Easy Caprese Bites Appetizer- Iowa Girl Eats (Video)

This is one of my very popular videos on Pinterest, it has had nearly 74,000 views! It is also one of the easiest recipes I have ever made, and I got it from Kristin over at Iowa Girl Eats.  You can read more about Kristin here

I definitely want to go back and learn more about the recipes that she does, as she was diagnosed with celiac disease and has apparently changed her blog to reflect that. Her recipes look absolutely delicious, and these caprese bites are no exception.

You’ll love how easy this recipe comes together, and I’ll let the video show you how!

I hope that you let me know if you make this for your New Year’s parties. When I made this for a graduation party this year, it was gone in no time. Enjoy!

Link to original recipe: https://iowagirleats.com/caprese-skewers-with-balsamic-drizzle/

Peppermint Patties – Butter With A Side of Bread

I have always loved peppermint patties, and this recipe does not disappoint!  I got this from https://butterwithasideofbread.com,  a food blog run by Jessica and Nellie,  both of whom you can read about here.


This is the first recipe I am trying from their blog, and from what I see they have a lot to offer. The recipe seem to be easy and just a few ingredients, so I hope that you will go all go check it out. Let’s jump right in! 


What you’ll need:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 1-2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 cups dark dipping chocolate
  • Crushed peppermint candy (optional)

Kitchen items I used to prepare this recipe:


Instructions:

Combine  powdered sugar, butter, corn syrup and peppermint extract in large bowl. 

Mix with Flex Plus until combined, make sure we’ll be crumbly but will hold together.


Use small scoop to form patties.


Use meat tenderizer to press into patty shape. Freeze for 10-15 minutes.


Melt chocolate and silicone prep bowl for 1 minute- 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir.


Use mini skinny scraper to dip patties into melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper on cookie sheet, sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies if you like.


Freeze for 10 minutes, after that you can leave them out or you can refrigerate or freeze them, whatever you prefer.


That’s it! These taste like any other peppermint Patty I have ever had, they were super easy to make and very delicious.

My video is below, along with the link to the original recipe. Please let me know if you make these and if so, how they turn out and how everyone enjoys them.

My video:

Link to original recipe: https://butterwithasideofbread.com/homemade-peppermint-patties/

Linked and listed above are the products I used for this recipe. Please feel free to go to my website to purchase any or all of them here (please note I make commission if you do): https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/marianielsen

PLEASE NOTE: If you want any of these items, but DON’T want to pay full price, I would be happy to help you with a party – I am vaccinated and received my booster and am now offering in-home parties! – or, on our NEWEST platform TABLE, so that you can get some products FREE and discounted! I am now scheduling parties for JANUARY! Did I mention that January is DOUBLE HOST REWARDS?? My most recent host received $465 in FREE products, and that amount was not in a double rewards month. When your guest sales reach $650, whatever you earn will be DOUBLED for the month of January. Let’s make great food together!!

Danish Oatmeal Cookies – Allrecipes

These cookies are so melt-in-your-mouth buttery, you can never stop at just one. I’ve been making these for years, and give them away as gifts. If I didn’t, we would all be in trouble in this house! 


Side Note:  This is one of those recipes that I make a LOT of, scoop the dough into individual cookies, and freeze the cookie dough raw.  This way, when I have guests come over I can always pull out a couple of different cookies and bake them fresh. I make enough  different types of cookies to last me about 3-4 months.
Okay, let’s jump right in!


What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 scoops Enrichables Pea Protein
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • Two teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • confectioner’s sugar as needed for sprinkling

Kitchen items you’ll need to prepare this recipe:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and Enrichables Pea Protein in a medium sized bowl. Whisk well.

Chop 1 cup of pecans.

In another bowl, combine butter, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Next, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Add the oats and pecans just until combined.

Use small scoop to form cookies.

You can also place raw cookie dough in a zip top bag and freeze.

Bake about 20 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes on stone before removing to cooling rack. Let cookies cool completely.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, and enjoy!

I used regular oats, but you could use quick cooking oats if you prefer or if that’s all you have at home. You can also use walnuts if you prefer those instead of pecans. I have never done that, but I do like walnuts so it might be something I give a try in the future.

My video is below, along with the link to the original recipe. Please let me know if you make these and if so, how they turn out and how everyone enjoys them.

