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Archive for August, 2014

Chocolate S’mores Pie

Chocolate S'mores Pie

A few weeks ago we spent the week with all of our kids enjoying the Oregon Coast and our home in Manzanita.

Of course the best part of the week is getting to spend time with these crazy kids! Man, I love them and miss them like crazy already!

Week at the Beach 2014

It was a glorious week full of lots game playing, golfing, kayaking, beach time, amazing sunsets and s’mores!  One of our favorite things to do at the beach is to head down there before sunset, build a fire, play some games on the beach and enjoy the sunset around the fire.  As soon as the sun has set and the fire has burned down out come the s’mores.

Week at the Beach 2014

Even when there is not a beautiful sunset to watch you’ll find us down on the beach with a fire making s’mores!

Week at the Beach - 2014

I always over buy when it comes to the s’more fixins’.  Nothing would be worse then to run out of s’more supplies!  So when we got home I found myself with some extra graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.  So what do you do when you end up with too much s’more fixins’???  Make Chocolate S’mores Pie.

Chocolate S'mores Pie

This is a recipe that has been in our family for many  years.  It was given to my mother by a friend and it has a delicious, fluffy, mousse like filling.

Chocolate S'mores Pie

It uses all those s’more supplies plus some milk and whipping cream.  The base of the pie is a graham cracker crust which I make from scratch but you could buy a store bought one but it is so easy to make and tastes so much better and you have the graham crackers on hand, so make it!

The filling for the pie is melted marshmallows, chocolate bars and some milk.

Chocolate S'mores Pie

After all that has melted together and cooled you fold it into some whipped cream for a lovely, light, chocolately but not too chocolatey filling!  Fill up your crust and then put it in the refrigerator to chill and firm up.

Chocolate S'mores Pie

I like to garnish it with a bit more chocolate, graham cracker and marshmallow!

Chocolate S'mores Pie

Then of course, all that is left to do is enjoy a slice or two!

Chocolate S'mores Pie

Fortunately for me it was my neighbor’s birthday yesterday so I gifted her the pie so I didn’t eat the whole thing myself!

Chocolate S’mores Pie

All the flavors of your favorite campfire treat in a pie.CourseDessertCuisineAmericanKeywords’mores piePrep Time20 minutesCook Time8 minutes0 minutesTotal Time28 minutesServings8 servingsCalories591kcalAuthorLeigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • 8 oz chocolate bar
  • 24 large marshmallows
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1 1/4 C graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/3 C butter melted

Instructions

Crust

  • Combine crumbs and sugar
  • Add in melted butter and stir to combine.
  • Press mixture into a 9 inch pie pan and press firmly to sides and bottom
  • Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
  • Cool

Pie

  • Melt marshmallows and chocolate in milk on stovetop.
  • Let cool.
  • Whip cream and fold into chocolate mixture.
  • Pour into crust and chill.

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Are you wondering what color Tieks go with everything? Keep reading to see what my answer is!

Tieks

 About a month ago I teased some of you on Instagram by showing you this photo: My first pair of Tieks.  I say first because I hope they are not  my last. You may be wondering “What are Tieks?”  Well, to quote the Tieks website,  “Tieks are the most versatile designer flats in the world. Made of the finest Italian leathers and designed to fold and fit in a purse. Wearable all day, every day.”

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photo (2)

Tieks Shoes

When I posted this photo on Facebook I didn’t tell you what color of Tieks I got and made you guess.  The one problem with Tieks is that there are way too many amazing colors and patterns to choose from.  I bet you can’t choose just one!! I revealed my choice of Tieks with this photo taken on our weekend in Seattle.

 My Tieks made their debut at a Seattle Mariner’s game. Yes, I went with the leopard print!   My Tieks also enjoyed a trip to Pike Street Market. Back in Portland they were perfect for a Saturday morning trip to the Farmer’s Market.  They pretty much go everywhere with me and go with everything!

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Tieks

Quality Shoes

Tieks are spendy and I realize that won’t be in everyone’s budget  but I have discovered with shoes that you get what you pay for.  If you spend any amount of time on your feet or walking every day you know how important good, comfortable shoes are.  Tieks are made of high quality Italian leather and each pair takes 3 days to make.  Are they worth it?  Definitely.  Not only are they the cutest ballet flats you can find but they are super comfortable.

They would make the perfect travel shoe not only because they are so comfortable but because they are designed to fold up and take up very little room in your suitcase.  They even come with a little travel bag.

Tieks

Having comfortable shoes when you travel is a MUST and I spent a lot of money on my shoes before our last trip to Europe.  They were comfortable but they weren’t very cute and I don’t wear them around home.  

