Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

I've been looking for a yummy post gym protein smoothie recipe and I've found a winner. If you like the chocolate and peanut butter combo, you're going to love this!

8oz of Silk Dark Chocolate Almond Milk

1 frozen banana

3 tablespoons of PB2 powdered peanut butter 

3 ice cubes 

Throw all ingredients into your blender and mix until smoothe. 

Approx. 200 calories

Hot Ham & Cheese Pinwheels

One roll of store bought crescent rolls

Cheddar cheese

Ham

Roll out your crescent dough, keeping the triangles together so it remains as one large rectangle. 

Layer on the ham and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Then take the dough, and roll it up tightly into a tube like shape. 

Using a knife, start at one end of the "tube" and slice the roll into pinwheels about 1 inch thick.

Spread the rolls onto a baking sheet and bake at 375' for approx. 10 minutes, or until the pinwheels are golden brown.

These would be a great appetizer for a party or a potluck. They're quick and easy and really good!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

I love the Boboli pre-made pizza crusts. They are a quick lifesaver when you're craving pizza, but you don't want to order out.

1 small Boboli ready made pizza crust

Store bought Alfredo sauce

Shredded Parmasan cheese

Fresh Mozzerella pearls

Chicken

Onto the pizza crust, spread on some Alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with the shredded parm and throw on some mozzerella pearls (the more cheese the merrier, in my opinion!) Shred some cooked chicken over the top.

Pop into a 400' oven for approx. 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

This is my absolute favorite homemade pizza. 

Apple Pie Stuffed Chocolate Cake

I was watching the Food Network the other day and on an episode of The Kitchen (my all time fave) they baked a chocolate cake with an apple pie inside. So, naturally, I had to try it!!

You need:

One box of chocolate cake mix, prepared

One store bought pre-made apple pie

A spring form baking pan

That's it! 

Mix the cake batter as directed on the box. Add about a cup of the cake mix to a greased spring form pan and spread out along the bottom.Take your apple pie out of the store packaging and drop it down into the pan on top of your cake batter. Then, pour the rest of your batter on top.

Bake at 350' for about 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool before removing from the pan.

Crockpot Flank Steak

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of minced onion

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1 (1 1/2 lb) beef flank steak

Put the flank steak in the bottom of the crockpot. Combine all other ingredients in a seperate bowl and pour over the steak.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

The meat should easily shred.

 As with most everything, I put mine into a soft taco shell with some cheddar cheese. It was soooooo good!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained and rinsed

1 can of Rotel brand diced tomatoes with green chilis

1/4 cup of onion, chopped finely

1/4 to 1/2 cup of Italian salad Dressing

A dash or 2 of dried cilantro 

Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. Serve with tortilla chips.

For a recipe so simple, this is crazy good. I may add it to a soft tortilla shell with some shredded chicken for lunch tomorrow. Yum!!

***I did end up throwing this into a tortilla for lunch with some shredded chicken and it was awesome. Pictures to follow. (Of course! Lol)

Birthday Cake Cookies

A coworker of mine is turning 29 tomorrow and she is always asking me to bake something. I figured, what better present than to bake her something special just for her birthday?!? So, I made her some Birthday Cake Cookies. Yum-o!

1 cup of butter, room temperature

1 cup of dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 cups of cake mix (I used Funfetti, but you could use plain vanilla)

1 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 cups of rainbow sprinkles

3/4 cups of mini chocolate chips

2 cups (I used about 16 cookies) of coarsely chopped Birthday Cake Golden Oreos  

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

With mixer on low, add in baking soda, salt, flour and cake mix stirring until mixture just comes together.

With mixer still on low, add in sprinkles, chocolate chips and chopped Oreos. Stir until evenly incorporated.

Chill dough for AT LEAST two hours. (I chilled mine overnight!)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350'.

Using a spoon, form dough into round balls placing them 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes then transfer to cooling racks.

These were so good, I may or may not have had a couple with my morning coffee. (I did.)