Strawberry Buckle

   So on my usual strolling through Pinterest recipes, I found something called a strawberry buckle. Now, I'm from Texas, and while I have either lived in or visited nearly every state that doesn't border the Atlantic Ocean, I had never head of this concoction. The base of it was almost gingerbread in flavor, but definitely cake like, and with the fruit and streusel combined with it, turned into a wonderland of sweet-tartness that has definitely earned it's way into our rotation of desserts. You can see me make it here!

Ingredients

For the cake

•   1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
•   1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•   1 egg
•   1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•   2 teaspoons baking powder
•   1/4 teaspoon salt
•   1 1/4 cups plus flour
•   1/3 cup buttermilk
•   2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

For the streusel

•   1/3 cup flour
•   1/4 cup packed brown sugar
•   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•   1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•   1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
•   1/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 4 (6-inch) cast iron skillets (or a 10-inch skillet or 9-inch round or square pan).
2. With an electric mixer, cream 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the baking powder and salt and mix well.
4. Add the flour and mix until just moistened. With the blender on low speed, gradually add the buttermilk and mix until smooth.
5. Make the streusel by combining the flour, sugar and spices in a small bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the skillets, or spread evenly into a single pan. Sprinkle the strawberries over the batter, then top the berries with the streusel.
7. Bake 25-30 minutes for individual skillets (40-45 minutes for a larger pan or skillet) or until the top is a light golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Knock the Chill Off Your Bones Chili

   With fall setting in and winter around the corner, I wanted to make something that will not only warm you up, but make one know they are alive. This chili definitely warms the stomach, and with a bit of heat, can make you cry for more. It's taken a while, cannibalizing recipe ideas, but this is my "Knock the Chill Off Your Bones Chili". You can see me make it, step by step, here!

Knock the Chill Off

Your Bones Chili

• 2 lbs. Ground Meat
• 2 Yellow Onions
• 2 cans Rotel
• 7 Slices of Bacon, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 Serrano Peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 Jalapeños, seeded and diced
• 1 Square Semi-sweet Chocolate
• 2 Chipotle Peppers with Adobo Sauce, pureed
• 2 Poblano Peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 28oz. Can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 2 Tbs. Cumin
• 1 Tbs. Oregano
• 4 Tbs. Chili Powder
• 1 Bottle of Beer, I used Fat Tire
• 1 Can of Red, Black, or Pinto Beans, rinsed
• 1 Tsp. Beef Concentrate

Directions

1. Crisp up bacon in a dutch oven or large stock pot, and set to the side
2. Brown ground beef in bacon grease. Drain and set aside.
3.  In clean dutch oven, add some vegetable oil and heat it up to medium. 
4. Add onions, serrano, jalapeno, and poblano peppers, cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds.
6. Add powdered spices and stir, let them become aromatic. 
7. Add ground beef, combine.
8. Add beer and chipotle peppers, simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Add crushed tomatoes, Rotel, bacon, and beef concentrate. Let simmer for 1 hour.
10. Add beans and block of chocolate, and continue simmering for 45 minutes, to an hour, or until the consistency is where you want it. 
11. Garnish with shredded cheddar and sour cream. Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake with Oreo Crust

   As you might know, when I get bored, I turn to Pinterest. I was in search for a dessert that would appease my wife's cravings, and buy me yet another week of happiness on this Earth. (She really isn't that bad, it just sounds funnier than the actual begging she does. ) one of the greatest fears I have is cheesecake. I've just simply never made one before from scratch, and as I'm always up for a challenge, I figured I'd give it a shot. Here is the recipe I found and tweaked just a small amount, giving credit to OMGChocolateDesserts.com for the original post. Of course, you can see me make it here.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 24 Oreo cookies-finely crushed
• ¼ cup unsalted butter-melted

For Cheesecake Filling:

• 2 lbs. cream cheese- room temperature
• 1⅓ cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 4 eggs- room temperature
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate-chopped

For Chocolate Topping:

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate-chopped or broken into squares

Instructions

To make the crust: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
2. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor, add melted butter and blend until it’s all moistened.
3. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool while making the filling.

To make the filling: 

1. Melt 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool.
2. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth, mix in cocoa powder
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed and do not overbeat it.
4. Add melted chocolate and mix on low speed to combine.
5. Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
6. Bake the cheesecake until the center is set and the top looks dry (about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes).
7. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides of the pan and set the cake in the refrigerator (uncovered), for at least 8 hours, or better overnight.

To make the topping: 

1. In a medium saucepan stir together cream and chocolate at a simmer until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Cool 5 minutes and pour over the cheesecake.
3. Remove the springform pan sides, and then the bottom.
4. Pour cooled chocolate on top and smooth down before putting back in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 
5. This cheesecake can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance just store covered in the refrigerator.
6. Garnish with chocolate curls (optional).