Cherry Mash Bars

Another good evening to you all!

Tonight, I am sharing what was a staple in our house as kids at the holidays.  Cherry Mash Bars.  Admittedly I was never a HUGE fan of these, my mom loved them and I believe my sister Peg was a lover as well.  These were supposed to be a take from the "Bing" Candy bars we had here.  Did anyone else have Bing Candy Bars? 

These are no bake, simple, quick and add beautiful color and flavor to your cookie trays!  I added some food coloring so my red layer on the bottom was red, not pink.  I like vibrant color, not faded!  You can choose to do this or not, no difference to me, I won't even ever know!  Seriously!

I hope you enjoy the video, and the recipe.  Let me know if you have had these, or if you try them! You are always welcome to post photos on my Instagram or Facebook and tag me!  I love seeing your interpretation of my recipes!

Oh, by the way, I found that cherry chips were SLIGHTLY less easy to find than regular chips.  Don't just assume your grocery store has them!  (like I did)!


1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2 T butter
1 heaping cup of cherry chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
red food coloring (optional)
1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup marshmallows
1 cup peanuts

Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, heat the sugar, milk and butter until boiling.  Let boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.  Add in cherry chips and marshmallows.  Stir until melted and combined.  Add in red food coloring (optional) and stir. Pour into your lined pan and refrigerate until you are ready for the next step.

In a microwaveable bowl, melt chocolate chips in 30 second increments so you do not burn them.  When melted add in marshmallows and stur until mostly melted.  Stir in peanuts and then spread carefully over the top of your cherry layer.  Smooth out and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set and cooled.

Cut into squares and serve!

ENJOY!

Russian Tea Cake Christmas Cookies

Christmas is coming!  Christmas is coming!  I am unusually excited.  Perhaps it is the new home, maybe it is my deeper faith, or perhaps, it is that I am excited to be back in the swing of life after a hard 18 months. I think I can attribute it to being the happiest, and most content I have ever been in my life.  I have a gracious heart, especially about all of you.

I am late out of the gate but I will be posting as many recipes as I can before Christmas Eve!  I work best under pressure!  I will be filming some of my recipes, as many as I can as well, so make sure you hit up my YouTube Channel and subscribe!  Here is the link: FoodThoughtsOfaChefWannabe YouTube Channel!  If you haven't hit the FOLLOW on this website, I would love for you to do that as well.  I love having you all in my life, everywhere!  You see, and learn, and experience different parts of me on my different social media outlets.  Not sure why, but, it seems to be that way!  I am weird, like so weird, but I am fun!  I mean at least I think I am! HA!

Now, on to the recipe.  These were a staple Christmas cookie as a kid.  My mom never skipped over making these.  I wasn't a huge fan of them as a child.  But, I think, these are more appealing to grown ups.  I love them now.  I of course changed mine up, just a little updating on my moms recipe, but hers were awesome as well.  As you can see in the video, I can't keep anything the same size.  I think you should get 2 doz out of this recipe, but I made a few of mine for the jolly green giant so I didn't get quite as many.

Please feel free to change the type of nuts you use to what you have on hand or love.  I wanted to just go with hazelnuts because I love them, I had some some and it was definitely the right choice.  What if you did almonds, with a WEE bit of almond extract?  Ohhhhhh!

1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup finely ground hazelnuts
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract (maybe a heaping tsp)
pinch of salt
1 cup extra powdered sugar for dipping

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Combine butter and powdered sugar until combined.  Add in nuts, and let it mix until completely combined.  Add in a pinch of salt, your vanilla extract and again, mix until combined.  Add in flour and mix just until it is all incorporated.  Your mixture will appear to be dry and crumbly, but I promise it will stick together!  

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out your cookies, dump into your hand and roll into a ball.  The warmth of your hands will melt that butter enough to make them roll nicely.  Do this will all of them, place on your parchment lined cookie sheet and then bake for 10 minutes!  Let cool completely and then roll in your additional powdered sugar!  Place on a platter and waaa-laaaa, time to enjoy!

PS Did I mention to just double this recipe from the start?!  DO!
PSS These will be perfect for your #nobrowncookietray Christmas cookie trays!

Grandma Gert's Creamy Chicken Rice

OK, so not MY Grandma Gert, but my cousin's Grandma Gert!

Growing up without grandparents.  Or rather, growing up with grandparents on the other side of the country and the other set of grandparents deceased, it seemed we were always picking up other "grandma and grandpa" figures in our lives.  My mom's parents had passed before many of us were born and my dad's father the same.  His parents lived back in Philly and I do recall speaking to my grandmother once, though I couldn't understand her, (she spoke Italian) I remember telling her Hello, and that I loved her. I felt like the only kid on the planet with no grandparents!

This recipe comes from one such woman.  She was my Aunt Virginia's mother.  A week or so ago on social media, my cousin Deidre had posted a photo to her sister and said she was making "Grandma Gert's Chicken and Rice".  They all were excited and it looked fabulous so I asked her for the recipe.  She sent it right to me ad I decided to make it that next night.

I am going to give you the recipe straight from Gert!   This lasted about 3 days for us.  I served it with a big salad because it is so rich.  Don't skimp on anything!  This will feed an army!

I hope you give this a try!  If you do, post a photo, tag me on social media, let me hear what you think!

Until next time....

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy...

Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cheesy Chicken Gnocchi
Mexican Rice