My video:

Link to original recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214068/danish-oatmeal-cookies/

Linked and listed above are the products I used for this recipe. Please feel free to go to my website to purchase any or all of them here (please note I make commission if you do): https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/marianielsen

PLEASE NOTE: If you want any of these items, but DON’T want to pay full price, I would be happy to help you with a party – I am vaccinated and received my booster and am now offering in-home parties! – or, on our NEWEST platform TABLE, so that you can get some products FREE and discounted! I am now scheduling parties for JANUARY! Did I mention that January is DOUBLE HOST REWARDS?? My most recent host received $465 in FREE products, and that amount was not in a double rewards month. When your guest sales reach $650, whatever you earn will be DOUBLED for the month of January. Let’s make great food together!!

Kentucky Bourbon Balls -Tasting Table

If you want an impressive homemade gift, try these easy and very delicious Kentucky bourbon Balls. I found this recipe by Kat Kinsman over at https://tastingtable.com.  As you can probably tell, I was going for a bourbon theme this year with my gifts.  If you haven’t already done so, check out my recipes for bacon-infused bourbon and bacon bourbon Caramel Popcorn.

The hardest part of this recipe was allowing these delicious treats to chill!  I do wish to add that this recipe is not cooked, so I would avoid sharing these with the younger crowd, let’s save this treat for the adults. Let’s jump right in!

What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup pecans
  • ¾ cup bourbon, divided
  • 2 cups crushed Nilla Wafers
  • ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder, divided
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup

Kitchen items I used to prepare this recipe:

Instructions

Combine pecans and ¼ cup bourbon in Prep Bowl. Cover with lid and soak pecans for 2-3 hours.

Drain and reserve leftover bourbon.  Bake soaked pecans on Stone at 325⁰ for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, Chop Nilla Wafers in Flex+ Multi-Prep Set

Remove stone from oven and, once cooled, chop pecans in Flex+ Multi-Prep Set

Combine pecans, remaining bourbon (including any leftover from soaking pecans), crushed Nilla Wafers, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar and corn syrup in 4-Qt Plastic Mixing Bowl

Use Small Scoop to form bourbon balls.

Combine remaining cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar in coating tray, and coat each bourbon ball with cocoa sugar mixture. Place on sheet pan, cover with parchment paper and refrigerate @ 2 hours until firm. 

That’s it!  Let me know if you make them, and how they turned out for you.  These are a BIG hit at my house, and make a wonderful gift.

Here is my video:

Link to original recipe: https://www.tastingtable.com/687115/how-to-make-kentucky-bourbon-balls-kentucky-derby-recipe/

Linked and listed above are the products I used for this recipe. Please feel free to go to my website to purchase any or all of them here (please note I make commission if you do): https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/marianielsen

PLEASE NOTE: If you want any of these items, but DON’T want to pay full price, I would be happy to help you with a party – I am vaccinated and received my booster and am now offering in-home parties! – or, on our NEWEST platform TABLE, so that you can get some products FREE and discounted! I am now scheduling parties for JANUARY! Did I mention that January is DOUBLE HOST REWARDS?? My most recent host received $465 in FREE products, and that amount was not in a double rewards month. When your guest sales reach $650, whatever you earn will be DOUBLED for the month of January. Let’s make great food together!!

Bacon Infused Bourbon – The Baconer

This is the first time I am trying this recipe. I had never before heard of bacon infused bourbon, but what could be better? I absolutely love bacon, and bourbon is pretty nice as well.  I found this recipe over at, of all places, https://thebaconer.com.  I simply couldn’t resist!  You can learn more about Camillo Velasquez and Alicia Lewis here. They Love Bacon even more than I do, apparently!  This recipe was easy to make, and the bacon created a delicious smokey scent and added a bit of flavor to the bourbon. Overall it was delicious, and their recipe couldn’t be easier! Let’s do this!

What you’ll need:

  • 750 ml bottle of bourbon
  • 12 oz thick bacon

Kitchen items I use to prepare this recipe:

Directions

Place bacon on Stone Bar Pan and bake in 400° oven for about 20 minutes, until golden. 

Let bacon cool slightly, and remove and save for another meal or recipe, such as Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn!

Pour bacon fat into batter bowl through the Fine Mesh Strainer

Next, pour the entire bottle of Bourbon into Classic Batter Bowl and whisk together with bacon fat. Cover, and freeze overnight.

When you take the batter bowl out the next day, remove the cover and you’ll see the layer of frozen bacon fat on top of the infused bourbon. Use a large knife to break through the layer of fat.

Use tongs to remove all of the fat, or as much as you can. 

