Texas Avalanche Bars

Going over to Shelly's blog at CookiesAndCups is like going to a candy store. I feel like this is what Hansel and Gretel felt like when they first saw the gingerbread house covered in sweets.  Her blog is full of unique ideas, sugary delights, and delicious delicacies. And to top it off Shelly is orginally from Houston :)

When I found these bars, it was love at first site.  I made them for our BINGO night with our group of friends :) 

You'll need:

2 bags of white chocolate chips (Ghiradelli is the best for white chocolate!)

1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter

6 cups of Rice Krispies

3 cups of miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips + 3 tablespoons for garnishment 

**Recipe cuts in half perfectly fine, just put in an 8x8 pan!

Step-by-step:

1. Grease a 9x13 pan

2. Melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat first for one minute, take out and stir.  Then heat again 30 seconds, mix.  If needed, heat another 30 seconds until smooth.

3. Add in peanut butter with white chocolate until completely blended

4. Add in rice krispies into the peanut butter/chocolate mix

5. Wait 10 minutes until a bit cooler and add marshmallows and chocolate chips

6. Mix throughoughly and pour into prepared pan

7. Cut when completely cooled!  

8. Serve and enjoy!

Hello, delicious!

-Domesticated Duchess

SOURCE: CookiesAndCups

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

There are some things in life you just should not skip.  You shouldn't skip your prom.  Even if you don't have a date or prefer not to dance, it's still a one time experience you just can't miss.  Another non-skipper is having a dog (or pet).  I love Ben with all my heart, and he is our "son".  The joys a pet can bring is really unmatched.  


This recipe is something you also shouldn't miss out on. I'm not lying when I tell you that it is restaurant worthy.  

Creamy Chicken Cajun Pasta!

You'll need:

8 or 9 chicken breast tenderloins (basically chicken breasts cut into chicken strip sizes)
8 oz of linguine, cooked
4 teaspoons of cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's is hands down the best, but Lawry's works too)
2 green onions
A bit of olive oil
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 cup of low fat milk (you can use 2 cups of whipping cream if you're not worried about fat/caloric content)
4 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (use more if you'd like)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese




Step-by-step:
1. Cook pasta per directions on package.  Drain. Once cooked set aside in large pot. 
2. Put a bit of olive oil in a skillet cover the bottom of the skillet with some cajun seasoning.  Put chicken on the skillet and add more cajun seasoning on top.  Sauté in your skillet until chicken is fully cooked.  

3. Once chicken is cooked, remove and chop into small bite sized pieces.  Add back to skillet.  Now chop your green onions as well.  

3. In the skillet add chopped green onion, cream and milk, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, pepper and heat until it bubbles.**

4.  Add the creamy mixture in the pasta and heat until thick. Add the parmesan cheese slowly.  This could take 5 minutes to fully thicken.  If it's still not thick you can add 1-2 teaspoons of flour.

5. Serve, eat and forever change your life. 


**NOTE: If your mixture in step three is not getting thick, add 1/2 tablespoon of flour

Feeds four really hungry adults.  Or six normal people.  Or eight small children.  Or one sumo wrestler. You can easily half or double this recipe depending on your level of hunger :)


Also, a shout out to my younger brother who helped chop, pour, serve, and mix this delicious piece of art.  And yes I did refer to food as art :)


-Domesticated Duchess


SOURCE: Plain Chicken

Carrot Cake!

Carrot cake is a Christmas tradition in our family.  I make a carrot cake for my family's Christmas Eve celebration.  Then on Christmas Day we visit my husband's family and they buy a carrot cake from this small town bakery which is just to melt for. Both are really good!


Here is my recipe of carrot cake!

You'll Need (cake):

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs (although once I only had 3 and it was still delicious)
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• dash of nutmeg (I use 1/8 teaspoon)
• dash of all spice (again, 1/8 teaspoon)
• 2 - 3 cups of grated carrots (I just use an entire 16 oz bag chopped)

You'll Need (icing):

• 1 stick of butter, room temp
• 8 oz package of cream cheese, room temp
• 2 pounds of powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Step-by-step (cake):


1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Chop carrots using a food processor

3. Mix together sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl.

4. In another bowl sift together flour, salt, baking posder, baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, and nutmeg.

5. Add the dry ingredient slowly to the wet mixture until mixed well
6. Then add carrots and mix well

7. Pour into a greased and floured pan and bake for 35 minutes for 2 round pans 9" pans; or 25 minutes for a 9x11
8. Cool COMPLETELY before frosting. 


Step-by-step (frosting):
1. Put room temperature butter and cream cheese in bowl and beat until smooth
2. Add in vanilla and salt and beat
3. In half bowl increments add the sugar
4. Avoid taste testing
5. Frost cooled cake and enjoy!!

-Domesticated Duchess