Red Velvet Cupcake Bites

Found this recipe at bakerella.com, a favorite site of mine for yummy baked goods. She is all about "mini" things, which I love! She has some of the cutest ideas ever, and they're all just as yummy as they are pretty. I also made these for our girls night (yes, we had plenty of treats, which I'm now regretting because I got stuck with all the leftovers).

Red Velvet Cupcake Bites
1 box Red Velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (or candy melts for cupcake bottom)
Colored Candy Melts (for cupcake top, I just used vanilla bark)
Candy Cup Mold (or mini muffin tin)
Sprinkles and m&ms for decoration

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. (The texture should be fine/fluffy)
2. Using the back of a large spoon, mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls (make sure they are smaller in diameter than that of your candy mold) and lay on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Chill in the freezer for a few minutes, until they are slightly firm, not frozen.
5. Melt chocolate bark and candy melts in microwave per directions on package.
6. Using a spoon or squeeze bottle, fill each mold cavity with a small amount of chocolate. Sorry, I didn’t think to measure how much. But as soon as you fill the cavity, go ahead and place one of your rolled balls into it. Carefully push it down until the force causes the chocolate to push up and fill in around the sides of the ball. You may have to experiment with a couple to get the right amount. Stop pushing once the chocolate reaches the top edge.
7. Place the mold tray filled with cupcakes in the freezer for just a few minutes to let the chocolate set. Remove and then gently pull up on the cake ball top to release from candy mold.
8. Now, holding the bottom of the cupcake, dip the top in another color of melted chocolate.
9. Decorate.

Makes about 50. Store in an airtight container and they will last for several days.

White Bean Chicken Chili II

I know I already have a version of White Chicken Chili on here, but this is a different version. I got this from my friend Elyssa and it is yummy! We had girls night last Friday at my house and I made this for dinner and served it in soup bowls with corn bread. It's a little spicy, so the younger girls had chicken noodle. I have had it a couple times at Elyssa's house, but this is the first time I've made it. Definitely won't be the last!

White Bean Chicken Chili

2 tbsp Butter

3 tsp Garlic Powder

1 large Yellow Onion

1-2 lb chicken breast, cut into pieces

5 cans Great Northern White Beans

36 oz Chicken Stock

2 cans of chopped Green Chilies

2 tsp Cumin

2 tsp Oregano

2 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more if desired)

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 cup Sour Cream

3/4 cup Salsa Verde

Chop Onion and Chicken and saute in Butter and Garlic Salt (large pot, medium heat).

Drain and rinse Beans, then add Beans, Chicken Stock, Chilies, Cumin, Oregano, and Sea Salt to pot.

Simmer for 30 minutes, or for a couple of hours, depending on time you need it.

Remove from heat and add Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Sour Cream, Heavy Cream & Salsa Verde.

Serves approximately 12-16 people (depending on serving size)

Peanut Butter Cups

I invited all the girls (sisters and nieces) over for a girls night sleepover last Friday. I made these as part of the spread of goodies. I am a huge fan of peanut butter/chocolate things (who isn't really??) so of course I ate way too many of these guys.

PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

INGREDIENTS
1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cube butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 package chocolate almond bark

DIRECTIONS
Mix together peanut butter, powdered sugar and softened (not melted) butter. Roll into balls. Melt chocolate almond bark. Put chocolate into bottom of molds. (I use a mini muffin tin or a heart mold ) Add peanut butter balls and flatten until covered by chocolate (you may need to add another dab of chocolate on top of peanut butter to cover completely). Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.