Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

Ya, Found on Pinterest..  The first time I tried it, the batter was a bit runny and the amount of butter was outlandish..  A couple of quick adjustments and this is incredible served with vanilla ice cream....

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 quarts strawberries hulled and washed
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 lightly beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 oz cream cheese
pinch cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
Pour melted butter into 13 x 9 pan. You can actually melt the butter in the pan while the oven is preheating to 350.  Mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, milk,egg, and vanilla. Pour over melted butter. Place whole strawberries in pan over the batter getting as many as you can in there. Cut the cream cheese into little bits and evenly distribute over the top.   Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Bake for approx 45 minutes OR until golden brown on top.
 This is perfect for upcoming strawberry picking season!

Salted Caramel Bacon Chocolate Popcorn

The only regret with this recipe is not making another pound of bacon to throw in. I know I defiantly am scaring away some people with this pot, but I am telling you, bacon and chocolate are a match made in paradise. The sweet caramel and the semi-sweet chocolate combined with the salty bacon and a tad of sea salt. I GUARANTEE you can't eat just a little.

 First I popped popcorn. I did mine on the stove but microwave popcorn will do just fine. I did enough for a large pan so you might want 2-3 bags of microwave...
Place in large bowl, enough for mixing when the caramel is melted.
Melt in saucepan~
2 stick butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup ( light)
1 teaspoon baking soda.
1 1/2 lbs cooked , crumbled crispy bacon
1 package chocolate chips. I used 60 percent cocoa.
Sea salt
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Take off heat and add 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir into large bowl of cooked popcorn, and mix thoroughly. Add bacon, and mix a bit more.
Melt chocolate chips in microwave for about 2 minutes, checking and stirring at one minute.  Lay popcorn out on a flat surface ( preferably 2 sheet pans) and drizzle chocolate. Place in fridge or on cool windowsill. ( But be careful of neighbors and little hands)

County Fair Fried Dough

• I love my King Arthur Flour recipes, I really do. With the car being down and no way to the beach or fairs, I decided to whip these up for the kids.  It's insanely easy and you can use the topping of your choice. 
• 
  
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 1/2" cubes
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1) Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2) Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer.
  3) Stir in the warm water to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
  4) Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a thin 5" round, about 3/8" thick.
  5) Heat about 3/8" vegetable oil to 375°F in an electric frying pan, or in a pan over a burner. If you're using a 10" diameter pan, this is 2 cups of vegetable oil. If you're not using an electric frying pan, use a candy thermometer to take the temperature of the oil; or guesstimate it by seeing if the first piece of dough fries nicely in the time specified.
  6) Pick up one dough disk, and carefully lower it into the pan. Let it cook for 60 seconds (it'll puff up on top and become light brown on the bottom), then flip it over and cook until light brown on the other side, about 60 seconds. You don't want to cook these too dark; they'll become overly crisp.
  7) Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fried doughs.
  8) Serve warm, with maple syrup or cider syrup; confectioners' sugar, or cinnamon sugar; or the topping of your choice — some folks enjoy a savory version, with marinara sauce and cheese.
  Yield: 8 servings.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layer Cupcakes

My 14 year old daughter is becoming quite the baker, i actually think she is going to outdo me in the baking department. Seriously. I am jealous.
I found this in The Pillsbury Bake Off cooking magazine. It doesn't have a cover , so i really can't tell you the date of it. The link is HERE.
They are little delights of decatant goodness, with the perfect balance of moistness and flavor. TRY THEM, i can't yell it loud enough!

• 1 package (3 ounces) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese (softened or cubed), softened
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon 2% milk
• 
  BATTER:
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and milk until smooth; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, water, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened (batter will be thin).
• Fill paper-lined jumbo muffin cups half full with batter. Drop scant tablespoonfuls of peanut butter mixture into center of each; cover with remaining batter.
• Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.