Pour the infused bourbon into another Batter Bowl, using the fine mesh strainer but also either a strainer bag or some cheesecloth just to make sure to get out any leftover impurities.

Lastly, use a funnel and either pour the infused bourbon back into the original bottle, or you can do what I did and get smaller bottles and funnel it into those to give as holiday gifts. Anyone you know who loves bacon and bourbon would love to receive this! It’s such a beautiful color, the aroma is amazing and bourbon lovers everywhere can appreciate it.

Here is my video below:

Link to the original recipe: https://thebaconer.com/blogs/recipes-with-bacon/bacon-infused-bourbon

Linked and listed above are the products I used for this recipe. Please feel free to go to my website to purchase any or all of them here (please note I make commission if you do): https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/marianielsen

PLEASE NOTE: If you want any of these items, but DON’T want to pay full price, I would be happy to help you with a party – I am vaccinated and received my booster and am now offering in-home parties! – or, on our NEWEST platform TABLE, so that you can get some products FREE and discounted! I am now scheduling parties for JANUARY! Did I mention that January is DOUBLE HOST REWARDS?? My most recent host received $465 in FREE products, and that amount was not in a double rewards month. When your guest sales reach $650, whatever you earn will be DOUBLED for the month of January. Let’s make great food together!!

Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn – Food.com (Video)

This is another new recipe I’m trying this year. I really do like bacon, and I thought this would be a nice gift for one of our friends who also loves bacon and bourbon.

The only problem is I ate so much of it, I had to make more for his gift! It was delicious, a little sweet, little salty and of course the bacon. So, so good! I found this recipe over at https://Food.com, I hope you’ll give it a try. Let’s jump right in!

Ingredients

5 quarts plain popped corn

1 lb thick center cut bacon

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup or light corn syrup

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp. Baking soda

3 oz. Bourbon

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400ºF.

Microwave popcorn to make 5 quarts.

Cook bacon in the oven at 400° for about 20 minutes until golden. 

Once cool and grease has been drained, use kitchen shears to cut bacon into square pieces and set aside. Turn oven down to 250ºF.

Melt one cup of butter over medium heat in Dutch oven.

Mix in brown sugar, maple syrup, and sea salt.

Continue to stir until boiling at the edges.

Lower the heat slightly and let boil until the caramel is 250°F.

Remove from heat, add baking soda and stir.

Add in bourbon and stir.  

Note: I was supposed to add the bacon into the caramel at this point. I did not do that. I added the bacon in later, and it came out just fine. I’m sure you could do it either way.

Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir to fully incorporate.

Add in the bacon if you have not already done so.

Spread popcorn mixture onto sheet pan or stone, and bake at 250° for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to fully coat the popcorn with the bourbon and caramel mixture.

Remove from oven, let cool completely. That’s it! This makes a wonderful gift, and a great addition to any charcuterie board. Please let me know if you try out this recipe.

Bacon Bourbon Caramel Popcorn

Absolutely delicious, this popcorn is coated with bourbon caramel and bacon for a dessert that is out of this world!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 3928 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 qts plain popped corn
  • 1 lb thick sliced bacon
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • ½ cup maple syrup OR light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 3 ounces Bourbon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  • Microwave popcorn to make 5 quarts popped.
  • Cook bacon on Stone in oven for 20-22 minutes until golden. Remove from oven, let cool. Place bacon on paper towel to remove extra grease, then cut bacon into pieces or crumble with your hands. Set aside.
  • Turn oven down to 250ºF.
  • Melt 1 cup of butter over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, maple syrup and sea salt and then stir until beginning to boil just around the edges of the pan. Lower the heat, and continue to boil until the caramel is 250º. Remove from heat and add the baking soda and bourbon. Stir in the bacon.
  • Coat the popcorn with the caramel mixture in a very large bowl, then pour out onto 2 stoneware bar pans. If using a different type of pan, be sure to lightly grease the pan before adding the popcorn.
  • Bake popcorn for @ 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to thoroughly coat all pieces.
  • Remove from oven, let cool slightly. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 3928kcalCarbohydrates: 675gProtein: 96gFat: 95gSaturated Fat: 35gPolyunsaturated Fat: 26gMonounsaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 1301mgPotassium: 2478mgFiber: 100gSugar: 94gVitamin A: 973IUCalcium: 143mgIron: 25mg
Keyword bacon bourbon caramel popcorn
Made this recipe? Tag me @imapampchef on Instagram!I would love to hear from you!

Link to original recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/bacon-bourbon-caramel-popcorn-495401