve.

How easy is that!?

What are you serving for your Labor Day gathering?

Wordless Wednesday~ Skydeck

We decided to hop on the Skydeck at the Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago. I am terrified of heights, so I even surprised myself I was able to step on without passing out.

Chicago!

We go to Chicago quite often, but usually with a specific destination in mind- baseball games, museums, the zoo. Those trips usually fill out our day there. However, since we were only going to be spending 1/2 a day at the Museum of Science & Industry, we decided to play tourist for the other 1/2 of the day.

We went to The Bean:

Then we had lunch. We normally only get the deep dish pizza from Giordano's while we are in town, but opted for some Chicago Dogs for a change.

Mariah was the oddball, getting a chicken sandwich. Booo!

 We took the girls to Navy Pier. No trip to Navy Pier is complete until you ride the big Ferris Wheel!

 

Jason thought it would be such a fabulous idea to have my picture taken next to a "Nuts" sign. "You need that because of your blog." What a dork!

We ended the day by taking in a Cirque Shanghai Dragon's Thunder show. Absolutely amazing show! The acrobatics were phenomenal! I would highly recommend this show to anyone who will be in the area. It lasted about an hour, which was very reasonable for how inexpensive the tickets were (about $20 for adults and $15 for kids).

We also stopped into the Sears (Willis) Tower, which has 108 floors. Things sure have changed since I last went. Not only will you have to pass through security, the prices were literally sky high! It cost us about $75 for the 4 of us to go up, and it was an hour and a half wait. If you have the city pass, it's only 30 minutes to wait. The views from the top are spectacular though! I'll share those pics tomorrow :)

If you have been to Chicago, what's your favorite tourist spot there?

Peaches 'n' Cream

I love fruit, but I usually never eat it for dessert. However, I've been playing around in the kitchen, and I have to say, peaches and cream has become my new favorite dessert! It's quick and easy to whip up, and best of all, it's something the kids can help make! If you are looking for something delicious to serve this Labor Day, this sweet dish is a surefire hit!

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 medium peaches, pitted and quartered
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form.
Arrange fruit on a platter or in a dish. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
Serve.

Wordless Wednesday~ Bee