Tieks make a great, comfortable travel shoe but they are also so cute you will want to wear them all the time. As you can see from the photo above I also have a Pop Pink pair.  They actually aren’t for me.

What Color Tieks Go With Everything?

I love these Cheetah Tieks and they go with pretty much everything! I wear them over and over again!

Tieks

You know it is a pair of Tieks when you see the signature Tiek Blue stripe and the Tiek Blue non-skid rubber soles that accent each pair. So if you are in the market for a new pair of comfy ballet flats or cut, comfortable travel shoes definitely check out Tieks.  The only problem is going to be deciding what color you want.  

Tieks

My neighbor is headed to Europe in a few weeks and I told her she definitely needed to take a pair with her.  After some texting back and forth trying to help her decide what color to choose she decided on the Cobalt Blue.  That may be my next pair too!! Tieks also has a great return/exchange policy.  They do not come in half sizes so if you are a half size I recommend sizing up.  That’s what I did and they fit perfect.  

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Lemon Cake with Olive Oil

Lemon Chiffon Cake
Lemon Chiffon Cake

I was craving cake the other day and lemon always sounds good to me so I decided this lemon cake recipe I have had for years was the perfect thing to make the swtich with.  This cake has a nice subtle, light lemon flavor and is nice and moist.  I was a little concerned that the cake would taste too olive oily because the lemon flavor is so subtle but it didnt’ at all.  The olive oil made the cake more moist and I couldn’t taste the olive oil flavor at all.  I actually love the flavor of olive oil, I just wasn’t sure how it would taste as a cake. The lemon flavor was still there and the olive oil did not overpower it all.

Lemon Chiffon Cake

I love the crispy top that forms on this cake.  I sprinkled it with some sugar before baking and then added berries and whip cream!

Lemon Chiffon Cake
ButtertoOliveOilConversionChart
Lemon Chiffon Cake

Lemon Cake with Olive Oil

AuthorLeigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 C cake flour
  • 5 large eggs seperated
  • 3/4 C sugar divided
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • berries and whip cream to garnish

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper. Do not grease pan.
  • Grate lemon zest and add to flour.
  • Beat together egg yolks and 1/2 C sugar until it is thick and pale. 2-3 minutes
  • Add in olive oil and lemon juice.
  • Mix until just combined.
  • Add in flour until just combined.
  • Beat egg whites with salt until foamy.
  • Add in 1/4 C sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating until it forms a soft peak.
  • Fold 1/2 of the egg whites into yolk mixture.
  • Fold in remaining egg whites.
  • Put batter into springform pan.
  • Gently hit pan onto a hard surface 2-3 times to release air bubbles.
  • Sprinkle to of batter lightly with sugar.
  • Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool, approx. 30 minutes
  • Run a knife around edge of pan and remove sides of pan.

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Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad

Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad is the perfect summer salad that can be served as a side dish or as a full meal when you add chicken.


For other yummy pasta salads try Caesar Pasta Salad, Broccoli Pasta Salad or  Pasta Chicken Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Bacon

Spicy Sesame Salad

Summer was all about salads at our house and many times a salad was the main attraction at dinner. I served today’s Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad as a side dish.   You could easily dress it up for a main dish too by adding some chicken or other meat to it.

This noodle salad has a little Asian influence.  Don’t let the spicy part fool you, it’s really not that spicy.  It has a sprinkling of red pepper flakes so you can make it as spicy or as mild as you’d like.

Spicy Sesame Salad

This salad has a nice subtle peanut flavor to it.  I don’t like a heavy peanut butter flavor so this one is just perfect.  The addition of some green, crunchy vegetables makes it pretty and gives it some great flavor and texture.

Spicy Sesame Salad on a palte

Add some grilled chicken to this salad and you have a main dish. Without the chicken it makes a perfect side dish for your next meal or BBQ.  Next time I think I will give it a sprinkling of chopped peanuts for some extra crunch.

Spicy Sesame Salad on a white plate

Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad

Coursemain dish saladCuisineChineseKeywordspicy sesame noodle saladServings6 peopleCalories684kcalAuthorLeigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. thin spaghetti

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil divided
  • 1/2 cup sesame oil
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 carrot shredded
  • 1/2 cup green onions chopped
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1/4 lb. pea pods
  • 1/3 cup broccoli florets

Instructions

  • Cook noodles according to directions.
  • Drain and add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.

