Smucker’s Double Chocolate Diamonds

December 12, 2012 by 2 Comments

double chocolate bars

Who knew that Smucker’s Ice Cream toppings could be used in such creative ways?   If you’ve got a jar of Smucker’s fudge, you can make these yummy Double Chocolate Diamonds.  The base of the bar is flour and peanut butter, but the topping is rich fudge doubled up with chocolate chips.  What’s not to like about that?  Next on my list of things to make is this Grilled Poundcake with Blueberry Sauce and Ricotta Cream.  Mmmmm!

Check out more Smucker’s Recipes HERE.  Plus, stay tuned for great giveaways we’re offering this week with Mommysavers as part of their Five Days of Holiday Giveaways Series.  One Frugal Bites/Mommysavers reader will win a $100 gift pack provided by Smucker’s!

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Smucker’s Double Chocolate Diamonds
 
Ingredients
  • No-Stick Cooking Spray
  • 1 cup Vegetable Shortening
  • ½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1½ cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 (11.75 oz.) jar Smucker’s® Hot Fudge Topping
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
  1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Line bottom and sides of 15½ x 10½ x 1-inch jelly roll pan with foil. Coat with no-stick cooking spray.
  2. BEAT shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in eggs and almond extract until smooth. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix at low speed just until combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
  3. BAKE 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack while preparing chocolate layer.
  4. PLACE chocolate chips in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in 15 second intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in hot fudge topping. Microwave on HIGH 15 seconds. Spread over warm baked bars. Sprinkle with walnuts. Chill 1 hour or until chocolate layer is firm.
  5. LIFT bars from pan with foil and place on cutting board. Cut into diamonds by cutting on the diagonal from corner to corner both directions forming a large “X”. Beginning at one center cut, make 1½-inch parallel diagonal cuts on both sides. Repeat with other center cut to form diamonds. Store in refrigerator.

 

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White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding

December 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

white chocolate bread pudding

This White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding is as delicious as it is lovely.  Plus, it’s really easy to make.  To make it frugal, purchase day-old French bread to use in this recipe.  I regularly find it on the sale racks at Walmart for $.97 per loaf.  Plus, French bread can be frozen for later use.  Did you know that you can also freeze fresh cranberries?  Buy then on sale now, freeze, and use throughout the winter!

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White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • No-Stick Cooking Spray
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1¾ cups hot water
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 cups cubed French bread
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ⅔ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. HEAT oven to 350ºF. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
  2. BEAT eggs in large bowl. Blend in sweetened condensed milk, water, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir in bread, dried cranberries and baking chips until completely moistened. Pour into prepared baking pan.
  3. BAKE 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or let cool.

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Cranberry Orange Pinwheel Cookies

December 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

cranberry orange pinwheel cookies

 

cranberry vaseFor some, it wouldn’t be Christmas without baking something with cranberries.  They’re colorful, tangy, and good for you to boot.  These Cranberry Orange Pinwheel Cookies are great to bring to a holiday cookie exchange.  The dough can be prepared days ahead of time, which is nice.

I like to use cranberries in decorating as well as baking.  If you’re entertaining, save some cranberries to make this cute candle holder.  I snipped some greens from a shrub in my front yard, layered with cranberries, and added water so they floated to the top.  Next, I added a tealight candle and a little red baker’s twine.  So simple, yet very frugal and pretty!

Frugal Tip:  Many people don’t realize that fresh cranberries can be frozen.  Cranberries are in season right now, so buy them on sale and freeze them for later!

