Cake Balls

If you've been around the food/cooking/baking blog community, I'm sure that you're familiar with Bakerella.  Her beautiful treats are works of art and her Cake Pops are especially lovely.  If you're not familiar, go ahead and check out her website, I'll wait...

 

Pretty cute, right?  Did you see the reindeer ones for Christmas?  So, cute!  Why can’t I have that talent?

 

Anyway, I've wanted to make Cake Pops for awhile and finally got around to doing it a few weeks ago.  However, I didn't have any sticks, so mine were Cake Balls.  I followed Bakerella's directions located here and my Cake Balls were a success!  Not only were they easy to make, but boy, were they good.  They reminded me of kind of a Ho-Ho, with their firm coating and soft inside.  One thing to remember though is to make sure your chocolate coating stays warm and melty…otherwise, it will start to thicken up and you’ll have lumpy balls.  Ha!

 

Smooth, pretty balls.

 

Bumpy, ugly balls.

 

Mmmm, Cake Balls!

 

On a side note, when I was making these Cake Balls I could not stop thinking of the Saturday Night Live skit called, "Schweddy Balls."  In fact, I giggled for a good hour while making them (I have a high level of maturity).  You've seen the skit, right?  It's good old Saturday Night Live humor and though slightly inappropriate...it's hilarious!  And just incase you haven't, here it is. 

 

Enjoy the video clip and enjoy these Schweddy Balls...I mean, Cake Balls!

 

Cake Balls by Bakerella

Ingredients

• 1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake) – I used Devil’s Food
• 1 can frosting (16 oz.) – I used Vanilla
• 1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
• wax paper

Directions

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting.
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet.
4. Chill for several hours.
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm.

**See Bakerella’s website for detailed instructions and prettier balls! **

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Well, well, well...look who it is!  It's me!  I'm back from my blogging hiatus!  Isn't that exciting?  Since the end of February, I've been traveling a lot for work, but over the past week I have been home and making some good recipes.  To make up for my absence, I'm starting off with a recipe that will knock your socks off, so here we go...

First of all, I love peanut butter.  It is my favorite food.  I've asked (and received) peanut butter for Christmas.  I think it's delicious.  I have a jar in my desk at work.  And I've been know to eat spoonfuls straight out of the jar.  It completes me.  When I first saw this recipe, I knew that I was destined to make it. 

Man 'o man, this pie did not disappoint us.  It is rich in it's peanut butter and chocolate flavor, but also light at the same time.  With a filling made of cream cheese and cool whip, it doesn't leave you feeling weighed down...just thoroughly peanut butter satisfied.  Usually I would use light cream cheese, but I didn’t want to risk changing the texture of the pie, so I used regular.  However, I did use “light” Cool Whip because as you all know, if you use at least one “light” item in your baking, it cancels out the calories of everything else.  No joke.  It’s a true story.  Also, as you'll see from the pictures, I added chopped up Reese's Peanut Butter cups to the top of the pie because really...why not?  If you’re a peanut butter nut like me, go make this pie and then enjoy every single bite of it.  That’s what I’m going to go do now! 

Enjoy!

Ingredients.

Ummm…YUM!

Jif’s Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

• 1 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (12 oz.) container (4 1/2 cups) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 1 prepared chocolate pie crust
• 1 (11.75 oz.) jar Smucker's Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping, divided

Directions

1. BEAT together 1 cup peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, until well combined. Gently mix in 3 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.
2. RESERVE 2 tablespoons of hot fudge topping into the corner of a resealable food storage bag; set aside. Microwave remaining topping on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Spread topping over pie, covering entire peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until set. Spread remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.
3. CUT a small corner from bag containing topping. Squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pie. Place remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter in a resealable food storage bag; cut bag corner and squeeze to drizzle in opposite direction from topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.