Dressing

  • In a blender combine oils, vinegar, red pepper flakes, ginger, peanut butter, soy sauce and garlic.
  • Blend thoroughly.
  • Pour dressing over noodles and toss while noodles are warm. Cool.
  • Add carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, pea pods and broccoli and toss.
  • Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

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Most viewed posts

You may or may not have noticed that posting was a little light last week.   I had all of my kids home for the week and I spent a lot of time playing and cooking! I was pretty much in heaven and we spent the week enjoying the Oregon Coast at our beach house in Manzanita.  While we were there one of my kids asked me what my most popular blog posts were and I wasn’t really sure.

I did a little research on Google Analytics and thought it would be fun to share what I found with you what my most popular posts have been since I started my blog.  I went back to  the beginning of 2009 which technically wasn’t the beginning of my blog but there weren’t any top posts earlier than that.

So if you haven’t tried these recipes or pinned them yet – now is your chance!  Starting with Number Ten the Most Popular Recipes of All Times are!

NUMBER TEN

Bunny Cookie Bark

Bunny-Cookie-Bark-e1397084638482

NUMBER NINE

Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli

Roasted-Red-Pepper-Ravioli_0006-331x500

NUMBER EIGHT

Copycat In N Out Burger

In-N-Out1

NUMBER SEVEN

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Crock-Pot-Salsa-Chicken-e1365560879378

NUMBER SIX 

Gluten Free Flour Mix

gluten-free-flour-mix

NUMBER FIVE

 Crock Pot Tomato Basil Soup

tomato-basil-soup-e1357164366255

NUMBER FOUR

Christmas Minute to Win it Games

Christmas Minute to Win IT NUMBER THREE 

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake

Lemon-Blueberry-Marble-CakeNUMBER TWO

Easy Crock Pot BBQ Ribs

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs

and the NUMBER ONE

Most Viewed Post on Your Homebased Mom

It has been viewed almost 70o,000 times and been pinned over 117,000 times…..

30 Minute Rolls

thirty Minute Rolls

 So there you have it – the Top Ten Most Viewed Recipes on the blog!!  Hope you found a few new ones to try or pin!

Enjoy!

Leigh Anne

leighanneblog-3170

You can also visit me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

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Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

The addition of marshmallows to these peanut butter cookies takes them over the top! Some recipes are classics.  They are as good today as they first appeared years ago.  I am sure you  have several in your recipe collection.  Many times those recipes came from the back of bags or packages instead of the Internet as they do now. They are the recipes your grandmother used, your mother used and now you use.  You keep thinking there is a better one out there so  you pin and pin away but you soon realize that you already have the best.

Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

One of those recipes  you might just have in your collection is the Jif® Irresitible Peanut Butter Cookies. This recipe has been made and enjoyed by family’s for generations and is truly an iconic cookie.  I’m pretty sure you have probably made it as well as your mother and grandmother! Jif® invited me to share this recipe with you and remind you what a classic it is. But because I sometimes have a problem with leaving good enough alone I had to add in a few things.  I didn’t change the recipe, just added in some extra goodness in the form of marshmallows and chocolate peanut butter cups.  You could use your favorite form of chocolate!  I just happen to be on a bit of chocolate/peanut butter kick. These cookies are nice and chewy all on their own but the addition of  marshmallows gives them a little extra chewiness which is always a good thing in my book.  I just made a ball of dough and then flattened it and placed 3 mini marshmallows on top.   Roll it all up into a ball again and make sure the marshmallows are covered with the dough.  Then flatten it again with your fork. Then press your chocolate into the top and bake!  Don’t they look pretty and delicious?! This recipe is a good one and definitely a keeper. If this recipe isn’t in your collection it should be!

Marshmallow Chocolate Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies with peanut butter cups and marshmallows.CourseCookiesCuisineAmericanKeywordmarshmallow chocolate peanut butter cookiesPrep Time20 minutesCook Time8 minutes0 minutesTotal Time28 minutesServings36 cookiesCalories118kcalAuthorLeigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 c Shortening
  • 1 1/4 c brown sugar firmly packed
  • 3 Tbs milk
  • 1 Tbs vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 3/4 c All Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 108 mini marshmallows
  • 108 small chocolate pieces

Instructions

  • HEAT oven to 375°F.
  • Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl.
  • Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
  • Add egg. Beat just until blended.
  • COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed.
  • Mix just until blended.
  • Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly
  • and add 3 mini marshmallows.
  • Roll back into a ball making sure marshmallows are covered with dough.
  • Flatten again and use a fork to form a criss cross pattern on top.
  • Add 3 pieces of chocolate into top of dough.
  • BAKE one baking sheet at a time 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown.
  • Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Marshmallow Chocolate Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies was originally written by Leigh Anne Wilkes at https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/marshmallow-chocolate-irresistible-peanut-butter-cookies/.

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