This was originally posted here:  25 Days of Christmas Treats

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Cranberry Orange Pinwheel Cookies
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 24-30
 
These zesty pinwheel cookies are as pretty as they are delicious!
Ingredients
  • 1½ C. flour
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ C. butter, at room temperature
  • ¾ C. sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ⅓ C. finely chopped fresh cranberries
  • ½ C. finely chopped pecans
  • 1 Tbsp. freshly grated orange zest
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, combine the first three dry ingredients. Set aside.
  2. Next, cream the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together. Add dry ingredients until mixture forms a dough. Refrigerate one hour or more.
  3. In a small bowl, combine cranberries, pecans and orange zest.
  4. On a floured surface, roll the dough to a 10″ square. Sprinkle the cranberry/pecan mixture onto the dough, leaving about an inch on each of the ends. Press into dough slightly, then roll in a jelly-roll fashion. Wrap in wax paper and freeze 4 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 375. Slice the dough in ¼″ rounds and place on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

 

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My Holiday Baking is Underway! (Well, kind of.)

December 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

My holiday baking is underway, and I couldn’t be more excited. I was BORN rockin’ the Christmas season. LITERALLY. (My birthday is December 25th).  Even though my kids are getting older and roll their eyes at some of my “cutesy” Christmas goodies, I still bake them with love.  These projects allow me to express my craziness creativity in the kitchen in a socially acceptable way.

My first three holiday “baking” projects don’t actually involve turning the oven on at all.  They’re all made using just the stovetop or microwave along with some fun candy embellishments.   They’re perfect for kids to help with, since they love “decorating” the treats.  Plus, if you still have any Halloween candy left over (yeah, I know – unlikely) it’s a good way to use it up.

Last year, I compiled my creations here: 25 Days of Christmas Treats.  My goal this year?  25 new Christmas treats in December.  Don’t worry – I don’t eat them all myself.  I give them to friends and neighbors, send them to my husband’s office – whoever will eat them.  This year, I’ll be featuring them on the Mommysavers Christmas Recipes pages again as well as here on Frugal Bites.

Have a request?  Let me know!  I’m looking for even more ideas for cute Christmas cookies and treats.  I really want to find a cute Elf cookie to go along with all the Elf on the Shelf Ideas I’ve seen.  Anyone have a suggestion?  Leave it in the comments below!

 

oreo snowmen diy christmas treats for kids

Oreo Snowmen Cookie Pops

diy christmas treats for kids

Nutter Butter Reindeer Cookies

diy holiday treats

Rice Krispies Christmas Trees

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Benihana Fried Rice Copycat Recipe

November 29, 2012 by 2 Comments

benihana fried rice recipe copycat

Rice recipes are inherently frugal.  Problem is, too many people don’t make it correctly.  When it comes to making rice, the right type of rice is important.   Believe it or not, not all rice is created equally.  A true risotto requires arborio rice, sushi a sticky short-grain, and for certain Indian dishes only Basmati will do.  Also, attention to detail in its preparation is equally important.  When it comes to making fried rice, the key is to use cold, day-old rice.  Who knew?

I was browsing the internet for a copycat version of the Benihana Fried Rice.  All the recipes I saw didn’t include those important details!  Plus, adding garlic to the butter was omitted in many of them.  It makes a big difference.   My whole family loved this dish, and my husband said, “This is the best fried rice you’ve ever made.”  This recipe is definitely a keeper.   My only regret is not making more.  Sadly, there are no leftovers.

 

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Benihana Fried Rice Copycat Recipe
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 4 C. cooked Jasmine rice, day old and cold
  • 5 Tbsp. butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. ginger
  • 1 C. chopped onion
  • 1 C. chopped carrots
  • ⅔ C. chopped green onions
  • 3 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
  • 5 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 eggs
Instructions
  1. In a 350 degree oven, toast your sesame seeds for 15-20 minutes until light brown. Meanwhile, In a large skillet, melt the butter along with the minced garlic and ginger over medium heat. When garlic is translucent, add the onions, green onions, and carrots. Add the cold, cooked rice and soy sauce. Cook until the rice starts to get slightly brown and crispy. Push rice/vegetable mixture to the side of the skillet, and scramble the eggs. Once scrambled, mix in to the rice/vegetable mixture. Add sesame seeds at the end of the process and serve.
Filed Under: Blog, Copycat Recipes Tagged With: , , ,
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